Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements

 Xbox 360
  • Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: Feb 12, 2008
  • Also On: PC
User Score
6.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 58 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 34 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 58
  3. Negative: 14 out of 58
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  1. TankH.
    Feb 27, 2008
    10
    I feel like a god when I
  2. JackJ.
    Feb 26, 2008
    2
    This game is awful, it is an abomination of the pc version. The game is changed to the point where it should not be called the same thing, the levels and story are twisted and distorted from the pc version, which wasnt exactly a masterpiece, but was still clearly better than this trash.
  3. EdM.
    Feb 27, 2008
    10
    Fight to the death! This is a real good game to get yer kill on with. Makes me feel like a combo between Lobo, Roachmill and Martial Law if they all existed in the middle ages. Any of you old school comic book readers will know that this means the game is FRAGGIN GREAT!
  4. Locimento
    Oct 15, 2011
    8
    Very fun game, The Combat is very immersive and diverse and fun to pull off, currently ive been playing the game as a warrior and it is pretty fun. Im kind of disappointing about the class system though such as assassins can only use knives, that's dumb, why can i be an assassin and use a bow as well? Or like Mages can only use stave's and cant use swords. It dumbs down your class to anVery fun game, The Combat is very immersive and diverse and fun to pull off, currently ive been playing the game as a warrior and it is pretty fun. Im kind of disappointing about the class system though such as assassins can only use knives, that's dumb, why can i be an assassin and use a bow as well? Or like Mages can only use stave's and cant use swords. It dumbs down your class to an unnecessary level. The voice acting is ok for the most part, sometimes it feels too scripted but its not too noticeable. Also the lady that speaks to you while your on your journey is VERY annoying and i wish she was removed or i could mute her because it is really damn aggravating. But i also loved that you spend a lot of time exploring and looking for potions, armor, weapons, and other forms of loot. There is a lot of cool puzzles and exploration to be done to find better armor and such witch makes the game feel more adventurous and exiting. If you like adventure action RPGS you will most likely enjoy this great game.… Expand
  5. osprey
    Nov 21, 2013
    8
    This game is lots of fun. It feels more like a first person shooter then a RPG and that might be a good thing. The rope arrow is my favorite part of the game and I don't know if it exists in any other games. This alone makes this a unique gaming experience and the fact the game is super cheap to buy now makes it worth playing. I think it looks pretty good and has some fun puzzles andThis game is lots of fun. It feels more like a first person shooter then a RPG and that might be a good thing. The rope arrow is my favorite part of the game and I don't know if it exists in any other games. This alone makes this a unique gaming experience and the fact the game is super cheap to buy now makes it worth playing. I think it looks pretty good and has some fun puzzles and varied environments. I highly recommend this game.… Expand
  6. MegWhiteley
    Oct 10, 2012
    7
    Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements, is a funny game, have a good details, obviously is not better than the PC Version, have some mistakes, and some parts are strange. The game is funny, have a good gameplay and have pretty graphics. No more.
  7. Broyax
    Feb 17, 2020
    0
    Il s'agit du portage sur console de DMMM créé par Arkane Studios mais mal porté ici, abominablement mal porté par Ubisoft Annecy... Cela dit, je n'ai pas joué au jeu original, lequel s'avère peut-être ma foi aussi mauvais que celui-ci (don't act)... mais ce DMMME (fichtre, quel acronyme bien rigolo...) est tout de même tout pourri, aucun doute là-dessus...

    Déjà, il tourne comme une    Il s'agit du portage sur console de DMMM créé par Arkane Studios mais mal porté ici, abominablement mal porté par Ubisoft Annecy... Cela dit, je n'ai pas joué au jeu original, lequel s'avère peut-être ma foi aussi mauvais que celui-ci (don't act)... mais ce DMMME (fichtre, quel acronyme bien rigolo...) est tout de même tout pourri, aucun doute là-dessus...

    Déjà, il tourne comme une patate tout le temps et rame encore pire lors des combats... les "niveaux" sont tout **** ridiculement **** ce qui entraîne des chargements fréquents... Le combat lui-même au corps-à-corps est complètement raté, encore pire que dans un Oblivion...

    Quand au combat à distance, il est d'une imprécision stupéfiante, autant parce que ça rame que parce que c'est mal fait... Lorsqu'on choisit le mage, on tombe en rade de mana tôt ou tard et on doit galérer au corps-à-corps avec le bâton complètement inefficace, bonjour les dégâts pourris... quant à l'infiltration ici, il s'agit surtout de la cinquième roue du carrosse ! on s'étonne aussi d'être cantonné à une "classe" une fois pour toutes puisqu'il ne s'agit certainement pas d'un jeu de rôle.

