STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast™
STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast™
Game
Game2009
STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy™
Developer Raven Software
Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy is a 2003 first- and third-person shooter video game developed by Raven Software and published by LucasArts for Windows, Mac OS X and Xbox. Vicarious Visions was responsible for the development of the Xbox version. The game is a sequel to 2002's Star Wars Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast and the fourth and final installment in the Star Wars: Jedi Knight series. The single-player… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
210 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
92
LovedLoved
190 positive · 17 negative
95% range 87–95%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 190 | 17 | 0 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Overwhelmingly Positive
8,429 of 8,821 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
92% recommend · 182 yes, 16 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 198 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Overwhelmingly Positive (13,304 of 13,858 positive).
Players praise the lightsaber combat as the best in any Star Wars game. [1][2][3][4] Many call it a timeless classic that still holds up after 20 years. [5][6][7] Some reviewers report technical issues with the port, including glitches and controller problems. [8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [16]
2.5-3.5/5 Jedi Academy exists primarily as a vehicle for a fantasy that had no real competition in 2003 — being a Jedi. As a power fantasy delivery mechanism it occasionally succeeds, and the mission structure giving you some degree of choice in progression is appreciated. Everything else ranges from mediocre to broken. The lightsaber combat is the game's centerpiece and its greatest failure. One-shots fly in both …
- [1]
This is Star Wars at its most fun. Lightsaber combat, force powers, and the freedom to just mess around with everything. It might feel old, but the core gameplay still hits. Simple, chaotic, and timeless Man. I love star wars.
- [2]
It's unbelievable that no one has been able to top this game lightsaber's duel system or make an semi-open world Star Wars game better than this game to this day. Graphics are dated, which is to be expected since the game is older than most people on Steam. A must play for any Star Wars fan. Forget about the modern EA ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and experience full power of LucasArts. Simply 10/10.
- [3]
Has the best lightsaber mechanics of all Star Wars games. Don’t forget to install Movie Battles II
- [4]
Greatest Star Wars game mechanically and lightsaber combat wise. Flawless even 20 years later.
Summarised from 29 of the 201 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
STAR WARS™ Jedi Knight - Jedi Academy™ sits at 92% positive across 207 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Both the PC and Xbox versions of the game were well received. The PC version holds an aggregate score of 81 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 34 reviews, and 80% on GameRankings based on 51 reviews. The Xbox version holds aggregate scores of 76 out of 100 on Metacritic based on 30 reviews, and 75% on GameRankings based on 45 reviews. Positive reviews praised the fact that, unlike in Dark Forces II and Jedi Outcast, players could use a lightsaber from the beginning. Game Over Online scored the game 92% and commented that "You start instantly with your lightsaber, rather than wading through six painfully bland FPS levels to get your lightsaber as you did in Jedi Outcast". Critics lauded the…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 210 · most liked firstThis is Star Wars at its most fun. Lightsaber combat, force powers, and the freedom to just mess around with everything. It might feel old, but the core gameplay still hits. Simple, chaotic, and timeless Man. I love star wars.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a classic that has aged incredibly well. I still remembered specific maps, cutscenes, and characters after over 20 years, they are just that iconic. OG, pre-disney star wars really was magical.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Play both Jedi Knight Academy and Jedi Knight Outcast along with both KOTOR games, do yourself a favor it's worth every second.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's unbelievable that no one has been able to top this game lightsaber's duel system or make an semi-open world Star Wars game better than this game to this day. Graphics are dated, which is to be expected since the game is older than most people on Steam. A must play for any Star Wars fan. Forget about the modern EA ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ and experience full power of LucasArts. Simply 10/10.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game (better than some modern star wars games comming from a 12 yr old) I cant rly say much but play it so see
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →All the thing they need to do is Re-make this master piece and make Jedi Academy 3. But still doing worst games I've ever seen. Their recent games are boring as ♥♥♥♥ ! Just try the best combat system in the world and do it again... Thats it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Use to play this with my dad when I was younger. One of the first games I ripped apart with dissembler to and made me who I am. Coming back to this game is like reliving those stormy nights in Georiga straight master piece.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →To date this and Jedi Knight II Jedi Outcast are still my favourite Star Wars games. They're timeless classics that I have re-played over and over and enjoy it more every time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →i dont even actually play the game tbh i just spawn rancors that eat everyone during cutscenes and softlock the game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Why they don't make a remake of this is beyond me. It would be like a portal to the money dimension but Disney is an incompetent force for evil so idk.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Has the best lightsaber mechanics of all Star Wars games. Don’t forget to install Movie Battles II
