Dark Messiah of Might and Magic

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1235 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,048 out of 1235
  2. Mixed: 118 out of 1235
  3. Negative: 69 out of 1235
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  1. AndersL.
    Nov 10, 2006
    10
    Best FPS ever made to DATE! And I was playing it with 800*600 because if my BAD grafik card! Hope that there will be an expansion for the GAME.
  2. AnonymousMC
    Nov 10, 2006
    6
    This game is a more enjoyable experience in some way than other games such as Oblivion & Even Half-Life 2 but is let down by some serious flaws. The game is buggy on most systems I've played it on & even those PC that are exceeding the recommended specs & needs extensive tweaking to get it to work - despite the new patch thats been released for it to fix a long list of problems.This game is a more enjoyable experience in some way than other games such as Oblivion & Even Half-Life 2 but is let down by some serious flaws. The game is buggy on most systems I've played it on & even those PC that are exceeding the recommended specs & needs extensive tweaking to get it to work - despite the new patch thats been released for it to fix a long list of problems.

    You might have just bought this game from watching the trailers over the last 18 months while in development and the amazing use the game has put the legendary Source engine to good use. You will have to get used to using the kick key alot for all those high drops to kick the enemies off.

    Every time you attack an enemy your adreline bar goes up a bit further to execute 'death' kills that will slow the game down and instantly kill your unlucky victim.

    Through each of the tasks you will complete (some are optionally) you will get skill points to use to advance yourself so you get additional skills like more strength, stamina, become invisible or be a wizard of spells.

