As I mentioned in <A HREF="http://www.jediknightii.net/cgi-bin/forum/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=10&t=000098&p=1">this) thread</A>, the guys at <A HREF="http://www.pczone.co.uk/">PCZone</A>) promised a preview of Jedi Knight II in their August issue, based on what they saw at E3. My subscription copy landed on my doorstep this morning, so here's the article. There's no "new" information, and the five screenshots are ones which we've all seen and have been in circulation for a while.
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STAR WARS: JEDI OUTCAST - JEDI KNIGHT II

Expected Release Date: Spring 2001
Publisher: Activision
Developer: Raven/Lucasarts
Website: www.lucasarts.com) (http://www.lucasarts.com)

After cancelling Obi-Wan late last year, the chances of a sequel to Jedi Knight seemed thin. However, while at E3, we found Obi-Wan alive and well and happily living on the XBox. Meanwhile, on PC we saw Jedi Knight's true sequel for the first time, Jedi Outcast.

Powered by the Quake III Arena engine, Jedi Outcast is being co-developed by Raven software, maker of Soldier of Fortune and Elite Force, and although having only been in development since February, from what we saw at E3, the game looks set to eclipse its four-year-old predecessor.

"At the moment it's still too early to go into too much detail," admits LucasArts associate producer Dan Pettit. "But we should have a few new weapons, as well as some old favourites from the original game, plus new and old force powers like the ability to wrench weapons from Stormtroopers' hands."

One new force effect on show was the Force Throw, where our hero can hurl his lightsaber at his enemies safe in the knowledge that it will come back, boomerang-style. Dan also demonstrated a sniper rifle weapon, zooming into a crowd of Stormtroopers and showing off amazing detail.

As was the case with Raven's Elite Force, tyhe plan is to introduce intelligent allies who will fight alongside you against the Empire. Asked about the possibility of driveable vehicles Dan remained tight-lipped. "It's still too early to rule anything out," he said.

Of course, with the latest Quake III Team Arena code powering the game, we can expect a wealth of bot and multiplayer options, from straight and team Deathmatch, to Capture the Flag. We asked that considering the popularity of Counter-Strike, whether there might be a Rebel vs. Stormtroopers equivalent, perhaps where one side must rescue or capture droids.

"I can't comment on that," Dan says with a smile, one which we hope reads: great idea, I'll tell George...
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So there you have it. Nothing new, but an interesting read, none-the-less.