Dark Forces is LucasArts' first attempt to enter the 1st person shooter market. Instead of licensing the Doom engine, the company created its own which has more 3D elements than ID Software's, with the ability to look up and down, and to jump and crouch.

The game is set in the familiar Star Wars universe, and contains almost all of the Imperial stuff such as stormtroopers, officers, and droids.

There are 14 huge levels to complete in the original version. Several animated cutscenes appear between the missions to develop the story. There is no multiplayer mode.

Storyline:
The game introduces the character of Kyle Katarn, a former Imperial agent, now a mercenary for hire in the service of the Rebel Alliance.

The story takes place both before and after the events of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope. The first mission (which was also released independently for the game demo) was an infiltration of an Imperial base in order to steal the original plans of the Death Star, those that would be later given to Princess Leia and lead to the Death Star's destruction in A New Hope.