    The physic/ragdolls are over the top and can look like the game hasn't been fully tested and the amount of convient spikes & fires around every corner is suspect and doesn't leave much room for a creative kill. The annoying 'voice' in your head will guide/tell you what to do and its like a bad example of a TomTom GPS nagging every 5 seconds but she does keep her mouth shut for some bits of the game.
    If they fix the bugs so most people can play the game without re-tweaking the game then this would easily get 9/10, but it stays 6/10. Don't play this game until you've played the very short demo otherwise you might waste you money on a game that might even crash your PC.    … Expand
  3. DannyC.
    Nov 10, 2006
    0
    Horrible. This game was so completly dead on arrival they day it was released it is unbelievable. 90% of people couldnt play it at release. The recent 1.01 patch fixed the game for maybe 10%. Might as well called all of us suckers beta testers. Shame on the developers of this game. Don't waste a hard earned 50 bucks on this!
  4. JonaR.
    Nov 9, 2006
    10
    It's Just a great game and brings an new perspective in action games (body)
  5. JonK.
    Nov 4, 2006
    9
    Very fun game, pretty long, and the source engine is sooo beautiful.
  6. ItisaI.
    Nov 2, 2006
    1
    For casual gamer-It's fun. For hardcore gamer-It's fun but it didn't last long.(For single player of course).You'll be wondering why did you do the same thing over and over again.I believe if you want a really good game that using the HL2 Engine,I recommend you the 'Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines'.This game single player mode last longer because of For casual gamer-It's fun. For hardcore gamer-It's fun but it didn't last long.(For single player of course).You'll be wondering why did you do the same thing over and over again.I believe if you want a really good game that using the HL2 Engine,I recommend you the 'Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines'.This game single player mode last longer because of it's great replayability and it's better.… Expand
  7. BorisK.
    Nov 2, 2006
    10
    One of the most memorable FPS games released in the past few years. Amazing graphics and fun gameplay resembling a mix of Deus Ex, Severance and Quake. Has a few technical problems though.
  8. ZhelyazkoZ.
    Nov 2, 2006
    2
    after trying the demo provided me from steam/valve,i was waiting the release of the game with impatience...and on 11/1/2006 i bought it....to discover that i bought a beta version?!?!i know it is not beta,but definitly acts like that:elements and creatures dissapearing,and i was falling from highs or killed by"invisible" enemies....get stuck in walls couple times,fast save(F6) not warking after trying the demo provided me from steam/valve,i was waiting the release of the game with impatience...and on 11/1/2006 i bought it....to discover that i bought a beta version?!?!i know it is not beta,but definitly acts like that:elements and creatures dissapearing,and i was falling from highs or killed by"invisible" enemies....get stuck in walls couple times,fast save(F6) not warking all the time...dissapearing icons from the screan,or worse,showing up like molticolour squares?!?!,and this i just the easy part...How about the blou screens or dead comp,reboots or, internall errors,wrong allocation tables.....the magic(night)vision was much better on the demo.... I am really dissapointed.. my comp is :amd64 3000+,ati radeon 9600 128mb agp,2g RAM,250G HD,windows xp proffessional,up to date!!! i still can't get it?!?! oh and multiplayer choise on the menu is kicking the game to quit right away!why?… Expand
  9. NathanG.
    Nov 2, 2006
    10
    This game in my opinion is the greatest FPS out sense Half-Life... It's really fun, and just plainly amazing to see the environment react with what you do! Plainly awesome game. I can't stop playing!
  10. [Anonymous]
    Nov 1, 2006
    10
    Dark Messsiah of M&M is a leap up from games of this type. The first person combat is some the best ever. The world it bring to life is brilliant. And adventure pulls you in again and again.
  11. YermakirumY.
    Oct 31, 2006
    10
    Very good game.
  12. LukeM.
    Oct 31, 2006
    0
    Best Game Ever!!!!
  13. ericm
    Oct 30, 2006
    1
    This game gets a 1 because the demo was fun. Saying that, I can't even get as far into the game as the demo let me progress...it crashes right after the tutorial. I spent 50 dollars to play a game for 10 minutes and to have it crash everytime it loads up the first level after the tutorial, this is garbage. I went to the Dark Messiah forums only to discover that there are over 200This game gets a 1 because the demo was fun. Saying that, I can't even get as far into the game as the demo let me progress...it crashes right after the tutorial. I spent 50 dollars to play a game for 10 minutes and to have it crash everytime it loads up the first level after the tutorial, this is garbage. I went to the Dark Messiah forums only to discover that there are over 200 posts with over 20,000 views of this exact same issue and that a patch is in the works. Bugs this bad should be worked out in advance of a major release, this is unacceptable and although they are working on a patch for this issue, I should have been able to save my 50 bucks until I could play the game in whole, not a ten minute teaser.… Expand
  14. ClaesM.
    Oct 30, 2006
    10
    A great action rpg with loads of fantastic gfx animations and sounds + awesome music that fits really well.
  15. TimP.
    Oct 30, 2006
    9
    Great game. Though very linear, this game is beautiful and really fun to play. I have a dell XPS m1210 laptop, 1.83ghz,1gig ram,256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400. I'm running it at the lowest resolution and had to adjust some shading aspects, but it runs and looks fantastic now. Had some sound issues but fixed that by going on the Steam forums. If I would have been unable to install it or Great game. Though very linear, this game is beautiful and really fun to play. I have a dell XPS m1210 laptop, 1.83ghz,1gig ram,256MB NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400. I'm running it at the lowest resolution and had to adjust some shading aspects, but it runs and looks fantastic now. Had some sound issues but fixed that by going on the Steam forums. If I would have been unable to install it or get it to run correctly I wouldnt be playing it, therefore I wouldnt have bothered giving a review based on my anger at not being able to play it. Hate to sound arrogant, but if your system is incapable of installing this game, you should think about upgrading, getting a new system or just stick to console gaming. PC gaming is inherently more involved and requires a bit of research and the understanding that the game you pick might not turn out the way you want. Stop blaming it on the game maker.… Expand
  16. MichaelL.
    Oct 30, 2006
    9
    The game is remarkable. It keeps you on the edge of your seat like no other. Oblivion? What's Oblivion? Dark Messiah is atleast MULTIPLAYER. The singleplayer campaign isn't like Oblivion however, but to think that if it did, everyone would say "Oblivi-who?"
  17. Mr.S
    Oct 30, 2006
    9
    Must say that I was somewhat sceptical towards this game at first, but deciced to buy it anyway. Luckily the game turned out to be really entertaining. It's not free, vast and doesn't have a deep storytelling element, but as a lightweigth action/adventureRPG it's a winner. I enjoyed Oblivion immensely and Gothic 3 keeps entertaining me, but at times they're Must say that I was somewhat sceptical towards this game at first, but deciced to buy it anyway. Luckily the game turned out to be really entertaining. It's not free, vast and doesn't have a deep storytelling element, but as a lightweigth action/adventureRPG it's a winner. I enjoyed Oblivion immensely and Gothic 3 keeps entertaining me, but at times they're exhaustingly open and there's way too much to do. Dark Messiah keeps it small and focused, which is an excellent option to the large games. The graphics are excellent and the game runs on full detail with no mentionable stuttering. Gameplay is great and so far I haven't encountered any bugs. Thoroughly enjoyable game. If you're into rpg/action adventures I'd suggest you try the game. Only thing keeping the game away from a 10 is that from what I've heared the game could be a tad longer.… Expand
  18. EtherdD.
    Oct 29, 2006
    9
