Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy

Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a Star Wars first-person shooter computer game, part of the Jedi Knight series, although it's the first one in which Kyle Katarn is a non-playable character. Released September 16, 2003 (PC) and November 18, 2003 (Xbox). 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 is powered by the Quake III Arena graphics engine, with modifications to give a third-person view and new lightsaber effects. Players now have the ability to construct their own lightsaber by choosing the hilt style and color. After completing certain objectives, new saber styles become available including the ability to wield dual lightsabers as used by Anakin Skywalker during the closing fight in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (but first seen in Dark Forces II by the Dark Jedi Boc), or the double-bladed lightsaber made famous by Darth Maul in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace and first used by Exar Kun in Tales of the Jedi.

Storyline
Players take the role of a new student to Luke Skywalker's Jedi academy on Yavin 4 named Jaden Korr. The story revolves around the sudden appearance of a Dark Jedi cult called the Disciples of Ragnos in 14 ABY revealed in various missions. Jaden becomes an apprentice to Jedi Knight's main character Kyle Katarn and battles with turning to the dark side.

At one point in the game the player can choose to turn to the dark side, therefore giving the game two different possible endings.

If the player chooses the light side, by defending Rosh Penin from a Dark Jedi named Alora, the player will go on to travel to Korriban to stop the Dark Jedi Tavion Axmis from resurrecting Marka Ragnos, an ancient half-breed Dark Lord of the Sith. The player will have to fight his way though many Dark Jedi in the tombs of Korriban, sometimes with the assistance of other Jedi. The player travels through tombs and secret passages and across the surface until they get to Marka Ragnos's tomb, where they will duel Tavion, and then Marka Ragnos in Tavion's body. Kyle arrives just as Jaden closes the tomb.

If Jaden chooses the dark side, he will kill fellow Jedi Rosh Penin, and then kill Alora. Kyle feels Jaden's fall to the dark side, and follows him to Korriban. The player will have to fight his way through the tombs of Korriban, not only encountering hostile Dark Jedi, but also hostile Jedi. This proves for much harder gameplay. In the end, Jaden will fight Tavion in Marka Ragnos's tomb, like in the light side branch, but will kill her at the end, and take Ragnos's scepter. Then Kyle Katarn will come in to duel Jaden, and the player must defeat him. Once Kyle is defeated, Jaden leaves the tomb. Luke Skywalker then enters and helps save Kyle from some rubble. Kyle makes the decision to leave his Jedi responsibilities until he can hunt down Jaden. We then see Jaden commandeer an entire Star Destroyer, and jump out of system with Ragnos's scepter in hand.

Levels

 * Mission to Mos Eisley
 * Mission to Tatooine
 * Mission to Bakura
 * Mission to Blenjeel
 * Mission to Corellia
 * Mission to Hoth
 * Mission to Nar Kreeta
 * Mission to Zonju V
 * Mission to Kril'dor
 * Mission to Coruscant
 * Mission to Dosuun
 * Mission to Vjun
 * Mission to Chandrila
 * Mission to Taanab
 * Mission to Yalara
 * Mission to Byss
 * Mission to Ord Mantell
 * Mission to Taspir III
 * Battle of Korriban

Characters

 * Jaden Korr; Jedi Academy trainee (Male undetermined species)
 * Rosh Penin; Jedi Academy trainee (Male Human)
 * Kyle Katarn; Jedi Knight (Male Human)
 * Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master (Male Human)
 * Wedge Antilles; Rogue Squadron leader (Male Human)
 * C-3PO; Protocol droid (Male programming)
 * Chewbacca; (Male Wookiee)
 * Raltharan; Jedi scholar
 * Tionne Solusar; Jedi scholar (Female Rindaoan)
 * Streen; Jedi scholar (Male Human)
 * Corran Horn; Jedi Knight (Male Human)
 * Dead Jedi Master
 * Blenjeel shipwreck survivor
 * Nar Kreeta Hutt crimelord
 * Tatooine moisture farmer
 * Tram pilot
 * Tatooine R5 unit
 * Zonju V contact
 * Broden Kel Verdox
 * Jedi
 * Jedi student
 * Jedi trainer
 * Jedi master
 * Mining Guild elders
 * Yavin Runner pilot
 * Baldarek
 * Bakuran powerplant droid
 * Han Solo
 * Leia Organa Solo

