Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster

Star Wars: Dark Forces was, in 1995, one of the first first-person shooters to dare compete with Doom using its own, more technically advanced engine — it allowed, among other things, jumping, swimming, and multi-story levels connected vertically, not just horizontally. The player takes on the role of the mercenary Kyle Katarn, who is investigating a secret Imperial project called Dark Trooper — a series of robotic infantry suits — for the Rebel Alliance, and gradually becomes entangled in a larger conspiracy aimed at the Alliance itself.

The 2024 remaster was created by Nightdive Studios, a specialist in reviving classic games (System Shock, Doom 64, Blade Runner), and brought reworked graphics with higher-resolution textures and models, modernized controls with smooth two-axis mouse aiming, improved dynamic lighting, and the ability to switch between the original and new visuals on the fly with a single button press. Unlike the original from the mid-1990s, the game now runs naturally in high resolution and without having to deal with period technical compromises, including the clunky automatic vertical aiming that plagued players on older hardware.

The basic level design, weapons, and story remain faithful to the original, just stripped of the technical barriers that used to keep today's players from fully enjoying the classic. The remaster also adds achievement support, a modern menu, and the ability to save the game at any time, making it easier to get through tougher sections without having to rely on the period password system.

Why play: The remaster is the most accessible way to play a historically significant shooter without having to fight with emulators and period controls — it will appeal both to nostalgic fans and to players who want to discover the roots of modern FPS games set in the Star Wars universe.