E3 2008: Dark Void Impressions

As you may already know, Capcom is getting ready to bring us yet another action game. Developer Airtight Games is behind the development of Dark Void, and you may know them as the gang that brought you Crimson Skies. This time around they've crafted an on-foot and high-flying action game.

The game was on display at Capcom's booth and from what we gather, it's still fairly early in development. The game engine seemed to chug in places, as the framerate couldn't keep up. But the overall look of the graphics seems to be finalized. Dark Void looks like a fairly decent game, but can come off a bit generic in certain instances. Because this is a brief demo of the game, we'll refrain from making any final judgements about the game's aesthetics.

There are some very solid concepts in the game, though. For one, you have a fully functional jet-pack that you can use to fly around with. The flying is actually very fun and easy to control. One ability you have during flight is the ability to hijack the UFOs that are flying around you. You can latch onto a UFO, destroy some of its components, and knock-out its alien pilot, granting you access to the craft.

Surprisingly, or maybe not to others, the on-foot third-person shooter stuff feels a lot like another Capcom game...Lost Planet. While Dark Void doesn't seem to intentionally borrow anything from Lost Planet, it does feel like it a bit. Thankfully, Dark Void plays quicker than Lost Planet, which is a relief.

Dark Void is a hybrid of genres, so not only does it boast third-person shooter gameplay, but also air-combat that involves either you on your own, or you piloting a stolen aircraft. The vertical climbing is another aspect no other game has done before, so Dark Void innovates there.

Ultimately, what I want to see from the final product is tight and responsive controls, inspired aesthetic detail, and smooth perfect framerate. Dark Void has potential, and with the game not due until Spring of 2009, it also has a lot of time to meet that potential. 

Related Game(s): Dark Void

7/16/2008 Arnold Katayev

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