te27ch Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 If you have been looking around lately, you will see a review out for Jedi Academy at GameSpot, my favorite general gaming site. They have it all: Every game you could ever think of, reviews, screenshots, and a pricey subscription service to get exclusive media (movies, demos, interviews, etc). The problem is, the review has given JA an EIGHT POINT FOUR! 8.4/10! 84% B! This makes me mad. If you look at JO, it received a 9.0 or 9.1 (I can't remember which) and the Editor's Choice award. Now, does that mean JO is a better game? I REALLY HOPE NOT!!! Because then we're in deep bantha poodoo. Quote time! ------------------------ "There are dozens of Star Wars games on the market, but none captures the excitement of lightsaber combat as well as the Jedi Knight games. Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is the third game in the series, or, technically, the fourth if you count 1995's Dark Forces, which didn't bear the Jedi Knight name (and didn't let you use lightsabers or Force powers, either). It is not a revolutionary product--as it uses the same Quake III engine and gameplay elements as last year's well-received Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast. It manages to take all the fun parts from its predecessor and greatly expands them to create an engaging, new action game in its own right." ------------------------ NOT A REVOLUTIONARY PRODUCT MY @$$!!! (oops) ------------------------ "In reality, you'll probably find yourself choosing Force grab and Force heal at the start of the game. These two abilities are the most useful, and you can complete the game using just these two advanced powers. Force grab is the incapacitating choke Darth Vader uses in A New Hope. Your level-three grab lets you pick up and throw enemies using your mouse, or you can just hold them steady--which allows you to quickly kill them by throwing your lightsaber at them while they are helplessly suspended in the air. You can also inflict damage to opponents by slamming them into walls and/or slamming them into the ground. You can even drop opponents off of nearby cliffs. While regular foes are dead meat, Force users can break free of your choke. But the split second it takes them to stop your choke is still enough time for you to flick your mouse to the right and drop them off into an abyss. Use heal to repair any damage you've incurred, and then it's time to move on. Unfortunately, this combination makes the game too easy, at times, because there are plenty of ledges in the game--allowing you to keep using this tactic over and over. " ------------------------ Well... then just don't be a friggin grip spammer then... n00b. ------------------------ "Even the AI seems resigned to its fate. Stormtroopers usually just stand there shooting away at you, even though you block every one of their shots. Dark Jedi rush at you, even after watching four of their brethren plummet to a horrible death. Occasionally, you'll see an enemy accidentally commit suicide by falling off a cliff or falling into lava. The game's excitement comes from the massive body count you can accrue and by how viciously you can get rid of the opposition." ------------------------ For God's sake, turn the frappin difficulty up then! The idiot based his conclusions based on an easy game setting! Same with that paragraph about grip and heal! Ha! I bet even the most fanatical heal-spamming won't save you from the advances of 3 times as many baddies! Oh yes, and there's the "The game's excitement comes from the massive body count you can accrue and by how viciously you can get rid of the opposition." First Person Shooter. Doom. Quake. THATS THE WHOLE POINT OF SUCH GAMES, TO KILL PEOPLE AND HAVE FUN DOING IT!!! ------------------------ "Jedi Academy certainly doesn't flaunt much in the way of bells or whistles. The game uses the Quake III engine, which, by now, is showing signs of age. While it's capable of displaying large outdoor environments, they're rather devoid of detail. The character models just don't compare with those of some other, more-recent action games, and there are clipping issues as well. The lightsabers, however, still look like they should. They reflect off of different surfaces and radiate color into the world, especially on the last mission, when up to 10 Jedi may be fighting at the same time." ------------------------ Devoid of detail? Not if you're a Star Wars Junkie (you know, now that I think of it, this guy's probly a Trekkie!). Not much in the way of bells or whistles. Here's some bells and whistles for you, Trekkie: Dual Sabers, Saberstaff, Swoop Bikes... Not to mention the entire Siege Mode and Power Duel mode... ------------------------ "The audio is fine, but it's forgettable. We've all heard Star Wars music over and over by now, yet that becomes a paradox. We may yearn for something different, yet expect the old music in a Star Wars game. The voice work does a great job in conveying emotion during cutscenes, especially if Jaden succumbs to the dark side. But some in-game voices can be lacking. Enemies continue to taunt you with looping statements like "A Jedi!" or "You are weak." Sometimes, these taunts don't make much sense, especially since your enemies will shout them out after you've just effortlessly slaughtered all their friends." ------------------------ Well, they could do techno remixes of the music, like in Force Commander... Well, I won't mind the taunts very much, because of the constant "Do you fear me?" "Where are you going, Jedi" that I've been hearing for the last year and a half. And them taunting you after you've slaughtered anyone else is funny, because it adds an extra punch to their slowly rotating death scene. ------------------------ "Between the multiplayer and different character paths, you'll find plenty of replay value in Jedi Academy. Those who wished