Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II

Last updated

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II
JediKnight-cover.jpg
Cover art
Developer(s) LucasArts
Publisher(s) LucasArts
Director(s) Justin Chin
Designer(s) Peter Chan
Writer(s) Peter Chan
Composer(s) Peter McConnell
Series Star Wars: Jedi Knight
Engine Sith
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: October 10, 1997 [1]
  • EU: October 17, 1997 [2]
Genre(s) First-person shooter, third-person shooter
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II is a 1997 first-person shooter video game developed and published by LucasArts for Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to 1995's Star Wars: Dark Forces , and the second installment in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series. The story, set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe one year after the film Return of the Jedi, follows returning protagonist Kyle Katarn, a mercenary working for the New Republic, who discovers his connection to the Force and "The Valley of the Jedi", an ancient source of power. With his father having been murdered years prior by the Dark Jedi Jerec and his followers over the Valley's location, Katarn embarks on a quest to confront his father's killers and find the Valley before they do.

Contents

Jedi Knight made some technical and gameplay improvements over its predecessor. It uses a more powerful game engine, the Sith engine, which supports 3D acceleration using Direct3D 5.0. The story features branching paths and cutscenes recorded with live actors as full motion videos. The game introduces the lightsaber and the Force as prominent gameplay elements in the series, as well as a multiplayer mode that allows players to compete over the internet or a local area network.

Jedi Knight received critical acclaim for its gameplay additions, narrative, and improvements over Dark Forces, and has been cited as one of the best video games of all time. An expansion pack, Mysteries of the Sith , was released in 1998, and a sequel, Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast , in 2002.

As of 2024, this is the only game in the Dark Forces/Jedi Knight series to not be available on any consoles or remastered for later video game generations.

Gameplay

Single-player

Jedi Knight is primarily a first-person shooter, although it does offer the choice of a third-person view. [3] The game consists of twenty-one levels with objectives which the player must complete before being able to continue to the next level. There are weapons available in each level and after level three, the player has the use of a lightsaber, along with the Force. [4] In addition to being an effective weapon, the lightsaber is also a useful tool for the player, providing light in dark areas, [5] deflecting incoming blaster fire and cutting through some obstacles. [6]

A battle with Imperial stormtroopers Darkforcings.jpg
A battle with Imperial stormtroopers

There are three types of Force powers; light, dark and neutral. Light Force powers provide nonviolent advantages such as being able to restore health or persuade enemies to ignore the player. Dark Force powers are violent and give the ability to throw objects or choke enemies. Neutral powers enhance athletic abilities such as being able to jump higher or run faster. [7] There are fourteen powers in total, four of each type and a bonus power in each light and dark if the Jedi stays true to that path. [8] Players earn stars to allocate toward Force powers by completing specific levels. By finding all the secrets in a level, players can gain one bonus star to use. Between levels, the player can choose which Force powers to enhance by allocating stars to that power. Stars cannot be reclaimed from powers later on. [9] [10]

Some levels contain puzzles that may require use of the Force to overcome, or by locating certain objects in the level. [3] There are a variety of hostile and non-hostile non-player characters (NPCs) within each level with whom the player can interact. Other enemies include monsters and vehicles. [3] There are two endings to Jedi Knight, depending on how the player plays the game. If the player does not harm non-hostile NPCs and focuses on collecting light Force powers, the player will get the light side ending. Conversely, if the player harms non-hostile NPCs and collects dark Force powers, the game will end with the dark side ending. [11]

Multiplayer

Jedi Knight includes a multiplayer mode that allows up to eight people to compete with one another on a local area network and up to thirty two people online. [3] [4] Online gaming was hosted by the MSN Gaming Zone. [12] The player creates an avatar within Jedi Knight and selects a ranking, with higher rankings having access to more Force powers. The player can edit their avatar's "skin" and lightsaber color. There are two types of game in Jedi Knight's multiplayer mode, "Capture the flag" and "Jedi Training", similar to deathmatch. The players can customize the settings to play a deathmatch the way they desire; for example, by limiting the use of Force powers or playing on teams. [3]

Plot

Jedi Knight takes place in the year 5 ABY, one year after Return of the Jedi and four years after Dark Forces. The Dark Jedi Jerec and his followers capture Jedi Master Qu Rahn, whom they interrogate over the location of the sacred Valley of the Jedi. After learning that Rahn's old friend Morgan Katarn knew the Valley's location, Jerec executes Rahn.

