Star Wars: Dark Forces
NIGHTDIVE STUDIOS is uniting the past and present of PC gaming like no other developer
In this landmark issue of PC Gamer magazine, we’ve naturally been reflecting on the history of PC gaming over the last 30 years, as well as where the industry is now.
Three decades ago, when PC Gamer was in its early years, many landmark PC games were released, but two of the most impactful were System Shock, the groundbreaking immersive sim that proceeded to found an entire genre, as well as Star Wars: Dark Forces, a first-person shooter that set new benchmarks for narrative storytelling and technical wizardry in an FPS.
Today in 2023 one studio, now known for its Jedi-level remasters of classic PC games, is reuniting this part of PC gaming’s past with its present like no other – Nightdive Studios, which this year has released a fantastically remade version of System Shock and, next year, is dropping a full remaster of Star Wars: Dark Forces.
Naturally, we thought there was no better studio to get together with to discus PC gaming’s past and present. And, considering we were talking about the now mythical System Shock, we also got on the blower to development legends Warren Spector and Paul Neurath as well, inviting them to our roundtable chat too.
As such, PC Gamer presents a fascinating multi-faceted feature discussing both games, their impact on PC gaming and, crucially, what both are still bringing to the table for PC gamers today in their remade and remastered versions.
Star Wars: Dark Forces Remastered
PC Gamer sits down with the developers remastering the now iconic, game-changing 1990’s first-person shooter
To find out more about Nightdive Studio’s incoming remaster of iconic first-person shooter Star Wars: Dark Forces three decades after the original’s release, PC Gamer sat down to chat with three of the team’s key members about their history with the game, as well as how it’s been upgraded for the incoming remaster.
Did you feel any trepidation taking on the project of remastering such a famous and beloved FPS as Star Wars: Dark Forces?
Larry Kuperman: I wouldn’t say trepidation but we approached this project with an appropriate level of respect for the work of art that we were going to be remastering. We understand how important the game is, and how many people were really influenced [by Dark Forces] – [and formed] their perception of what the Star Wars universe should be by playing it.
The game was originally released one year after id Software’s Doom, and Dark Forces really pushed the envelope of what videogames could do in immersing players in the Star Wars universe. Stephen Kick: And just for historical context, for me, personally, this was my v
