Dark and Light
- July 20, 2017
- Snail Games USA
- 19h median play time
Get on SteamDark and Light is a sandbox survival RPG set in the mysterious world of Gaia. Harness the power of magic and summon mythical creatures to aid you in challenging battles. Harsh environments and dynamic weather systems require players to build and customize shelters for survival, creating a living, breathing world full of wonder and peril.
PC
Windows
Cloud
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
Reviews
- The game has great graphics and a beautiful open world to explore.
- The crafting, base building, and taming mechanics are engaging and provide a unique experience.
- The game offers a fun mix of survival and RPG elements, allowing for diverse playstyles.
- The game has been abandoned by the developers, with no significant updates or fixes in years.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches that can severely impact gameplay, including issues with taming and character loss.
- The player base is very low, making it difficult to find others to play with, especially on official servers.
- graphics565 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 51 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals and detailed environments, particularly when settings are optimized for high-end systems. However, numerous complaints highlight issues such as poor optimization, graphical glitches, and significant performance drops even on capable hardware, leading to a frustrating experience for many. Overall, while the aesthetic appeal is noted, the game's graphical performance and consistency leave much to be desired, especially for those with lower-end systems.
“The graphics are gorgeous and the mounts are really cool, if you like spending 24 hours to tame a small dragon.”
“The ultimate adventure game, stunning graphics, (my F12 function key is almost worn out with the amount of screenshots I've been taking.) amazing character animations very realistic, I've never seen dancing animations like these, the guy who created the code deserves a medal.”
“The graphics are magnificent, vibrant and full of depth, I'm running at a sound 50-60fps on high settings with a rig that is about 18 months old, so by no means the best processor or GPU.”
“The graphics are dull and boring, the colors are shades of grey, and it looks like it was made in the 2000s rather than in the 2020s. I was expecting this game to be much more interesting, but I've found nothing that would keep me playing the game.”
“The graphics are the worst; they look like they are supposed to be on a box TV. I'm not a big graphics person, but this game was just bad. I went in the game, made a character, and I was like, 'Oh, this isn't that bad,' but then I got in the game and just no.”
“The graphics are shockingly poor, and there are so many animation glitches and graphical bugs it's not funny.”
- gameplay564 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Dark and Light" has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its similarities to "Ark: Survival Evolved" in mechanics and structure, but with added elements like magic and RPG features. While some appreciate the depth and potential of the game, others criticize it for being buggy, unpolished, and lacking in engaging content, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game shows promise but requires significant improvements in mechanics, balance, and performance to fully realize its potential.
“The game's blend of survival mechanics, sandbox building, and magical elements provides a fresh and engaging experience.”
“The character progression system is very engaging and the gameplay is very challenging early on, but this makes it so when you reach milestones, such as taming your first boar or getting a flyer, you immediately feel the sense of difference it makes in your gameplay experience.”
“Gameplay is tons of fun, it's a lot similar to Ark but at the same time the combat and core gameplay is still very different.”
“Frankly, even if they didn't allow hackers and griefers, the game mechanics would still suck because buildings can be destroyed with a spell, which is ridiculous.”
“While the premise was a great hook and it had tremendous potential at first - the game is an unfinished mess of an asset flip from Ark with no story, no direction, and broken mechanics/quests everywhere.”
“The gameplay sucks, but it kind of feels like it could get better over time.”
- stability497 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 1 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is widely criticized, with numerous players reporting a plethora of bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. Many reviews describe the game as an unfinished and buggy mess, often comparing it unfavorably to other titles like Ark: Survival Evolved. While some players acknowledge the game's potential and express hope for future improvements, the overwhelming sentiment is that the current state is frustratingly unstable and unpolished, making it difficult to recommend for those who are not tolerant of early access issues.
“Well optimized, and no glitches....”
“This game runs great for early access; in my opinion, it's a much fuller experience than in Ark.”
“The game runs great.”
“I wish they had put some effort into finishing it. The game had good potential but it's a dead game; the devs left it to die out and it has become a buggy mess over the years.”
“It's still a buggy mess and even some basic functions barely work.”
“The game is riddled with bugs, glitches, and terrain issues.”
- optimization493 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 28 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many players reporting severe performance issues, long loading times, and numerous bugs. While some users note that it runs better than similar early access titles like Ark, the consensus is that it remains poorly optimized and unplayable for many, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, players recommend waiting for significant updates and optimizations before purchasing.
“The game is still early access, but I have seen great strides in improvement/performance in the recent patches.”
“Optimization is very well done.”
“I see you improved aesthetics, both in cities and the general world, as well as performance, so kudos, honestly.”
“This game is outrageously unoptimized.”
“It is unoptimized and full of bugs.”
“The game is completely unoptimized.”
- story380 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story and quest system have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that the narrative is either underdeveloped or non-existent. While some appreciate the tutorial-like quests that help introduce gameplay mechanics, numerous bugs and broken quests hinder progress and enjoyment, leading to frustration. Overall, the game shows potential with its RPG elements and crafting systems, but it lacks a cohesive storyline and polished quest experience, leaving players wanting more depth and direction.
“The game has an added layer adding towns and NPCs that are voiced and a quest line that explains magic and how the crafting system works.”
“I hope to see this game in the future updated, to me it's better than Ark Survival because it has story, goals, and missions!”
“The quest system adds depth.”
“While the premise was a great hook and it had tremendous potential at first - the game is an unfinished mess of an asset flip from Ark with no story, no direction, and broken mechanics/quests everywhere.”
“This game is not a storyline, it is not finished, it has no ending, and it is very much abandoned.”
“The quest system is broken, quests do not advance, and you cannot disable the quest HUD, so you are constantly getting pestered to complete quests which do not work.”
- grinding247 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 99 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized, with many players finding it excessively tedious and time-consuming, often comparing it unfavorably to similar titles like Ark. While some enjoy the grind as part of the survival experience, others feel it detracts from overall enjoyment, leading to frustration over resource gathering and crafting requirements. Many players recommend adjusting server settings to reduce grind intensity for a more enjoyable experience.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“If you like PvP and not grinding, go to the unofficial servers right away.”
“The game is way too grindy; the stat upgrades don't feel very impressive, the towns/cities are extremely empty, skill progression doesn't add anything other than you learning the next tier of craftables, there's no progression, and taming is extremely much a chore to the point that there's no reason to do it.”
“It's a lot of farming for very little results, even after doubling the resource extraction rate.”
“Doing anything meaningful requires insane amounts of grinding.”
- music51 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its beauty and immersive quality, while others criticize it for being repetitive and overly loud, with a broken volume slider that fails to adjust the music properly. Many users appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the game's atmosphere, but frustrations arise from the inability to disable the music entirely, leading some to resort to external audio sources. Overall, while the music has its highlights, technical issues and repetitiveness detract from the experience for several players.
“The music is amazing, the graphics are superb.”
“It is a beautiful game with a beautiful soundtrack.”
“The music is astounding, and the world that you spawn into feels incredibly immense and it is full of absolutely gorgeous scenery and architecture.”
“The music is really annoying, and you can't turn it off.”
“The music volume slider does nothing.”
“In the case of this game, the music's intensity heightened my frustration as I listened to it repeat over and over without being able to load the game properly.”
- monetization43 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of this game has been heavily criticized, with numerous users labeling it a "cash grab" due to its early access status and lack of substantial updates since its launch. Many reviewers express frustration over the developers' perceived abandonment of the game, suggesting that it was designed primarily to generate quick profits rather than to deliver a polished gaming experience. Overall, the sentiment is overwhelmingly negative, with calls for accountability from game studios to prevent such practices in the future.
“Yet another early access game with tons of awesome potential that gets treated as a cash grab and abandoned.”
“This game has been dead for years; Snail Games is always true to their motto 'dare to scam,' where they will abuse the alpha system to get quick cash grabs, only to abandon it to start the next cash grab.”
“In its current form, it was released as a buggy, unfinished mess of a cash grab.”
