Jedi Knight 2

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Mon Apr 01, 2002 1:06 am

For the most part I'm pretty tired of FPS games. I bought RtCW because... well... it's Wolfenstien. But after about 3 levels I was bored. The levels were too linear, the monsters/Nazi's got tiring, and the graphics seemed a little repetitive. The multiplayer makes up for it. I bought Jedi Knight 2 because I loved the first ones. Here is my mini review -

Graphics - 80%. Some areas are absolutely beautiful and other areas are very plain. Many levels are modelled after areas from the original movies and they didn't do much to spice things up.

Sound - 60%. No EAX support. 'Nuf said.

Gameplay - 95%. The first few levels are a bit boring. You are limited to minimal weapons and no Jedi Powers. Once you get your Jedi powers and lightsaber things get much more interesting. I love walking into a room, force pushing everyone down, and then hacking them up with my lightsaber before they can get up.

Level Design - 95%. Lots of fun little puzzles and challenges in almost every level. In one level you can walk up to a panel and take control of a droid.

Multiplayer - ??%. Haven't tried it yet but from what I hear it's nothing special.

Overall - 90%.

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Mon Apr 01, 2002 1:16 am

I remember reading somewhere where you can enable EAX.

Greg

tunis5000 · Post by **tunis5000** » Mon Apr 01, 2002 8:34 am

Overall I agree with your review. The EAX thing, hmm, I didn't even realize it didn't have it, pretty sad huh?

Multiplayer - ??%. Haven't tried it yet but from what I hear it's nothing special.

I haven't tried it either, but I've actually heard the opposite, people are supposedly really digging it...

DocSilly · Post by **DocSilly** » Mon Apr 01, 2002 11:07 am

I finally finished the game today and I really like it.
Finally a game that proves FPS sologame can last longer than only one weekend (/me looks at Max Payne).

5. How can I enable EAX?

EAX is also in the game but not supported at this time, as it wasn't tested. If you want to try it out, type "s_UseOpenAL 1"
(case sensitive/minus the quotes) and hit ENTER at the console. Use at your own risk!

I haven't tried it yet since I had no time cause I had to finish the game.

Hipnotic_Tranz · Post by **Hipnotic_Tranz** » Mon Apr 01, 2002 2:22 pm

I've played it multiplayer over at my friends LAN and it was ok. Original Jedi Knight/MOTS was better multi-player I think. I agree with your review. I haven't finished it yet, but as you said some levels are beautiful and others are just plain. Kinda makes you wonder why they did that.

Eitherway, gameplay is real fun. Pretty easy I think, but fun.

whatever · Post by **whatever** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 11:14 am

I enabled that openAL with my audigy and WOW! very nice, made a huge difference and the sound just came alive with it on. didnt notice any performance hit either.

nexus_7 · Post by **nexus_7** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 11:18 am

Im not really enjoying it.

Greg

Post by **FlyingPenguin** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 12:43 pm

I just started the 2nd mission (BTW: I'm stuck in the first part of the mining planet - I pretty sure I need to disable the power on the tram rail so I can walk on it, but can't figure it out - any help appreciated).

Not super excited yet, but everyone says it's more fun when you get the light saber and some force powers.

My grumble is the lack of cohesive plot elements. The puzzles are ASSININE.

For example: The first major puzzle where you have to find the 3 colored icons and enter them into the computer console in that shaft. I didn't mind the puzzle itself, but the situation was STUPID. Why would anyone build such an absurd facility for what is, in essence, just a combination lock code for a door?

It's make more sense if you found the seperate codes on officer's bodies.

The stupid puzzle in the room with all the auto-cannons hidden in the wall and the floor squares that can be raised or lowered in order to jump up to goodies on wall ledges is another one. WHY would anyone build such a room? What's it's purpose?

Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the previous 2 games, they all suffered from the same flaw. Stupid and meaningless plot elements/puzzles. I prefer something realistic I can immerse myself into. It's just as easy to make the puzzles believable.

And it's so incredibly linear. It would be nice if there was more than one way to open a locked door than blowing the one SPECIFIC generator or flipping the switches in one specific order. Newer games are starting to offer more intelligent puzzles (Red Faction for instance, and MOHAA) where there's often alternate routes or different ways to solve a puzzle.

Also, while the AI sometimes is rather clever, often it's also pretty damn stupid. I just love the idiot storm troopers who jiggle back and force like they're on crack times 100 (dance baby!).