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is by far the best Star wars game I have ever played. It has everything you could want in a Star Wars game. You can be a Jedi or a Sith lord. The game determines this based on your actions in the game like what you upgrade and how you use your vast array of force powers. It has every force power you could want. You can get really creative in the combat it's a ton of fun. Then you have 3 different light saber types all of which have 2 stances. The combat is fun. It's simple to learn and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Greatest Star Wars game mechanically and lightsaber combat wise. Flawless even 20 years later.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jedi Academy is, by far, one of my favorite classic Star Wars titles, and I think it definitely deserves more credit for how good it is. Summary The Jedi Knight series of games has always been solid and decently well-regarded. For the time, they each had fun combat, and once lightsabers were introduced, things only got better from there. I think Jedi Academy is truly the strongest of the series. Being released so close to Jedi Knight II does mean that the two games feel very similar, but…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's still very much alive, come play and join a clan! Don't forget to download eternalJK or a similar overhaul mod and load it from the mod menu after launching the game. You won't be able to see the servers online otherwise, if you want to play multi-player it's a must.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →get this, the game is good but also you NEED to check out [url=https://www.moviebattles.org/]movie battles 2 it's an amazing multiplayer mod that has the best saber combat TO THIS DAY
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For me personally this is the best Star Wars game ever created based on sword fighting and overall nostalgic feel to it. I have played it atleast 15 times and it never gets old ! Would recommend 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Jedi Academy Experience (2026 Edition) Whether you’re a social butterfly or a lone wolf, this game is still very much alive. It remains one of the most insanely fun, competitive, and purely skill-based combat games ever made. If you want the best experience, here is the modern starter kit: 1. Essential Multiplayer Setup To get the most out of the modern community, don't rely on the vanilla launcher. The Mod: Download EternalJK X64 Vulkan from GitHub. It fixes modern compatibility issues…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the best star wars game without a doubt, and one of the best games of all time. The combat alone makes it better than 95% of games. We will never get another Star Wars game that plays this well ever again, and that's sad. Respawn would rather make God of War 2018 and Dark Souls amalgamations.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Over 20 years later and this game still has the best lightsaber combat system ever seen in a star wars game. Some great mods with great active communities that should definately be checked out. Movie Battles and Movie Duels.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Absolutely amazing singleplayer and even better multiplayer. Thanks to JoF <3
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I just wrapped up Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy, a game I played often in my childhood, and It still holds some solid magic even if it doesn't live up to Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Outcast. What stood out to me the most after playing through the game most recently was the RPG elements this game brought to the table. You get to pick your character's gender, race, clothes, lightsaber hilt, lightsaber color, mission order, what weapons to bring on each mission, what force powers to upgrade…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →LucasArts Star Wars >>>>> Disney Star Wars Enough said.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →(Playtime not logged on this platform.) 'JK: Jedi Academy' lets you build out a Padawan -- who is then thrust into a Galaxy-spanning adventure to help preserve the New Jedi Order! Truly the pinnacle of STAR WARS gameplay of the era, letting you fight in most any way that you want. BE the Jedi. Wield the Force.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this game was good back in the day now imagine this good game on PC, where you can add mods and use console commands for a hyper lethal realistic star wars lightsaber combat, full dismemberments and an optional instant kill on lightsaber touch (regardless if you were swinging or not)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ love this game, childhood memories straight up
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A sequel to Jedi Outcast that falls flat where it matters. When Academy came out it must have been all about the multiplayer, the combat is excellent for how old the game is, further adding onto Outcast. Now you have the option to swing from 3 stances, and have the selection between single/2 sabers or double bladed as you progress. Many animations and movement sequences that carried the game. Also the character and saber customization is nice, like that you can customize and 2 different saber…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This needs a remaster so badly. My fav SW childhood game. Just love it
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The story is kind of dog water, with the (necessary?) conflict with the dark side hinging on your non relationship with a character who is, frankly, super annoying and does nothing to redeem himself, but the rest of the game is great. Rather than being a Half Life like where you go through big open ended levels, you instead select missions in whatever order you want, tackling a variety of objectives. The game smartly gives you access to your lightsaber right away, as well as all the base force…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the best games ive ever played. Have fun and get ready for one of the best star wars games in history!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →this is not just a game, this is a history relic, and my personal favorite one. Best game with long stretched community, and advanced mechanics, making this game very unique in its way of gameplay, especially in different modified versions of this game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →you would underrate this game by looking at trailers. In reality it's the one that made me feel more close to feel like a jedi im not gonna lie.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →[Game Bundle] Disney Classics Black Friday. $10: | Game Name | Steam Link | |----------------------------------------------------|------------| | LEGO® Star Wars™ - The Complete Saga | https://store.steampowered.com/app/32440/LEGO_Star_Wars__The_Complete_Saga/ | | LEGO® Pirates of the Caribbean The Video Game | https://store.steampowered.com/app/311770/LEGO_Pirates_of_the_Caribbean_The_Video_Game | | LEGO® Indiana…
