Almost two years after its initial reveal, the fan remake of Star Wars Jedi Knight: Dark Forces 2 using Unreal Engine 4 is still moving forward. Developer Ruppertle recently shared a fresh video showing new swimming mechanics for level 3, “The Return Home to Sulon.” This update gives fans a glimpse of ongoing work on the project, which remains a work in progress.
The new clip focuses on the player’s ability to swim, a feature not present in the original game, adding an interesting layer to the level design. Ruppertle plans to polish this mechanic further, so expect improvements down the line. Alongside this, two additional videos highlight the workshop, the final room of level 3, and gameplay showcasing more of the same level. Judging by these clips, the artist is putting serious effort into finishing this part of the remake.
Currently, you can download version 1.02 of the remake, which includes two official levels from the original game, four Survival levels, a Sandbox mode, and a 3D model viewer. There’s even a bonus level for testing. For those interested, the latest build is freely available on Patreon.
Interestingly, Ruppertle has no plans to upgrade the project to Unreal Engine 5, preferring to focus on completing content first. That’s a sensible choice, since porting mid-development might slow things down. But if you’re curious about UE5 fan projects, there’s a slew of them out there, from a Superman demo to Halo 3: ODST, Spider-Man, and even classic FPS remakes like Blood and Dino Crisis 2. These demos showcase what the newer engine can do, but Dark Forces 2’s charm lies in its faithful recreation and steady progress.
For those with beefy GPUs, tech demos like a Witcher-like environment or a detailed Roman town might catch your eye. Plus, fan remakes of Skyrim, Oblivion, and others continue to impress. It’s a wild time for fans of old and new.
Have you tried the Dark Forces 2 fan remake yet? What do you think about the choice to stick with Unreal Engine 4 instead of jumping to 5? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
