History VideoGame / DarkForcesSaga

* BodyArmorAsHitPoints: On top of your 100 points of health, you have DeflectorShields that cap at 200. Shields will protect against ranged attacks and explosions, but physical harm like melee attacks or fall damage will bypass them. Notably, shield battery pickups throughout the games tend to be much more common than health-restoring medikits.

* DeflectorShields: The series' protagonists all use personal shields. Force Protection also allows you to summon one on demand.

The entire series has been made available on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and [[Website/GOGDotCom GOG]]. For more information see [[http://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Dark_Forces_saga Wookieepedia]].

** The ''Truly Sorry'' is aptly named.
** [[WhatAPieceOfJunk The Moldy Crow]] is thought to be this as well, the first time Kyle and Jan see it.

* {{BFG}}: The Concussion Rifle, which fires massive blasts that do huge damage. ''Dark Forces'' features a mortar gun, while ''Jedi Knight'' replaces that with a railgun. ''Dark Forces'' also features the Dark Trooper Assault Cannon, which is so huge that it's intended for the larger Dark Troopers, but Kyle himself seems to have no problem lugging around.

** Force Push/Pull, at least at lower levels. Not as impressive as Lightning, but very useful for crowd control.

* CompositeCharacter / {{Expy}}: Kyle is basically the personality of Han with the character arc of Luke. Even as a Jedi his relationship with Luke mirrors that of Luke and Han.

** Most notably, enemy [[SuperpoweredMooks Force users']] perfect reflexes and control with their powers: they always push-deflect missiles and concussion blasts, straight back at you and with perfect accuracy - which leads to some [[http://i.imgur.com/8ymEl.gif interesting results]] when two AI force-users face off against each other in the middle of a battlefield.

*** Some enemy Force users have limitless Force energy, allowing them to break free from drain and grip at any moment. They can actually abort their special swings to avoid attacks and tend to aim at your hitbox--sometimes killing you by hitting something that seems empty space for the player (oh yeah, they also invisibly "evade" your attacks - slashing their face will occasionally leave them unharmed except for a visible burned mark in the middle). Their Saber Throw also always seems to be at the maximum level - it will stop right where you stand and keep swinging until it kills you or is parried. Yours, on the other hand, will pass further and stop at its maximum range before rank 3.

* FalseFlagOperation: In the backstory to the series, Kyle defects to the Rebellion once he is shown proof that the attack in which his father died was one of these - Imperial troopers with Rebel insignias painted on their ships, but [[DamnYouMuscleMemory still using standard Imperial tactics]].

* HyperspaceArsenal: The amount of weapons you can carry around at once borders on ridiculous - by ''Outcast'', there are so many weapon types they went ''beyond'' the number keys and had to attach extra slots to the plus and minus keys. ''Jedi Academy'' has a variant, where you start each level with a LimitedLoadout of your lightsaber, a blaster pistol, and your choice of two other guns and one type of explosive, but then can pick up every gun you come across during the level and end it with three or four times as many guns as you started.

* InsurmountableWaistHeightFence: Levels in the games are generally built in such a way that they're either a challenge to or insurmountable by your ''current'' power set but would be a breeze for what you'll have later - take for example the low amount of platforming early in ''Outcast'' and ''Academy'' that could be bypassed in an instant with level 3 Force Jump, compared to ''extremely'' long jumps you have to make when you do get that power later. Incidentally, since non-core powers are unlocked at a rate that the player decides rather than at a set rate in ''Academy'', its levels aren't built with those powers in mind - allowing you to, say, totally break the Rancor encounter on Nar Kreeta just by using Mind Trick on it, or instantly kill the assassin droids on Coruscant with level-3 Lightning.

* NoGearLevel: Every game in the series has at least one level like this, in some form. ''Dark Forces II'' is the exception, but its expansion makes up for this by doing it twice - once when you're captured by a Hutt, and again in the last level where none of your weapons except for your lightsaber will actually work. ''Outcast'' gets a variant where your weapons are confiscated upon entering the cantina on Nar Shaddaa, though the lightsaber you just spent the last level recovering is kept (probably as a subtle cue that you should start using it).