    Awesome. I rate up there with Oblivion, and although I am only in the 2nd part of the game, this game is really damn good. My only issues are it seems pretty linear so far..(where as in Oblivion, you don't HAVE to participate to advance,) but then again maybe I just need to get farther..(I just want to find some kind of a merchant so I can sell all these damned Blackguard shields I Awesome. I rate up there with Oblivion, and although I am only in the 2nd part of the game, this game is really damn good. My only issues are it seems pretty linear so far..(where as in Oblivion, you don't HAVE to participate to advance,) but then again maybe I just need to get farther..(I just want to find some kind of a merchant so I can sell all these damned Blackguard shields I have ...lol) It runs great on my older Radeon 9550, which is great if you don't have the funds for the newest graphics card, but it can be adjusted to some of the higher settings, so when I do get a better one, I can crank it up and check it out. Great follow up on a well traveled series...(I remember when this game was available for the commodore 64 back in the 80's......yup yup.) It's good to see them keep up with the times.… Expand
  19. PeteS.
    Oct 29, 2006
    4
    Another linear first person game one of the best to look at but soon became tedius, too many bugs, whats the point of collecting items? you cant trade!, Gothic 3 is far better...I really wanted to like this game but AI is poor an example if you chased and outnumbered climb a chain they cant see you., as previously stated overrater..
  20. BellinoP.
    Oct 28, 2006
    10
    The professional Reviewers that gave this game a low score must be paid off by someone or out of their minds. This is one of the best games I have ever played Period.
  21. Warmonger
    Oct 28, 2006
    0
    I just bought this game and, like many of you, was having a big problem just running it. Now, I, completely understand the need for copyright protection... after all, these people work too hard to produce these games, only to have them pirated. This so- called protection should no way infringe on your ability to play these games. What I find to be inexcusable, is UBISOFT releasing a game I just bought this game and, like many of you, was having a big problem just running it. Now, I, completely understand the need for copyright protection... after all, these people work too hard to produce these games, only to have them pirated. This so- called protection should no way infringe on your ability to play these games. What I find to be inexcusable, is UBISOFT releasing a game before ensuring that it is , reasonably, bug free. I had a problem that was a result of the copyright protection conflicting with my DVD rom ( driver software). Why was this major problem not resolved before shipping? Waiting for a patch,for me, is an afterthought, that is simply, not acceptable. I feel that these problems could have been avoided, had this product been thoroughly tested before it's release.Everyone makes mistakes but when they are done consistently, one has to wonder what is UBISOFT hoping to prove by releasing glitched and sub par products.Because of this, I have, reluctantly, sold my copy of Dark Messiah after many frustrating hours, unsuccessfully trying to get it to work and am sad to say that I wll never purchase another UBISOFT product, unless these big copyright protection problems are resolved.… Expand
  22. Catraven70
    Oct 28, 2006
    3
    When I first played the demo I was enthralled. Then I purchased this game and had nothing but problems loading it after installation-apparently the copyright protection on the disc conflicts with my DVD rom. This is not the first time that Ubisoft has had this problem with one of their games-you think they would learn from there mistakes. This game is unplayable and my excitment about it When I first played the demo I was enthralled. Then I purchased this game and had nothing but problems loading it after installation-apparently the copyright protection on the disc conflicts with my DVD rom. This is not the first time that Ubisoft has had this problem with one of their games-you think they would learn from there mistakes. This game is unplayable and my excitment about it is greatly diminished!!!!… Expand
  23. JacobP.
    Oct 28, 2006
    7
    The game is fun, although the voice acting is sometimes poorly done and the plot is as see-through as a thin sheet of greasy paper. Long load times abound, and the skill system makes less of a difference than you would expect. However, combat is visceral and enjoyable, and it is a great looking game. It's worth picking up, but try to get it cheap.
  24. Boglito
    Oct 28, 2006
    10
    Incredibly beautiful implementation of the source engine. Swordplay is absolutely ace. Best in any game ever. Either way you choose to dispatch of your advesaries; the end result is always satisfactory. A couple of bugs? Yes. A truckload of awesome? Indeed.
  25. EthanL
    Oct 28, 2006
    5
    Waaaay too many bugs. The gameplay is pretty fun, but story is mediocre, and it just didn't keep my attention for long. Overall, it's too overrated.
  26. FernandoE.
    Oct 27, 2006
    9
    It's an amazaing game,it have an exellent character animation and a lot of fantasy action in a first person game. i have been waiting for somthing like it.
  27. MikeB.
    Oct 27, 2006
    10
    Phenomenal. A must play. Brilliant level design. Brilliant graphics. Supreme adventure. Brutal hack and slash. What more could you ask for?
  28. JustinR.
    Oct 27, 2006
    9
    After having played the game a few hours, I stand thoroughly impressed with its intense and visceral combat.
  29. Josh
    Oct 27, 2006
    2
    The game is great. The bugs suck! This game is loaded with bugs that prevent many users from playing the game.
  30. PaulR.
    Oct 27, 2006
    1
    The game looks great, but is all but unplayable due to numerous bugs. I have played every game in the might and magic series and this one doesnt currently work. Long load times, stuttering sound, etc. I decided it is not worth playing after dieing and contemplating another 5 min load time.
  31. A.Tiilitehdas
    Oct 27, 2006
    7
    Long load times and lagg, poor programming I say. But good game other wise, maybe patches will help.
  32. Alex
    Oct 27, 2006
    9
    Ignore gamespot's review. Clearly the reviewer wasnt playing the same game I was. Great graphics, fantastic 1P combat, and more gore than you can throw a stick at. I wouldn't buy it for the plot - but if gruesome and realstic medieval / fantasy action is your thing then DM will knock your socks off, guaranteed. Just make sure you have a rig that can run it. the HDR effects can Ignore gamespot's review. Clearly the reviewer wasnt playing the same game I was. Great graphics, fantastic 1P combat, and more gore than you can throw a stick at. I wouldn't buy it for the plot - but if gruesome and realstic medieval / fantasy action is your thing then DM will knock your socks off, guaranteed. Just make sure you have a rig that can run it. the HDR effects can get a little intense at times.… Expand
  33. JohnL.
    Oct 26, 2006
    10
    Best action rpg out on any system and doesn't require a super computer to have everything enabled. Best sword combat system I have ever seen. Nothing comes close.
  34. J.Gollum
    Oct 26, 2006
    9
    A magical mixture of different genre ingredients that suffers almost solely from loading times. Hope a patch will fix those. The replay value is only getting clear to me now, when I'm about 90% through the sp campaign. An instant classic, if anyone asked me.
  35. Anthony
    Oct 25, 2006
    10
    10 Stars! Although there were some glitches on the first day, they updated the game within the first 2 hours. Everything works fine now, and i'm halfway through the game. AMAZING SO FAR!
  36. Scott
    Oct 25, 2006
    10
    Dark Messiah has amazing graphics and incredible gameplay. I absolutely love how they integrated RPG with first person combat. The physics and HDR are magnificent.
  37. AlexJ.
    Oct 25, 2006
    10
    Awsome game. The combat system has high potential for user skill development. The scenery is great, and for once AI isn't an idiom.
  38. KDep
    Oct 18, 2006
    9
    After playing the demo thoroughly, I really enjoyed this game a lot. It's the standard "Start with a regular character and customize them to your playing style". Create a warrior, rougue, mage or combination. The beautiful and interactive environment is just a great thing to behold.

