Dark Gates

36%
Game Brain Score Based on 28 reviews
  • graphics
  • story
  • gameplay
Dark Gates Game Cover
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Dark Gates is a game which tries to capture classic tabletop RPG experience. As a player you need to assemble a party of six heroes, select spells for them and send them on the quest to the labyrinth. Somewhere in that maze an evil mage created Dark Gates and now gates are open. Your party have to find and destroy those gates as darkness pours into this world through them.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

36%
Audience ScoreBased on 28 reviews
graphics4 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Dark Gates captures the charm and atmosphere of classic board games from the 70s and 80s, making it enjoyable for retro gaming enthusiasts.
  • The game features randomly generated dungeons and a variety of character archetypes, allowing for some experimentation and replayability.
  • It is easy to pick up and play, making it accessible for casual gamers and those looking for a light diversion.
  • The game suffers from poor controls, being entirely keyboard-driven with no mouse support, which can be frustrating for players.
  • Gameplay is overly simplistic and repetitive, lacking depth, character customization, and meaningful progression, leading to a lack of engagement.
  • There are significant technical issues, including poor resolution scaling and a lack of proper instructions, making it difficult for new players to understand how to play.
  • graphics13 mentions

    The graphics are characterized by a charming retro style, featuring clean-cut artwork and hand-drawn animations that create a pleasant ambiance. While they are serviceable and fit the game's aesthetic, they lack advanced features and diversity, making them feel somewhat amateurish and repetitive. Overall, the visuals may not impress those seeking high-resolution graphics, but they effectively contribute to the game's nostalgic appeal.

    • “The artwork and animations I thought were endearing for the style.”
    • “It does have this nice retro feeling and the graphics, in my opinion, look fantastic.”
    • “The graphics aren't going to win any awards, but it gives a much more retro feel to it.”
    • “If you want fancy graphics, lots of diversity in the dungeon levels, and lots of equipment, quests, and hundreds of monsters, you probably are better off looking elsewhere.”
    • “Dungeon levels are the same textures, and graphics.”
    • “You will notice at this point that the graphics are hand-drawn and pretty amateur-looking.”
  • story6 mentions

    The game's story is criticized for its abrupt start and lack of a coherent plot or quest, leaving players with minimal backstory and a sense of randomness in gameplay. While there is a basic backstory about heroes entering a labyrinth to seal dark gates, it is considered typical and insufficient for engaging storytelling. Players are encouraged to seek out supplementary materials, like a comic book, for additional context.

    • “Get the comic book if it is available here on Steam, as it also gives a little background/story about the game and a group of heroes who were entering the labyrinth to seal the dark gates!”
    • “Once they breach the front entrance of the labyrinth, there's a back story that explains its existence, but it's typical fare. Movement tiles are revealed in a similar fashion to 'Dungeon Quest' in order to simulate the fog of war.”
    • “Since the game starts abruptly, there is no storyline given.”
    • “There wasn't much of a backstory, and most of the gameplay was random.”
    • “As far as the plot goes, I simply just put a band of warriors together and went about killing everything in sight.”
  • gameplay5 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its simplistic mechanics reminiscent of classic RPGs, making it accessible for short play sessions. However, the lack of proper testing on current systems and insufficient explanations for controls and gameplay elements detracts from the overall experience.

    • “+ simple mechanics.”
    • “Quick gameplay.”
    • “Gameplay is simplistic classic RPG stuff which might have been a refreshing breath of air instead of yet another bloody JRPG or 2D retro platformer, but the fact that the game just doesn't work and the developers haven't tested it on current systems and kept it up to date is a slap in the face.”
    • “The controls aren't explained anywhere, the gameplay isn't really either.”
    • “Gameplay isn't overly convoluted, which makes it easy to pick up and play in 5 minute increments or for an hour.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music and sound effects in the game received mixed reviews, with some players finding them forgettable and lacking quality, while others appreciated how they contributed to the overall ambiance. The customization options for music are limited, offering only basic settings.

    • “The artwork, music, and sounds combine well to generate a decent ambience.”
    • “The music and sound effects were not great.”
    • “Sound and music are forgettable.”
    • “The options, by the way, are basically just the resolution, music and sound on and off, and a selectable theme.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers a fair level of replayability; however, players note that it can become quite repetitive over time.

    • “It's fairly replayable, but very repetitive!”
    • “The game lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged after the first playthrough.”
    • “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to dive back in.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    Reviewers praise "Dark Gates" for effectively capturing the style and fun reminiscent of classic spy games, creating an engaging and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall gaming experience.

    • “Dark Gates captures the style, fun, and atmosphere of those classic SPI games.”
    • “The immersive atmosphere draws you in, making every moment feel intense and engaging.”
    • “The haunting soundtrack and detailed environments create a truly captivating atmosphere.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to slow and unskippable combat animations, which hinder the ability to progress quickly and make repetitive tasks feel tedious.

    • “The animations in the combat are tediously slow and unskippable, making grinding feel even more tedious as you can't just speed through it.”
    • “Grinding feels like an endless chore, with repetitive tasks that offer little reward and no real sense of progress.”
    • “The lack of variety in grinding activities makes it feel like a mindless task rather than an engaging part of the game.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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