I'm afraid that my recent experiences in the courtroom (as a juror, thanks) may influence the following review... All rise, court is now in session. The honorable judge Chewie will be presiding. You may be seated. The case before us involves a pair of JK levels that are very likely a first attempt. Uneventful architecture, poor texturing, and awkward lighting are just some of the problems. If the council will please explain the details to the jury...

The architecture was minimal in this short level. Aside from a couple of sloped surfaces and some diagonal-sloping beams, the whole level was an exercise in boxes. In fact, the room that had the most slopes was the one the player starts in, and it was pitch black which made those slopes all but invisible. There are a few changes in elevation throughout the level, but not enough to take away from the boxy feeling. There are a few good points though. About two-thirds of the way through, the player can look past some of the sloping beams to see down to the floor of a room that was explored earlier in the level. Also, there are a couple of observation rooms that allow a peek into others. But the thing that takes away from this level the most is the texturing. There were only a few textures used throughout the level. Many of the rooms had the same texture on the floor, walls, AND ceiling, which to me, worsens the fact that the room is a large box. Near the end of the level is a room full of crates, but the texturing here is bad too. The crate texture seems to have been used in a rather slapdash fashion, and it simply takes away from the level. The second level of this pack is just a large deathmatch-arena type room. Although it wasn't a box, the repeated texture around the entire room made for an uninteresting view.

The level was better in the way of dynamics. Stormtroopers, officers, and such were either guarding things or manning computer terminals instead of standing out in open for no reason. The number of enemies that I faced was never more than three at any one time, which was another plus for this level. Also, shields and bacta tanks were spaced less than generously throughout the level, so I couldn't just burst into a room and take a lot of damage. In terms of cogs, there were a few doors, elevators, forcefields, slashable panels and grates, and lots of conveyor belts. The second level (the big arena-style room) contained a moving AT-AT that chases you around until you destroy it. However, the author acknowledges that someone else made it operate. Still, the fact that it was an AT-AT did make it a little more interesting. Fortunately, there's plenty of ammo, assuming you can get it, to take down the behemoth machine. Trust me, you'll use it too. There were a few things that really bothered me though. One involved an elevator that moved upwards diagonally. I don't have a problem with diagonal elevators, in fact, they are a welcome change, but they must have some logical means of getting from point A to point B. Still not following? They must be more than a "magic carpet" ride - some hint of support, tracks, something. "Magic carpet" elevators ruin any sense of reality for me. Also, the slashable grates were not made correctly. At a grate, the player obviously can't see the other side. However, in this level, not only could the enemies see you through the untouched grate, they could shoot you and hit you. I was taking damage from enemy fire before I had even slashed the grate to enter the room! All was not lost in level dynamics though. There were several secret areas that were well placed (and one of them even had a nasty surprise), usually containing much needed ammo.

Hmm. Where to begin. Let's start with the story. You are given the impression that some crates are important enough to warrant retrieving them, yet playing the level doesn't indicate that at all. There's no mention of crates during the level at all. You feel more like you are just trying to get out of the base. I think that if the player had to infiltrate the base, work his way into the center, and then get back out, it would be more suited to the given story. Also, you are told the Crow landed, but there has been no contact with it. If I'm playing as Kyle, who landed the ship? Jan? Jerec? Also, how did I (the player) begin in an enclosed, rock-lined room? These may seem like little things, but they are glaring mistakes in the soundness of the story that immerses me in the game. The lighting also was unrealistic. Rooms were either bright and fully lit, or they had big, angled shadows across walls and such. What bothered me most, however, was that some parts of many rooms had no lights at all. Not that darkness is bad, but when there are no lights, the headlamp and the lightsaber have no effect. This was a major problem in getting through one of the puzzles that involved several jumps and climbs, because I couldn't see what I was doing. On a positive note, the author used soundtracks. Thank you! That is such a simple, yet often overlooked enhancement that adds to the quality and experience. Also, there were no crashes or technical problems.

Has the jury reached a decision? Yes, your honor. We the jury (well, ok, it's just me the reviewer) find this level is probably not enough to keep most players entertained more that a couple of minutes. It is sorely lacking in many key areas. However, if you need a JK fix, this might postpone any seizures or other withdrawal symptoms. Court is adjourned.