Nostalgia can sometimes be hit or miss when returning to an old, much-loved game. Did we remember it right? Were those bosses really that hard? Have our reactions sharpened over the years? Have we flown too close to the git-gud sun to really appreciate a simpler time? Turns out no, particularly when it comes to Star Wars: Dark Forces as it turns 30 years old.
This iconic FPS game came out all the way back in 1995 when any title that dared to run-and-gun in first-person was automatically thrown into the DOOM knockoff pile. But the thing that shone a light on Star Wars: Dark Forces, when the rest of its competitors were trying to find their feet in an infant FPS genre, was the inclusion of an engaging narrative and a story that you actually found yourself caring about. As much as you wanted to mow down every Stormtrooper you came across.
Looking back, Star Wars: Dark Forces bridged the gap between shooting bad guys in the head and playing in a lived-in, fully realized world with lore that you want to learn more about. Even looking at some of the current biggest FPS games, they’re all packed with nuanced characters, storylines, and arcs that wouldn’t be out of place on the big screen. Look at Apex Legends characters Bloodhound and Fuse, who, despite the battle-torn arena they met in, have finally consummated their seasons-long romance. Hell, even each Fortnite chapter has a fleshed-out storyline to enjoy as you dive out of the battle bus.
Star Wars: Dark Forces was one of the first games to incorporate both frenetic gunfights and a fleshed-out world, and looking back with 30 years of gaming under our belts, we think it’s high time we put some respect on its name. Especially considering that, for years, protagonist Kyle Katarn was an incredibly important part of the multi-platform franchise’s canon. He was the badass who stole the plans for the Death Star, paving the way for A New Hope.
Unfortunately, when Disney acquired Lucasfilm and took over the Star Wars name, all non-movie narratives were softly retconned. Don’t get us wrong, we loved Rogue One, but Kyle Katarn will always be the true hero.
The Star Wars: Dark Forces remaster came out in 2024, and while it doesn’t bring anything new to the table, we have to remember that it was a fairly important architect of the table itself. While it doesn’t quite make our picks for the best Star Wars games in the current landscape, with so many other fantastic installments, it certainly doesn’t hurt to take a trip down memory lane.