Into the Void

2.4.10 / A&E / By Josh Byers

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“Rise up!” is the phrase used to advertise for Capcom’s newest game, “Dark Void.” The game takes place just before the start of World War II. The player assumes the role of the main character, Will Grey, who is a courier pilot sent on a mission with his ex-girlfriend Ava.While flying over the Bermuda Triangle, the plane malfunctions and crashes. The only survivors are Grey and Ava.
The player is immediately thrown into the third-person game, running through the jungle, trying to get away from “The Watchers,” alien beings providing the antagonist of the game. They come from “The Void” where Grey and Ava are now.

The game’s history is a little iffy. There are rumors that it was a game developed in the late ’80s but shelved until recent years, and the concept was transferred to current generation systems. However, it is also rumored that the game’s history is simply a marketing ploy to get people to buy the 8-bit version of the game that was released to the DSIWare. The game play itself is quite interesting and inventive but also a little basic. Most of the game is based around a third-person shooter. The player has a combination of air and ground assault, including upgradable weapons, to use at his or her disposal.

The weapons, although weak in the beginning, after some upgrading make it much easier to destroy watchers. The cover system is basic; the ground cover has some glitches. Sometimes Grey jumps for it; other times he misses completely.

A lot of the time, if the player is running by cover, the slightest push of the “cover” button sends Will ducking for cover. The vertical cover system, however, allows the player to hang under an outstretched rock on the side of a cliff aiming upward, the transition being smooth and easy to follow.

The pack allows the player to take flight at anytime in the game (providing that Grey has the jetpack on because some missions do not provide it) choosing between hovering and actual flight. While hovering, players can use either gun that can be used on land and while flying. The jetpack has guns, also upgradable, mounted on it. Both uses of the jetpack are incorporated in the game’s dogfight system, pitting players and their jetpacks against Watcher flying saucers, which resemble the system to “Blazing Angels.”

The controls are a bit hard to get used to for the jetpack, and the lock-on system is poorly designed. However, once a player gets the controls down, it’s not as annoying as it was. While in the air, the player has the option to fly around like a true rocketeer or hijack someone else’s ship.

Overall the game is built quite well, and at the same time, it’s kind of basic. It has some glitches here and there. An average player could beat the game within about 10 hours. However, there is going to be downloadable content including challenge missions for the game, which will provide some extra playtime.

“Dark Void” also allows the player to go back in and pick chapters of the game to play through after beating the main story mode, which is quite nice. After beating the game, players get to keep the upgraded guns to use in the replay. The game costs about $60, which for the short story mode is still worth it, if just for the interesting experience.

Josh Byers is a staff entertainment writer for The Call.

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