Dark Matter

About

Dark Matter is a single player action game with horror and science fiction themes. It was developed by InterWave Studios and was released on October 17, 2013. It received neutral reviews from players.

In Dark Matter, you play as a space engineer named Enzo, who wakes up on a derelict spaceship with no memory of how he got there. As you explore the ship, you'll encounter dangerous alien creatures, avoid environmental hazards, and uncover the crew's dark secrets. With a focus on survival and exploration, Dark Matter features a variety of weapons and upgrades to help you navigate through the darkness.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

42%

Audience ScoreBased on 284 reviews

story54 positive mentions

stability34 negative mentions

Great atmosphere and engaging story that draws players in.
Unique gameplay mechanics involving light-sensitive enemies and crafting.
Good voice acting and interesting AI narration enhance the experience.

The game is unfinished, with an abrupt ending and many unresolved plot points.
Numerous bugs and glitches hinder gameplay, making it frustrating and sometimes unplayable.
Controls are clunky and not well-optimized for both keyboard/mouse and gamepad, leading to a poor user experience.

story
126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
55%
2%
The story of the game is generally seen as engaging and well-crafted, with a strong atmosphere and interesting concepts, but many players feel it is ultimately incomplete and lacks a satisfying conclusion. While some praise the AI's dialogue and the immersive world-building, others criticize the story for being thin or overshadowed by gameplay issues and bugs. Overall, the narrative has potential but suffers from a lack of development and clarity, leaving players wanting more.
- “The story was actually pretty good; the AI really sells it with its dialogue.”
- “The main draw of it is the story; it is a very well put together world, and I got lost in the story easily.”
- “This game has a really engaging story, and I love the style that they chose to do it in.”
- “The story isn't finished and the ending is missing.”
- “The storyline is not developed enough to grip you or be memorable.”
- “It's still an interesting play and can have a little fun playing it, but it's short, and like I keep reiterating, it's not finished... from the very beginning it starts foreshadowing an ending you will never reach.”
gameplay
70 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
49%
20%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its interesting mechanics and atmosphere, while others criticize its repetitive combat, clunky controls, and lack of progression. Many reviews highlight the game's potential and engaging storyline but express disappointment over its incomplete nature and underwhelming crafting system. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements, the gameplay often feels limited and fails to evolve, leaving players wanting more.
- “Fun gameplay and an engaging storyline.”
- “The theme, most of the art, and the basic gameplay elements work pretty well together and the atmosphere does well in the dark.”
- “Gameplay is fun as well, so if you like atmospheric sci-fi games I recommend you give this one a try.”
- “Probably a few hours of gameplay, but it is always the same repetitive combat with a zoomed-in camera, somewhat imprecise aim, and enemies that tank quite a bit and almost always get in range to hit you before dying.”
- “However, the game suffers from limited gameplay, lack of clear progression, and a half-baked crafting system that looks as if it is an abandoned feature left in the game.”
- “Clunky controls, poor animations, and repetitive gameplay make this a very hard sell.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
34%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the immersive visuals and lighting effects, while others criticize the overall quality as inconsistent, with some describing them as outdated or glitchy. Many noted that the dark environments hindered visibility, and technical issues, particularly on Linux, detracted from the experience. Overall, while the graphics contribute positively to the atmosphere, they are marred by bugs and a lack of polish in certain areas.
- “Graphics - I felt the graphics were good for this game as it helped sell the immersion of the game.”
- “The visuals are gorgeous.”
- “Dark Matter starts out promising, a 2.5D Metroid-like platformer with good looking visuals and a Dead Space kind of story and atmosphere.”
- “So start off I said the graphics and levels were okay, but they would be even better if the game was not so dark. I mean, some places that we see are just too dark and the flashlight didn't help that much.”
- “Graphics were glitchy enough to bluescreen my poor old NVIDIA 8800 GT.”
- “Mostly crap, overpriced, has graphics bugs on Linux.”
atmosphere
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
11%
6%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its dark, immersive environments and clever use of light, effectively enhancing the setting and gameplay. While many players appreciate the atmospheric elements and storytelling, some note that the impact of the atmosphere diminishes over time, particularly due to the game's abrupt ending and relatively short length. Overall, it successfully creates a foreboding ambiance that keeps players engaged, especially those who enjoy atmospheric sci-fi experiences.
- “The almost pitch black environments are atmospheric for the setting and story, but it is also a nicely utilized gameplay feature.”
