Customer Reviews

Star Wars: Dark Forces (Jewel Case)

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

My shelf is full of games I've played all the way through one time, a few I never finished, and a few I've played through a couple of times, but I've played Dark Forces many times. It was the first first-person shooter I ever played, but it's more than nostalgia that keeps me coming back. While the graphics are dated, this game is still compelling for a number of reasons: you have *real* short- and long-term missions -- not just killing, but figuring out puzzles, achieving goals, getting artifacts, etc; the weapons and gadgets are fun; the surroundings are great -- various planets and ships in the Star Wars universe; the villains are always cool and often extraordinary (Boba Fett! Dark Troopers!); you can jump and crawl; there's a good mapping utility and there are secret stashes of ammo. I love this game.

A strength: the game is very stable. A weakness: no saving within a level! A bonus -- the music is very good.

Get this game. If you value action and creativity, enjoy the Star Wars milieu, and don't despair over dated graphics, you will probably really like it.

I had bought this game ooo a bunch of years back, when it first came out, but at the time i was pritty young so i never really got into it. Now that im older i can see what a fun game this is. Its a first person shooter and the controlls are very easy. The sound is amazing and the enimies guns ect. are awsome. The only thing i have to warn you about is the graphics suck major, sometimes if your foe is to far away it looks like just a rock. Putting graphics aside you will find underneath the pixels and polygons a very unique and fun game with a good plot may i add.

I can't believe this game is still in circulation! It couldn't have been any earlier than seven years ago that I last played this. Therefore.... my memory is a bit sketchy. But what I do remember I really liked. If you enjoyed Doom or Duke Nukem, or any kind of first-person shooter, here's one that utilizes the Star Wars name in a very effective way. While it plays no relative plot to the Star Wars trilogy, it's fun (and satisfying) to kill familiar enemies with familiar weapons. I did notice that while levels grew progressively harder, the game itself grew progressively easier. This is because you collect so much armor along the way that only direct attacks (like bites or punches) tend to hurt you. Regardless, Dark Forces is an expansive game with a large variety of weapons and gameplay. A little outdated, yes, but I always did like the classics.

How many games have grinded against your nerves, yet left you thirsting for more action? How many games offer the most nerve racking of all enemies in the garbage monster? My list is very short--in fact, it only contains one item. Dark Forces is one of the finest first person shooters to ever grace the computer screen. It set the table for the line of Jedi Knight games, and it did so magnificently. Though there were many difficult puzzles along the way, I actually felt like trying to beat them myself instead of giving up, or heading for the walkthrough.

I hope many agree with me when I say that Dark Forces has no rival in what it brings to the table. While the graphics are somewhat dated (which has been stated many times over in these reviews), gameplay is not sacrificed one bit.

Since technology is improving so quickly, I fear that many gamers in the world may miss out on this classic. For all of us who have played through the 14 levels of pure gold, though, it will be with us forever.

Many frown at the idea of old-school FPS games. "Wolfenstein 3D", "Doom", "Duke Nukem"...they all were great for their time, and are still good, but they just haven't aged very well. "Star Wars: Dark Forces" however, has not lost as much of its punch in the 10 years that have passed.

STORY
The story of Kyle Katarn is actually one of the better stories that "Star Wars" games have put out. He's not the Jedi bad-ass from the "Jedi Knight" games (by the way, those are all purchase-worthy!), but he does have a gruff attitude. I don't think nostalgia is the reason for my interest in this story. Boba Fett, Darth Vader, Jabba The Hutt, and an Imperial Commander (sorry, can't remember the name) make appearances in this chapter, where the advanced Dark Troopers obliterate planets. Kyle Katarn and partner Jan Ors are paid to eliminate this threat. It's not Shakespeare, but instead of going the for the campy sense-of-humor that "Rogue Squadron" and other "Star Wars" flight-combat games go for...this one is dark and serious. It's not heart-felt drama, but it does have a gripping tone to it.

