Dark Void comes across as a game of missed opportunities, half-promises and vague, pointless design. If I seem bitter, it’s because I was really looking forward to strapping on a jetpack and blasting my way through a retro setting. The idea of playing a Rocketeer style hero appealed to me and I was raring to tackle the alien menace.
The opening levels take the form of a third-person shooter in which you use cover and limited jet pack manoeuvres to evade enemy fire. While your opponents also employ cover, a simple technique of waiting until they pop out is all you will need to progress, even on the harder difficulty settings. The combat system is further compromised by the ridiculously overpowered melee attack which will instantly kill almost anything in the game. It reminded me of Double Dragon’s game-breaking elbow strike. You’ll probably find yourself resorting to this tactic a lot as it otherwise takes an inordinate amount of shooting to kill the same enemies.
Just as you’re about to nod off, Dark Void’s much-hyped vertical combat comes into play. Using your jetpack, you soar across cliff faces, shooting enemies on the ledges above and below. Thankfully, these sections are repeated at various stages throughout the game. They really feel like something new in the genre because you experience a palpable sense of vertigo as you play.
During the true flying sequences of Dark Void, it finally begins to capture some of the adventurous potential of its high concept. Activating the jetpack is disorienting initially. You awkwardly propel yourself around, legs flailing as you duck and swerve, before gaining full control of your direction. This is a fun challenge, as you can never take for granted where you will be facing once you gain control. Once fully airborne you will have enemy ships to destroy, bases to protect and aerial and ground-based troops to confront. The game begins to feel more expansive at this stage, until you realise that the flying areas are tightly controlled and an invisible barrier quickly sends you back if you try to fly even a little outside the main combat area.
This isn’t a game that encourages exploration. You’ll quickly tire of seeing the same kinds of rocks and trees and most collectibles are clearly positioned in central areas of the game. Upgrades are of minimal benefit, though I did take pleasure in donning the helmet that finally made my character look like the picture on the front cover of the game.
I won’t bother describing the plot in detail because it doesn’t really go anywhere. The games opens with a crash landing in the Bermuda Triangle, tosses a hoard of robotic enemies at you, mixes in an all too predictable romance and leaves the most intriguing subplot dangling. The game world is never fully realised nor justified beyond a need to keep moving forward, shooting stuff as you go. The voice acting is serviceable but it all just comes across as empty and devoid of originality.
Bear McCreary, of Battlestar Galactica fame, provides a first class score. It subtly pumps you up for battle and enhances the otherwise uninspiring cut-scenes. I only wish there was a greater variety of music tracks in the game.
Airtight Games should have been on a winner with Dark Void. Instead, my reaction after finishing it was, well, it’s alright I suppose.
“Let go! Mum said I can have a turn!”
