This is now, by my count, the fourth time we’ve posted about a Dark Forces x Unreal Engine remake. It is, however, the first time I’ve been able to post about one that is downloadable and properly playable by you, today, right now.
Previous attempts have either been graphical showcases or tech demos, but this latest effort—by Ruppertle—is fully interactive, containing not just two storyline missions from Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, but some sandbox and endless modes to enjoy as well.
“The goal was to recreate one of my favorite games back from my childhood while keeping the base look, feeling and gameplay”, Ruppertle says. “After nearly 3 years of development the project is finally at a point where I feel ready to share it with you.”
You can find download links to the project in the description of this YouTube video, with the files containing “2 official levels from the original game, 4 survival levels, sandbox mode, 3D model viewer, bonus level for testing and some secrets…”
Here’s a trailer showing not just the graphical changes but some gameplay as well:
I’m not 100% sold on some of the visual changes here; some of the environments look a little too busy now, where their previous sparseness had a certain Star Warsy charm to them. The characters and weapons look great, though, even in third-person.
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If you want to take a look at some of the other Dark Forces/Jedi Knight projects I was talking about, they’re all worth a look because they’re all trying something different. This one, for example, imagined the original game with a modern interface, while this one went to town rebuilding the first level of the original Dark Forces with some very fancy visuals.
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