Meanwhile, Kyle Katarn, now working as a mercenary for the recently-established New Republic, meets with an information broker droid called 8t88 on Nar Shaddaa for information regarding his father's death. 8t88 explains that Jerec killed Morgan and plans to reform the Galactic Empire before double-crossing Kyle, revealing himself to be on Jerec's payroll. After questioning Kyle about a data disk from Morgan he cannot decipher, 8t88 runs away, but Kyle chases him to his shuttle. Before 8t88 can escape, Kyle shoots off his right arm, sending it and the disk plummeting into Nar Shaddaa's lower levels. Kyle recovers the disk before reuniting with his partner Jan Ors, who takes him to a medical frigate to recover. While asleep, Rahn's Force spirit visits Kyle and explains that the disk contains information to lead him to the Valley and on the path to become a Jedi.

On Sulon, Jerec's Dark Jedi remove the map to the Valley from Morgan's workshop just as Kyle and Jan arrive. While exploring the workshop, Kyle finds his family's droid, WeeGee, who decodes the disk, unlocking a message from Morgan. He reveals that the map to the Valley was carved into the ceiling tiles of the workshop and that he has left Rahn's old lightsaber for Kyle to use. Traveling to the city of Barons Hed, now a stronghold for the Imperial Remnant, Kyle fights his way to 8t88's chambers, where he finds the droid sending the deciphered map to Jerec. Before he can retrieve the map, Kyle is attacked by Yun, the youngest of Jerec's Dark Jedi. Kyle defeats Yun, but chooses to spare his life.

Kyle and Jan follow 8t88 to Jerec's ship, the Sulon Star, where the droid was told to come to collect his payment. With the ship docked at a refueling station, Kyle infiltrates it through the fuel lines, and finds that Jerec has double-crossed and destroyed 8t88. After defeating two of Jerec's Dark Jedi, Pic and Gorc, Kyle retrieves 8t88's head, which still contains the map to the Valley. After WeeGee deciphers it, Kyle and Jan head to the Valley, finding the Sulon Star docked above. Kyle boards the ship again and battles another Dark Jedi, Maw, killing him in anger. Jerec arrives, holding Jan hostage, and orders Kyle to kill her. If the player has followed the Light Side up until this point, Kyle refuses to do so; otherwise, he executes Jan and declares his intentions to absorb the Valley's power himself. Either way, an enraged Jerec uses the Force to incapacitate Kyle and disable the Sulon Star. As the ship crashes into the canyon below and explodes, Kyle narrowly escapes in his ship, the Moldy Crow.

If Kyle has followed the Dark Side, he is again confronted by Yun, whom he defeats and executes, before heading off to find Jerec. If Kyle has followed the Light Side, he is captured by Jerec's remaining Dark Jedi: Yun, Sariss, and Boc Aseca. After Boc destroys Kyle's lightsaber, a redeemed Yun tries to protect him, only to be killed by Sariss. Using Yun's lightsaber, Kyle defeats both Sariss and Boc before confronting Jerec. Partially empowered by the Valley, Jerec battles Kyle, but is ultimately defeated.

If Kyle has followed the Dark Side, he executes Jerec and takes over the new Empire with Sariss at his side. If Kyle has followed the Light Side, he spares Jerec, having overcome his desire for revenge, but the Dark Jedi tries to attack him from behind, forcing Kyle to kill him. He then reunites with Jan and builds monuments in the Valley to honour his father and Rahn.

Development

Development of Jedi Knight was led by Justin Chin, who had also worked on the previous game. [5] The most significant developments for Jedi Knight are the use of the Force and the lightsaber. The Force plays an integral role in how the player plays the game and shapes the way the game is played. [7] The method of allocating credits to Force powers was designed with a role-playing video game style in mind, allowing the player the choice of which powers to improve. Chin said in an early interview that progress in the game is based upon the abilities the player develops. [13]

