Star Wars: Dark Forces
Apr 29, 2010 16 years ago
The Empire stretches its evil clutches across the galaxy, consuming planets with devastating results. Through many struggles, the Rebel Alliance has learned of a new Imperial battle station, the Death Star, with enough power to destroy an entire planet. The evil Empire is secretly building a massive army to complete their arsenal of domination and render their reign of terror unstoppable. Kyle Katarn, a formal Imperial Stormtrooper must join the Rebel Alliance's covert operations division, and re-take the Empire from the inside, one battle at a time. Unlike many other Doom-based games, Star Wars: Dark Forces attempted a realistic approach: the missions followed a specific storyline, sometimes cut up by scenes to progress the narrative. Each mission had its own briefing and objective. The levels were designed to represent actual bases, mines, facilities, and other known places from the Star Wars universe, like Star Destroyer interiors, Jabba's ship, Coruscant, etc.
What it’s like
This is a foundational first-person shooter that blends linear mission-based structure with the immersive weight of the Star Wars universe. You play as Kyle Katarn, navigating iconic locations like Jabba’s palace and Imperial facilities in a narrative-driven campaign. The experience prioritizes atmospheric immersion over mechanical complexity; it feels like a playable movie where environmental storytelling and level design take precedence. While the core loop involves standard shooting and key-hunting, the game distinguishes itself through its ambitious scope for its era, offering varied enemy types and a sense of scale that elevates it above typical Doom clones. The remaster enhances this with modern fidelity, but the heart remains a nostalgic, straightforward action adventure where exploration is guided by clear objectives rather than open-ended discovery.
Strong in Polish / PerformanceAtmosphere / MoodAudio / MusicCombatGameplay / MechanicsPacingStory / NarrativeVisuals / Art
Keep in mind The gameplay mechanics are rudimentary by modern standards, lacking the fluidity and depth of contemporary shooters. It is not for players seeking complex builds or high-octane multiplayer; it is strictly a linear, single-player nostalgia trip.
AI-generated from catalog data, informed by reviews from pcgamer.com, eurogamer.net, forbes.com, metacritic.com, creativebloq.com, thepixelsgeek.com.
Screenshots
Releases
| Platform | Region | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mac | Worldwide | Full release | Jun 01, 199531 years ago |
| PlayStation | Worldwide | Full release | Nov 30, 199630 years ago |
| DOS | Worldwide | Full release | 199630 years ago |
| PC (Microsoft Windows) | Worldwide | Full release | Sep 16, 200917 years ago |
| PlayStation 3 | Worldwide | Full release | Apr 29, 201016 years ago |
| PlayStation Portable | Worldwide | Full release | Apr 29, 201016 years ago |
