I grew up a Star Wars fan — a huge one. I spent all my childhood on Star Wars forums and webchats, and my collection of games consisted mostly of titles like Bounty Hunter, Jedi Academy, Battlefront, etc. But even then, Star Wars: Dark Forces was a bit before my time. Compared to Jedi Academy, it seemed too archaic, and as a result, I never managed to complete it. Chances are, your story is similar.
Thankfully, ours is the era of remasters, and older Star Wars games have been steadily appearing on modern platforms — even titles such as Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. And unlike that unfortunate experiment, Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster has always been considered one of the most beloved entries. It might look like nothing more than a Doom clone, but back then, it was one of the most advanced and ambitious shooters.
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is exactly what it sounds like. The talented Nightdive Studios did everything in their power to make the game look as good as possible without rebuilding it from the ground up. As a result, it’s exactly the same game, only with support for modern screens and 120fps on Series X and PS5. It controls like a dream with a gamepad and supports trophies/achievements. Even all the cutscenes have been completely redrawn. It took considerable effort and care to give us this almost-perfect remaster.
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The visuals might have changed, but it’s instantly recognizable as a game from that era. For those used to modern conveniences, it might come as a shock. There are no pointers to your next mission or any tips. The game levels work like a maze, often forcing you to look for a guide. And the worst offender is the save system which is still absent. The players get three attempts at finishing a level, and if they fail. they have to start it again.
25 years ago I attempted to complete Star Wars: Dark Forces and failed for this exact reason. And to see that this element remains unchanged was a very unpleasant surprise. If you like a challenge, you might appreciate the authenticity of the port. But if you like me prefer not to waste your time replaying the same levels because of a silly mistake, you might be taken aback because of this. The price point also doesn’t help: while I think that 30 dollars is a fair price for something that took so much effort to remaster, it’s a sum that rubs a lot of players the wrong way.
I played the game on the Xbox Series X and had no issues, but other platforms might have more problems — especially Nintendo Switch.
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Verdict
It’s hard to say outright that Star Wars: Dark Forces is a great game. Time has taken its toll, and the archaic game design is too obvious to let it compete with modern releases. But it’s still an important game worthy of your time — especially if you’re a fan of Star Wars. Just don’t expect any radical changes — under the new coat of paint, it’s still a vintage.