A while back I finally decided to play Dark Forces to the end... and I loved it:
www.resetera.com
So recently I got the entire series: Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight, Mysteries of the Sith, Jedi Oucast and Jedi Academy. I'll only be talking about the first three since the last one is more of a spin off.
Dark Forces 2 and Mysteries of the Sith: After Dark Forces I had high expectations for this. There are two main changes compared to the prequel: now the game is fully 3d and you have a lightsaber and Jedi powers... because reasons. A quick note, it was really weird how this happened, suddenly you get a lightsaber and start using the force, Kyle Katarn's development in the ways of the Jedi is even worse than Rey (Skywalker I guess). But the good news is that it was really fun to use both the lasersword and the force, and it opened new ways to explore the game. I particularly liked using pull to, well, pull weapons from the enemies than strike them while they run around defenseless. Some powers were less interesting, and for some reason I got the darkside ending and became the new emperor. The bad news is that the level design, which was the best aspect of Dark Forces, isn't as great here. Mysteries of the Sith was more of the same, but with a better use of force powers, and with a female lead, which is always great in an FPS (I also really like its ending).
Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast: I wanted to play this game for a long time. I've heard very good things about it, even that it's the best Star Wars game ever, which would mean being better than KoTOR, and that's saying something. Having played it, I firmily believe it's not even close, but it does have its merits. Dark Forces 2 was a very early 3d game, while its sequel feel much more modern. Its gunplay is weaker though, but lightsaber combat and force powers are better. One of my issues with this game is that it has some really weak moments. There was a segment for example were you pilot a AT-ST, but it's awful because you can't aim properly as the vehicle is in front of the crosshair. Also there are swamp levels that... urgh. Or right after when you get your lightsaber, the mission that follows is basically a level where you can't use it because you have to deal with a multitude of snipers.
And on that track, my main issue with both (three) games, is that there is a inner conflict to them that holds them back. They are FPS, so you will be using a lot of guns. But they are also a third person adventure game where you play as a Jedi (when you change your weapon to a lightsaber the camera changes, you can change it back, but clearly the game was designed with the third person perspective in mind for the Jedi moments). And so, the game don't fully develop neither aspect. It can be extremely fun to play using the force powers, but then you get in an area that clearly was meant for you to use a gun and the game implode. Moreover, melee combat feels weird in all three games and mostly my duels were just me running randomly around hoping to strike the enemy without being stroke in return. Jedi Outcast had the best lightsaber system, but still, I feel, not as great as it could be if the game decided to fully dedicate itself to that type of combat.
Overall, I did enjoy my time with them, but I can't say they were memorable. One moment here and there yes, but just those moments.
R/LTTP: Star Wars: Dark Forces - This is a special FPS. Also, goddamn you EA!
Dark Forces was probably among the first games I ever played. I remember in box of the PC I had home there were the image of a few games that were included (or something like that) and Dark Forces was one of them. I also remember thinking/hoping that I was playing with the imperial trooper...
www.resetera.com
So recently I got the entire series: Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight, Mysteries of the Sith, Jedi Oucast and Jedi Academy. I'll only be talking about the first three since the last one is more of a spin off.
Dark Forces 2 and Mysteries of the Sith: After Dark Forces I had high expectations for this. There are two main changes compared to the prequel: now the game is fully 3d and you have a lightsaber and Jedi powers... because reasons. A quick note, it was really weird how this happened, suddenly you get a lightsaber and start using the force, Kyle Katarn's development in the ways of the Jedi is even worse than Rey (Skywalker I guess). But the good news is that it was really fun to use both the lasersword and the force, and it opened new ways to explore the game. I particularly liked using pull to, well, pull weapons from the enemies than strike them while they run around defenseless. Some powers were less interesting, and for some reason I got the darkside ending and became the new emperor. The bad news is that the level design, which was the best aspect of Dark Forces, isn't as great here. Mysteries of the Sith was more of the same, but with a better use of force powers, and with a female lead, which is always great in an FPS (I also really like its ending).
Jedi Knight 2: Jedi Outcast: I wanted to play this game for a long time. I've heard very good things about it, even that it's the best Star Wars game ever, which would mean being better than KoTOR, and that's saying something. Having played it, I firmily believe it's not even close, but it does have its merits. Dark Forces 2 was a very early 3d game, while its sequel feel much more modern. Its gunplay is weaker though, but lightsaber combat and force powers are better. One of my issues with this game is that it has some really weak moments. There was a segment for example were you pilot a AT-ST, but it's awful because you can't aim properly as the vehicle is in front of the crosshair. Also there are swamp levels that... urgh. Or right after when you get your lightsaber, the mission that follows is basically a level where you can't use it because you have to deal with a multitude of snipers.
And on that track, my main issue with both (three) games, is that there is a inner conflict to them that holds them back. They are FPS, so you will be using a lot of guns. But they are also a third person adventure game where you play as a Jedi (when you change your weapon to a lightsaber the camera changes, you can change it back, but clearly the game was designed with the third person perspective in mind for the Jedi moments). And so, the game don't fully develop neither aspect. It can be extremely fun to play using the force powers, but then you get in an area that clearly was meant for you to use a gun and the game implode. Moreover, melee combat feels weird in all three games and mostly my duels were just me running randomly around hoping to strike the enemy without being stroke in return. Jedi Outcast had the best lightsaber system, but still, I feel, not as great as it could be if the game decided to fully dedicate itself to that type of combat.
Overall, I did enjoy my time with them, but I can't say they were memorable. One moment here and there yes, but just those moments.