Enemies

 * Tavion Axmis; Leader of the Disciples of Ragnos (Female Human)
 * Alora; Disciples of Ragnos Cultist (Female Twi'lek)
 * Lannik Racto; Coruscant crimelord (Male Human)
 * Rax Joris; Imperial Officer (Male Human)
 * Marka Ragnos; Sith Spirit (Male Sith/Human Half-breed)
 * Replaced by Kyle Katarn (in case of dark side ending)
 * Boba Fett; Bounty Hunter (male Human)
 * Kothos Twins
 * Desann
 * Swoop bikers
 * Rebellious mercenary
 * J'aahn
 * Hokk
 * Stormtroopers
 * Snowtroopers
 * Jedi training droids
 * Rancor
 * Mutant rancor
 * New Reborn
 * Imperial workers
 * TIE pilots
 * Howlers
 * Sand burrowers
 * Wampas
 * Sith Cultists
 * Jedi (Dark side ending)
 * Assassin droids
 * Hazard troopers
 * IT-O Interrogators
 * Rocket troopers
 * Sentries

Multiplayer Characters

 * Jaden (customizable)
 * Alora (Regular appearance and Hoth attire)
 * Bespin Wing Guard
 * Boba Fett
 * Chewbacca
 * Chiss
 * Cultist
 * Desann
 * Galak Fyyar
 * Gran
 * Lannik Racto
 * Imperial Officer
 * Imperial Worker
 * Jan Ors
 * Jedi
 * Jedi Trainer
 * Kyle Katarn
 * Lando Calrissian
 * Luke Skywalker
 * Mon Mothma
 * Morgan Katarn
 * Noghri
 * Prisoner
 * Rax Joris
 * Rebel
 * Reborn
 * New Reborn
 * Reborn Master
 * Reelo
 * Rodian
 * Rosh Penin
 * Imperial Saboteur
 * Shadow Trooper
 * Snowtrooper
 * TIE Pilot
 * Stormtrooper
 * Swamptrooper
 * Tavion Axmis (Regular appearance and Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast outfit)
 * Trandoshan
 * Tusken Raider
 * Ugnaught
 * Weequay
 * Mercenary
 * Reborn Twin

Locations
Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy features a variety of locations from the Star Wars universe, both from the movies and the Expanded Universe:
 * Yavin 4
 * Jedi Praxeum
 * Tatooine
 * Mos Eisley
 * Jundland Wastes
 * Bakura
 * Blenjeel
 * Corellia
 * Coronet
 * Hoth
 * Echo Base
 * Nar Kreeta
 * Zonju V
 * Zoronhed
 * Kril'dor
 * Coruscant
 * Dosuun
 * Vjun
 * Bast Castle
 * Chandrila
 * Taanab
 * Yalara
 * Byss, Dreadnaught-class heavy cruiser
 * Ord Mantell
 * Taspir III
 * Korriban
 * Valley of the Dark Lords
 * Marka Ragnos's tomb, Valley of the Dark Lords

Vehicles and vessels

 * AT-ST
 * Flare-S swoop
 * Lambda shuttle
 * TIE bomber
 * TIE fighter
 * X-wing
 * Z-95 Headhunter
 * Millennium Falcon

Droid models

 * 3PO-series protocol droid
 * Assassin droid
 * GNK power droid
 * IT-O Interrogator
 * Jedi training droid
 * R2-series astromech droid
 * R5-series astromech droid
 * RA-7 protocol droid
 * Sentry

Weapons

 * Lightsaber
 * DL-44 Heavy Blaster Pistol
 * E-11 Blaster Rifle
 * Tenloss DXR-6 Disruptor rifle
 * Wookiee Bowcaster
 * Imperial Heavy Repeater
 * Destructive Electromagnetic Pulse 2 Gun
 * Golan Arms FC-1 flechette launcher
 * Stouker Concussion Rifle
 * Merr-Sonn PLX-2M Portable Missile System
 * Thermal Detonators
 * Trip Mines
 * Detonation packs

