Video Game Vintage Title: Dark

Dark

Dark is a stealth action role-playing video game developed by Realmforge Studios and published by Kalypso Media, released on July 9, 2013. It was officially announced on May 4, 2012. A playable version of the game was presented at the 2012 Role Play Convention in Cologne, Germany and the E3 2012.

Dark Plot

The game follows the story of Eric Bane, a newly turned vampire suffering from amnesia. He learns that his transformation is not complete and that, if he does not drink the blood of his sire, he will mutate into a mindless ghoul. In order to avoid being such a foul creature, he receives missions to drink ancient vampires' blood. However, an angel in Eric's view appears to guide him to the righteous path, and ease intolerable pain that comes from not drinking appropriate blood as it disappears. With a question of this vision, he tries to recover his deleted memories and his true-self 'vampire'.

Dark Gameplay

The gameplay of Dark is based on stealth combat. Eric has many supernatural vampiric 'skills' at his disposal; he can use Shadow Leap to quickly teleport to different areas and to perform stealth finishers, make himself temporarily invisible, see in the dark and slow down time. His abilities are linked to a certain amount of 'blood points' which are used up each time Eric uses a skill. He can drink blood from his enemies to restore his health and blood points.

Reception
Dark received negative reviews from critics upon release. On Metacritic the game scored 41, indicating 'generally unfavorable reviews' based on 17 reviews. Much of the games criticism has been aimed at the poor melee combat, camera, script, and lack of interest in the game's protagonist. In a mixed review, Jon Blythe of the Official Xbox Magazine says: "Dark is frustrating, because that initial feeling of being a zippy blur of a vampire in a world of neon-lit night never leaves you. It's just swamped in frustrating design decisions, a script that lurches from passable to laughable, weak enemy AI, and a vortex of a lead character who's impossible to like or hate." Dan Whitehead of Eurogamer stated that "low-budget games can be delightful and surprising, but only if the core elements work. Here, they don't. In its best moments, this is only ever a reminder of better games. In its worst moments - of which there are far too many - Dark frustrates and irritates as only a clumsy stealth game can." The Freelance Critic called the game a ''schlocky mess from start to finish'' and awarded it a 4/10 overall.

Michael Engle of The Game Scouts said "I would rather than play this game."

In the most negative review on the website, Andrew Reiner of Game Informer complained that "I�ve played a lot of bad Xbox 360 games for achievements, but hardly any are as unpolished and poorly executed as Dark. It�s easily one of this generation�s worst titles. Even when the stealth is working moderately well, the slow pacing is a killer, and no amount of blood sucking brings satisfaction. Most levels were completed through trial and error, failure after failure, and then success coming from exploiting an AI bug or an odd design decision."