Welcome to the best place in the Galaxy to discuss non LucasArts games

Well, I know that may not be the best place, but I wanted to have the opinion of the RPG-used players here on SWK.com, who should feel things the same way as I.
Basically, I'm wondering if this game's worth its amount of credits. I tried the demo, and while I really enjoyed the saber frenzy you will never experience in a KotOR, it seemed to me it was actually more a kid game than anything else, just typing the attack button as fast as you can and moving wildly to avoid ennemy attacks.
I am certain, however, that this demo did not demonstrate the game's full advantages. So if there is any JK3 fan here, I'd love him to explain why and how it's a great game.


I had a few questions about more technical aspects of the game as well (as I'm seriously looking into buying it, I started to get informations about it). I tried to go to LucasForums's Jedi Knight forum but the threads are a lot more messy than here, so I hope I'll get precise answers on this forum.
It's mainly about the patch - I read it messes up the game more than it fixes it. Is that true? Am I still able to use the "realistic combat saber" cheat with it (the one that makes you sever limbs more often)?
Speaking of cheats, the console opens with the same keys than with KotOR, if I got it right?

If you're an RPG fan you'll be sorely disappointed with Jedi Academy's [lack of] story. You will quickly get the feel that you're basically a Jedi secretary sent off to do the Academy's bidding with no particular purpose other than that they told you to do it.

The gameplay can be fun at first, what with the shiny combo moves and such, but they get old real quick (especially when you realize that they're fairly useless for anything more than the 'ooh ahh' factor and actually leave you very very vulnerable in a battle).

As far as your technical questions go, the patch is fairly necessary if you want to (a) be able to play online, and (b) use mods. The vast majority of players (and servers) are running on patched games. Dismemberment in JK3 is also no where near as excessive or fun as in JK2. If you want to see stormies fall apart at the seams get JK2 instead. The story is also better, although you will probably find MP a bit... lonely.

There are mods that make most aspects of both games better, but the community is really declining and the status of servers is weak, at best. Most servers run a mod that actually decreases the 'fun' of the game unless you like standing around and chatting instead of playing, and from what I've heard legitimate FFA servers are basically extinct.

(Console is shift+~ instead of just ~.)

If you can get either of the games for $10 or under, go for it. If you can't, you should probably save your money for a newer/better game.

Thanks for the last sentence Inyri, that sums up things quite well I guess ^^

Anyway, I forgot to precise that I'd be buying this only for the Single Player mode, at least until a very long time (Windows XP just can't seem to get Wifi to work after its last reinstallation, I had to get good ol'Gutsy back to go on the Internet).

If you're only buying it for single-player, don't bother. Jedi Outcast is far superior to Jedi Academy in terms of SP campaign, but it isn't particularly sparkling either. If you want a good game for single-play try Republic Commando. The SP campaign is very short, but it's good. Granted you don't get a lightsaber, but... ;)

Well, RC would be much better if they fixed those supposed 'Trandoshans' that dominate most of the game. Although I did enjoy stalking around the Prosecutor.

Jedi Outcast and Academy are good, but as Inyri says, they tire pretty easily.

If you want one of the good JK games, get Dark Forces. If you want τwo of them, get JK1. If you want three, get Jedi Outcast. If you want four, then unplug the computer and walk away.

Dark Forces is not a JK game. There are no Jedi in it. JK1 is a big indicator that it's the first game in the series. DF is not JK0. :)

It's still a good part of the 'Kyle Katarn' saga, Jedi or no. It at least deserves a mention. :)

Agreed, let's just not misrepresent it. People get annoyed when they think they're getting something in a game and they get something completely different. :)

Βah, one should be glad tσ see something other than Jedi in a Star Wars game these days.

Advertising something as a Jedi game and getting a blaster-wielding mercenary instead would be the equivalent to getting Dr. Pepper instead of Coke. Both are good, but getting Dr. Pepper when you're expecting Coke will usually be a bit jarring and will make you very unhappy.

