’m usually not excited about Star Wars material that isn’t tied directly to the movies. That being said, I have grown tired of LucasArts’ recent by-the-numbers vehicular combat titles. Not only does Jedi Outcast succeed in drawing me into protagonist Kyle Katarn’s world, but it also brings first and third-person action together fairly well.

Although you could consider Jedi Outcast a game of two halves, where you are either with or without Force Powers, I love it all. From the run and gun corridor shoot-outs with stormtroopers to the lightsaber wielding, this is all Star Wars, all the time. This console version (as well as the one on the Xbox), however, is a step down from the PC’s, due to the fact that you just can’t scroll through the Force Powers fast enough. Another mark against this otherwise fine game is the multiplayer, which encompasses only two players and doesn’t go online. Between this and Rogue Leader, the GameCube now has two of the best Star Wars titles ever made.