Dark Forces is one of the few games I revisit on a semi-regular basis. I still enjoy the game even as the graphics have gone stale. The great thing about Dark Forces is that it wasn't just a simple shooter like Doom, it has a story and each level is a very unique mission with specific objectives rather than a simple key progression. Dark Forces is the first game in the Jedi-Knight Series. The series progression is: Dark Forces, Jedi Knight Dark Forces II, Mysteries of the Sith, Jedi Outcast, Jedi Academy I have played all of them and honestly Dark Forces is my favorite. Pros * Jedi Knight started simplifying the level design and by Jedi Academy, the levels were entirely linear with lame tiny secrets that weren't worth finding. Dark Forces had some great secret areas (Level 1's secret area is pretty large and quite hard to find/get to with the secret panels and difficult jumps. * Dark Forces is the only game in the series in which Kyle Katarn has no Force powers and no lightsaber. While playing with a lightsaber is fun it is really interesting to play through a Star Wars universe game as a Han Solo-ish rogue. * Dark Forces has Jabba's ship in which you lose all your weapons and must face enemies using only your fists... that part of the game is quite hard and with the limited number of lives the game gives you per level makes it even harder. * Varied enemy design * Great level design with some backtracking, puzzles, and great enemy and item placement * Tricky secrets that are worth finding Cons * No ability to save anywhere. This makes each level a marathon of limited lives and since some levels can take 30-60 minutes even if you know where you are going the game requires a bit of a commitment. * Graphics haven't aged very well unless you try to think of them as crunchy pixels... even so I hear there's a graphics mod: http://xlengine.com/downloads/ (I need to try this next time I play the game) * Enemy AI is very simplistic * Undifferentiated secret panels
I've played through this game countless times and keep returning to it. Thief is beyond a classic, it is a masterpiece. The only games that have surpassed it are its sequels. The story is engaging, disturbing and unique. The sound system fills your imagination from the groans of zombies to every footfall. The game makes you relish sneaking from shadow to shadow. Planning each attack. Hiding every body. And for your troubles you are rewarded with little stashes of gold. The designers of Thief took special pleasure in hiding their troves of loot, in fact the secrets of the Thief series are unparalleled. From tiny buttons hidden in the eyes of statues to special books on bookshelves, to little levers hidden underneath desks. The gameplay of Thief is mission and goal oriented rather than a matter of clearing areas of enemies. It is also one of the few games where it pays to play on the higher difficulties because you are rewarded with more goals and trickier mission constraints (such as not being able to kill anyone. Don't fret you have a blackjack and those unconscious guards are as good as dead.) Each guard is a challenge and each needs special attention. Some have fixed routes in which you can wait in the shadows then slip behind for a quick knock the the head and a furtive heft of their body to dump in some dark corner (leaving bodies in the open tips off other guards). Others turn this way and that making you dread the short spans of loud flooring you will have to cover to knock them out or endure in the hopes of slipping by. As for the story, you are treated to a vibrant world alive with intrigues of its own beyond your main quest. Rival nobles, stupid guards, warring factions, all detailed not just through the cut scenes but also through numerous books, scrolls, and overheard conversations. You'll listen in the shadows as guards discuss matters of their nobles, key plot points, vital hints that add to your mission objectives and general and often hilarious chit chat. The themes of the game are dark and surprisingly deep and mature. While the graphics are dated, the game still succeeds in making you feel vulnerable. You will cower in the corners praying the guards will turn back to their patrol routes. That the zombies will stop hunting you because you managed to run out of holy water and don't have enough health to try an assault with your sword. You will not regret playing this game. And if you're still not convinced, realize that an entire community of gamers has produced hundreds if not thousands of fan missions for this game ever since it's release in 1998. Yes, they are still obsessed with this game and it is worth the obsession.
I've played through Descent 1 & 2 probably about 5 times each over the course of the years since their release. They are timeless classics that will keep you coming back over any over again. I listened to the soundtrack of Descent 2 repeatedly, there are 1 or 2 annoying songs but for the most part each song adds to the atmosphere of the game giving it a sense of depth and epic seclusion. The atmosphere of the games is disorienting and claustrophobic but in a really good way. There are also thousands of fan made levels for both Descent 1 and 2. This is another reason that this game still has legs. Endless variety. Some of the fan-made levels take advantage of the fact that the Descent engine allows for creative geometry that can overlap itself. Anyway, for some of the nice extras you should be aware of: Descent Rebirth (high quality textures and an updated rendering engine): http://www.dxx-rebirth.com/ Kool Bear (Get hooked up to multiplayer games, and download fan levels. Yes, people are STILL, as of April 2012 playing this game multiplayer) http://www.koolbear.com/Descent/intro.shtml Enjoy!
I've played through Descent 1 & 2 probably about 5 times each over the course of the years since their release. They are timeless classics that will keep you coming back over any over again. I listened to the soundtrack of Descent 2 repeatedly, there are 1 or 2 annoying songs but for the most part each song adds to the atmosphere of the game giving it a sense of depth and epic seclusion. The atmosphere of the games is disorienting and claustrophobic but in a really good way. There are also thousands of fan made levels for both Descent 1 and 2. This is another reason that this game still has legs. Endless variety. Some of the fan-made levels take advantage of the fact that the Descent engine allows for creative geometry that can overlap itself. Anyway, for some of the nice extras you should be aware of: Descent Rebirth (high quality textures and an updated rendering engine): http://www.dxx-rebirth.com/ Kool Bear (Get hooked up to multiplayer games, and download fan levels. Yes, people are STILL, as of April 2012 playing this game multiplayer) http://www.koolbear.com/Descent/intro.shtml Enjoy!
I've played through Descent 1 & 2 probably about 5 times each over the course of the years since their release. They are timeless classics that will keep you coming back over any over again. I listened to the soundtrack of Descent 2 repeatedly, there are 1 or 2 annoying songs but for the most part each song adds to the atmosphere of the game giving it a sense of depth and epic seclusion. The atmosphere of the games is disorienting and claustrophobic but in a really good way. There are also thousands of fan made levels for both Descent 1 and 2. This is another reason that this game still has legs. Endless variety. Some of the fan-made levels take advantage of the fact that the Descent engine allows for creative geometry that can overlap itself. Anyway, for some of the nice extras you should be aware of: Descent Rebirth (high quality textures and an updated rendering engine): http://www.dxx-rebirth.com/ Kool Bear (Get hooked up to multiplayer games, and download fan levels. Yes, people are STILL, as of April 2012 playing this game multiplayer) http://www.koolbear.com/Descent/intro.shtml Enjoy!
