Game Revolution PC Review Page

Dear Mom and Dad,

I know, I know, I don't write enough, but I've been really busy. Don't be mad, kay?

Anyway, thanks for sending me to Jedi Academy! Things haven’t been this interesting since that time Gnawbacca and me snuck a poisoned mulack-pup into Bobo the Hutt’s snackquarium! He had bad gas for days, remember? Don’t worry though, I’ve been good and the Jedi Masters haven’t gone over to the Dark side just yet.

So you must be wondering how things are over here. It’s pretty cool, actually. The Masters are impressed that I’ve already built my own custom lightsaber. They even let me choose my own outfits and stuff. Better yet, they’re even letting me choose what race I want to be. I can’t be a Wookiee or a Hutt, but I can be a Human, Rodian, Twi’lek, Zabrak, or Kel Dor. Not bad choices, but I’m really bummed I can’t be the first Gamorrean Jedi. Oh well, no big deal. I think I’ll just stick to my normal skin.

On the way to the Academy, our shuttle mysteriously crashed and I found some weird looking people out by the old temples. One of them zapped me, I think. I don’t really remember much after that, but Master Skywalker says it all has to do with some old Sith guy that died like 5 bazillion years ago. If he’s that old, I bet even a guy in training like me could kick his wrinkled butt. This story gets a lot better, but I don’t want to spoil it for you. I'll fill you in when I come home.

I’ve been assigned to study under Master Katarn. Remember him? He’s that Jedi Outcast we got a visit from a while ago. It’s a little funny since he still looks the same as he did about a year and a half ago. In fact, everything looks pretty much the same - the environments, even the people and whatnot. It’s not bad or anything, but I’m kinda surprised that after a year he hasn’t used his Jedi powers to smooth out some of those wrinkles.

Master Katarn showed me a bunch of Force powers right off the bat, so I can be a cool Jedi just like him. There’s Force Speed, Push, Pull and Sense to start out with and I’m told there are even more powers from both the Light and Dark sides of the Force around here. I remember some of them like Force Heal and Grip (from that time we saw the Jedi fighting while visiting Uncle Renn on Tatooine), but a few of them like Force Rage and Drain I’ve never seen around these parts.

They also tell me that I’ll be able to choose which powers to study and even how fast I will “level up” in each of the powers. It doesn’t look like I’ll be able to become an expert in everything, so I’ll just have to choose carefully. Later on in the training, I’ll also get a chance to try my hand at the dual and double-bladed lightsaber types. Woohoo!

I’m pleasantly surprised that the Masters are giving me some choices while I train. I hate it when people push me around down the same direction all the time. I don’t have much of a choice during the missions, but at least I am able to select which missions I undertake as well as what weapons I get to head out with.

Speaking of weapons, I’m being armed just like Master Katarn said I would be. I wish he had left me some surprises, though. The only available weapon that Master Katarn hadn’t used in his last adventure is the Stouker concussion rifle. Bummer.

But I guess it doesn’t matter - with all these Jedi powers and my trusty lightsaber, it looks like I don’t even really need any of the other weapons. Sure, it’s nice to toss a few thermal detonators into a crowd, but what’s the use of being a Jedi if I’m not gonna get my Jedi freak on? And besides, I love the way my saber lights up the room.

When we’re not off training alone, the Masters have the students playing a bunch of competitive games with each other. Some of these games are team-based, while others leave us to fend for ourselves. Most of them date back to Master Katarn’s days, but there are two new ones called Siege (team, objective-based) and Power Duel (two on one). Not a bad distraction when the missions are done, I’d say.

So I guess everything at the Jedi Academy has pretty much turned out like I thought it would. Lots of running around and beating guys senseless with my trusty lightsaber and smacking people around with the power of the Force. It’s a lot like the adventures of my Master, but it sure as hell beats Hogwarts.

Love,
Jaden

P.S. Send cookies!