Dark Void Zero

About

Dark Void Zero is a retro-style 8-bit game that serves as a prequel to the original Dark Void. Players take on the role of Rusty, a test pilot, and Nikola Tesla's trusted friend, utilizing a rocket pack to navigate through levels and battle enemies. The PC version includes online features such as achievements, leaderboards, and multiple endings, adding a modern twist to this classic-inspired game. The soundtrack is also noteworthy, having received awards in the past.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

44%

Audience ScoreBased on 163 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

Dark Void Zero is a fun throwback to the NES era, capturing the retro aesthetic and gameplay style effectively.
The game features tight controls and a challenging experience, reminiscent of classic platformers.
Many players found the game enjoyable, especially at a low price point, making it a worthwhile purchase for retro gaming fans.

The game is plagued by intrusive DRM issues, including invalid activation keys and limited activations, making it unplayable for many users.
Controls are often described as clunky and unresponsive, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
The game is very short, with only three levels, and can feel punishingly difficult, especially with no continues available.

graphics
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing them for being blurry and poorly executed, especially on larger screens. While some appreciate the attempt to capture a retro NES aesthetic, others feel it falls short, describing the visuals as compressed and lacking the charm of true 8-bit graphics. Overall, the game's graphics are seen as a significant detriment to the experience, failing to meet modern standards despite its nostalgic intentions.
- “The graphics remind me of the 90's 2D games; charming and stylish.”
- “This game is an awesome throwback to the NES era of action platformers, complete with tight player controls, beautiful 8-bit graphics, and a killer soundtrack...for this price, I'm surprised everybody doesn't own this already!”
- “While the controls can often be stiff and the game itself short; it still works well to capture the rough and tumble days of NES gaming with its wonderful chiptune music, graphics, and challenging gameplay.”
- “Since this game was once a DSiWare exclusive and uses a lot of low-resolution PNGs for its visuals, it looks really blurry if played on large monitors.”
- “They're trying to go for a NES aesthetic, but it doesn't look NES at all.”
- “I haven't played the DSiWare version, mind you, but from videos of gameplay I figured the PC version would be somehow better in at least resolution, but a better look at the graphics here only serves to the game's detriment; the native resolution on the DS makes it look as if it were a unique step beyond 8-bit, the two options (windowed and fullscreen) on PC make it look like a poor mockery of a NES game.”
gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The gameplay of Dark Void Zero is reminiscent of classic NES action platformers, particularly Bionic Commando, featuring maze-like levels and jetpack navigation. However, it suffers from stiff controls, dull music, and repetitive mechanics, leading to a mixed reception; while some appreciate its retro aesthetic and challenge, others find it frustrating and lacking in innovation. Overall, the game captures the essence of old-school gaming but may not appeal to those seeking modern gameplay experiences.
- “The gameplay of Dark Void Zero boils down to navigating large, maze-like levels with the aid of a jetpack.”
- “They nailed the retro look and gameplay spot on.”
- “While the controls can often be stiff and the game itself short, it still works well to capture the rough and tumble days of NES gaming with its wonderful chiptune music, graphics, and challenging gameplay.”
- “The jump controls are stiff, the music is dull, the gameplay boring, and the graphics ugly.”
- “The controls are finicky and hard to use gracefully, and the gameplay is just a slog, having to go back and forth every-which-way to get keycards and killing the same boring respawning enemies.”
- “Either way, poor mechanics without the memories to back them up are a disappointment, and make this game overall not worth it to me.”
music
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
39%
17%
The music in the game is generally described as fitting the retro aesthetic, with a mix of catchy tunes and sound effects that evoke the NES era. However, many reviewers noted that the music is limited in variety, with only about seven tracks, and some found it forgettable or uninspired, likening it to lesser works from the genre. Overall, while the soundtrack has its charm, it lacks the polish and memorability of more recent indie titles, leading to mixed opinions on its quality.
- “The music is fitting for the 8-bit style and fairly rich with sound effects for actions, featuring a pretty catchy tune.”
- “It's a great retro style game with an amazing soundtrack.”
- “This game is an awesome throwback to the NES era of action platformers, complete with tight player controls, beautiful 8-bit graphics, and a killer soundtrack.”
- “Now in terms of music variety, I believe this game only has 7 or so music tracks, most of those are story and boss themes.”
- “The music was literally forgettable; I don't remember if it even had music, but the sound effects and graphics were fitting for the era represented.”
- “The jump controls are stiff, the music is dull, the gameplay boring, and the graphics ugly.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The game's story is largely simplistic and follows the familiar trope of "kill all of enemy faction," earning a mixed reception with a score of 7/10 for its inoffensiveness and effectiveness. While some players find it unoriginal and lacking depth, others appreciate the nostalgic elements and the creative backstory surrounding the game's release, which received a higher score of 9/10. Overall, the narrative is seen as functional but not particularly engaging.
- “The story they made up for the origin of the game is a 9/10.”
- “Its a challenging and fun game with a decent (if not silly) story.”
- “+short but effective and to the point story.”
- “The story is simple, like most action NES titles, revolving around the theme of 'kill all of the enemy faction.'”
- “The story has been done before and lacks originality.”
- “The story isn't very engaging and fails to capture the player's interest.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, with some achievements requiring over an hour of repetitive effort to complete. While there are completion and collectible achievements to pursue, the overall experience is marred by the grueling nature of the grinding tasks, making it less enjoyable even on easier difficulty settings.
- “On one hand, you get completion achievements and collectible achievements; on the other, you have a ton of grueling grinding achievements, one of which can take you an hour or more to get.”
- “It's too tedious to play, even on easy.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players find it simple and entertaining, others criticize the design choices, such as instant kill mechanics, which detract from the overall fun and challenge.
- “Awesome game, simple and very funny!”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, making every moment enjoyable!”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations!”
- “The humor falls flat, overshadowed by frustrating mechanics like instant kill mines and enemies, making it more annoying than entertaining.”
- “The attempts at humor are overshadowed by the game's punishing difficulty, leaving little room for enjoyment.”
- “Instead of being funny, the game feels more like a chore with its relentless instant kill traps and lack of lives.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Users have reported that Capcom's retroactive addition of obscure DRM to older titles has negatively impacted modding capabilities, caused performance issues, and led to crashes, particularly on the Steam Deck.
- “Capcom retroactively adds obscure DRM to their older titles, breaking modding support on Steam Deck and causing performance issues and crashes.”
- “The optimization is so poor that even high-end systems struggle to maintain a stable frame rate.”
- “Frequent updates seem to introduce more bugs than they fix, leading to a frustrating experience for players.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's monetization strategy included a unique advertising campaign that presented it as a lost dual-screen Nintendo arcade machine title, which generated intrigue and engagement among potential players.
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its stability, offering a nostalgic experience reminiscent of NES classics without the glitches that plagued its larger counterpart.
- “A fun throwback to the NES classics of yesteryear, but it isn't riddled with glitches like its bigger brother.”