- “The theme, most of the art, and the basic gameplay elements work pretty well together and the atmosphere does well in the dark.”
- “It's very atmospheric (ok, not Alien: Isolation atmospheric, but for a budget indie game it does a pretty good job).”
- “Ensign just stays blocked while doing such actions, a little atmosphere killer!”
- “Nice, not great, but still a pleasure to play, primarily for the atmosphere in it.”
- “Some clever use of light-activated puzzles and enemies fits the ambience of the atmosphere.”
stability
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous glitches and bugs that can render it unwinnable, particularly after the initial stages. Players report a lack of polish, with frustrating gameplay experiences caused by graphical errors and clunky mechanics. Overall, the game's stability is described as extremely poor, leading to a disappointing experience for many users.
- “Unfortunately, the game quickly falls apart with a host of glitches and bugs.”
- “The first parts of the game were awesome, but it quickly became buggy in rather unforgivable ways.”
- “First off, it's very buggy, so that makes the awful counterintuitive puzzle elements even more annoying; then you add the frustrating uninspired combat system and you end up with one of the worst games I've played in a long time... really amateurish in the worst possible way.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its immersive quality and contribution to the atmosphere, while others feel it lacks suspense and could be improved. Overall, it is described as "pretty good," but there are suggestions for enhancements to better align with the game's horror elements.
- “I really wanted to like this game; the setup is there for a great space survival horror: dark and spooky environments, genuinely horrifying enemy creatures, and immersive music and sound effects.”
- “Graphics aren't the greatest, but they suit the game. Controls are easy to learn, the storyline is interesting, it's been a fun game so far, and the music is pretty good as well.”
- “Interesting story idea, good visuals, good music... it feels like Shadow Complex (X360) meets Alien Breed (the new version).”
- “The addition of some suspenseful music might help, but at this point, I wouldn't recommend buying it.”
- “In an age where most popular art forms seem to have more or less run their course of full potential - movies and music, please stand up!”
- “No music (or at least none that is memorable).”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, with clunky combat mechanics that require excessive effort and resources to defeat enemies. The repetitive "try/die/repeat" cycle detracts from the overall enjoyment, although the story provides some motivation to explore the map. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as more of a chore than a rewarding challenge.
- “While it has some good design aesthetics, the actual gameplay is basically a try/die/repeat cycle that is more tedious than fun.”
- “The story is what makes this game playable, but you need to explore the whole map to get all the story, which is just tedious.”
- “Combat doesn't work terribly well; it takes a lot of grinding and spent ammo to kill armored enemies.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted through its quirky elements, such as the amusing door squishing of enemies, which some players find engaging despite the game's shortcomings. However, there is a notable divide in player reactions, with some finding the situation surrounding the game's incomplete state and pricing to be ironically funny, while others express frustration over the perceived lack of value for their investment. Overall, the humor seems to be a mixed bag, providing entertainment for some while serving as a point of contention for others.
- “The atmosphere, exploration, and funny door squishing of enemies are holding my interest where the combat doesn't.”
- “I find it hilarious how many people are pointing out the game is incomplete and criticizing the developers. This game is often on sale, mostly because it wasn't the full project. The developers ran out of support and had to publish it. Many of these offended players bought the game for around 2.50 euros and still complain as if they spent 60 bucks. Sure, you have the right to be upset about the incomplete story, but evaluations should focus on what is missing rather than what is there. It shows a lack of common sense, especially when there are many full-priced games that aren't even worth your time or money.”
- “It's the kind of desperate buck-passing that I might have found funny had I not paid to play it.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's optimization has been criticized for not meeting expectations, with users noting that while the graphics, performance, and stability are decent, the overall execution feels lacking. Issues such as the inability to halt offscreen animations contribute to subpar performance, indicating that the game is technically flawed.
- “Neither feel at all optimized or even fully executed.”
- “Obviously the game isn't designed to stop offscreen animations, resulting in poor overall performance.”
- “But it's not what it ought to have been gameplay-wise, and is obviously a bit crooked technically (despite decent graphics, performance, and stability).”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, suggesting that players feel exploited rather than valued.
- “Sorry devs, hope you enjoy your cash grab party.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its low replayability, with multiple users rating it just 1 out of 5, indicating a lack of incentive to play again after the initial experience.
- “1/5 replay value”
- “1/5 replay value”