Lisa Kamlot
28 years after its original release, Star Wars: Dark Forces is making a comeback! Nightdive Studios announced on Wednesday that it’s partnering with Lucasfilm Games to bring a remastered version of the classic FPS developed by LucasArts to modern platforms. As one of the first titles in the emerging era of first-person shooters and one of the earliest PC games set in George Lucas’ universe, Star Wars: Dark Forces is still a fan-favorite up to this day. Now, old fans and new will be able to experience the iconic title once again.
Star Wars: Dark Forces blasts onto modern devices
The Portland-based developer Nightdive Studios has proven its remaster mettle with remakes of iconic games such as Doom 64 and PowerSlave. It was also behind the recent releases of the System Shock remake and Quake 2 remaster, showcasing how it revives classic games while keeping the original titles’ essence. Now it’s breathing new life into another FPS treasure: Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster is in development and is set to launch on all major platforms, including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and PC soon.
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Using its in-house KEX engine, the studio will bring back Star Wars: Dark Forces with a fresh coat of paint. The reveal trailer offers a first peak of the completely overhauled rendering, remastered cutscenes, 4K resolution at 120FPS, and widescreen support that will make the legendary FPS look better than ever. Players will even be able to blast Stormtroopers with modern gamepad controls and collect trophies and achievements along the way to boot.
A return to the classic Star Wars FPS
Released in 1995, Star Wars: Dark Forces was the original FPS experience in Lucas’ galaxy far, far away, which saw players take on the role of Kyle Katarn for the first time. Although he later became a Jedi in the Jedi Knight games, Star Wars: Dark Forces won’t let you use lightsabers or the Force to defeat your enemies. Instead, hectic shoot-outs using blasters await.
The studio aims to bring the original game back into today’s era without sacrificing what made the game special almost three decades ago. In an interview with IGN, Nightdive’s Larry Kuperman said it was their mission to ‘bring back the way you felt when you played the original.’ Doing justice to the classic shooter includes the high level of difficulty the game was notorious for back in the day, with fans cherishing the particularly challenging boss fights.
It’s therefore safe to assume players will face the same level of difficulty shooting Stormtroopers, who have much better aim in the game than they are known for in the movies. Fans will also be happy to hear the game will purportedly be ‘popularly priced,’ as Kuperman claimed.
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Star Wars: Dark Forces Remaster will be coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam later this year. A release date should be announced soon.
We can’t wait to take a walk down memory lane to a galaxy far, far away. How about you? Are you excited to blast down Stormtroopers like in the good old days, but this time in crisp 4K? Let us know in the comments and on our social feeds!
Source: IGN
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