Jedi Knight uses both 3D graphics and surround sound through the Sith game engine, replacing the Jedi game engine used in Star Wars: Dark Forces . [14] While the Jedi engine was a sector-based "2.5-D" engine similar to the Doom and Build engines, the Sith engine was a "true" 3D engine similar to the Quake and Unreal engines. It is one of the early games to adopt the use of 3D graphics hardware acceleration using Microsoft Direct3D. [15] The 3D sound technology was tweaked extensively to give an immersive feel to the game. This was achieved by experimentation using many different sound effects and playback styles. [16] Between levels Jedi Knight features full motion video cutscenes. The characters are represented by live actors while the backgrounds are pre-rendered graphics. [17] The cutscenes included the first lightsaber footage filmed since Return of the Jedi in 1983. [18]

Mysteries of the Sith

After the release of Jedi Knight, LucasArts developed Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith as an expansion pack. It was released on February 17, 1998 and received positive reviews from critics. [19] [20] The expansion includes a single-player mode and fifteen multiplayer maps. There are technical improvements over Jedi Knight, including colored lighting, new textures and models, and developments to the artificial intelligence. [21]

The single-player story in Mysteries of the Sith is set five years after the events of Jedi Knight. The player once more takes control of Kyle Katarn, but later in the game is given control of Mara Jade, one of the most popular Star Wars expanded universe characters. [22]

Reception

Sales

In the United States, Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II debuted at #3 on PC Data's monthly computer game sales chart for October 1997. [23] It secured sixth place in November; [24] by the 30th, the game had sold 155,060 copies and earned $7.36 million in the United States alone. [25] After a 14th-place finish in December, [26] Jedi Knight reached lifetime sales of 247,036 units in the country and became its 21st-best-selling computer game of 1997. [27]

In 1998, Jedi Knight placed 20th in January and 16th in February. [28] It was absent from March's top 20. [29]

Critical reviews

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II received "universal acclaim" from critics, according to review aggregator Metacritic. The game holds an aggregate score of 91 out of 100, based on ten reviews. [30] The combination of puzzles and action drew praise from the New York Daily News , who indicated that the game builds upon the qualities found in Dark Forces. [7] Gary Whitta of Next Generation stated that "The game has little to no faults; one could nitpick about the overacting or the rushed look of the menu interface, but in the end, Jedi Knight is to first-person shooters what sliced bread is to wheat products." [33] GamePro gave it a perfect 5 out of 5 in all four categories (graphics, sound, control, and fun factor), summarizing, "While Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II doesn't add much more to the corridor-shooter mix, it does once again infuse the genre with familiar Star Wars characters and lots of laser-blastin' excitement. The bottom line is that Jedi Knight is probably the most fun you'll have with a corridor shooter this season." [35]

The user control of the game was praised in GameSpot , [11] and most critics were enthusiastic about the effectiveness of the lightsaber. [32] [11] [9] [35] Game Revolution's Calvin Hubble gushed, "The use of the lightsaber is just awesome. Not only is it the most powerful weapon, it can be used as a light source, to deflect blasts and to reveal secrets." [32]

Tom Chick of IGN criticised the layout of the levels: "The levels can be awfully linear, throwing you up against some frustrating brick walls where you don't know where to go or what you're supposed to do next. There are some bald key hunts." [5] The artificial intelligence of enemies received mixed reactions. GameSpot's Ron Dulin said that the AI is realistic, helping the suspension of disbelief. [11] Chi Kong Lui of Gamecritics.com, however, gave the opposite view: "Enemy artificial intelligence is still pretty mindless and blasting them doesn't require much skill." [36]

Some critics stated the game looks poor when played on computers without 3D acceleration. [7] [11] Hubble argued that the low detail is a necessary trade-off to maintain a high frame rate in the game's exceptionally wide-open levels, but noted that the difference a 3D card makes is high enough to strongly recommend its use. [32] GamePro likewise held that the game should be commended for playing at a high speed even without 3D acceleration, while warning that "playing Jedi Knight without graphical enhancement is like watching Star Wars on a nine-inch black-and-white TV." [35] Next Generation lauded not only the wide-open nature of the levels but their high level of functionality and organic feel. [33] Dulin considered the character animations more detailed than similar games. [11] The graphical presentation of the levels received specific praise from IGN: "No other first person shooter has come close to Jedi Knight's dizzying sense of scale and its vast levels." [5] Several critics found the game's story interesting. [9] [11] [32]

The use of John Williams' soundtrack from the Star Wars films was met with praise, [5] [11] [35] though Lui believed that the music is overused in Star Wars video games. [36] The sound effects were also lauded, and seen as providing a good atmosphere. [32] [11] [5] [35]