Species

 * Chiss
 * Chistori
 * Gran
 * Human
 * Hutt
 * Jawa
 * Kel Dor
 * Noghri
 * Rodian
 * Sith
 * Trandoshan
 * Tusken Raider
 * Twi'lek
 * Ugnaught
 * Weequay
 * Wookiee
 * Zabrak

Creatures

 * Howler
 * Mutant rancor
 * Rancor
 * Sand burrower
 * Tauntaun
 * Wampa

Aurebesh transliteration



 * The title screen of Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy shows Aurebesh characters in the background which, when translated, read the following:
 * Star Wars Jedi Knight Jedi Academy Developed By Raven Software Published By Lucasarts Entertainment Company Features Create Your Own Jedi Tiered Level System New MP Game Siege New Sabers New Force Powers Arioch Terrain System New Enemies And more Coming Summer 2003 And yes this really does say something if you translate it.


 * In the mission to Tatooine, when you release the Raven's Claw and the Millennium Falcon from the beams, Chewbacca shows up from the exit to tell you to follow. The door reads SALIDA (Spanish for "exit") in reversed Aurebesh.
 * Outside Lannik Racto's office, the inscription on the gate reads OFFICE.
 * Numerous objects bear labels that translate to literal descriptions of the object. On Hoth, for example, large crates are labeled HOTH CRATE and chairs in the Echo Base command center are labeled REBEL CHAIR.
 * During the Mission to Coruscant, a number of billboards flank the path taken by Jaden Korr. One of them reads, "Many ways exist to lose your money here...many..."
 * The prisoners wear clothes with text saying "CREW"
 * In the main menu, things such as Load or Options are also written in aurebesh if highlighted with mouse.

Other changes from Jedi Outcast to Jedi Academy

 * The player's character, Jaden, can be male or female and is customizable. For example, you can choose from several lightsaber and hair colors as well as from several species:
 * Twi'lek female
 * Kel Dor male
 * Human male and female
 * Zabrak female
 * Rodian male


 * Half-way through the game, players can choose to wield one lightsaber, two lightsabers, or a double-bladed lightsaber.
 * New moves including katas, wall gripping, and acrobatics, which add a new level to combat, instead of the standard slashing and cleaving. Depending on your type of lightsaber(s), you can have additional defensive and offensive moves.
 * Two new weapons: DL-44 heavy blaster pistol and Stouker Concussion Rifle.
 * New gametype: Powerduel&mdash;Players join as an individual or as a team of two. The individual has more health and Force power in exchange for being at a disadvantage in numbers.
 * Siege Mode: Players work to complete goals and stop the other team from completing their goals.
 * Enhanced rendering of the Quake 3 Engine.
 * Force powers are now selectable, and you can't learn all of them. Instead, you gain your universal force powers automatically, but with each mission you choose to add a point to either a light or dark side themed Force Power. New powers include Force Absorb and Force Protection, Drain Life, Dark Rage, and Force Sight. All of the classic powers (Force Push, Force Pull, Force Jump, Force Speed, Jedi Mind Trick, Force Choke, Force Lightning), are still selectable.

Behind the scenes
The main character of the game, Jaden Korr, was named in early drafts as Atton Rand. The name was later used in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords. One of Atton's in-game Easter Egg lines is a joke about him being added to the game last minute, and how he was supposed to have been in "a spin-off to Jedi Knight."

Using a cheat code, players can have level 4 Mind trick (normally the highest level is 3). Using this, players can take direct control of an NPC. Other NPCs ignore the captured NPC, however, Jaden is susceptible to attack and players cannot fight back until the player regains control of Jaden by waiting until the Mind trick time limit expires, killing the NPC (this can be done by either throwing them off a cliff or shooting at Jaden if the player has saber defend on 3), or by pressing the Mind trick command key again which immediately cancels the level 4 Mind trick. Also, when using mind trick, the screen looks the same as when controlling a mouse droid in Jedi Outcast.