The fun be with you
Dark Jedi headin' to kick butts in newest Star Wars video game
by Brian Wainstein, Editor-In-Chief

  Quite some time ago, in a galaxy that, let's put it this way, isn't that close to home, trouble was a-brewin'.
   Twenty years after the defeat of the Emperor aboard his "fully functional Death Star," the Imperial Remnant is still causing trouble in the latest video game installment.
   This time they have managed to find a mysterious cult of Dark Jedi, those whose mastery of the intangible Force has been put to use for nefarious purposes.
   Stuck in the middle of all these events, a young Jedi-wannabe on his or her way to the academy gets blasted down, crash lands and discovers the first sign of the latest threat to the Star Wars universe.
   Deviating from the norm, Kyle Katarn is not the player character but, rather, the character's mentor.
   The main character is named depending on the customizable character a player chooses from among five races and the two genders.
   Clothing and lightsabers are also customizable for all those Star Wars fans who secretly wanted a Star Wars Barbie doll.
   The game, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, was built using the Quake III: Team Arena engine, so older computers will have no problem running it.
   Activision and Raven have enhanced the gaming engine for improved graphics and more multiplayer mayhem. Vehicles can now be ridden.
   Rideable vehicles include swoop bikes and AT-STs, the classic "chicken-walker" from Star Wars. Squooshing storm troopers under the AT-ST's armor-plated heal is particularly enjoyable.
   The single-player missions feature some well-known characters from the Star Wars trilogy, including Luke Skywalker, Chewbacca and Wedge Antilles among many others.
   The musical score also reflects Lucas Arts' interest in continuity as it was derived from the original movie soundtracks. Also of note are the screen wipes used in cut scenes; they may seem familiar to the fans.
   Admittedly, the default control system can use some work. Players will find themselves changing the keys to suit their needs. Having the "use" button half a keyboard away from the movement buttons tends to put a damper on the fast-paced action.
   The "quick-save" button may also need some easy access as the player character tends to fall down a lot to his death since the closest auto-save point is ten minutes back.
   Despite that, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a fun game. The publishers have opened their arms wide to the modding community with their engine modifications, allowing scripted multiplayer events, unlimited character models and more.
   The game is currently available on PC and is scheduled for release on the Xbox, featuring Live support, in November.