The addition of a multiplayer mode to Jedi Knight was met positively, [32] [33] [4] though Dulin questioned why there are so few multiplayer maps and why single-player maps cannot be used in the multiplayer mode. [11] Tom Chick of IGN believed this was corrected with the release of Mysteries of the Sith. [5] Next Generation said that the "Healing" and "Force Pull" powers added great depth to the multiplayer action, elevating it above the formulaic techniques used in most games of the genre. [33]

The editors of Computer Games Strategy Plus named Jedi Knight the best first-person action game of 1997. [37] Jedi Knight won Computer Gaming World 's 1997 "Game of the Year" award. The editors wrote, "As did Diablo the year before, Jedi rose above the crowd in appealing to gamers across all genres. The Force was definitely with LucasArts when they made Jedi Knight Dark Forces II." The magazine nominated Jedi Knight as the best action game of 1997, but it lost to Quake II . [38]

The game was a finalist for "PC Action Game of the Year" and "Computer Entertainment Title of the Year" at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences' inaugural Interactive Achievement Awards, but lost to Quake II and StarCraft , respectively. [39] [40]

In 1998, PC Gamer declared it the best computer game ever released, and the editors called it "such a class act from start to finish that even people who know nothing about PC games can tell they're looking at greatness. It's a fantastic game, and one we never hesitate to recommend to any kind of gamer". [41]

In 1999, Next Generation listed Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II as number 28 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that, "More than any other LucasArts game, Jedi Knight makes you feel like you are actually operating in the Star Wars universe." [42]

In 2017, IGN ranked getting the lightsaber in Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II at the 92nd place of "Top 100 Unforgettable Video Game Moments". [43]

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast</i> 2002 video game

Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast is a 2002 first- and third-person shooter video game. The Microsoft Windows was developed by Raven Software, the Mac OS X version by Westlake Interactive, and the Xbox and GameCube versions by Vicarious Visions; most versions were published by LucasArts, with only the Mac version published by Aspyr. The game is a sequel to 1997's Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, and the third main installment in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series. The single-player campaign, set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe two years after the Mysteries of the Sith expansion for Dark Forces II, follows returning protagonist Kyle Katarn, a mercenary working for the New Republic and former Jedi who cut his connection to the Force. Katarn must return to his Jedi ways to stop a branch of the Imperial Remnant led by the Dark Jedi Desann from empowering their army with the Force.

<i>Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy</i> 2003 video game

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a first- and third-person shooter video game developed by Raven Software and published by LucasArts for Microsoft Windows, OS X and Xbox in 2003. Vicarious Visions was responsible for the development of the Xbox version. The game is a sequel to 2002's Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and the fourth and final installment in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series. The single-player story, set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe two years after Jedi Outcast, follows Jaden Korr, a new student at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy under the tutelage of the previous games' protagonist, Kyle Katarn. As Jaden, players are tasked with investigating a Dark Jedi cult called the Disciples of Ragnos, while slowly learning the ways of the Force and committing themselves to either the light side or the dark side.

<i>Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</i> (video game) 2003 video game

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is a role-playing video game developed by BioWare and published by LucasArts. The first installment of the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic series, it was released for the Xbox on July 16, 2003, and for Microsoft Windows on November 19, 2003. It was ported to Mac OS X, iOS, and Android by Aspyr, and it is playable on the Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X and Series S via backward compatibility. A Nintendo Switch version was released on November 11, 2021.

<i>Star Wars: Dark Forces</i> 1995 video game

Star Wars: Dark Forces is a first-person shooter video game developed and published by LucasArts. It was released in 1995 for MS-DOS and Macintosh, and in 1996 for the PlayStation. The story is set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe and begins shortly before the original Star Wars film, before flashing forward to a year after the film's events. The game's protagonist and playable character is Kyle Katarn, a mercenary working on behalf of the Rebel Alliance who discovers the Galactic Empire's secret Dark Trooper Project, which involves the development of a series of powerful new battle droids and power-armored stormtroopers.

<i>Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords</i> 2004 video game

Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords is a role-playing video game developed by Obsidian Entertainment and published by LucasArts. It is the sequel to BioWare's Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and was released for the Xbox on December 6, 2004, for Microsoft Windows on February 8, 2005, for OS X and Linux on July 21, 2015, for Android and iOS on December 18, 2020 and for Nintendo Switch on June 8, 2022. Like its predecessor, it is set in the Star Wars universe 4,000 years before the events of the film Episode I: The Phantom Menace and is based on the d20 System developed by Wizards of the Coast.