    Combat is also highly interactive. Fight / swing swords - fine, that's standard. Drop a    After playing the demo thoroughly, I really enjoyed this game a lot. It's the standard "Start with a regular character and customize them to your playing style". Create a warrior, rougue, mage or combination. The beautiful and interactive environment is just a great thing to behold.

    Combat is also highly interactive. Fight / swing swords - fine, that's standard. Drop a barrel on a goblin's head. Hmm... Kick your enemy over a cliff or shove them into a spiked wall. Nice...    … Expand
  39. MarcNoon
    Oct 6, 2006
    10
    I've never been so happy to play a demo before. The entire experience is emersive and challenging. I especially like the the skills you can acquire by just selecting the tab button. It brings up the points you've earned and you can choose the skills for your player. I hope that there are more types of characters btw.
  40. CarstenJaksch
    Sep 19, 2006
    10
    ich schreibs mal in deutsch:
    ich finde dieses spiel großartig mit der grafik die gut aussieht und bei der das spiel noch recht ruckfrei auf meinem computer läuft. Die ganzen features etc. sind auch sehr gut gemacht und das ganze aussehen und die geschichte ist für mich nur eine wertung von 10 wert!!! das beste spiel was ich jeh gesehn hab!
  41. RyanCook
    Aug 9, 2006
    10
    This is no game, it's a masterpiece! By introducing an absolute "clear-cut" combat system, brilliant visuals and innovative multiplayer, DM:MM dominates the majority of other similar (RPG and FPS) games. It redefines the whole aspect of visual warfare and kicks the famous Oblivion game off its throne. All hail to the new king, Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.
  42. DavidIII
    Aug 9, 2006
    8
    Actaully it is hard to evaluate this game with DEMO version because of short playing time. By the way, there is a thing that i want to emphasize-

