Reviews// Dark Void

The third aspect of the game is the flying/platforming hybrid play prevalent in the first hour or so of the game. This involves switching viewpoint so that either the ground or the sky is directly ahead of you,enabling you to boost from platform to platform.

As you fling yourself from platform to platform enemies pop up for you to take down. Annoyingly, the impact of your shots isn't enough to send a baddy tumbling straight into the abyss, and the swiftest way to dispose of them is often getting up real close and using a melee attack. None of this alters the fact that this vertical play is a fun experience that sets the game apart from other shooters.

Alas, this aspect of the game becomes a sidelined concern once you've opened up full flight mode. Having played preview code that shows off the first hour or so of Dark Void, I had expected this element of gameplay to make up a more significant chunk the title. Therefore I was a bit disappointed that the majority of the platforming fun is concentrated in the early missions. Still, it's there and it's fun.

Graphically, Dark Void largely works well. The animations and rendering aren't stunning, but they're far from bad. The overall design, however, certainly earns Dark Void points. A retro feel is mixed with overpowering geology and sci-fi elements faintly reminiscent of the Halo series (without being offensively similar).

The flying saucers, in particular, blend a retro concept with modern touches. One complaint: it's too damn dark – there are points of the game where you can see absolutely nothing at all except our hero. It looks like the game was designed with the expectation that there would be an in-game torch, then someone forgot to put it in.

The look of the game is complemented with solid voice work. Admittedly, the fact that Nolan North (Drake from Uncharted) is apparently the man behind every single rogue-ish hero in all of video games now is a little disconcerting, but he does decent work nonetheless.

So far, so good. Solid shooter, thoughtful and novel use of verticality, flight sections that fit well with the rest of the game, decent graphics... nothing that's going to hurt your penis through making it erect for too long, but a good game nonetheless.

Then the end came. Literally. After around eight hours of (quite leisurely) play, I was (censored for spoilers) when I ran into (censored for spoilers). "Surely this isn't the final (censored for spoilers)?" I said to Tim SPOnG. But it was indeed the final (censored for spoilers)! I know eight hours isn't criminally short for a game, but when you're talking about a full price title with no multiplayer, frankly - unless it's a stellar eight hours - you do want more. Upon completion, your map is unlocked to include the hidden collectibles dotted throughout the game - mostly journal entries that offer further exposition - and that's that.

Conclusion
Dark Void is a good game. It's not perfect, but it makes use of flight to offer an action/shooter experience that stands apart from many of its peers, and does it with style. It would be scoring well, if its brevity didn't make it difficult to recommend. Wait for it to come down in price or rent it, but at £40 it's probably not going to feel like value for money.

SPOnG Score: 73%