Dark Places

50%
Game Brain Score Based on 36 reviews
  • atmosphere
  • story
  • gameplay
Dark Places Game Cover
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Dark Places is a horror-themed shooter game that transports players to a variety of eerie environments. The game is a source port of the classic title "Doom 3," featuring improved graphics, physics, and AI. Players must navigate through darkened corridors and confront hostile creatures, using a range of weapons and strategic tactics to survive.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

50%
Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews
atmosphere6 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • The game has a charming atmosphere reminiscent of classic horror games, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
  • The puzzles and spatial design are interesting, encouraging exploration and problem-solving.
  • Despite its flaws, many players appreciate the effort put into the game and consider it a decent experience for its price.
  • The game frequently crashes and has significant bugs, making it frustrating to play.
  • Level design often consists of confusing mazes, leading to disorientation and difficulty in progression.
  • Controls are limited with no options menu, and the graphics and mechanics feel outdated, detracting from the overall experience.
  • atmosphere10 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich sound design and creative level layouts, effectively immersing players in a haunting experience reminiscent of titles like "Cry of Fear" and "Silent Hill." While some players find it lacking in scares, the overall ambiance is described as suffocating and beautifully crafted, contributing significantly to the game's horror elements.

    • “But personally, this does not prevent me from immersing myself in this beautiful atmosphere of horror.”
    • “The sound and music department is rich in adding atmosphere, especially in the levels where you have to find keys to unlock memories that you have caged up.”
    • “Some of the ambience and music is very well done, with some atmospheric levels and design.”
    • “After seeing the trailer, this seemed right up my alley, a game brimming with lots of atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, it has fantastic character designs, but unfortunately, that's where my praise ends.”
    • “It's not scary, but it does have this atmosphere to it.”
    • “But the atmosphere, by the gods, the atmosphere is suffocating.”
  • story6 mentions

    The story is initially confusing and lacks clarity, leaving some players feeling uninformed by the end. While it starts with intriguing elements reminiscent of Silent Hill, the overall narrative is criticized for being underdeveloped and poorly integrated with the gameplay, leading to frustration due to insufficient in-game instructions.

    • “The storyline is difficult to understand initially, but more details unfold about the current events as you progress.”
    • “I liked the first half the most, and it seemed like a Silent Hill type of story at the beginning.”
    • “The story is a bit of a letdown for me personally, as in all honesty, I’m no more informed after playing this game than I was before I even started.”
    • “The lack of clarification was a big issue for me personally in the story, and some people may become unnecessarily vexed due to the lack of proper in-game instructions.”
    • “I tried episode 2 and it felt like I was missing a lot of the story.”
  • gameplay5 mentions

    The gameplay is criticized for its simplicity and reliance on basic mechanics, such as push-button and key-collecting, while suffering from numerous bugs, poor controls, and long loading times. Players also note the lack of customization options and frequent crashes, which detract from the overall experience, making the levels feel like frustrating mazes rather than engaging challenges.

    • “Although the game is simple in its mechanics and style, it offers a unique and engaging experience that keeps players coming back for more.”
    • “The gameplay is intuitive and easy to pick up, making it accessible for new players while still providing depth for veterans.”
    • “While this is a basic explanation of the common push-button or collect-key mechanic often found in indie games, it effectively captures the essence of the gameplay.”
    • “Although the game is simple in its mechanics and style, there are a few bugs or glitches you will encounter.”
    • “All these games have horrible field of views, long loading screens, and really bad controls and mechanics, with no options menu to edit any settings whatsoever.”
    • “It's notorious for crashing regardless of how skilled the developers' programming skills are on up-to-date systems, and often gameplay options are severely limited.”
  • music5 mentions

    The music and sound design significantly enhance the game's atmosphere, particularly in levels focused on unlocking memories, with a commendable original score that elevates the experience. However, while some ambient tracks are well-executed, the overall soundtrack has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it lacking compared to previous titles.

    • “The sound and music department is rich in adding atmosphere, especially in the levels where you have to find keys to unlock memories that you have caged up.”
    • “Some of the ambience and music is very well done, with some atmospheric levels and design.”
    • “The mood and music were good.”
    • “So, in the end, a formidable amount of work went into this; the original musical score dresses this up way more than it should for an FPS game, like putting a tuxedo on a corpse.”
    • “The monsters are mostly the same as in Crimson Metal, and this time the soundtrack just sucks.”
  • graphics3 mentions

    The graphics evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of early 2000s games, utilizing an old-school engine that may not impress in today's high-fidelity gaming landscape. While they capture a certain charm, the dated visuals, unadjustable controls, and technical issues like bugs and crashes detract from the overall experience.

    • “The graphics are prestigious in terms of nostalgia for early 2000s games.”
    • “It's a very old-school engine, and it won't blow your mind in an era of high-end graphics and snappy controls, but for what they were working with, it's impressive.”
    • “The visuals evoke a sense of nostalgia, reminiscent of classic gaming experiences.”
    • “The graphics are nostalgic, reminiscent of early 2000s games.”
    • “It's a very old-school engine and won't impress in an era of advanced graphics and responsive controls, but considering the limitations, it's understandable.”
    • “Weaknesses include the game engine (FPS Creator), unadjustable controls, dated visuals, weak gunplay, and various bugs and crashes.”
  • stability1 mentions

    While the game features straightforward mechanics and style, players have reported encountering several bugs and glitches that affect overall stability.

    • “Although the game is simple in its mechanics and style, there are a few bugs and glitches you will encounter.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
    • “I experienced several instances of lag and freezing, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players note that the emotional impact of the game is heightened by the presence of monsters that can inflict harm simply through their gaze and pursuit, creating a sense of vulnerability and tension without direct confrontation. This mechanic effectively amplifies the fear and anxiety experienced during gameplay.

  • optimization1 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the game's optimization is lacking, with users noting poor performance despite unappealing graphics.

    • “It's ugly, and the performance is still bad.”
  • character development1 mentions

    While the game features impressive atmosphere and character designs, reviewers feel that the character development falls short, lacking depth and engagement.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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