Mysteries of the Sith Retrospective

txa1265

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Over at GamingWithChildren:
While in theory this could be game could have been called Star Wars Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith expansion, fortunately it was just called Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith and is easily abbreviated as MotS. It was released in early 1998, a mere four months after the release of a game still marked as one of the best first-person shooters of all time, and despite getting lower reviews than that game it remains a fan favorite and a standout release for an expansion pack. Yes, and since it was released ten years ago, I have taken another run through the game and looked back at MotS for the next entry in my Retrospective series.
 
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Another good article about another elderly, yet still totally enthralling game there :).
 
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How would you guys compare this to dark forces? Dark forces is one of my favourite FPS games of all time! I just loved almost everything about it!
 
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Dark Forces didn't grab me. Not sure why, but I guess I was just a bit burned out on FPS by the time I got to it. I was totally pumped about a Star Wars FPS, but I only played it a few times.
 
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Dark Forces was my favorite SW game (I have a soft spot for pre-polygonal shooter/adventure hybrids :p), but I still liked MotS a lot because it had a great atmosphere. Besides, playing as Mara Jade was nice.
 
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I always liked Jedi Academy more than the games about Kyle Katarn, mostly because there was a good/evil path, and the fact that you could choose what powers to get (never really liked how Kyle seemed to get things automatically).

I still replay Jedi Academy from time to time - it has excellent lightsaber combat, and fairly good physics (people are talking about the new game, Force Unleashed, as if it was the first to have a fun version of Grip, but that couldn't be farther from the truth).
 
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Dark Forces was my favorite SW game (I have a soft spot for pre-polygonal shooter/adventure hybrids :p)

That is one game that I would love to see rereleased. The 320x200 resolution of the original keeps me from ever trying to finish it. I know the Mac version was playable in 640x480, and I was always surprised that nobody ever modded the PC version to be able to go to higher resolutions.
 
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The commercials for The Force Unleashed look great. Too bad it's console only....

When the Wii version comes out, if they do it right, my life as I know it, will be over!
 
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I love jk1 and mots. Naturally jk2 and jka are awesome too, but those older games of the series have a very special place in my heart. Back then I played them non stop at the microsoft gaming zone and probably downloaded most of the single player and multiplayer levels that were released. I just couldn't get enough jk/mots :). Btw in case anyone is intrestred in of quality user made sp levels, take a look at: http://tacc.massassi.net/ - The greatest review site ever and has almost every sp level (dark forces, jk1, mots) which has been released.

And the oldest jedi knight site online is http://www.massassi.net/. I think it tells a lot how popular game jk was as they still sometimes post jedi knight 1 related news. They also host many awesome sp/mp levels and mods for jk games.

Sure quake was my first online game, but jk and mots stole part of my soul :). Me and couple of buddies all over the world formed a clan. Heheh connections werent that great back then and jk's netcode was nothing compared to quake, but we had the greatest time together. :)
 
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I liked the original Dark Forces game very much; Jedi Knight was kind of complex to me, because of the different Force powers - I didn't quite know how to efectively use them in battle and elsewhere.

I once looked into MOTS, but actually never played it.

I'm quite angry about myself that I never bought Jedi Academy - it is being sold for quit high prices on ebay ! And I cannot find it in second-hand shops as well ...

I also never bought Jedi Outcast.

All in all, Dark Forces was one of the few FPS games really liked.
 
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Here is my Kyle Katarn list in order:
- Jedi Knight II - first time you really felt invincible as a Jedi, and my most replayed game of all time (~40 or so times) and I replay ~2x per year at this point.
- Jedi Knight - one of the best stories, some of the best level design, and the first real melee FPS. A true classic that I play annually. And Maylander, this one has *real* light / dark path as well and even more choice of Force Powers.
- Mysteries of the Sith - my fave all time expansion, just a great game.
- Dark Forces - my fave 1st gen FPS, especially on the Mac. The design is excellent, as you are meant to be able to make it through a level in a single sitting (no in-level saves!). I play at least once a year.
- Jedi Academy - excellent gameplay but a puerile plot and very limited choices - the light / dark choice is like a automated phone system: Press 1 for Light Side, 2 for Dark Side. Still a game I love ... and one that turns 5 in a couple of weeks (i.e. look for a Retro soon ;) )

As for TFU, I have limited hopes - it isn't a FPS, nor a real Jedi game like these - it is a console action game. Of course, I have it pre-ordered for my PSP.
 
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As for TFU, I have limited hopes - it isn't a FPS, nor a real Jedi game like these - it is a console action game. Of course, I have it pre-ordered for my PSP.

There are strong humours of you pre-order TFU via Gamestop or EBGames, then you'll get an exclusive figure to this game - at least in the U.S. . No-one knows how it might turn out internationally.
This figure is definitively sought after by collectors !
 
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So Alrik, are you saying 'the game might be mediocre, but they have cool action figures?' I am clearly getting too far out of the target market ...
 
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As for TFU, I have limited hopes - it isn't a FPS, nor a real Jedi game like these - it is a console action game. Of course, I have it pre-ordered for my PSP.

Tough to judge if you're only going to play the PSP version, it'll be pretty stripped down compared to the Xbox\PS3 games...
 
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So Alrik, are you saying 'the game might be mediocre, but they have cool action figures?' I am clearly getting too far out of the target market ...

Well, I don't quite know what to say indeed. :D

I'm collecting this stuff a little bit, so I know what's the buzz about there. ;)

If you have any questions regarding collecting Star Wars stuff, you can try to ask me ;), but I'm more capable to answering in the SW figures sections. ;)

Since I don't own any console, I'm keeping quite away from TFU, even more, since I've been growing more & more a pacifist over the last years. I think it has something to do with my self-realization.
And TFU and TFU is clearly an action game. All I saw of it is only one thing: Destruction. I don't like this, sorry.
But I'm outside of most sought-after groups of buyers / customers anyway. :D ;)
 
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Tough to judge if you're only going to play the PSP version, it'll be pretty stripped down compared to the Xbox\PS3 games...

Not really, it will be missing the vaunted physics and that is pretty much it. In fact the PSP has multiplayer and 'classic movie battles' in addition to a SP experience as 'long' as the X360 / PS3.

What's wrong with TFU being an "action game"? The entire JK series were action games, with the only difference being the point of view.

No, they are story-based FPS. Console-based action games are a very different experience - think God Of War. TFU is very much more along those lines, also like the Episode III console game. You have combat that is based on rhythmic button presses, and finishing moves that are timed button presses like a sort-of DDR.
 
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What's wrong with TFU being an "action game"? The entire JK series were action games, with the only difference being the point of view.

The point which is wrong is that I'm growing older and don't like action anymore. ;)

Apart from that, and more seriously for me personally, is that I've seen nothing in the current trailers and advertisements that is an exception of destruction of everything.

I mean - this game is basically advertised as an "destruction game" ! I'm very, very sure that some people might want to destroy everything out of sheer fun !


Edit: On the preorder/figure thing: http://www.rebelscum.com/story/front/Stormtrooper_Commander_Details_FINALLY_Announed_117724.asp
 
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No, they are story-based FPS. Console-based action games are a very different experience - think God Of War. TFU is very much more along those lines, also like the Episode III console game. You have combat that is based on rhythmic button presses, and finishing moves that are timed button presses like a sort-of DDR.

That's a little bit of a stretch don't you think? They're all action based, just because the JK games have some cinematics sprinkled throughout doesn't change the fact that 95% of those games are action. I'm sure TFU will have a story and cinematics as well. The way combat is handled has nothing to do with whether or not it's action.
 
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