neutral · AI labelView post →a relic from when star wars had not been turned into utter ♥♥♥♥ by disney.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Still hands down the best implementation of lightsaber combat, no game has come close to topping it. Story is okay, nothing to write home about, but a fun journey nonetheless.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Quite possibly the best Lightsaber combat experience you will ever have in a star wars game. Its dated and is incredibly difficult to learn but has an incredibly passionate community, willing to teach and help new people. Once you learn the in depth mechanics and what this game really has to offer, Stand alone, modded, Movie duels, Movie battles, you name it. Its incredible. A great game that rewards those who put time into it. Hopefully one day its lightsaber combat is adapted and improved!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A lightsaber actually feels like a lightsaber here, not like those goofy ah Jedi Survivor games. Also doesn't have Debra Wilson so that alone is a billion points in its favor.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I BEEN CHOPPIN PEOPLE UP ALL DAY IF I KNEW THAT WAS THE JEDI WAY I WOULDA BEEN AT IT LONG AGO
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Countless playthroughs and I keep coming back to the vanilla goodness that is this game. It improved in its gameplay a fair amount compared to its early predecessors and truly felt freeing when it came out. Still holds up in the lightsaber battles, the best we'll probably ever get. Though "Jedi Outcast" always felt like it had better set pieces, making lightsaber battles feel more important in an aesthetic sense. The things "Jedi Academy" adds though are fun, offering a little more depth.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the best sw games ever, best lightsaber combat of all time, good story, fun af
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fantastic game released during a golden era of both games and Star Wars where people weren't afraid to try new things. You can also enable saber dismemberment in the console so it's an automatic 10/10 for that alone in my opinion. I also highly recommend checking out Dark Forces, Kotor 1&2, and Tie Fighter
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Miserably tedious level design
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is both a childhood memory and a realization of a dream: the feeling of actually being a Jedi. When you first start playing you might think the gameplay is very simple. You just click to swing the swords. But there are combos to learn, strategies to plan ahead. You do actually have real influence over how your fight develops. And the game doesn't babysit you through the learning process. Its' on you to find out how to get better. Also, there's a decent selection of customization…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →2.5-3.5/5 Jedi Academy exists primarily as a vehicle for a fantasy that had no real competition in 2003 — being a Jedi. As a power fantasy delivery mechanism it occasionally succeeds, and the mission structure giving you some degree of choice in progression is appreciated. Everything else ranges from mediocre to broken. The lightsaber combat is the game's centerpiece and its greatest failure. One-shots fly in both directions with no readable logic distinguishing them from exchanges that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game beats many of newer titles in terms of story lines, gameplay and value for money
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just nostalgia; best type of star wars lightsaber fights of the time.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Base game is good and worth playing. If your getting this solely for MovieBattles2 don't, The mod is borderline dead and destroyed more and more each update.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is supposed to work with a controller, and I guess it does in the most basic sense. However, although the game registers the inputs, you are left trying to map over a dozen buttons manually. This game was released on Xbox, so it should already have controller input mapping. I can't figure out how to enable it and playing on keyboard is awful. This is the first time I've issued a refund request on a game, so we'll see if Steam is worth getting my future business.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →install movie duels, that's all i gotta say
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of the games of my childhood, so this review is entirely biased. Graphics: The game uses the Quake III engine to its fullest, the same engine as Jedi Outcast. The animations are really good, and the explosions and lighting are superb, especially the lightsaber effects. The size and variety of each planet is a bonus for any SW fan. Still, it shows its age, which is understandable for a 2003 game. Sound: Difficult to review, since with John Williams behind the music, every track is one we…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →After Downloading both MB2 mode + Movie Duels it becomes the Best Saber/Sword Dueling game out there :steamthumbsup:
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Probably the best Star Wars game out there.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The first game I ever played thanks to my father back in 2010. With perhaps the best lightsaber combat the Star Wars Expanded Universe (the *actual* canon, because f--- you, Disney!), it does quite the heavy lifting. The plot...isn't that great. Jedi Outcast had a tighter plot, and Academy seems to fall short. Also, I hate that annoying little bastard Rosh. I don't blame you if you choose to kill him in the end.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The definitive lightsaber combat simulator. Nothing they've made since comes anywhere near this. Satisfying and fair, like any jedi power fantasy ought to be.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They need to make more games just like this! This is peak star wars in my opinion. The sequels kinda ruined star wars for me but then after revisiting games like this reignite my passion for it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →English version : A really cool game, where you can customize your character and train to become a Jedi in Luke Skywalker's new Jedi Academy after Return of the Jedi. It has the same nice combat system as Jedi Outcast with 3 stances, Light and Dark Force powers, but with more features and customization. The story is okay, the music is from Star Wars so of course it's good, the graphics have aged quite a bit though. The game can get somehow challenging during some parts, but it's generally…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game has a nice coc..lightsaber! Even now, after all this years, it is really fun to play with it! Absolutely recommend it!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Still one of the best Star Wars game, we need a remake !!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →best game on the planet
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Simply one of the best lightsaber games there has ever been. Once you have achieved zen combat with single blade red style you become god.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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