* ParryingBullets: Introduced in ''Jedi Knight'' to give Kyle a chance against gun wielding opponents when using a lightsaber. It gets boosted in ''Jedi Outcast'' - when your "Saber Defense" power reaches level 3, you're practically invulnerable to blaster fire and will deflect shots directly back to enemies - even when there's a million shots coming at you all at once. However, in all the games it's useless against any kind of explosive weapon.

* VariableMix: From ''Jedi Knight II'' and onward, whenever you get into combat in a level, the music changes to more action based music, straight from the Star Wars OST. There is also a [[ScareChord special tidbit]] whenever your character ever dies. Additionally, Dark Forces has 2 tracks for each mission - one that plays when several enemies are aware of you, and another that plays in non- or low-combat situations

** Force Grip + MalevolentArchitecture = Pure Bastardosity. And speaking of Force Grip, who can resist grabbing a Remnant officer and saying "YouHaveFailedMe… for the last time!"

* SuperpoweredMooks: Reborn, Shadow Troopers, Sith Cultists.

* {{BFG}}: The Concussion Rifle, which fires massive blasts that do huge damage. ''Dark Forces'' features a mortar gun, while ''Jedi Knight'' replaces that with a railgun. ''Dark Forces'' also features the Dark Trooper Assault Cannon, which is so huge that it's intended for PowerArmor clad Dark Troopers, but Kyle himself seems to have no problem lugging around.

** ''Star Wars: Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy'' (leading to the joke that its full title would be ''Star Wars: Dark Forces IV: Jedi Knight III: Jedi Outcast II: Jedi Academy'')

** ''Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith'' (1998), an expansion pack

** Force Jump, especially given the MalevolentArchitecture of many levels that require you to leap to high places and many of the secrets are inaccessible without it. ''Mysteries Of The Sith'' makes it a mandatory power and ''Jedi Outcast'' maps it to the default jump key and incorporates it into lightsabre combat.

** This is taken UpToEleven in ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy'', where if the player chooses the Dark Side ending, Kyle displays a pair of unique abilities in his climactic duel with the player character: the ability to rip the player's lightsaber out of their hands with the Force, and a melee attack that involves grappling the player character and repeatedly [[GoodOldFisticuffs punching them in the gut.]]

* OneManArmy: Kyle Katarn. Notably, in the first game, before he gets any Force powers, he sneaks aboard the ''Executor'' (Darth Vader's personal flagship!) just so that he can take a shuttle from there to the ''Arc Hammer'', where the Dark Troopers are being created. He then shoots his way through the ''entire ship'' (which is about half the size of the ''Executor'', but still larger than a Star Destroyer), kills a ''dozen'' Dark Troopers (six of which were enough to take out an entire colony's defenses), destroys the most powerful Dark Trooper yet made, then ''destroys the Arc Hammer''. While ''Vader'', apparently unaware until now, watches from the bridge of the ''Executor''. ''[[UpToEleven Then he got force powers!]]''

* PunchPackingPistol: The Bryar Pistol pretty much exemplifies this trope. It does just as much damage per shot as the Stormtrooper Rifle and is also ridiculously accurate and more efficient with the energy cells to boot with the only drawback being a lower rate of fire, not a huge problem when enemies armed with Stormtrooper Rifles don't seem to take advantage of its MoreDakka qualities.

* RecurringLocation: Nar Shadaa is a location that Kyle visits quite frequently, usually with the intent of getting information, a task that tends to go south and devolve into an extended gunfight. In fact, each game where Kyle is the main protagonist (''Dark Forces'', ''Jedi Knight'', ''Jedi Outcast'') has at least one level taking place there.
* RightHandedLeftHandedGuns: In the original Dark Forces game, the model for the Bryar pistol features a magazine off of its left side, making it impossible to place loaded in the holster that's often shown to be on Kyle's right leg. Other games removed the offset magazine in the gun's design.

