THE FORCE IS WITH YOU IN NEW STAR WARSŪ EPIC, JEDI KNIGHT: DARK FORCES II, THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED DARK FORCES MULTIPLAYER SEQUEL FROM LUCASARTS

 First Star Wars Title to Incorporate Network Play, Lightsabers and the Force

                             

 
 San Rafael, CA -- "Only a fully trained Jedi Knight, with the Force as his ally, will prevail." -- Obi Wan Kenobi

Driven by the phenomenal success of the award winning Star Wars title Dark Forces, one of the best selling computer game titles of 1995, LucasArts Entertainment Company will release the  long awaited sequel, Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II, a 3D, first-person, action adventure for Windows 95 CD-ROM. In a series of firsts for LucasArts, this original epic will incorporate highly anticipated network play, and will enable players to battle the evil Empire with lightsabers and gain strength through use of the Force.

Jedi Knight requires players to navigate through more than a dozen complex and incredibly detailed multilevel mazes and environments as they face powerful enemies and once-again fight for the Rebel cause. Cinematic full motion video sequences punctuate the action and weave a compelling new tale in the Star Wars universe. Jedi Knight will be available in the fall of 1997.

"The multiplayer features in Jedi Knight are exactly what Dark Forces fans demanded the most in a sequel," said co-Project Leader Justin Chin. "In addition, we've incorporated cinematic live-action cut-scenes and the ability for players to use lightsabers and the Force, making this a truly exceptional Star Wars experience."

An Original Star Wars Epic

In Dark Forces, players took on the persona of Kyle Katarn, a young mercenary sent to infiltrate the Empire. Through a series of live-action sequences, Jedi Knight continues the story of Katarn as he embarks on a quest into his past and learns the mysterious ways of the Jedi. With this knowledge, he must stop seven Dark Jedi from unlocking the powers of a hidden Jedi burial ground. This task forces Katarn to confront his own dark past. He then must decide his destiny. If he chooses the Dark side, he will come into enormous power and forever break from good. If he chooses the Light side, he faces seemingly insurmountable evil. Whatever path Katarn chooses will change the face of the galaxy forever.

Katarn's ultimate nemesis is Jerec, a powerful Dark Jedi who is leading a deadly group on a search for the riches of supreme power. Six diverse and dangerous Dark Jedi follow Jerec. Boc, cunning and brash, wields two lightsabers, making him a particularly vicious opponent. Sariss is strong in both the physical and mental areas of the Force. The merciless and bitter Maw doesn't value human life, is loyal to none and uses the Force with expertise. Gorc and Pic are twins that form a bizarre and grotesque team -- one is a huge eight foot monster and the other is only four feet tall -- who work and battle as a team. Yun, the youngest of the Dark Jedi, is cocky, unpredictable and eager to prove his worth to the Dark side.

Players will find a variety of weapons -- old and new -- in the Jedi Knight arsenal, including the trusty Bryar pistol, a stormtrooper rifle, thermal detonators, repeater gun (picked up in Dark Forces from the defeated Dark Troopers), turret gun and Imperial Machines mines. Perhaps the most exciting new weapon to be  found in Jedi Knight is the lightsaber. Players can now wield their way to Rebel victory with this most venerable of Jedi accouterments.

Jedi Knight allows Star Wars fans to experience the amazing -- and deeply mystical -- powers of the Force for the first time. Use of the Force is based on an experience points system that allows players to customize the game. As each mission unfolds, players earn experience points that are tallied when a mission is complete. The Force abilities -- either Dark side or Light -- are then awarded accordingly. Basic powers include enhanced jumping, the ability to see through walls, healing powers and the ability to retrieve weapons and objects from far away.

While Jedi Knight is an exceptional single-player game, the new network mode offers an amazing multiplayer/multisystem experience. Players can battle it out in real-time with up to eight opponents in two different modes: Total Combat and Territory Combat. Total Combat pits individual players against each other in an all-out battle. Territory Combat can be played in either single or team mode as players battle in a quasi "capture the flag" challenge to seize territory belonging to their opponents.