Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast

Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast (aka JK2, JKO, or JO) is a Star Wars computer game released in 2002. It was developed by Raven Software and published, distributed and marketed by LucasArts in North America and by Activision in the rest of the world. It was released for Microsoft Windows, Apple Macintosh, Nintendo GameCube and Microsoft Xbox. It is powered by the Quake III Arena engine. This game was followed by the very similar sequel Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy. The game was generally well received and is praised for its advanced lightsaber dueling.

Plot summary


The game takes place in 12 ABY, a few years after the end of Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith. Like its predecessors, it is based around the character Kyle Katarn. Since nearly being taken in by the dark side, Kyle has given up his lightsaber and the Force. He once again works with his partner (and now love interest) Jan Ors doing missions for the New Republic.

Mon Mothma contacts them to investigate an Imperial Remnant base on Kejim. A part of a transmission sent from the base was decrypted and some keywords such as "Reborn" or "Valley of the Jedi" were revealed. After battling with stormtroopers, Kyle discovers that the base was being used for experiments on crystals capable of storing the power of the Force. Tracing the crystals to another planet on the outer rim, Kyle finds that world has been turned into a Remnant stronghold, and its inhabitants imprisoned for experimentation.

Jan Ors and Kyle Katarn infiltrate the facility and free the prisoners, but not before Jan is captured by two Dark Jedi, Tavion Axmis and Desann. Having sworn off The Force, Kyle is powerless against Desann. Jan is secured by Tavion and, on the orders of Desann, apparently murdered. In order to stop Desann, and enraged by Jan's murder, Kyle returns to the Valley of the Jedi to regain his Force powers and then to Yavin 4 to retrieve his lightsaber from Luke Skywalker. Unbeknownst to Katarn, he is followed to Valley by Desann and Tavion - having theorized that Kyle would return to the Valley as part of a plan of revenge for Jan's murder. Now with the power of the Valley of the Jedi, Desann charges an army of evil warriors, the Reborn, with the power of the Force.

Returning to Yavin 4 for his lightsaber, Kyle is confronted by Luke Skywalker. Luke offers Katarn information about Desann, but insists that Kyle face a series of tests or trials in order to reclaim his lightsaber. With his force powers, Kyle easily passes the trials - too easily, with Luke realizing that he has returned to the Valley of the Jedi. Warning Katarn about both Desann and the recklessness of his actions, Luke points Kyle to Nar Shaddaa, the "Floating City" and the home of Reelo Baruk, a vile gangster that even the Hutts won't touch.

Eventually infiltrating Baruk's lair in the bowels of Nar Shaddaa, Kyle finds the gangster a poor source of information. Katarn does have a lucky break when he finds Lando Calrissian imprisoned in Baruk's dungeons. Lando had sought out Baruk when linking him to a Remnant takeover of Cloud City on Bespin. The two successfully escape Baruk and travel to Bespin, where they find Cloud City an open battleground between its natives and Remnant forces. It is on Bespin that Kyle first meets - and battles with - Reborn. Ultimately, Kyle confronts Tavion and, with his new command of the Force, defeats her. Before she can be killed, Tavion desperately admits that Jan's death was faked - part of a ploy to get Kyle to reveal the location of the Valley of the Jedi. With her life spared, the shamed Tavion points Katarn to a hidden Remnant base as the location of both Jan and Desann. Sneaking aboard one of the Remnant's automated ships, Kyle leaves Bespin for the Cairn Installation of the Remnant.

Successfully infiltrating the Cairn base, Kyle has an unexpected reunion with Luke Skywalker, and after the two defeat a group of Reborn, Luke reveals that Desann found the Valley (apparently having followed Kyle there) and used its power to create a force army. These warriors have the power of the Jedi, but not their experience or discipline. Splitting off from Luke, Kyle sneaks across the Cairn base - finding it a factory for assault craft, sure signs that the Remnant plans a full-scale planetary assault. Worse, Katarn discovers that many Reborn are equipped with a form of armor that is largely resistant to lightsabers. Eventually, Kyle finds a gigantic starship - the Doomgiver. Katarn narrowly boards the ship before it leaves, but Luke is left behind.

Aboard the ship, Kyle learns that Desann, with the help of Galak Fyyar - plans to use this army to invade the Jedi Temple on Yavin IV, destroy the Jedi and restore the Galactic Empire. Kyle manages to send a distress call warning to Rogue Squadron about the ship. By the time the ship has dropped out of Hyperspace, Katarn saves Jan and battles Fyyar. Kyle sabotages the Doomgiver's shields, rendering the ship and its cargo of assault craft vulnerable to attack by Rogue Squadron. With Jan, Katarn narrowly escapes the destruction of the Doomgiver using an escape pod. Despite the timely appearance of Rogue Squadron, enough Remnant forces survived to mount a large-scale invasion of the moon. Jan splits from Kyle - hoping to link up with Republic forces defending the moon, while Katarn sets off alone for the Jedi Academy. Through swamps and mangroves, through canyons and against hordes of stormtroopers and scout walkers, Kyle finally reaches the Jedi Academy, where he fights alongside other Jedi against warriors of the Reborn. Desann descends to the catacombs below the Jedi Academy, followed closely by Kyle. Avoiding many traps there, Katarn finally confronts Desann. Despite learning of Fyyar's destruction, Desann stubbornly refuses to surrender. Despite his great power, Desann is ultimately defeated when Kyle taps into the great power of the temple.

At the end of the game, Katarn is asked by Luke about what he would do next. Kyle replied that he and Jan had earned a long vacation on the beaches of Spira.

Levels

 * Mission to Kejim
 * Battle of Artus Prime
 * Force Training on Yavin 4
 * Mission to Nar Shaddaa (Empire Reborn)
 * Battle of Bespin (Empire Reborn)
 * Mission to Cairn Installation
 * Battle of Yavin 4 (Empire Reborn)
 * Mission on Alzoc III (Empire Reborn)

Crew

 * Directors--Steve Raffel, Kevin Schilder
 * Writer--Michael Stemmle