Reliving the Classics: Dark Forces - Mission 2 Tak Base and Mission 3 Anoat City

Once the first mission is complete you get a cutscene where an Imperial Office and Darth Vader discuss the Dark Trooper project and you get your first glimpse at this new enemy. You watch as this weapon gets deployed to Talay as part of an Imperial offensive on the planet. Cut to Kyle Katarn, a silent hero after the destruction of the Death Star is now being briefed with a new secret mission. To infiltrate the planet, get the hydro electric system back online, and get proof of the Dark Trooper project.

Talay in rubble after an attack by the Galactic Empire

The game does a pretty decent job of showing a city in rumble after an attack by the Empire. Most of the buildings are blown up and damaged. There are corpses of civilians and security forces scattered across the level and the planet is in darkness. This level has the same baddies as previously, with stormtroopers and officers patrolling the streets. None of the doors are operational until you get the power online putting you in a lot of dead ends. Once you get the grid operational you need to storm what looks like a former pro-Rebel Alliance government building and clear it of Imperial resistance. Once the opposition has been suppressed you find a prototype Dark Trooper rifle. This is the evidence you require and you make your way back to the Moldy Crow to get off this rock. I really enjoy this level, wonderful level design and entertaining objectives make the second mission a traditional FPS adventure.

Dark Troopers being deployed into their pods

Anoat City on the other hand is the bane of my existence. I remember this level being my least favourite in the game and now that I just relived it I remember why. Your objective in Mission 3 is to find and extract a greasy looking imperial weapon designer equipped with a wifebeater and sunglasses. This Imp has hidden himself in the city's sewage plant which is just a huge maze of sewage systems you have to navigate. Going through these different systems is confusing and frustrating as he has designed it to keep him from being discovered. The enemies in this level are equally as infuriating. Probe droids, interrogation droids, and training remotes take pot shots at you all throughout the mission.

Greasiest looking Star Wars character in existence

The worst enemy of all though are the dianogas. You may remember this creature from the original Star Wars movie. It attacked Luke in the garbage compactor and tried to drown him in the sewage. While you wade through the waste in this maze of sewer systems these dianogas strike at you causing damage directly to your health, bypassing your shields. You will first see the eye stock poke out of the water then the rest of it strikes at you causing significant damage. After you complete this series of mazes and get to the end where the weapon maker is hiding there is just one more layer of annoyance to this level. There is a short platforming sequence where you have to jump to a few platforms. Wow… blood pressure was at unhealthy levels... Kyle almost glides instead of walks which makes this platform jumping such a chore I was almost in the fetal position. You finally get to the end, and you see this pervy looking smug imperial sitting on his thrown and the mission ends.

Those two missions had me on a roller coaster of emotions. Overall still enjoying my re-play of this classic Star Wars game.

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