Description
You are being sent to an Imperial techbase that is suspected to be involved in reaserch on the Dark Trooper project. Your job is to get in, find whatever you can and get back out. Caution is advised because some of the DT prototypes may already be operational.
This area might look nice but it serves no purpose other than to slow down the computer.
Review
This level is a wonderful example of misplaced priorities and foolish ideals. In it the authors have paid careful attention to the texture placement and fitting in individual rooms. There are new things here and while the level is not very tough there is enough to keep you on your toes.
But unfortunately there are several large flaws that render this level unworthy for many. For starters, for the most part everything is done with 90 degree angles. There isn't much to look at in the way of architecture here. Randomly sized doors, rectangular hallways and a level that for the most part is pretty closed in. There are a couple places where you can take a look up into the sky or down into space, but otherwise the techbase is just flatwalled rooms with nothing much to do.
Quite easily the worst aspect of the level is the complete disregard for the playability of it on most systems. Dark Forces was put out with the minimum requirements of a 386 processor and 8M of RAM. Most levels now days require 16M of RAM and most everyone has a faster computer than a 386. But these authors have put out a level that they suggest a Pentium 133 for, and they say that it STILL has areas in which it slows down. Games like the upcoming Jedi KNight have good reason to require such computing power; the engine is complex, the detail much higher etc. The need for such high hardware for a level in Dark Forces is ridiculous; and it's made even more so by the need for that requirement - a rotating AT-AT in one large area. The idea is ludicrous to begin with and should have been left out. Maybe it looks cool, but it's unrealistic in terms of the level and when referring to the hardware they suggest.
Overall
You can probably tell I didn't like the level. And so I won't bore you by expanding on details like the Babylon 5 textures thrown in for no reason, the crazy idea that Imperials would allow a Rebel X-wing anywhere near what is supposed to be a high security facility, and the unfounded idea that the techbase is high security when it's really quite plain. This level is average for the most part, but really isn't worth your time unless you want tips on what not to do.