Great graphics (for its time), great gameplay, at least 6 paths of play, more for the obsessed, this game is a blast. Multiplayer is lacking community these days, with RP'ers being the main body of MP gamers (not bad, but please, a game with voice-chat! I hate typing while being shot at!) but all other aspects of the game are wonderful. CTF is a blast, with force powers that are not rivaled at the time of writing.

Learning Curve: Instant!

Was this review helpful?

Jedi Academy quickly made it's way into my heart. I loved the single player game, I loved it playing as sith, I loved it playing as a jedi.

You play as Jaden, and though the choices are unfortunately limited in what race your player can be, the possibility of fun is pretty much limitless. As you play you're allotted points to spend on upgrading or purchasing new, force skills. This lets you design your own tactics and game play style around your own personality. I personally like to force push people off of tall buildings. It makes me happy on a primal level.

It's just another lightsaber game though until you get to pick between carrying 1 lightsabler, 2 lightsabers, or the recently popularized by Darth Maul, double bladed lightsaber. This is when the hurt comes out and a player's personal fighting style is developed.

Online play is similar, the players pick their lightsaber technique, hilt styles, and blade color. Then they jump into a melee free-for-all and test out their skills.

Overall I strongly recommend Jedi Academy. There are a few bugs remaining in the game, that most people will never notice or experience in any way. Other than that, it's an almost flawlessly designed game.

Get it!

Learning Curve: Takes a while

Was this review helpful?

As the story goes, Luke is working to rebuild the order of the Jedi, bringing in new recruits from all over the galaxy to be trained in the ways of the Force. But just as the first batch of rookies arrive their shuttles are shot out of the sky and everyone's Jedi senses go off. Split up from the rest of the group, you and a fellow recruit work your way through the jungle and stumble onto a strange sight, even in the well documented Star Wars universe. A bunch of sleazy dark side guys are standing around a hot tattooed chick holding what looks like a giant lightsaber. You're soon noticed and knocked unconscious. When you awaken Luke and Kyle tell you and the recruits about a cult of crazed dark side followers who worship the long-dead evil Jedi, Marko Ragnos. While they work to find leads, you're sent off on your first batch of missions, usually with Kyle in tow to bail you out of trouble.

But before all that you've gotta create your Jedi. Unlike Jedi Outcast where you played exclusively as Kyle, Jedi Academy lets you build your own Padawan learner from a pretty diverse buffet of parts. Male and female genders apply to a handful of human and alien races and you'll also be able to pick your outfit, and more importantly, your lightsabers color. It's like Jedi Fashion Academy.

As the game starts your Force powers are understandably limited. A little push and pull here and there and a speed boost that puts you on par with Carl Lewis are all you've got. Fortunately, the universe is filled with guns and in the beginning you'll rely on the game's first-person perspective and long distance firepower to ensure a safe return to the Academy. You've also got your lightsaber for when you get cornered but without your extensive Force powers, melee combat is not advised. But as you progress something magical happens.

Between most missions you'll be given a magical star that upgrades one of eight light or dark force powers. On the light side you've got Absorb, Protection, Mind Trick, and Heal while the dark side offers Drain, Grip, Lightning, and Rage. All have their own advantages and three levels to upgrade to. It's up to you to decide which side you want to play. Personally, I dabbled in both, maxing out Heal, Mind Trick, Grip, and Lightning. Later in the game though, Absorb becomes quite useful as it disperses most Force attacks directed towards you. Protection, which decreases physical damage is also a nice one to keep building up, for obvious reasons. It's also nice that by the end of the game you can't max out all of your skills, forcing you to pick and choose the ones most useful for the way you want to play the game. It's like a sprinkling of RPG elements liberally dusted over this wonderful double layered German Chocolate cake of action.

Learning Curve: Takes a while

Was this review helpful?

The Gameplay is wonderful. In contrast to his predecessors the light saber has a central role and you can swing it from the beginning on.
Later you can use a dual light saber or two single sabers. Awesome feeling.
The Levels have good difficulty.
The weekest point is the weird level design. Rooms with no doors, only reachable by tubes. What the hell. There are some points where one desires for more logic^^.
But it doesn't cut down fun :P.

Play it! It is really awesome.

Learning Curve: Takes a second

Was this review helpful?