<i>Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds</i> 2001 video game

Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds is a real-time strategy video game set in the Star Wars universe. It was developed by LucasArts. It was released in November 2001. An expansion pack, Clone Campaigns, was released on May 14, 2002, adding two new factions and campaigns. Later that year, both Galactic Battlegrounds and Clone Campaigns were released in a box set, Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds Saga.

<i>Star Wars: The Clone Wars</i> (video game) 2002 video game

Star Wars: The Clone Wars is a video game set in the Star Wars universe developed by Pandemic Studios and published by LucasArts for GameCube, PlayStation 2 and Xbox. It consists mostly of vehicular combat using clone warships, starfighters, speeder bikes and tanks, as well as missions where players can control Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, or Mace Windu on foot. The game is set in the Star Wars prequel trilogy era, with the first level encompassing the Battle for Geonosis from Episode II: Attack of the Clones. The game also features multiplayer modes for up to four players in splitscreen, or online via Xbox Live for the Xbox. It holds aggregate scores of 73 out of 100, 72 out of 100 and 71 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic for the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox, respectively.

<i>Star Wars</i> video games Video games based on the Star Wars franchise

Over one hundred video games based on the Star Wars franchise have been released, dating back to some of the earliest home consoles. Some are based directly on films while others rely heavily on the Star Wars Expanded Universe.

<i>Movie Battles</i> 2003 video game

Movie Battles II (MBII) is a team-based multiplayer mod for the 2003 third and first-person shooter game Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. It is a successor of the Movie Battles mod for Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. The primary purpose of the mod is to allow players to experience setpiece battle scenes from the Star Wars films and the Star Wars expanded universe. The gameplay is similar to that of the base game, but builds upon it with several new elements. The mod has been lauded for providing one of the best lightsaber combat experiences out of any Star Wars game.

Jedi is a game engine developed primarily by Ray Gresko for LucasArts. It is very similar to the Build engine used in Duke Nukem 3D. While not a true 3D engine, it supported a three-dimensional environment with no limitations in the 3rd dimension (Z). In Doom, environments or levels were limited to existing in the X-Y plane only – levels were laid out two-dimensionally: while floor and ceiling heights could differ, areas could not overlap vertically. The Jedi Engine had support for areas or rooms on top of one another, a trait that it shared with the Build engine. In the Dark Forces revision of the engine, the renderer could not display two rooms situated on top of each other simultaneously. This capability was added for Outlaws.

<i>Star Wars: Obi-Wan</i> 2001 action-adventure video game

Star Wars: Obi-Wan, originally titled Star Wars: Episode I: Obi-Wan, is an action-adventure video game developed and published by LucasArts and released exclusively for Xbox on December 19, 2001 in North America and March 29, 2002 in Europe. It is set in the Legends canonicity of the Star Wars universe, around 32 years before the Battle of Yavin, shortly prior to and during the events of the 1999 film The Phantom Menace. Players control the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. The game received generally mixed reviews upon its release.

Characters of the <i>Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</i> series

The video games Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003) and Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords (2004) features a large cast of characters noted for its diversity and is the subject of significant discussion from gaming magazines and websites.

<i>Star Wars Episode I: Obi-Wans Adventures</i> 2000 video game

Star Wars Episode I: Obi-Wan's Adventures is a video game that chronicles the events of the film Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace from the character Obi-Wan Kenobi's perspective. It is the result of an agreement made in 2000 between the two video game publishers LucasArts and THQ. The agreement allows THQ to turn LucasArts licenses into games for the hand held console Game Boy Color, the first being Obi-Wan's Adventures. THQ published the game and HotGen developed it. It was released on December 6, 2000.