Jedi Knight II had picked up the pace earlier on in the game should particularly enjoy it. Jedi Academy is a nonstop action ride that starts out on a high point and manages to remain there for the entire game. Gameplay elements that can be tedious, such as jumping puzzles, are limited, while the use of Force powers is accentuated. The game may not look great, but it will play well on older systems, so it can be enjoyed even by players who are waiting to upgrade their computers for some of the graphically intensive games scheduled for a holiday release. It even caters to those who aren't familiar with the Star Wars universe and just want pure action. In general, Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is highly recommendable." ------------------------ "The game may not look great, but it will play well on older systems" Hmmm... then how come I've been hearing cries of awe when the framerate manages to get useful? How come I've been hearing of gaming computers that have to have some of the settings turned down? Actually, that paragraph wasn't really that bad... ------------------------ Now, one HUGE thing they left out was MULTIPLAYER! No mention of the levels, just the new modes. No mention of the Kick-Buttness of the new modes. You know what would be funny? If that guy had the illegal Beta! Haha! ------------------------ SO! What do YOU think? Head on over to http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/jediacademy/review.html ------------------------ Oh, and please don't sue/kill/block/ban/etc. me for anything I truly accidentally might have said/done without telling me first... te27ch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kurgan Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Hilarious assesment of the weaknesses of the review. But hey, he still gave it a good score. That's the beauty of public forums, getting to express your opinion. ; ) PS: According to Raven sources, Gamespot did get a legal copy, so that they left out Multiplayer was pure laziness on their part... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeto101 Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 personally, i think thats what ja should have got, and i dont think its a bad rating considering A: Its only adding on to JO's gameplay (come on people. theres nothing horribly revolutionary about ja) and B: Its using a dated engine that simply cant compete graphics wise with the new big shots like unreal and half life 2. 8.4 is a damn good rating for the game in my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brett Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 This post has to be a joke. No one could really be this stupid. 8.4 is a good grade. I know a lot of people that aren't as forgiving when a sequel to a game they liked looks and plays almost exactly like it's predecessor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slyuss Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 lol, most of us are probably happy that it doesn't use the Unreal2 or Half-Life 2 engines. I'm still usin a GeForce 2 MX 400 and JA and JO run pretty much perfectly (about 30-40) constant FPS. Unless you spawn about 10 chewies and 10 enemies =)) which is quite fun to do! =) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Chupacabra Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 8.4 from Gamespot isn't bad...especially considering the game is a sequel with nothing much new besides a few saber stances. Gamespot usually rates things harder than a site like IGN, thats why I usually respect their opinion more. If you compare Gamespot's 9.0 list to IGN's 9.0 list ... Gamespot gets buried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangKhan Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Originally posted by El Chupacabra 8.4 from Gamespot isn't bad...especially considering the game is a sequel with nothing much new besides a few saber stances. Gamespot usually rates things harder than a site like IGN, thats why I usually respect their opinion more. If you compare Gamespot's 9.0 list to IGN's 9.0 list ... Gamespot gets buried. Plus vehicles, customizable sabers and player models, 4 new SP force powers, control over force power advancement, non-linear mission choice, dark/light-side choice, new locations, new enemies, technology enhancements, all new multiplayer maps, new acrobatics, the concussion rifle and two new multiplayer modes. As for reviews, it really depends on the individual reviewer, everyone is different. Different people value different things in games. Some people played JK2 for the MP, others for SP, others played both (unlike a lot of other games coming out at the time, we actually had a full SP and MP game). Plus, if the reviewer is excited about the game, they tend to do a more thorough review and put more effort into really playing the game and getting the most out of it. I'm not saying any of the reviewers are lazy or unprofessional or wrong or anything like that. But I'm sure some reviewers were in a greater state of anticipation for JK2 (which was 4 1/2 years after the last Jedi Knight game) than they were for Jedi Academy (which is only 1 1/2 years after the last Jedi Knight game). It's only natural. Myself, I know Jedi Academy is a better game than Jedi Outcast, so I'm not worried... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prime Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Originally posted by ChangKhan[RAVEN] Myself, I know Jedi Academy is a better game than Jedi Outcast, so I'm not worried... That much is obvious just from the demo. I can't wait to get my hands on this tomorrow! Thanks to you and your team at Raven for all your hard work! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iodius Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 I thought 8.4 was pretty right on, as I've finished the game already. It was great fun and I may finish it again and follow the dark side in the future, but it wasn't as groundbreaking as JO. More of a very large expansion pack, in a good way. 8.4 was what it deserved, a high B. It isn't an instant classic or anything but great fun while it lasts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WadeV1589 Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 When a sequal is released it has to be compared to its predecessor and comparing JA to JO it looks slightly better and has improvements. It's not a new game however (relatively speaking) so a 9.0 for JO (cause it's a first) and then an 8.4 because the sequal is comparative to the first makes sense. If this game had come out originally, i.e. JO had never existed this would have no doubt got 9.0-9.5. Those of you who understand ratings will understand this straight away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antpocas Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Dude. You're like, the biggest fanboy ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tesla Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 8.4 is a fine score. GameSpot have to review SW games from a non - SW fan point of view, because not everyone playing JA will be a hardcore SW fan. And Kudos to the guys @Raven for making a great game, still have to wait 2 days for it though. If Raven do the next JK game, use the Unreal engine or the Half - Life 2 one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre Belnap Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 I don't know how games are rated, but as for me, even the JA demo gets a 9.5 score. There is nothing better than running around madly with a lightsaber, the pure hitokiri joy of it never gets old. (for those of you who aren't fluent in japanese, hitokiri means "cutting people up". And no i'm not japanese. My father is fluent in it.) Aside from running and slicing, every hardcore SW fan loves to get a chance to use the force. That's the best part. I know there are several games that have non-linear missions, but this is revolutional for Jedi Knight games. Besides, I'm not aware of any games that allow for such expanded SP customization. I wouldn't mind seeing more clothing/skin tone options, but all in all i would say what lucasarts/raven has done is astounding, especially the effort that went into the saber acrobatics. One thing I would like to see is a greater expansion on species/race choices. (are you listening lucasarts/raven?) Choices like Bith, Wookie, Ithorian, Shistavanean, Bothan, Moncalamari, and Quarren would be a good start;) . Maybe you could make a game where we fight the Yuuzhan Vong. That would be sweet. And for once start us out with our force powers and lightsabers at maximum. In case you're wondering why I didn't rate the game 10.0, the answer is this- Until a game can portray characters that are so graphically enhanced that they look and move like real people, 9.5 is the max rating I will give. Make a game like I described above, and i'll give it a 10.0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BongoBob Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Anyone know how to set up a paypal account, so people will give me money? lol. Now that the features haveall been listed, I really want this game now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Master William Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Well, maybe they are right. Just because other people are not all excited Star Wars fans who browse the LucasForums 24/7. They are not always right tough, because this could probably have been a large expansion, seeing as it is the same fricken engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agen Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Plus vehicles, customizable sabers and player models, 4 new SP force powers, control over force power advancement, non-linear mission choice, dark/light-side choice, new locations, new enemies, technology enhancements, all new multiplayer maps, new acrobatics, the concussion rifle and two new multiplayer modes. Heh, the reviewer was obviously pretty anti star wars or something similar like that, from what i can see, there's absolutely no contest between JK2 and JA. Even from the demo you could tell the superiority The only thing that seems to make the game "feel" similar is the controls and you really wouldn't notice if you didn't play jk2 alot IMO that review was a bad tackle and should be pretty much ignored. Oh and can anyone confirm a cheat to put on dismemberment? It just seems to make the game more satisfying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChangKhan Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Originally posted by Master William Well, maybe they are right. Just because other people are not all excited Star Wars fans who browse the LucasForums 24/7. They are not always right tough, because this could probably have been a large expansion, seeing as it is the same fricken engine. It's interesting that we've gotten to the point that game technology is advancing so quickly that people think what makes a game a sequel is using a new engine. But how many sequels have actually come out using an entirely new engine? Unreal 2? Jedi Knight 2? Both had about 4 year waits (and we're still waiting for DNF and HL2). How many sequels have there been using the same engine (though enhanced) as the last game? Doom 2? Tomb Raider 2? Warcraft II? NOLF2? Elite Force II? GTA: Vice City? Delta Force 2? Some of the Rainbow Six games, etc? (I'm getting out of my area of expertise, here, but, you get my point). If true sequels *must* use an entirely new engine, people are going to have to be willing to wait 4-5 years for sequels. EDIT: forgot 2 anticipated, upcoming "sequels" to MOH:AA - "Call of Duty" and the new MOH game in the Pacific (forget the title). Neither of them use a new engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASk Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 The game deserves the grade. I personally would grade it at about 80 myself. It is on a level of an expansion pack, but not on a level of a full-blown new game. Gameplay had stayed mostly the same, and the new features were either already done by the mod community or purely gimmicks (ragdoll) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agen Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 Originally posted by ASk It is on a level of an expansion pack, but not on a level of a full-blown new game. I'm pretty sure LA/LEC or whatever they're called now, haven't actually given it full sequel status but haven't called it an expansion pack either - it's a smart market move, expansion packs aren't as popular as sequels, it's obvious. Even though it's different, the controls and visuals seem similar to JO whcih kind of makes it a familiar tang so they haven't went out with JK3:JA either (unless it's agaisnt my knowledge) or anything but of course, it's LEC who do the ordering around, Raven can't just do what they want to make a better or more advanced game without permission. I'm sure Khan can back me up on that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganjalf Posted September 17, 2003 Share Posted September 17, 2003 i got a good point for u......... would u still buy it if it had a rating of 2.5 cos i know i would lmao Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
te27ch Posted September 17, 2003 Author Share Posted September 17, 2003 Hmmm... I thought this post wouldnt work. I guess it did! Yay! ANYWAY Amazon.com STILL hasn't even SHIPPED my order... that burns. But I'm sure that my review will be more than A FRIGGIN 8.4!!! They needed to have the same guy who reviewed JO (he liked it a lot and gave it a 9 something) review JA! 9+! I'm sure of it! w00t! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerdman5 Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 I certainly feel that the game is underrated. Gamespot obviously thought that n00b level was a good way to rate a game. Also, the point of JA was not to completly go off on something new, but it was made in the realization that they had struck gold in JO and that there was a mine down there. Not all the guns are original, but they brought back the concussion rifle!!! That mere fact should have put the game at a 8.9 as it was! Gamespot was wrong when they said it was not original. The point of being a jedi is to use the lightsaber. In JK you were better off with a gun (I wont say wich cuz I know a lot of people have individual favorites). But here, they have taken saberfighting to a whole new level. Saberfighting is no longer jumping and swinging madly (that tactic taken to the extreme never works anyway, but that was the easiest thing to do). With the sabers reworked and all, that is something that a person who would buy a game like that wants. A person who doesn't like SW is not going ever appreaciate (I dont know if thats spelled right te27ch will probably fix me on that one) the game to it's full potential. And also as te27ch mentioned, they didn't even mention multi-player! I might add that the fact that the storyline no longer centers around Kyle and that they chose the Acadamy centanly means that the game was not just a remake of JO. Thats all I have to say! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaffMaster Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Originally posted by ChangKhan[RAVEN] It's interesting that we've gotten to the point that game technology is advancing so quickly that people think what makes a game a sequel is using a new engine. But how many sequels have actually come out using an entirely new engine? Unreal 2? Jedi Knight 2? Both had about 4 year waits (and we're still waiting for DNF and HL2). How many sequels have there been using the same engine (though enhanced) as the last game? Doom 2? Tomb Raider 2? Warcraft II? NOLF2? Elite Force II? GTA: Vice City? Delta Force 2? Some of the Rainbow Six games, etc? (I'm getting out of my area of expertise, here, but, you get my point). If true sequels *must* use an entirely new engine, people are going to have to be willing to wait 4-5 years for sequels. EDIT: forgot 2 anticipated, upcoming "sequels" to MOH:AA - "Call of Duty" and the new MOH game in the Pacific (forget the title). Neither of them use a new engine. Hi Chang great work on the game I love it. But to be fair you have to admit that the quake engine is a little dated. (Even though I think that it still competes with the 2nd generation graphics engines being touted about) But anyway seeing the ID Software is always pushing the grahics envelope will you guys implement the DOOM 3 engine once they license it out? To have a saber battle with that kind of complex shading...........les jus say it makes me have pleasurable sensations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
g//anarki Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Reviews are opinions. Giving JA an 8.4 (which is not a bad score at all) does not mean the game is bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
te27ch Posted September 18, 2003 Author Share Posted September 18, 2003 Nerdman... Just becuase you're my friend at school doesn't mean I can't frag you in the forums... te27ch0 is on the zone, fool. Plus he hasn't even played JA, his comp doesnt meet the reqs.. blah blah blah... Oh crap i better shut up or a mod will ban me... ------------------- I just saw a new review on the forums... some guy gettin angry at the sabers in multiplayer just because a few little tiny things... are u guys satisfied wit multi (if u got the game now and are actually doing this instead of playing the game WHICH YOU SHOULD GET BACK TO RIGHT NOW!!!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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