Alright, thanks for all the advices! I think I'll save money to boost my computer instead.

I guess they'll eventually release a three-in-one pack for Jedi Knight, so that it will be worth it. That's just a perfect opportunity to make money for LucasArts, so it won't be long before they decide to do it ^^

My first SW game and i love it, dunno why people hate it. I probably love it because it was my first.

My first SW game and i love it, dunno why people hate it. I probably love it because it was my first.

I wouldn't say I hate it, I do enjoy playing it, but compared to other titles, especially previous titles in the same series, it isn't quite up to snuff.

That said, I do enjoy the occasional scantily clad, dual wielding twi'lek rampage...

Personally I think all the JK games had a story best forgotten, so I pretended there wasn't any in them. IMHO JA is best simply because it focused on the good part of the series, combat. I still have it installed on my laptop for those times when I'm too tired to think and just want to choke some stormies. Excelent? No. Entertaining? Hell yes.

I guess they'll eventually release a three-in-one pack for Jedi Knight, so that it will be worth it. That's just a perfect opportunity to make money for LucasArts, so it won't be long before they decide to do it ^^I doubt they'll do that. It's been about 5 years since JK3's release, so if they were going to do it they probably already would have. After all, they just re-released Jedi Outcast with the Best of PC pack. I don't think they're going to re-release any of the others, to be honest.

Alright, thanks for all the advices! I think I'll save money to boost my computer instead.I love the JK series, and I think you are missing out if you decide to skip it...

I love the JK series which is why I advised him to skip JK3. JK2 is worth buying if you can find it for a reasonable price because it has a story (albeit a bit of a cliched one), but JK3 is a waste of every JK series fan's time. Unless of course they're a fan of the series for the wrong reasons.

Unless of course they're a fan of the series for the wrong reasons.Which are?

Lightsaber combat, primarily. It's my opinion that you should be a fan of the series for the unique qualities, not the ununique ones. Not to say people are wrong to like Jedi Academy for the lightsaber combat, just that it's more like they like lightsaber combat and not the game itself specifically. There will be lightsaber games to come that are not in the Jedi Knight series and some people will like those for the same reasons they like Jedi Academy.

If people say they like the JK series, they should probably be liking it for the characters, the story, etc. If not, they should say "I like lightsaber/Jedi games." But in the end, 'whatever floats your boat.' :)

And if I like the game because I can choke people while castrating them with a thrown lightsaber before zaping them off a cliff with lightning, what sort of games do I like?:D

Oh oh, you'd like Fable I bet! :D

Liking to choke people doesn't make you a fan of the Jedi Knight series. It makes you a fan... of choking people. Which is very understandable. :p

Oh oh, you'd like Fable I bet!

Yup, say what you want about Molneux, but his games are a godsend for creative mass murderers.:D

Liking to choke people doesn't make you a fan of the Jedi Knight series.

Never said I did, only like academy.

It makes you a fan... of choking people. Which is very understandable.

When you put it that way.........*goes out to do some choking*:xp:

Never said I did, only like academy.Yes I was getting at the idea that choking is most... entertaining in Jedi Academy versus the other two games. Which I fully agree with. :p

At least in the original JK, though, there was a counter to choke -- blind! <3

Err, ever heard of push/pull? Works a charm against chokers.
But blind you say? Must........not.........gaaaah. Okay, time to load up JK1 again, but I'll hold you responsible for any trauma.:D

I meant that blind will keep you from being choked in the first place. And pfft@trauma. >.>

The game isn't terrible. Okay, the plot is garbage, but gameplay is pretty fun. It's not perfect, but then, who is, besides Columbo? I prefer Outcast if only because Kyle Katarn is infinitely more awesome than any guy named 'Jaden'.

But in your shoes, I'd save the money that would go to getting Academy, get Outcast, and spend the rest getting Portal or something, particularly if you're not Multiplayer-oriented.