Star Wars: Dark Forces, the iconic first-person shooter game, has been given a new lease of life with Nightdive Studios’ quality remaster. The remaster not only allows fans to revisit Kyle Katarn’s first adventure but also restores a cut level, the ISD Avenger, providing players with an opportunity to experience content that was previously inaccessible.

The ISD Avenger was originally showcased as a demo level at the Consumer Electronics Show before the game’s release in 1995. It was intended to be an alternate first mission, featuring Kyle Katarn infiltrating the Star Destroyer and escaping with the Death Star plans in a commandeered TIE Fighter. However, it was ultimately replaced with the game’s first mission, Secret Base, as LucasArts deemed it too challenging for new players. Despite its removal, a screenshot of The Avenger’s wireframe map was included in the game’s packaging, teasing players with content they could never access.

Thanks to the efforts of Nightdive Studios and open source Force Engine creator luciusDXL, the ISD Avenger level has been recovered and added to the remastered version of the game. Players can now access this previously unreleased content directly from the main menu, offering a unique and nostalgic experience for fans of the original game.

While the decision to replace the ISD Avenger level may have been driven by concerns for new players, its restoration in the remaster provides an opportunity for fans to explore the game’s history and delve into previously unseen content. With the resurgence of interest in classic games, the remaster of Star Wars: Dark Forces serves as a testament to the enduring appeal of the franchise and its impact on the gaming industry.