Video Games

Star Wars Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight

Star Wars Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight
Released: Autumn 1997
Company: Lucasarts
Addictiveness: 5-10 Years
Compatible: PS I, Dreamcast, and PC

As I'm writing this review ten years (almost to the date!) after the release of Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, I'm starting to remember the anxiety in 1997 for the game that would live for a decade strong. Many people flocked to the stores, bought the game, and loved it. I decided that I would divide this review into three parts: Single-Player, Multi-Player, and its Legacy.
 
The single player game, revolutionary in itself, is comprised of of 21 levels. 6 of those levels are spent fighting fighting Dark Jedi. The Protagonist, Kyle Katarn, is revisited again and his back story is nicely wound into the plot line of the game.  The character is great: Brave, witty, and wields a lightsaber. The antagonist, Jerec, is as clever as Kyle is witty. You play as Kyle Katarn wielding blasters, grenades, and eventually a lightsaber. The combat, categorized a first-person shooter, is very fun and easy to handle. The levels, as well, are not too long but aren't short either. Most levels aren't to brain toggling, but there are some puzzles along the way that thicken the plot.    

The plot of the game, which has been ranked as one of the best ever, is cleverly done using live-action cut-scenes and great levels to advance the conflict within Kyle. The game centers around Kyle's search for information about his father, especially who killed him and why. These questions are answered, but the answers aren't always pleasant. I'd have to say the plot is unique and before its time in the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

Now for the multi-player game. Since 1997, people have been logging onto servers to get a glimpse of what would be the biggest online group of the gamers community in recent years. I personally have been a member of the online community for a few years, being a member in only one clan. Throughout it all, JK Community members have been playing, modeling, and fixing the game's already amazing and ground breaking multi-player abilities.

Finally, its legacy. Dark Forces: Jedi Knight II has been a part of Star Wars gaming for ten long, strong, and amazing years. Since its original release in 1997, Dark Forces has brought many people into the exciting world of gaming and Star Wars. I loved the game for many reasons; the plot, the characters, the action, and much more. I hope you buy this game and play through it at least once without any modifications. Enjoy gamers, after all, playing games is what you're best at ;)

My final rating:

Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight gets 9.5 shiny lightsabers out of 10

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