    Bons points tout de même pour la bonne VF et la sauvegarde manuelle... mais de bien faibles consolations face à un désastre complet par ailleurs. Jeu à balancer aux oubliettes donc, puis jeter la clé dans un puits dans fond !    … Expand
  8. WillA
    Mar 2, 2008
    9
    my favorite thing about might and magic games are always the classic fantasy monster elements. this one has them all: orcs, trolls, zombies, skeletons, giant spiders, weird... winged... fuckers... and my next favorite thing is smashing the bejesus out of all of them. GREAT GAME.
  9. RickG.
    Mar 3, 2008
    9
    the reviews for this title weren't so hot, but i'm about a millimeter away from believing there's a conspiracy of reviewers to make most of ubisoft's games look bad. but that's another story altogether... DM Elements is not a bad game - obviously not as in depth as its predecessor, but whoever claims that it was meant to be doesn't understand the game.
  10. PuyaE.
    Mar 3, 2008
    8
    the musical composition for this game is pretty good. that's what drew me in originally.. and the graphics. the overall aesthetics are riveting to be honest, which makes up for the slightly awkward gameplay. 8/10.
  11. RayC.
    Mar 4, 2008
    8
    Pretty impressive! Reviewers are bashing it but their standards are too high. If you're like me and you're not into the kinds of games that take you 5 years to master, it's awesome. Short and sweet, REALLY nice graphics, REALLY nice story to back it up. 8/10!
  12. DoberwomanH.
    Mar 4, 2008
    9
    the fighting system in this is pretty basic, but it's really fun. kind of old school. straight up mash 'em up slashing, fire and iceball shooting - ya know. M/M stuff. highly recommend it!
  13. AmonS.
    Feb 22, 2008
    10
    This is a treat. My computer is fairly old and not up to the system heavy requirements of most of today
  14. JillD.
    Feb 22, 2008
    10
    This is some serious fun. Don
  15. BillK.
    Feb 26, 2008
    10
    There's some good extra content for the 360 version. I played the PC version and really liked ii a lot. I intended to pay through it again but never got around to it. So when this came out on the 360 I picked it up so that I could enjoy the extra content during my second play through. The stuff I did the first time were just as much fun the second time around (using different weapons There's some good extra content for the 360 version. I played the PC version and really liked ii a lot. I intended to pay through it again but never got around to it. So when this came out on the 360 I picked it up so that I could enjoy the extra content during my second play through. The stuff I did the first time were just as much fun the second time around (using different weapons and strategies changed the experience quite a bit) and the new 360 content is rad! Excellent version.… Expand
  16. MarkS
    Jul 12, 2008
    8
    I have played through the PC version prior to this and have only played this games single player mode. I dont know what the professional reviewers problem is with this game. Possibly Arkane did not line their pockets like EA, Ubisoft or Eidos would. This is an above average shooter. If you are expectiing Oblivion, you will be disappointed, however if you are looking for a medieval/fantasy I have played through the PC version prior to this and have only played this games single player mode. I dont know what the professional reviewers problem is with this game. Possibly Arkane did not line their pockets like EA, Ubisoft or Eidos would. This is an above average shooter. If you are expectiing Oblivion, you will be disappointed, however if you are looking for a medieval/fantasy FPS with some RPG elements this is a great choice. The game uses Half Life 2's Source engine w/ HDR effects. It looks pretty good on the 360 but not near as good on the PC. The voice acting of one of the main characters is downright terrible but I cant say that has a huge impact on gameplay. If you like mainstream FPS games, get this and you will enjoy. I typically own and play only shooters rated 7.5 and higher on here/IGN but I can honestly say this should be rated MUCH higher.… Expand
  17. aspentitan
    Sep 17, 2016
    6
    This games rating to me is clearly a 6 however please dont let that score turn you off just read the reviews here because this game is actually worth a look as a very entertaining game. This game clearly has problems but for every problem it has there is a solution and the game is drastically fun if you go into the game knowing how to deal with the software before it deals with you. ThisThis games rating to me is clearly a 6 however please dont let that score turn you off just read the reviews here because this game is actually worth a look as a very entertaining game. This game clearly has problems but for every problem it has there is a solution and the game is drastically fun if you go into the game knowing how to deal with the software before it deals with you. This game is a very fun cheesy game. It allows you to play it according to your tastes and this is where it excels. Is it high quality? Well no. Is it fun? Absolutely. Im going to address each downfall and the solution. Platforming. Ok, not sure why this game has platforming but it has some and the jump action sucks hard to be honest. However its not a rediculous amount and the upside is there are multiple paths to take so its not too big a deal. Just take a different path. Saving. Necessary and annoying but not a full on problem. If you die you lose your stuff since last checkpoint and have to repeat getting it back by trying to remember which part of the chapter you found it in. Thankfully the game has lots of save slots so be proactive to avoid this annoyance. I didn't come across many glitches but read other reviews there are some. Save often. Gameplay AI. Well, most of the game enemies are cheesy idiots with terrible combat however there are some really good effects and spells. The game was designed to allow you to plan traps and not be overwhelmed by speed. In turn bad AI gives plenty of time to set up planned traps and such forth. There is enough challenge its just not off the charts This is the draw of the game in my opinion. Being able to plan a funny demise to the enemies. You can kick them into spikewalls. you can set paths of exploding traps, you have pretty decent spells and a huge variety of weapons to play around with. This choice and freedom is where this game shines. Its not serious battle but it is wtf cheesy and uniquely fun. The same kind of draw as deadrising in a way I guess. What else. Well I really liked the chapter designs. Each was a small piece of the game if you want you just follow the linear path and complete the chapter or if you want to explore and take your time there was a lot of secret areas to get into and find neat stuff. I found the game entertaining and relaxing. As much as this game is low quality it really did draw me in and make me want to play it just because there was so much choice available. As a gamer this was a fun game. Its too bad it was so cheesy and low end but all things considered I actually do want to own this game for another playthrough. This game wont wow anyone but it definitely deserves a break as it is entertaining. I would recommend playing the game for a bit always saving here and there then put the game down for a few days to a week and carry on. The game does have too many annoyances for a straight playthrough. This is really its only problem in my opinion. Its not fully broken.… Expand
  18. Fortysixter_UK
    Nov 1, 2011
    6
    I originally played this on PC, being a fan of Might & Magic 6,7,8 & 9. Note , this is NOTHING like the original turn based RPGs. This is a first person action/rpgs using the same engine as Half Life 2. Come into this game expecting any similarities to the titles above and you will be sorely dissapointed.

