DARK

48%
Game Brain Score Based on 377 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
DARK Game Cover
A stealth-based vampire game that promises a lot but doesn’t manage to pull anything off particularly well
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"Dark" is a single-player horror role-playing game featuring pretty visuals and immersive stealth-action gameplay. As a vampire, players will ambush enemies from the shadows, use powerful vampire skills, and develop formidable abilities. The game offers a rich story, RPG elements, and various dialogue choices to create a unique and thrilling experience. However, it is known to be quite buggy.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

48%
Audience ScoreBased on 377 reviews
gameplay32 positive mentions
story40 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique take on the vampire genre with its emphasis on stealth and supernatural abilities.
  • The art style is cool and reminiscent of comic book graphics, which some players find appealing.
  • The ability to customize your vampire character and explore the lore adds depth for RPG fans.
  • The gameplay mechanics are janky and often frustrating, leading to a poor user experience.
  • The dialogue and voice acting are cringy, detracting from the overall immersion of the game.
  • The graphics are not up to modern standards, and the game feels outdated despite being released in 2013.
  • story204 mentions

    The story of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be weak, generic, and filled with clichés. While some appreciated its atmosphere and found it engaging enough to keep them invested, others criticized the dialogue, character development, and overall execution, describing it as poorly written and lacking depth. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the game may offer some entertainment, it does not deliver a compelling narrative experience.

    • “Great story, very consistent and not too many contradictions in the main storyline (all I can say without spoilers).”
    • “The story is interesting and the voice acting is well done.”
    • “The story is nice, powers too, and overall I think they are on to something.”
    • “The story itself is quite inconsistent and it seems to begin and end vaguely, and, as for the characters, they are merely generic and distant.”
    • “The story reads and acts worse than a C-rated vampire film, and the graphics aren't even up to the standard of their time.”
    • “The story is poorly written and honestly barely even there.”
  • gameplay120 mentions

    The gameplay of "Dark" is primarily stealth-focused, offering a mix of tactical challenges and vampire-themed abilities, which some players find engaging and fun. However, many reviews highlight significant flaws, including clunky mechanics, repetitive gameplay, and a poorly designed stealth system that can lead to frustration. While the game has its moments of enjoyment, particularly for fans of the genre, it suffers from technical issues and a lack of innovation, making it a mixed experience overall.

    • “The stealth-focused gameplay and immersive world make it a must-play for fans of dark, atmospheric games.”
    • “The game's focus on stealth and tactical gameplay is both challenging and rewarding.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, it feels cool to be a vampire with some badass abilities.”
    • “The worst part of the entire game is its broken stealth skill system and poor gameplay design.”
    • “The gameplay is extremely boring and repetitive; there's really no motivation for you to keep playing. The story is quite unoriginal and uninteresting, and enemies will walk back and forth between programmed routes, just waiting for you to use the same 2 or 3 animations to kill them.”
    • “The stealth mechanics are flawed, the vampire powers are flawed, the story fails to be engaging, and all the voice acting and the script sound like they're trying out for an after-school drama group.”
  • graphics89 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as stylized and comic-book-like, reminiscent of titles like "Borderlands," but they are often criticized for being dated and lacking polish. While some players appreciate the unique art style and atmospheric visuals, many note issues with animations and overall graphical fidelity, suggesting that the visuals do not meet modern standards. Overall, the graphics evoke a mixed response, with some finding them charming and others deeming them subpar.

    • “The gothic style looks awesome and still does; the visuals remind me of a couple of other comic-style games that come to mind, like 'Borderlands', the Telltale titles, and 'Hellboy: Web of Wyrd', for example.”
    • “The visuals are actually quite easy on the eyes, even though it's a game from 2013 (shows that style beats realism), giving that nice Borderlands cell shading to everything.”
    • “The graphics are stylized in a comic-book style, but are pretty bland outside of 3-4 fairly interesting areas.”
    • “The story reads and acts worse than a C-rated vampire film, and the graphics aren't even up to the standard of their time.”
    • “The graphics are poor.”
    • “The graphics aren't flattering, the animations are unpolished and stiff, the voice acting is an atrocity, the controls are clunky and difficult to use, the story is lax and just about everything is bad.”
  • atmosphere14 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a dark and mysterious ambiance that aligns well with its vampire theme, enhanced by comic book-style visuals and immersive environments. While many players appreciate the aesthetic and level design, criticisms arise regarding certain gameplay mechanics and voice acting, which detract from the overall experience. Overall, the atmosphere is a strong point, though it could benefit from more expansive world-building to deepen immersion.

    • “The stealth-focused gameplay and immersive world make it a must-play for fans of dark, atmospheric games.”
    • “The atmosphere aims to capture a dark and mysterious ambiance fitting for the vampire theme.”
    • “Nice atmosphere, good story, cool powers and stealth combat.”
    • “While it has its strengths in concept and atmosphere, it received mixed reviews, with criticisms directed at certain gameplay elements and technical aspects.”
    • “Everything this game tries to do, from atmosphere and graphics on down, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines did 500% better ten years earlier.”
    • “Unfortunately, the painful voice acting spoils the atmosphere and the tuning of the game mechanics ruins everything else.”
  • music13 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and forgettable, particularly criticizing the looping soundtrack in the hub area. While some appreciated the industrial and dark themes reminiscent of other titles, overall, the music was described as annoying and lacking variety, detracting from the overall experience.

