"Become a Rebel Secret Agent - with a license to kill"

Dark Forces for the PC is a very thrilling game! From the plasma blaster to the missile launcher, to your little blaster, or even your fist, this game holds an unbelievable amount of greatness!

Gameplay 10/10
You are freelance agent Kyle Katarn. Your goal is to complete several mission objectives. Some are easy like finding certain plans, while some are harder. This game is best played with a Joystick, but is ok with the keyboard. Don't even try to use the mouse with this game, it just doesn't work! All you need is the keyboard to crouch, jump, and open doors, and the joystick to shoot and move you around. There are no cross-hairs for your guns, and they are slightly hard to aim. You shouldn't have many problems with the game, or the controls! There are a lot of game slots allowing many family members to play!

Story 10/10
The story is basically told in a letter from Jan Ors to the a Rebel Leader, Mon Mothma: (Copyright Lucasarts)
I understand there are questions regarding our continued use of Kyle as a freelance agent, both because of his background and his continued status as an occasional nonaligned mercenary rather than committing to regular service for the Alliance.
It's easy to see how certain individuals who either encountered him during his time with the Empire, or lost friends or loved ones during operations he commanded, could harbor such doubts. In fact though, it is precisely his experience in the Imperial service that has turned him solidly against the Empire, and will, I believe eventually convince him of the necessity of the Alliance. I think you'll agree when I fill in more of his personal history.
Kyle came from Sulon, the moon of Sullust. Like many of our outer world recruits, he came from farmer stock, with a warm, close-knit family background. He adored his father, an agricultural machine salesman and mechanic with personal ties to the rural community he served. Kyle sought training at the Academy only to better follow in his father's footsteps when he returned home.
At the Academy he discovered a natural gift for cybernetic systems theory and information engineering. The time spent on his studies, extra-curricular martial arts and target shooting classes left little time to worry about political rumors or changes in the curriculum and policy, as the Empire consolidated its hold on the Academy. His quiet student existence was shattered when he received Imperial notification that a Rebel ambush had killed his parents during an Imperial rescue operation. The final blow came when the Academy refused to extend funeral leave.
At the time Kyle had no reason to doubt what was clearly an Imperial cover-up. Overwhelmed by pain and a burning hatred for the rebels who had supposedly killed his parents, he accepted a commission in the special operations division of the Imperial Army. It was here that he learned the truth face of the Empire.
I first came to know him several years later, when I was working as a mole and double agent within the Imperial Intelligence Corps. Repeated contacts with Kyle showed me the scars he hid beneath a veneer of quiet competence, and his growing disillusion with the Army and all it represented. I saw to it that reports detailing the real story of the Imperial raid on Sullust came his way, and our friend continued to deepen.
When my cover was blown and I was taken prisoner, Kyle ended his service in the Imperial Army by engineering my escape from torture and helping me get off the planet to a Rebel base. He joined me there a few days later on his way to the rim worlds, where, in the company of smugglers and pirates, he was to acquire the further skills of sabotage and subterfuge that have since made him so valuable to our cause.
I knew then, when we said good-bye, that he was not ready for a full commitment to the Alliance. The emotional manipulation he endured at the hands of the Empire has hardened him against causes and made the idealistic, trusting young man into a deadly efficient saboteur whose loyalty must be earned rather than bought.
One thing is certain. He may not totally trust the Alliance, but he will never forgive or forget what the Empire has done to him. Yes, he saved my life and is perhaps the most effective covert agent we have, but it is this hatred of the Empire that will insure his reliability to us. It is sad but true that ongoing Imperial atrocities and disregard for life continue to provide our best hope for recruits. – Jan Ors
Very telling story. Kyle Katarn (you) will be dropped off and picked up on most of the missions by Jan Ors. She will also talk to you from time to time while you are on a mission! Each mission starts out with a briefing on the background of the place, and what your objectives are. You can select between Easy, Medium, or Hard difficulty. As you go up difficulty levels, you can die easier, and there are more bad guys.

Audio/Visual 10/10
This game is exceptional for the way the sound flows. It has an up beat to it, and makes you feel like you are Kyle Katarn on a secret mission! The graphics are also very good because they are clear, sharp, and awesome! The sound runs from the laser blast, to a mine explosion, to a person dying! Then the graphics range from falling troopers to gun bursts! Both audio and video are well rounded in this game.

Good to Replay Yes!
This game has a high replay rate. You will want to replay this game again and again! It is like a magnet, that draws you to it!

To Buy Yes!
I recommend you buy this game! You can buy Dark Forces in the store for about $30. Then there is another thing you could do. The Lucasarts Vol. II boxed sets of games for about $50-$65. You get 4 games and 1 information CD. You get TIE CD (worth $40), and 3 playable levels of Dark Forces, Rebel Assault, and Rebel Assault II. Making Magic is the informational CD with it. It tells the story of the Star Wars Trilogy and shows cut-scenes of the making the movie. Very worthwhile!

Miscellaneous
Dark Forces doesn't have glitches, but it has several cheat codes!

Verdict Perfect!
This game is utterly excellent! If you want to have fun on your PC, then definitely get this game!

Don't delay, play today!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 04/01/01, Updated 04/01/01