I also can't figure out the hit boxes to save my life. Granted storm troopers take more damage than officers because officers aren't wearing armor, but it's still not consistent.

I'm a pretty good shot in FPS games and I aim for the head. I swear I've hit some troopers in the head 3 times, 4 times in the chest and they haven't gone down, but then one will come around the corner and I'll shoot one in the legs and he goes down with one shot. WTF is THAT all about?

And someone please tell me who would design such a WORTHLESS weapon as a thermal detonator? It has practically ZERO blast damage just like the previous game. I've tossed one in a closet full of troopers and not killed anyone. Unless you actually hit someone with it, or there's something to trigger a secondary explosion, it's almost totally worthless. If US Army grenades had been as effective in WWII, we'd all be speaking German right now...

I dunno, it's still early in the game but once you get past the eye candy, I'm not too impressed by what lies underneath so far.

tunis5000 · Post by **tunis5000** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 1:46 pm

I just finished the game yesterday and I think that overall the game was really really good, a blast to play. Yeah, it does start slow, but once you get the sabre and force powers, it just gets better and better as you get more powerful. It's so sweet being able to mop the floor with a room full of enemies with force push or pull, and force grip is very cool! The only down side is a few annoying puzzles, but they weren't bad enough for me not to play the game, just find a nice walkthru to help you get past the hard parts and enjoy all the storm-trooper blasting...

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 4:57 pm

I just finished this game last night and I don't remember ever enjoying an FPS so much as this game. Deus Ex is a close second followed by Thief. It's true that I was dissapointed for the first few levels but, like everyone else said, once you get your saber and force powers it's a whole new game.

The puzzles were not all that challenging but I did appreciate them. RtCW was a no-brainer. There were no puzzles, no challenges, nothing to actually make you think about what you were doing. It was a pure blast fest. I'd rather have silly puzzles than no puzzles at all.

I found that the real fun (and challenge) with Jedi Knight 2 was deciding how to use my force powers against the enemy. Sometimes when sneaking up on a group of baddies I would think "should I 1) mind trick a gaurd and make him a temporary ally? 2) force grip a gaurd and turn him into a human shield? 3) force push them all down and hack them before they can get up? 4) force pull their weapons away? 5) force speed and attack before they have a chance to react? 6) or throw my lightsaber and take them all out with one throw?"

There are just so many fun ways to reap havoc in this game it's unbelievable.

As for AI, I'd say Lucasarts was just making the stormtroopers more "stormtrooper-like", if you know what I mean. Didn't you see the movies? They were total fodder.

So, FP, hang in there. I had the same gripes as you but it only gets better and better.

Hipnotic_Tranz · Post by **Hipnotic_Tranz** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 7:03 pm

The game is genious. I now have all the force powers and my saber and am kickin' ass

I was in this one saber battle and I cut my oppenents hand off. He screamed as he grabbed his wrist and fell to his knees.... ...that was the coolest thing I've seen yet!

Solstice · Post by **Solstice** » Fri Apr 05, 2002 8:24 pm

Quick Q for those who are playing this game. I'm trying to figure out if my video is screwing up or it's the games fault. On Bespin and the swamp level there are no textures for the sky. I see this really bright washed-out yellow color and that's it. Is it supposed to look like this?

UberNeuman · Post by **UberNeuman** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 12:26 pm

I'm past the part where you rescue Lando, and I'm not sure what it is... but JKII just doesn't seems to build up any speed to be fun - it feels like your just plodding along... The Gameplay to me feels like "been there, done that..."

It's a fantastic looking game and captures the "star wars" feel - hmmmm... maybe I'm just burned-out on FPS games...

marscheese · Post by **marscheese** » Sat Apr 06, 2002 1:15 pm

single player is pretty fun, but I'm really enjoying the mulit-player. Last night me and 2 other friends were playing Dual mode for about 2 hours. It's so fun to see the "Light" vs. "Dark" force powers. It's also crazy to see people running along walls. One of the things I enjoy most is running up to someone, force jumping off of them (sending them flying into a wall) so then I can just go up to them and finish them off w/ my saber.

Before last night, I had the theory that no one person could just completly own in this game (such as in Q3, Q2 or DoD) but, I've changed my mind. If you know how and when to execute your force powers, no how to be agile enough (kicking them to the ground, jumping off walls, running along walls, etc.) things can get pretty interesting and intense.

I just love to see the force powers counter eachother and the intese light saber battles.

Anyone else like the multi as much as me????