DARK (2013)

 PC
Metascore
41

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 21
  3. Negative: 13 out of 21
  1. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Sep 19, 2013
    40
    Initially a terrible thing that becomes a relatively entertaining stealth action game, if you manage to (literally) bite your way through. Unfortunately, excellent ideas are screwed up by their problematic elaboration. [Issue#232]
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  2. PC Gamer
    Sep 13, 2013
    43
    A work of sulky blandness that does itself no favors by latching onto better games and cooler vampires. [ Nov 2013, p.68]
  3. CD-Action
    Aug 28, 2013
    35
    There are some mildly satisfying moments in Dark, but most of the time you’re stuck between boredom and frustration. [CD-Action 10/2013, p.67]
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  5. Gamereactor Sweden
    Aug 23, 2013
    40
    There is so much potential lost in Dark. Despite it's beautiful design, this is a frustrating mess and really not worth either your time or money.
  6. Riot Pixels
    Aug 6, 2013
    30
    The best thing about DARK is that there are no hints at a sequel. At all.
  7. GameSpot
    Jul 26, 2013
    35
    Rather than pull you into the supernatural drama it tries to author, Dark devolves into unintentional comedy, the ridiculously bad dialogue and hilarious artificial intelligence inspiring fits of laughter. This game is both insane and inane, but at least its overall stupidity gives you something to cackle at.
  8. Thunderbolt
    Jul 24, 2013
    20
    DARK’s main mistake is that it never makes you feel like a terrifying vampire in any way. If it did, some of its many, many flaws could be excused. It’s bug-ridden, badly designed, and plain boring to go through. Add a side-dish of casual misogyny, and you end up with a deeply unenjoyable experience.
  9. Polygon
    Jul 16, 2013
    30
    Maybe I would have been better off if I had just quit. The plot never pulled me in or even resolved itself in a suitable manner. The AI never got any smarter. And Eric never felt like a kick-ass creature of the night with mastery of deadly arcane powers. Dark ends how it began: a flaccid non-event, sputtering out before any potential can be realized.
  10. GameFront
    Jul 12, 2013
    30
    A strange thing happens when you review a game as bad as DARK. You get really, really good at it. So desperate was I to be done, to not think about it again, to not deal with the save system, that by the end I fashioned myself into a kind of DARK savant, flitting around levels with as much ease as the game would permit and a certain kind of Dark Souls-powered, no-room-for-error concentration. So far that reason, I’m sort of glad I played it. And for one other reason: so I can tell everyone else to never, ever play DARK.
  11. 3DJuegos
    Jul 12, 2013
    39
    Weak cutscenes, poor combats and its repetitive concept makes Dark a mediocre game. Vampires are so rich that deserve much more than this poor and frustrating one.
  12. IGN
    Jul 11, 2013
    40
    Dark is a stealth action adventure that's brimming with good ideas, but poor AI, a weak story, and repetitive gameplay drive a three-pronged stake through the heart of its entertainment value. Dark's cel-shaded settings occasionally allow the otherwise drab experience to shine, but not without a forgettable protagonist and clunky movements sinking their fangs into the fun.
  13. GameStar
    Jul 11, 2013
    48
    Quotation forthcoming.
  14. Gameblog.fr
    Jul 8, 2013
    30
    A pain in the ass to play, no real AI, too distant checkpoints, ancient production values, terrible art direction... If vampires are supposed to be cool thanks to recent popular movies and TV Shows, it doesn't show in Dark.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
4.2

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 272 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 272
  2. Mixed: 64 out of 272
  3. Negative: 153 out of 272
  1. WookieChestHair
    Jul 4, 2013
    2
    So I bought this game this afternoon, very amped up as I'm a sucker for stealth games. Upon beginning the game, I realised a few things. 1.So I bought this game this afternoon, very amped up as I'm a sucker for stealth games. Upon beginning the game, I realised a few things. 1. This feels a lot like Hitman: Blood Money 2. This looks a lot like Walking Dead and 3. This game has managed to combine Hitman and Walking Dead, take all the life and fun from both of them and charge you $40 for it. This game has you playing as a stealthy assassin...vampire. Which is already a poor decision, the devs for this game should've noticed the irreversible pussification of vampires at the hands of the Twilight franchise. As a blood-sucker, you wield, what was said to be an arsenal of powers, is actually about 6 or 7 different powers with 3 or so passive ones, that can aid you in your missions. They are fun to use for about 3 minutes, then they just get boring. This is a grand example of a game that has a brilliant concept and so much potential, but is so poorly executed. Game play is extremely boring and repetitive there's really no motivation for you to keep playing, story is unoriginal and uninteresting, voice acting has been painfully forced with all but one or two characters so far, enemies, rather than looking around for anything suspicious, will walk back and forth between programmed routes, which is more often than not, a bloody straight line, just waiting for you to use the same 2 or 3 animations to kill them. Other than their 'routes', enemies also can't spot you if you are more than 10 metres away from them, or even better, they cannot see you if you are right around the corner...hiding behind a clear glass wall. This game is unfinished. That's really all there is to it. What's worse is the price tag. 40 dollars?! Seriously!? That's insulting. It's frustrating that I'm forced to live in a generation that creates games of this calibre and then prices them like that. My mistake was in buying it on release day, rather than wait for some reviews to come out. Hopefully, you won't make the same mistake I did.… Full Review »
  2. HELLruler
    Jul 4, 2013
    5
    The game looked cool, and I bought it before the release. Started playing, the characters have that bold lines like borderlands, I like that.The game looked cool, and I bought it before the release. Started playing, the characters have that bold lines like borderlands, I like that.

    After some minutes, the dialogues started, but they dont feel natural. When one person finishes what he/she was saying, the other one starts it like when you are pressing a buttom to skip dialogues. That's a bit odd.

    The gameplay isnt something new. If you played Dishonored, you'll feel familiar with the game. One let down is that you can only either instantly kill your enemy or suck blood to get "mana" to use powers.
    The enemies arent really smart, they follow the same route, so you just have to wait until they turn and kill them.

    In the end, this game could be a success, but it isnt. I'm not saying that this game totally suck, it has some good things, but you should not pay so much for a game when you have better options (Dishonored has better graphics, better mechanics and better story for instance)    … Full Review »
  3. xkdksk
    Jul 4, 2013
    4
    Good sneak game. But there are so many trouble in control n motion. I got a lot of problem to play although I don't have any responsibilities.Good sneak game. But there are so many trouble in control n motion. I got a lot of problem to play although I don't have any responsibilities. also, the way to make tactics is too short. If you already play 'Hitman' or 'Dishonored', maybe you can punch your monitor. So my advice is two kinds.

    1. Find other sweet infiltration games.

    2. wear boxing gloves when you play this.    … Full Review »
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