GRAPHICS
The graphics, of course, are outdated (what game's from 10 years ago isn't?). However, I still felt comfortable with the levels' environments because they are colorful and imaginative. An icy terrain hides a factory underneath...the shadows of some sewers hide unfriendly creatures underneath...a seemingly empty room reveals a 20 soldiers ready to blast you. The graphics aren't terrific, but they don't hurt your eyes, and you can still appreciate the craftiness from back in the day.

SOUND
The music is in MIDI format, but it is excellent music. There are 6 tracks that are used for 2 levels each, plus 2 more for the intense final stages. The weapons all sound like intimidating pieces of machinery. You'll get a sadistic chuckle when a petty officer proclaims "You're not authorized to be in this area!", but your grenade says otherwise. The voice-acting is also good, but there aren't too many cutscenes to prove that. But what you get is top-notch, as LucasArts always did back then.

CONTROLS
You can customize the keyboard functions however you want, or you can use a Mouse and/or Joystick. It's all up to you. There are only basic features such as jumping (this really was a breakthrough back then), crouching, using switches, and opening doors. There's not much room for confusion.

GAMEPLAY
The level design is still pretty good, because the game doesn't get carried away with hundreds of hallways and doors just to find one key. You will traverse 14 levels that large, yes...but with a Map function and some colorful visuals, you won't feel frustrated. About the key business, you'll still be doing it, but with plenty of Stormtroopers to eliminate and 10 weapons to do it. The puzzles in this game aren't necessarily hard, but there are some brain-scramblers. Although this is nice because the game doesn't hold your hand, there are a few puzzles that seem to come out of nowhere. It's nice to know that the game is a little challenging, but the game doesn't make it clear whether you have a puzzle in front of you, or whether it's just a piece of colorful scenery. That does take its toll on a few occassion. But with the smart AI (err, tough...there's not much strategy here) and "Star Wars" feel...this FPS stands out above other shooters from the past.

This game is fun, but is a little outdated and has been outdone by countless games. But it still a lot of fun. The 14 levels are all fun, and with some bosses thrown in (who can be a real pain-in-the-ass), "Dark Forces" is worthy trip down memory lane.

Dated now I know, but games are about so much more than high-end graphics. This game was revolutionary in it's time, and is still even 10 years later, great fun to play. Very challenging and so engaging that you forget about the low quality graphics after a while.

Very little that I can criticize about the game, seeing as they pretty much put together the best they could with the technology of the time. A lot of people might be put off by the fact the background music is tinny MIDI files, but I find them amusing. They are rather *good* MIDIs at any rate.

This game is old but the best.Sure the graphics....sound...music.......and all that other stuff stinks for today, but the gameplay remains the best within andy star wars shoot em' up has!It is like doom, silly, fun.This game is fun and I reccomend it to any starwars gamer:).....This game was great in its day!

Great game for its day but can be anoying when you get stuck.
My advice to you is if you have Jedi Outcast don't buy this becuase dark forces is currently be remade with jedi outcast engine as a mod for jedi outcast. It is rumored though that the mod may be completed for jedi academy. For more information on dark forces mod go to www.darkforces.jediknight.com

This game(at the time it was made) was one of the coolest and meanest first person shooters around. The action was fast paced the story line was great and I loved to play the main charecter wise cracking mercinary that he was.

This tradition was continued in JEDI KNIGHTS II: OUTCAST. For you younger folks think of this game as an earlier version of that game but without all the bells and special effects that you find today.

My lord makes my wish I could find some spare parts for the old 4.86(thats the generation before pentium processors).

It will probably still run in 95/98 if you make a bootdisk

Let me start by saying that this is a pretty old game, so the graphics are somewhat...unimpressive, but this game is a lot of fun. It ties into the movies (getting the Death Star plans. Saving general Madine) It's a very addictive game and you'll find you're self playing nonstop.