    Come into this game with an open mind however, and there is a long and interesting    I originally played this on PC, being a fan of Might & Magic 6,7,8 & 9. Note , this is NOTHING like the original turn based RPGs. This is a first person action/rpgs using the same engine as Half Life 2. Come into this game expecting any similarities to the titles above and you will be sorely dissapointed.

    Come into this game with an open mind however, and there is a long and interesting campaign to be played here on the Xbox. Having literally just sat through my second run through on xbox 360 ( completed it at 19.18 hours 1st November 2011 ), I thought I would bring this game up to date with a more recent review.

    On Xbox you are confined to one of four character types, Warrior, Mage, Hunter, Rogue ( I play a lot of WoW so whilst this may not be their exact titles, this is what the classes are ). This time I played through as a warrior.

    As I should've realised, warriors are a pretty dull class to play. This didn't stop me enjoying this detailed and visually attractive action/rpg lite on the xbox 360, but it made me wish for ranged weaponry for most of the playthrough. Note to self, never play a role that has no ranged abilities.

    Good fun, approx 20 hour campaign and plenty to explore, especially once you get access to the rope firing bow, that lets you scale otherwise unreachable places. Overall, this plays like a quality FPS or hack n slash with some RPG lite elements thrown in. Very enjoyable, in that 20 hour play thru it crashed/locked up on me twice. Just save regularly and there's no issue. The multiplayer is now non-existent due to the age of the game, and you can probably pick it up for a very low price and it is seriously worth your time if you like fantasy game scenarios.

    The PC version is vastly superior, with detailed character design decisions made by the player, allowing you to make hybrid classes, whereas this version on xbox 360, is a straight line for the one class you choose. The PC version is also on Steam , with all the advantages Steam and it being a PC game brings to the table. But the xbox 360 version is great fun as well. Go for it. It's a big game with good acting.    … Expand
  19. Johnster1
    Jul 15, 2012
    4
    While I remember this gaming being nothing more than garbage, you can actually see a few good sides to it. Don't get me wrong, it's combat consists of nothing of kicking enemies into spiked walls and the sea, or slashing down chandeliers, but it's still there. One thing I don't like is that the melee combat can be VERY irresponsive and highly delayed for a game made in 2008. But some ofWhile I remember this gaming being nothing more than garbage, you can actually see a few good sides to it. Don't get me wrong, it's combat consists of nothing of kicking enemies into spiked walls and the sea, or slashing down chandeliers, but it's still there. One thing I don't like is that the melee combat can be VERY irresponsive and highly delayed for a game made in 2008. But some of the gameplay is good, there's a great story and some nice action sequences.

    Unfortunately some will be put off by its heavily outdated graphics and they won't age well, that's for sure. Character models look clunkier and environments less attractive than a game on the Playstation 1! But there are some good level designs and some nice songs throughout. I'd recommend the game for under £10, no more than $15.    … Expand
  20. Chempion1
    Jun 18, 2020
    1
    Я вообще не знаю, кто занимается портированием на консоли и обратно. Иногда кажется, что некоторые игры портирует некая секта "Ненавистников игр". Вспомнить хотя бы Devil May Cry 3 или Batman: Arkham Knight на РС.
    Это касается и нелепого высера Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements.
    Скажу честно Dark Messiah от Arkane на РС стала для меня одной из любимейших игр вообще. Я её прошел    Я вообще не знаю, кто занимается портированием на консоли и обратно. Иногда кажется, что некоторые игры портирует некая секта "Ненавистников игр". