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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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