<i>Star Wars: The Force Unleashed</i> 2008 video game

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed is an action-adventure game developed and published by LucasArts, and part of The Force Unleashed multimedia project. It was initially developed for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360 consoles and on iOS, second-generation N-Gage, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and Java-equipped mobile phone handhelds. The game was released in North America on September 16, 2008, in Australia and Southeast Asia on September 17, and in Europe on September 19. LucasArts released downloadable content for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 consoles. An Ultimate Sith Edition of the game, containing both new and previously released downloadable content, was released in November 2009, and later ported to the macOS and Microsoft Windows. An enhanced remaster of the Wii version, developed by Aspyr, was released on Nintendo Switch on April 20, 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sith</span> Organization in the Star Wars series

The Sith are the main antagonists of many works in the fictional universe of the Star Wars franchise. They are the antithesis and ancient enemies of the Jedi. The Sith Order is depicted as an ancient cult of warriors who draw strength from the dark side of the Force and use it to seize power by any means necessary, including terrorism and mass murder; their ultimate goals are to destroy the Jedi and rule the galaxy. The various antagonistic factions in the franchise, namely the Confederacy of Independent Systems, the First Galactic Empire, the Imperial Remnant and the First Order all originated, with the Sith. Sith, known individually as Sith Lords, are, by nature, ruthless. At any point a single individual assumes absolute authority amongst their kind and is granted the honorific Dark Lord of the Sith. Sith culture is based on perpetual treachery and betrayal. The fate of Sith Lords is, typically, to be murdered and replaced by their own apprentices. Sith teach their apprentices to revere the dark side of the Force, to give full reign to aggressive emotions such as rage and hatred, and to believe that others are expendable in the pursuit of power, it makes the Lords' demise inevitable.

<i>Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</i> Video game series

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KOTOR) is a media franchise of space western role-playing video games created and developed by BioWare, which have seen releases on the original Xbox, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows, OS X, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, IOS and Android. The franchise takes place in the fictional universe of Star Wars by George Lucas.

Star Wars: Jedi Knight is a series of first- and third-person shooter video games set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe. The series focuses primarily on Kyle Katarn, a former Imperial officer who becomes a mercenary working for the Rebel Alliance, and later a Jedi and instructor at Luke Skywalker's Jedi Academy. While the first game is set a year after the events of A New Hope, the sequels take place in the decade following Return of the Jedi.

<i>Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith</i> 1998 video game

Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith is an expansion pack for the 1997 first-person shooter Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, developed and published by LucasArts for Microsoft Windows in 1998. It was re-released on Steam in September 2009. The expansion includes a new single-player story mode and fifteen multiplayer maps. The single-player story, set in the fictional Star Wars expanded universe five years after the events of Dark Forces II, follows both returning protagonist Kyle Katarn, a Jedi Master and mercenary working for the New Republic, and Mara Jade, a character featured in numerous Star Wars expanded universe works, who is being trained by Katarn in the Jedi arts. After Katarn goes missing while investigating an ancient Sith temple, Jade continues her studies on her own while undertaking missions from the New Republic, eventually leaving to find Katarn.