    • “This game punished me so many times for not being stealthy... I have to admit though that the music was addictive!”
    • “For people looking for a VTMB-type game, know this: while Dark pays homage to VTMB through some of its environments and background music, it is not like VTMB at all.”
    • “That said, some of the animations were a bit weird, the story wasn't a blockbuster or award winner, the voice acting for many of the characters was fairly cheesy-- not the voice acting itself, but the way it felt when spliced together with the other characters, and the soundtrack was a bit repetitive.”
    • “The music in the sanctuary dance hall was a bit repetitive.”
    • “The song in the preview video is the only one in the game, which just repeats itself.”
    • “Music is very meh, and I can't remember a single bit of it except for the same song that plays on a loop in the pseudo-hub you enter in the beginning of the game.”
  • stability11 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes reported by users, making it often unplayable. Players frequently encounter problems such as clunky gameplay mechanics, unreliable AI, and a frustrating checkpoint system that exacerbates the experience. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings overshadow its potential, leading to a disappointing experience.

    • “There are no glitches during the most critical moments of gameplay.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any interruptions or crashes.”
    • “I appreciate the consistent performance; it really enhances the overall experience.”
    • “However, it's incredibly buggy, and the way to attack your enemies is extremely clunky at best.”
    • “Multiple times had to reload levels due to glitches.”
    • “There were crashes and glitches constantly; I couldn't even get through the first cutscene without something going wrong.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the ability to select different powers and abilities for varied experiences, many feel that the content is limited, resulting in low replay value. Despite this, the game's low price point and potential for 10 to 20 hours of gameplay may still appeal to budget-conscious players.

    • “Can't beat the price, and it does have a lot of replay value as you can select different powers and abilities through different replays.”
    • “Not a whole lot of replayability as you end up with almost all the powers anyway, but things can go a lot easier if you pick the right powers early in the game, and that can be worth an additional run-through.”
    • “The replay value is rather low, but I got this game for 1€, which is like nothing.”
    • “It has 0 replay value, but you'll get a minimum of 10 hours out of it up to a maximum of 20 depending on how much you explore, and how quickly you can clear the stages.”
    • “The game doesn't have a lot of content or replayability.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by absurd and unexpected scenarios, such as the protagonist's exaggerated strength and the illogical stealth mechanics, which lead to comical situations. Players find the interactions with NPCs, particularly during stealth sequences, to be amusingly flawed, enhancing the overall comedic experience. Nostalgic references and a lighthearted tone contribute to the game's charm, making it entertaining despite its quirks.

    • “I love that you're basically One Punch Man as far as your fists are concerned, hilarious.”
    • “The stealth mechanisms are fairly odd; you can hide behind a glass wall and the guards on the other side won't see you even though it's fully transparent. (Well, okay, you could go with 'it's a vampire, you don't see its reflection,' yet it's not that kind of approach.) As well as the bushes inside the park being solid blocks... you can hide in them and they can't hit you even though 20 people are spraying in them. They will then occasionally go 'search for you' and walk inside where you can kill them just to repeat... it was hilarious.”
    • “Also, it was pretty goddamn funny that the first time you suck on someone and all the buddies come over, they can't shoot unless you try that again.”
  • grinding5 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be dull and tedious, with repetitive combat and a lackluster story contributing to the experience. While some appreciate the minimal achievements for challenge maps, the initial stages of the game can feel monotonous, though it reportedly becomes more enjoyable as players unlock additional abilities.

    • “Dull and very tedious.”
    • “Tedious and repetitive combat with a main character that doesn't feel or look like a vampire.”
    • “Also, the start is quite tedious; it gets more fun later on when you have many abilities.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is marked by a disconnection between intense themes and their execution, as seen in a boss scene that lacks physical impact despite its gruesome intent. Players seeking a more traditional emotional narrative may find the experience unsatisfying, particularly if they expect a more romanticized portrayal of vampires.

    • “The game masterfully evokes a range of emotions, drawing players into its dark and immersive narrative.”
    • “One of the bosses is cutting up a body with a bone saw, creating a haunting atmosphere that lingers long after the scene.”
    • “Players seeking a deeper emotional experience will find the game's themes and character arcs profoundly impactful.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Players express frustration with the monetization strategy, highlighting intrusive splash screen ads for Tropico 3 that appear every time the game is launched, requiring users to click past them despite having already paid for the game. This approach is seen as inappropriate and detracts from the overall gaming experience.

    • “Instead, it just adds a splash screen ad for Tropico 3 that requires me to click past it to play the game and asks me to register for their mailing list.”
    • “Seeing as I paid for this game already, I don't think I should have to deal with advertising, much less intrusive advertising (you have to take action to get past it, and it comes up every time the game fires up).”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is largely criticized, with reviewers noting a lack of growth for the main character and minimal exploration of relationships, culminating in a forced romance that feels unearned and rushed.

    • “Almost no character development whatsoever, not even for the main character, and a forced sort of last-minute romance between your character and the only other person in the game you know more than 2 or 3 things about.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized, as it struggles to run smoothly even on high-performance gaming systems, often dropping to frame rates as low as 20-30 fps.

    • “The game does not run on a performance gaming system, struggling with outdated graphics and dropping to 20-30 fps or lower.”
    • “The optimization is so poor that even high-end systems can't maintain a stable frame rate.”
    • “I experienced constant stuttering and frame drops, making the game nearly unplayable.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

41% average critic score

Buy DARK

Play time

7hMedian play time
9hAverage play time
5-16hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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