The trailer for the video game “Star Wars Outlaws” has your hardcore friends screaming the name Kyle Katarn, and, while there’s no firm evidence that’s really him hiding behind the name Jaylen, they’ve got good reasons to hope. Kyle Katarn is as seminal to many Legends fans as Starkiller, Vader’s secret apprentice, or Timothy Zahn’s Mara Jade. Katarn is the star of “Jedi Knight,” a series that started with “Dark Forces” in 1995, and which also made Moff Gideon’s Dark Troopers the terrors they are.
Katarn begins the series as a fairly ordinary space mercenary, but things escalate fast in this galaxy, and it’s not long before he’s gotten himself tangled up in the Rebellion’s efforts to stymie the Death Star project. Handling a bit like the older “Wolfenstein” games, the series uses its shooter-styled elements to slowly build your palette of abilities over time. Eventually, Kyle Katarn earns his ultimate mastery of the Force, and by then, he’s become a teacher. The “Jedi Knight” games are old, and not as pretty as the new Respawn offerings, but their fun gameplay, Legends-era storyline, and likable charisma of Katarn keep them worthy of a “Star Wars” fan’s time.