Jedi Outcast is so good
I really loved that in the beginning you were forced (heh) to use guns and only later the lightsaber and jedi-weapons were unlocked. If everything was unlocked from the get-go, I would have never bothered with traditional weapons but instead I cycled furiously through all my arsenal.
Such a great game.
I think it was a mistake that they abandoned traditional singleplayer campaign with one character. It hurt the sequel.
By the last paragraph, you mean Jedi Academy? I don't remember abandoning one character in it. Unless you mean using create-a-Jedi instead of properly designed character, then yeah. In SP Jedi Academy was inferior because of everything you've mentioned (MP on the other hand... :3). While in JK2 finally getting back the lightsaber felt like an achievement, in Academy it just... was there. They actually took it away from you during that one mission where you got caught and had to escape but it was only that - one missing that felt kinda like an afterthought. "I guess we shouldn't let the player use the lightsaber the whole game, eh?"