* {{BFG}}: The Concussion Rifle, which fires massive blasts that do huge damage. ''Dark Forces'' features a mortar gun, while ''Jedi Knight'' replaces that with a railgun.

* AwesomeButImpractical: Force Drain. While it's satisfying to use and has an ''awesome'' animation when used up close, it leaves you very vulnerable to fire since you can't move while using it, and it quickly burns through your force pool. Compare to [[BoringButPractical Force Heal]], which can be used both in and out of combat, and at higher levels allows you to freely move around.

* HealingFactor: Force Heal. At the first level it's a slow healing trance that leaves you completely vulnerable as you slowly regain health, but by level 3 you're healing so fast it would give Franchise/{{Wolverine}}'s healing a run for its money.

* [[TheAllegedCar The Alleged Ship]]: The ''Truly Sorry'' is aptly named.

-->'''Kyle:''' You've got to be joking. This isn't even a ''ship''! Hey, I thought you said this thing would get off the ground!\\

* ActionGirl: Jan Ors, Mara Jade, and Fem!Jaden.

A series of ''Franchise/StarWars''-based FirstPersonShooter-cum-HackAndSlash VideoGames, with accompanying novellas and audio dramas. They take place during and after the original trilogy, and revolve around Kyle Katarn, a Stormtrooper-turned-mercenary-turned-Jedi who roams around the seedy side of the galaxy. The series consists of four full games and one ExpansionPack to date:

The entire series has been made available on UsefulNotes/{{Steam}} and [[Website/GOGDotCom GOG]]. For more information see [[http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dark_Forces_saga another wiki]]. Not Wiki/TheOtherWiki, but [[TheWikiRule another wiki]].

* AppropriatedTitle: The ''VideoGame/DarkForces'' title was replaced with ''Jedi Knight'' when the second game (''Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight'' -- later redubbed ''Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II'') proved more popular.

* {{Bizarrchitecture}}: Several locations within the games have layouts that make little sense. Nar Shadaa is a repeat offender that appears in most of the games requiring Kyle to [[NoOshaCompliance traverse some very dangerous areas]]. It's even nicknamed "The Vertical City".

** Rodians carrying disruptor rifles can often fire multiple shots with less than half a second between each, depriving you of your only real defense against them (that is, the random chance that you'll automatically Force-dodge shots from them).

** [[http://darkforces.jediknight.net The Dark Forces Mod]] was an upgraded port of ''Dark Forces'' to the ''Jedi Academy'' engine, started in 2002. The project has been since [[http://www.lucasforums.com/showthread.php?s=cf15d17f75fc6114fe678267759f59b8&t=209382 cancelled]], but a 6-level demo is still available for download.

** While in-story Kyle has no qualms about continuing to use guns even after acquiring a lightsaber and Force powers (there's even one section in ''Jedi Academy'' where he, as an NPC, is programmed to use his old Bryar pistol instead of his lightsaber), once you get your lightsaber in ''Jedi Outcast'', you will generally ever use 3 guns again: one for stealth kills, one for long range kills and one for robots.
** Averted in ''Dark Forces'', where Kyle is not a Jedi yet and relies exclusively on guns.

** Averted in ''Jedi Knight''. Guns are a viable option throughout the game, especially if you choose the Light Side by foregoing the offensive Dark Side powers. Played straight for boss battles, where the Dark Jedi will just use Force Pull to disarm you.

* AntiFrustrationFeatures: Officers who carry keycards cannot be pushed around by force powers, concussive weapons or any other form of knocking them around. Otherwise they could fall into a BottomlessPit and render the level {{unwinnable}}.

* AppropriatedTitle: The ''VideoGame/DarkForces'' title was replaced with ''Jedi Knight'' when the second game (''Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight'' -- later redubbed ''VideoGame/Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II'') proved more popular.

* BleedEmAndWeep: Happens in the Soldier For the Empire audio drama. After making his first kill (a rebel soldier charging towards his Stormtrooper squad), he temporarily breaks down at the thought of killing another person, and has his squad's medic check the Rebel afterwards.
* BlownAcrossTheRoom: The Flechette when fired at point blank range will do this, as will the primary and secondary fire of the Concussion Rifle, and rockets. High level Force Push and Force Lightning will also hurl enemies across the room.

