Dark Forces/Jedi Knight Series Discussion

With my recent re-examining and exploration of the EU I'm realizing how many great games there really were in it. One series I somehow missed, however, despite growing up as a Star Wars fan in the 90's was the Dark Forces and its ensuing (confusingly titled/numbered) Jedi Knight series it spawned.

What are your thoughts on the games, from the original Dark Forces to Jedi Academy? I've seen online that some think Kyle Katarn was a much better character than Dash Rendar. My love of Dash might just be nostalgia and maybe he is just a Han Solo stand-in but I haven't seen anything in Dark Forces 1 (I'm on the sewer level which is pretty frustrating) that makes me think Katarn is anything special but I'm aware he has a whole series for character growth and isn't as fleshed out in the first game.

Anyway, yeah....thoughts?

 

I only played two games from the series (Dark Forces II & Jedi Academy). I don't remember there being a lot of character development for Kyle in Jedi Academy. By that point, he was pretty much relegated to the status of master and advisor.

Dark Forces II was a fun yarn at the time. Katarn was a pretty interesting character in this chapter. Kyle starts off as a bereaved and jaded mercenary. He is then presented with a clue to his father's murder, which leads him into direct confrontation with the Sith and the exploration of his own latent force abilities. Like many Star Wars games, you are given the opportunity to go down the light or dark path and make some pretty impractical choices. I really liked the creative designs of the dark side baddies.

Plot and characters aside, I loved these games (especially Dark Forces II). I haven't played them in years, and I'm sure the gameplay will have grown a bit dated, but I'm sure you will have a great time playing through them.

 

Thanks for responding to my first post here!

Yes, I look forward to Dark Forces II (which I'll play next) as it's the one I remember most from articles in a Star Wars Insider magazine I had as a kid. The shots from the full motion video cutscenes featured in the magazine always confused me. My kid brain always thought there was possibly some other Star Wars movie that I hadn't seen or wasn't told about. Watching some of them now on Youtube they're obviously super low budget and often comical with bad acting but the effort and heart is there. It's sort of a "so bad it's good" vibe. The character of Boc cracks me up from what I've seen of him. He just looks ridiculous haha.

I also picked up the first of the Dark Forces illustrated hardback novellas at a used bookstore on a whim. Not sure if they're any good or where they take place in the timeline of the games but I'll give it a try. The paintings and presentation of it is really beautiful, actually.

 

I decided to watch the live action scenes on YouTube. They have not aged well, but I still remember them fondly. They're totally OTT and verging on the comical, but I thought they were pretty cool at the time.

Yeah, Boc is hilarious. Maw was a bit of a trend-setter (he was bisected before Darth Maul made it cool). I never knew that there were novellas released to accompany the games. Maybe I'm telling you something that you already know, but Kyle Katarn did feature in quite a few of the old EU novels. He shows up in the Dark Nest trilogy, Legacy of the Force and Fate of the Jedi series.

 

That sewer level is a NIGHTMARE. It's such a labyrinth of evil. Lol. I had to use a cheat to skip it. Found the level on Fest doable even though people apparently hate that one too. Anyone have any favorite/least favorite Dark Forces levels?

 

The first two parts of the Dark Forces radio drama can be found on YouTube at the moment. 1- Soldier for the Empire and 2-Rebel Agent. I feel that they add a lot to the characters of Jan and Kyle, although Kyle does sound younger and more 'Luke like' than I think he should. Kyle's father also gets a larger part in the story, and Captain Thrawn is now present working for Jerec (who is really well voiced) in SftE. They are defiantly worth buying to hear part three.

Really Jerec is the best thing about the Dark Forces/Jedi knight storyline. He isn't just a Palpatine/Vader stand in replacement, he has this really sick evilness to him that neither Sideous or Vader had. While Sideous would laugh while torturing someone, Jerec actually seemed to get aroused when he was causing pain and suffering. A real nasty villain.

 

I agree. I haven’t heard the radio dramas but I’m reading the actual novellas they’re based on as there’s a lot more detail and fleshing out as well as beautiful illustrations.

Jerec’s one sick dude, alright. The scene where he

Spoiler

interrogates Morgan Katarn then murders him and commands his men to display his decapitated head on a pike in the city

was sinister. And seeing Thrawn when he was just a Captain working under Jerec was unexpected and interesting.

 

I hadn't realised how ridiculously expensive the audio dramas have become. They really need to be re-released to buy digitally. I can link to this legitimate preview (prelisten?) of Soldier for the Empire.
https://highbridge-site-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/mp3-samples/9781565112780.mp3

 

Yeah I started listening to 'em on Youtube as well, but I had already started the Soldier For the Empire book and found the audio drama, while well done, to lack the details of William Dietz's writing. Looking forward to reading Rebel Agent next when I can get my hands on a copy.

 

Rebel Agent also ties in well with the Jedi vs Sith comics and first two books of the Darth Bane trilogy, so they are worth a read if you haven't already.

 

Dark Forces II is definitely my second favorite Star Wars game of all time behind Shadows of the Empire. For some reason Dark Forces II has something magical that Jedi Outcast does not--it feels more...Star Wars-y to me if that makes any sense. There's a grand-ness, an open-ness, an epic-ness that Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy lack. I think Baron's Hed and the Imperial palace are my favorite levels of the game after Nar Shaddaa.

 

"Hundreds and hundreds of years ago a Jedi named Kaan turned away from the light and formed the Brotherhood of Darkness. The Brotherhood used the dark side of the Force to build an empire and were well on their way toward expanding it when an army was raised to oppose them.

"The army of opposition consisted of beings from many species and planets, representing all walks of life. But they had one thing in common. They were Jedi.

"The two sides came together on a remote and little-known world. Salvos of pure energy were exchanged, storms raged across the land, and lightning flashed from the skies. Entire cities were destroyed, a species was pushed to the edge of extermination, and spirits separated from their bodies.

"Finally, after days of mortal combat, the Brotherhood was defeated. Knowing that he had lost but unwilling to accept defeat, Kaan lured his opponents into a valley. And it was there that the Brotherhood of Darkness committed suicide, taking good Jedi with them. Not to the freedom of death but into a state of suspended animation where they remain trapped.

"Their spirits should be released and allowed to merge with the Force, but there are those who would tap the energy they represent and use it for evil. Assuming the stories are true, assuming such a place exists, it would be well worth fighting for."

Bernael Edit: Thread locked by moderator due to inactivity. Should you desire the thread reactivated please contact Sinrebirth, darthbernael, or Bardan_Jusik.