The game will also use the same GHOUL 2 code used for locational hit detection being developed for Raven's other title, Soldier of Fortune 2. "You can tell if you hit them in the head", explains Pettit, "and if you hit them in the head, they die instantly." If you've played the original Soldier of Fortune and severed someone's arm with a rifle shot, you'll have a good idea what to expect in Jedi Outcast when you hack away at enemies with your lightsaber.

• The Gamesmania article linked to below was submitted by ZeroXcape, a staff member of JediKnight.net, one of the original Jedi Knight sites. Apologies on behalf of the staff here for not including that link. By the way: the preview lists the release date as Spring 2001, which is incorrect. The official projected release date is Spring 2002.
• TheForce.net Games is reporting that JK2 will have a strong tie to Episode II. Thanks to MrRavenX of Phoenix Knights for this link.
• RobZilla noted that IGN has posted an interesting preview of JK2. It's basically a recap of the known information, as well as a description of the in-game footage they were able to get a look at.

The game takes place approximately 4,000 years before the Star Wars movies. However, space travel still exists, and the universe is still very technologically advanced. You'll traverse worlds like Tatooine, which will look very familiar to you and yet contain enough subtle cues to remind you that these are ancient times.

Environment effects are great too. There's glass that Kyle can leap through. This demo had a section where Kyle dueled another Jedi on a polished floor, with crystal clear reflections of the combatants and their sabers. It looked like a set piece from one of the movies. You can also damage the walls with the lightsaber, making angry yellow and red scars in a shower of sparks. If you stand too close to the wall when using an elevator, you leave a straight line all the way up between floors. The damage eventually disappears, but it sure looks cool in the meanwhile.

Another new feature in Jedi Knight II is the game's buddy system. Through the course of the single-player campaign, you'll run into several NPCs, some of whom you'll be able to partner with. During the demonstration, LucasArts spawned in one such "buddy" while Katarn was facing a lightsaber-wielding boss character, and the ensuing fight looked remarkably like the spectacular fight between Qui Gon, Obi Wan, and Darth Maul in Episode I. Raven, no stranger to visual splendor, is incorporating a lot of eye candy into the game as well. Lightsabers leave red-hot scorch marks in any surface they touch, including floors, walls, and pillars. Additionally, the developers have implemented the GHOUL 2 animation system from Soldier of Fortune II into Jedi Knight II, and they've doubled the polygon capacity of the Quake III engine.

In the tradition of the multi-award-winning Jedi Knight, rebel agent Kyle Katarn returns in exhilarating first-person action. Several years have passed since Kyle avenged his father's death and saved the Valley of the Jedi from Jerec and his band of Dark Jedi. Allowing his Force powers to languish for fear of falling to the dark side, Kyle entrusted his lightsaber to Luke Skywalker, vowing never to use it again. But when a new and menacing threat to the galaxy emerges, Kyle knows he must reclaim his past in order to save his future. Jedi Outcast is being developed in partnership with Activision's critically acclaimed devloper Raven Software. Players assume the role of Kyle as they employ a unique mix of weapons, Force powers and your lightsaber in both single- and multiplayer modes.

• Expanded and enhanced use of the lightsaber features a slew of attack and defense moves
• Tap into the powers of the Force including Jump, Push, Jedi Mind Tricks and more
• Employ combat or stealth, depending on the situation. When a fight is necessary, be at the ready with an arsenal of weapons: stun baton, Bryar blast pistol, blaster rifle to name but a few.
• Explore breathtaking Star Wars locales--Cloud City, the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4, Nar Shaddaa, the smugglers' moon--plus some never-before-seen locations
• Two multiplayer modes: Jedi training and team-based cooperative play
• Developed in conjunction with the critically acclaimed Raven Software using an advanced Quake III™ engine

BIG NEWS! LucasArts has announced "Star Wars, Jedi Outcast, Jedi Knight II". It's being developed with Raven Software on a modified Quake III engine. It's expected to be released next Spring.