- humor42 mentions
- 95 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often derived from its bugs and chaotic interactions, with players finding amusement in glitches like characters getting stuck or being robbed by goblins. While some players appreciate the comedic elements of these mishaps, others feel the humor is inconsistent, with mixed opinions on the overall comedic value of the game. Despite its early access status and various frustrations, many players report laughing at the absurdity of certain situations, suggesting that the game's humor can enhance the experience.
“I understand this is in an early access stage where there are numerous frustrating bugs, but sometimes those frustrating bugs can be hilarious at times.”
“In the very first few minutes of play, I was assaulted and robbed by a group of villainous goblins... now mind you they did not kill me, nearly knocked me unconscious and stole all my belongings... I was astounded and laughing all at the same time.”
“I thought the biggest threat of this game was the players looking to kill you and take your loot... but man was I wrong. I was fighting a unicorn, no issue, it was a bit dark so couldn't see very far, suddenly I had some goblins come and attack me... I honestly couldn't stop laughing, was so surprised, never expected to be robbed of all my items by a couple of tiny goblins.”
“It is not funny.”
“The graphics are shockingly poor, and there are so many animation glitches and graphical bugs it's not funny.”
- atmosphere24 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and beautifully detailed world, evoking feelings reminiscent of MMORPGs like World of Warcraft and Guild Wars 2. While the graphics, music, and environmental design contribute significantly to the overall experience, some players note that bugs and clunky gameplay can detract from the intended immersion. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a strong point, with many players expressing a sense of wonder and engagement throughout their exploration.
“The world is beautiful and atmospheric, and there is a very high level of immersion.”
“What this game does right is create atmosphere, and I found myself saying 'wow' a lot more times than I have in the past with these types of games.”
“It has a wonderful atmosphere, solid graphics for an early access game, good movement scheme, and more.”
“More could be done to make the nights scary or build some atmosphere around the concept.”
“The game has a very threatening atmosphere and you will get killed by reapers, panthers, and other grisly creatures.”
“The atmosphere, setting... magic and swords... this could've been something fantastic.”
- replayability15 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is hindered by a lack of polish, bugs, and a limited world size, which restricts long-term engagement for players. While some users find enjoyment in single-player modes or less populated servers, many agree that the game struggles to compete with other survival titles in terms of replay value. Despite these issues, some players still consider it worth the price for its potential fun.
“Bugs galore, but for its price and replayability, definitely a nice game and worth it even if you end up in a PvE or non-PvP official server, and there's always hope.”
“Apparently, servers with lower populations are more playable, but for the time being, I'm just learning and having fun in single player.”
“Replayability: a lot of grinding and dying.”
“Replayability: most survival games actually have replayability, but unfortunately the world is not big enough to really provide more than a few weeks of adventuring to most players.”
“Even Conan with its thousands of bugs and AFK dev team is more playable than this game.”
- emotional9 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is marked by a mix of frustration and heartbreak, as players express deep disappointment over persistent bugs and gameplay issues that detract from their experience. Despite the challenges, moments of encouragement and attachment to in-game events evoke strong feelings, leading to a sense of loss when characters or elements are lost. Overall, the emotional journey is characterized by a struggle between hope and despair, reflecting the game's unfinished state.
“You look at it and just want to cry.”
“It's challenging, frustrating, heart breaking, encouraging.”
“I watched as he battled the treemen, tearing into them as they knocked over the nearby trees, but finally with a crash one stomped grunt into the ground as I cried out in anguish... my pig was gone.”
- character development7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Character development is a standout feature of the game, with a strong emphasis on character-based quests that enhance player engagement. Compared to similar titles like Ark, this game offers greater customization, progression, and utility, allowing for a more diverse and complex character development experience. Overall, players appreciate the depth and focus on character growth over traditional questing methods.
“The best part is character development; all quests are character-based, no running to NPCs for quests. God, I hated that.”
“It's an 'ark-like' RPG focused more on character development and less on taming armies of creatures.”
“The aspect of the game that rises above Ark is your character development.”
“Additionally, there is much more utility and gear sets than Ark and other games, which create an opportunity for diverse character development.”
“The complexity of the crafting, the snap together building, and the character development make it stand out.”