References

  1. ↑ Staff (October 10, 1997). "Now Shipping". PC Gamer . Archived from the original on February 18, 1998. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
    "In stores today [is] LucasArts' Jedi Knight..."
  2. ↑ "Software - All the Latest Releases". The Guardian . October 17, 1997. p. 10. Retrieved December 11, 2023. Dark Forces - Jedi Knight//New £34.99
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Boero, Mollie; Yunker, Jason; Gilstrap, Doyle; Tosti, Brett; Gleason, Barbara (1997). Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II Manual. LucasArts.
  4. 1 2 3 Evenson, Laura (December 18, 1997). "The Name of the Game is the Same: Video and computer game sequels stay with what works". SFGate . Retrieved December 14, 2008.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Chick, Tom (October 16, 2000). "PC Retroview: Jedi Knight". IGN . Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  6. ↑ "NG Alphas: Jedi Knight" (PDF). Next Generation . No. 34. Imagine Media. October 1997. p. 133.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Li, Kenneth (October 26, 1997). "Jedi Game A Force to be Reckoned With". New York Daily News . Archived from the original on May 10, 2017. Retrieved December 14, 2008.
  8. ↑ St. Jean, Scott (July 12, 1999). "Trail's Guide to Jedi Knight - Force Powers". Archived from the original on March 17, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
  9. 1 2 3 4 McCandles, David (August 13, 2001). "PC Review: Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II". PC Zone. Archived from the original on January 26, 2009. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  10. ↑ St. Jean, Scott (July 12, 1999). "Trail's Guide to Jedi Knight - FAQ". Archived from the original on July 3, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2009.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Dulin, Ron (October 9, 1997). "Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II Review". GameSpot . Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  12. ↑ "MSN Gaming Zone Fact Sheet" (Press release). Microsoft. October 29, 1998. Archived from the original on January 13, 2009. Retrieved December 15, 2008.
  13. ↑ Dulin, Ron (September 24, 1996). "Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II Preview". GameSpot. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  14. ↑ Paul Lilly (July 21, 2009). "Doom to Dunia: A Visual History of 3D Game Engines". maximumpc.com. Maximum PC . Retrieved January 16, 2016.
  15. ↑ "Microsoft Direct3D Scores Big With Game Developers" (Press release). Microsoft. April 28, 1997. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2009.
  16. ↑ "Interview With Sound Designer Dave Levison". GoodDealGames. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  17. ↑ Waggoner, Ben (January 3, 2000). "The State of the Industry". Gamasutra . Archived from the original on December 1, 2008. Retrieved December 16, 2008.
  18. ↑ Emeran, Riyad (September 12, 2006). "TrustedReviews Top 5 Games Of All Time". TrustedReviews. Retrieved April 2, 2008.
  19. ↑ "Star Wars: Jedi Knight - Mysteries of the Sith for Windows (1998) MobyRank". MobyGames . Retrieved December 11, 2008.
  20. ↑ "Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith for PC". GameRankings . Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  21. ↑ Pagliarulo, Emil (February 10, 1998). "Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith - PC Review". The Adrenaline Vault. Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  22. ↑ "Skywalker, Mara Jade". starwars.com. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved August 17, 2013.
  23. ↑ Staff (December 4, 1997). "MS Flight Sim Tops PC Data Charts". Next Generation . Archived from the original on February 4, 1998. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  24. ↑ Staff (December 30, 1997). "Cyan Takes Top Two". Next Generation . Archived from the original on February 4, 1998. Retrieved December 3, 2018.
  25. ↑ Muto, Sheila (January 21, 1998). "Has Game Maker Found The Secret of Siliwood?". Wall Street Journal . Archived from the original on April 19, 2018.
  26. ↑ Ocampo, Jason (January 20, 1998). "December's hottest games". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Archived from the original on May 2, 2005.
  27. ↑ Staff (April 1998). "The Best-Selling Games of 1997". PC Gamer US . 5 (4): 44.
  28. ↑ Ocampo, Jason (18 March 1998). "Re-release rides movie's coattails on PC Data charts". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Archived from the original on 17 February 2005.
  29. ↑ Ocampo, Jason (21 April 1998). "Do the PC Data figures prove lower is better?". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Archived from the original on 6 April 2005.
  30. 1 2 "Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II for PC Reviews". Metacritic . Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  31. ↑ House, Michael L. "Star Wars: Jedi Knight -- Dark Forces II - Review". AllGame. Archived from the original on November 19, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2014.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hubble, Calvin (May 6, 1998). "Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II Review". Game Revolution . Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 "500 Forcepower" (PDF). Next Generation . No. 36. Imagine Media. December 1997. p. 173.
  34. ↑ Whitta, Gary (December 1997). "Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II". PC Gamer : 174. Archived from the original on December 21, 1999. Retrieved August 31, 2014.
  35. 1 2 3 4 5 Scary Skywalker (December 1997). "PC GamePro Review (Win 95): Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II". GamePro . No. 111. IDG. p. 110.
  36. 1 2 Kong Lui, Chi (February 12, 1998). "Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II". Gamecritics. Archived from the original on February 25, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2013.
  37. ↑ Staff (January 19, 1998). "The winners of the 1997 Computer Games Awards". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Archived from the original on February 6, 2005.
  38. ↑ Staff (March 1998). "CGW Presents The Best & Worst of 1997". Computer Gaming World . No. 164. pp. 74–77, 80, 84, 88, 89.
  39. ↑ "The Award - Updates". Interactive.org. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved December 28, 2022.
  40. ↑ "The Award - Winners". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on June 15, 1998. Retrieved January 11, 2023.
  41. ↑ The PC Gamer Editors (October 1998). "The 50 Best Games Ever". PC Gamer US . 5 (10): 86, 87, 89, 90, 92, 98, 101, 102, 109, 110, 113, 114, 117, 118, 125, 126, 129, 130.{{cite journal}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  42. ↑ "Top 50 Games of All Time". Next Generation . No. 50. Imagine Media. February 1999. p.  77.
  43. ↑ "Top 100 Unforgettable Video Game Moments". IGN . 2017. Archived from the original on September 11, 2017.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.