Star Wars: Dark Forces (1995)

It's no secret that first-person shooters are popular, and they've been popular for years now. While franchises like Call of Duty and Battlefield have certainly made their mark, there was one game that really kicked things into high gear. That game was, of course, 1993's Doom. Now, why is it Doom and not Wolfenstein 3D? After all, Wolfenstein 3D came out in 1992, a whole year before Doom Guy was killing demons on Mars.

Well...here's the thing, Doom wasn't the first FPS to hit the market, but it helped popularize 3D gaming, and was one of the earliest adopters of the multiplayer mode of gameplay. In other words, it had a significant impact, spawning sequel after sequel as well as various spin-offs and mods.

It also inspired many games, including today's topic, Star Wars: Dark Forces.

Development of Dark Forces and Doom's Influence

Development started in September 1993; the idea of a Star Wars-themed first-person shooter originated from mods. Yes, mods, specifically mods for Doom. These mod levels were set in the Death Star, and devs decided to adapt the FPS format to a Star Wars story.

Dark Forces brought some new mechanics to the FPS genre. For example, players could now jump, swim, and look around more freely than in other games. Of course, new mechanics meant that they had to build a new game engine from the ground up. This new engine, the Jedi engine (yes, really), was capable of rendering fully 3D objects and weather effects.

The game was originally released in 1995, and received good reviews all 'round with praise aimed at the gameplay and graphics of the PC versions. One review from the Seattle Times stated, and I quote:

"Though most of the Dark Forces sets are original to the game, they were created in the 'Star Wars' spirit." - Steven Kent, Seattle Times

The console versions, on the other hand, were less well-received, but that didn't stop PC Gamer from giving Dark Forces the award for Best Sound Effects of 1995. As if that's not impressive enough, the game was also a runner-up in the Best Action Game category.

A remastered version was released in February 2024.

An Original Storyline

Set in the Star Wars universe, Dark Forces starts just before the events of A New Hope with a mercenary named Kyle Katarn bringing the Imperial Death Star's plans to the rebels. A year or so later, the rebellion calls on Katarn once again to investigate rumors about a secret military project - the Dark Trooper Project.

What Works in Star Wars: Dark Forces?

Okay, so considering that this game is just over 30 years old, what, if anything, works in this one? Well...

• The graphics are pretty good - even if they're very, very, VERY dated. Still, the colors are nice and vibrant.
• The storyline is pretty cool.
• The music is really nice.
• Your armory is limited, but you still have a good variety of weapons.

Are There Problems with Star Wars: Dark Forces?

Yes, yes, there are more than a few issues with this game.

• The controls are really, really awkward. Now, I played on a laptop, so that might have something to do with it. I found it very hard to work with them. The same applies to the camera work. Your perspective is limited to forward, which makes sense given it's an FPS, but being unable to look up or down makes certain shots almost impossible.
• As much as I liked the graphics, it's also very difficult to see at times. The darker areas of the environments are VERY dark, and the headlamp in your inventory doesn't last long.
• The level designs are sometimes very confusing.

So, is Dark Forces worth Playing?

Right, what's the final verdict? Is Dark Forces worth playing? Well, yes? I guess? If you're into older games, this might be a good one to try. With a remaster also on the market, there's no real reason not to, at least, give it a fair shot - excuse the pun.

As always, I hope you all enjoyed reading. If you've played this one yourselves, let me know what you thought of it in the comment section below. If you haven't played it, are you likely to play it?

Leave your thoughts in the comments, and I'll see you in the next one.