    The (advanced) source engine has proven its potentials again with impressive visuals, pleasant sounds and proper effects. Moreover, as you know, the engine presents high-quality even though the running system is not a quite fitting for 3d    Actaully it is hard to evaluate this game with DEMO version because of short playing time. By the way, there is a thing that i want to emphasize-

    The (advanced) source engine has proven its potentials again with impressive visuals, pleasant sounds and proper effects. Moreover, as you know, the engine presents high-quality even though the running system is not a quite fitting for 3d games. (though I tested DEMO on my low-end notebook, it worked great at maximum widescreen resolution/high settings. I couldn't even see shadows in F.E.A.R with the same machine and had to run that 'pathatic mode')    … Expand
  43. LoveIII
    Aug 9, 2006
    8
    Actaully it is hard to evaluate this game with DEMO version because of short playing time. By the way, there is a thing that i want to emphasize-

    The (advanced) source engine has proven its potentials again with impressive visuals, pleasant sounds and proper effects. Moreover, as you know, the engine presents high-quality even though the running system is not a quite fitting for 3d    Actaully it is hard to evaluate this game with DEMO version because of short playing time. By the way, there is a thing that i want to emphasize-

    The (advanced) source engine has proven its potentials again with impressive visuals, pleasant sounds and proper effects. Moreover, as you know, the engine presents high-quality even though the running system is not a quite fitting for 3d games. (though I tested DEMO on my low-end notebook, it worked great at maximum widescreen resolution/high settings. I couldn't even see shadows in F.E.A.R with the same machine and had to run that 'pathatic mode')    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

91
#91 Best PC Game of 2006
4
#4 Most Discussed PC Game of 2006
17
#17 Most Shared PC Game of 2006

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
72

Mixed or average reviews - based on 44 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 44
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 44
  3. Negative: 2 out of 44
  1. PC Gamer UK
    88
    There's really nothing that can match Dark Messiah's combat. The mixture of weaponry and convincingly cause-and-effect physics really does take first-person fighting to new places. [Nov 2006, p.62]
  2. PC Zone UK
    84
    If the game suffers, it's from over-explanation, the occasional lapse in the combat, and the repetitive nature of the environmental weaponry. But I was kept entertained all the way through, and I've never felt so directy responsible for chopping off a goblin's arm. [Dec 2006, p.70]
    Read full review
  3. PC Format
    88
    An outstanding experience. It manages to create a constant sense of threat, includes some stunning set-pieces, and introduces a cast of breathtaking beasts, all within a combat system that is one of the most versatile and violent we have ever seen. [Dec 2006, p.98]
See all critic reviews »