** This is taken to 11 in ''VideoGame/JediKnightJediAcademy'', where if the player chooses the Dark Side ending, Kyle displays a pair of unique abilities in his climactic duel with the player character: the ability to rip the player's lightsaber out of their hands with the Force, and a melee attack that involves grappling the player character and repeatedly [[GoodOldFisticuffs punching them in the gut.]]

** Most notably, enemy [[SuperpoweredMooks Force users']] perfect reflexes and control with their powers: they always push-deflect missiles and concussion blasts, straight back at you and with perfect accuracy. - which leads to some [[http://i.imgur.com/8ymEl.gif interesting results]] when two AI force-users face off against each other in the middle of a battlefield.
** Rodians carrying disruptor rifles can often fire multiple shots with less than half a second between each, depriving you of your only real defence against them (that is, the random chance that you'll automatically Force-dodge shots from them).
*** Some enemy Force users have limitless Force energy, allowing them to break free from drain and grip at any moment. They can actually abort their special swings to avoid attacks and tend to aim at your hitbox--sometimes killing you by hitting something that seems empty space for the player (oh yeah, they also invisibly "evade" your attacks - slashing their face will occasionally leave them unharmed except for a visible burned mark in the middle). Their Saber Throw also seems to be at the maximum level - it will stop right where you stand and keep swinging until it kills you or is parried. Yours, on the other hand, will pass further and stop at its maximum range before rank 3.

* DamselInDistress: Jan Ors is captured in all three games that she's in and also a few NoodleIncident missions that only get a sentence in RPG articles.
** [[DistressedDude Subverted in that Kyle is rescued by Jan about the same amount of times or more.]] It's even lampshaded a couple of times.

* GoodOldFisticuffs: Kyle's melee attack is this whenever he doesn't have access to a lightsaber. He also has a special melee attack for use against the player in ''JediAcademy'' if they turn to the Dark Side.

** Once you get your lightsaber in ''Jedi Outcast'', you will generally ever use 3 guns again: one for stealth kills, one for long range kills and one for robots.

** Taken to a literal level on the Drommund Kaas levels of 'Mysteries Of The Sith', where all of your non-lightsaber weapons simply refuse to work. Blasters only produce sparks, explosives thud harmlessly to the ground and can be picked up again... the game flat-out forces you to use nothing but the lightsaber, the Force and your survival skills

* HealingFactor: Force Heal.

** If it comes to it, the Stormtrooper blaster rifle is generally not a very accurate weapon in the games even for the player, having a noticeable scatter even in relatively short ranges which gets worse if you use the MoreDakka alt-fire. Only some weapons in ''Outcast'' and ''Academy'' are accurate enough that a shot flies exactly where you were aiming even at a distance; the blaster rifle is certainly not one of these, though with Force Sense at rank 2 or above you can force it to be perfectly accurate (somehow[[note]]The idea may be about "using your feelings" or whatever to aim better, but that doesn't really work when you can one-hand a blaster pistol with perfect accuracy no matter what, not to mention the millions of contradictory explanations in the series for ''why'' exactly the stormtrooper's rifle is so inaccurate in the first place, a lot of which have nothing to do with the user[[/note]]).

* InsurmountableWaistHeightFence: Levels in the games are generally built in such a way that they're either a challenge to or insurmountable by your ''current'' power set but would be a breeze for what you'll have later - take for example the low amount of platforming early in ''Outcast'' and ''Academy'' that could be bypassed in an instant with level 3 Force Jump, compared to ''extremely'' long jumps you have to make when you do get that power later. Incidentally, since non-core powers are unlocked at a rate that the player decides rather than at a set rate in ''Academy'', its levels aren't built with those powers in mind - allowing you to, say, totally break the Rancor encounter on Nar Kreeta just by using Mind Trick on it, or instantly kill the assassin droids on Coruscant with Lightning.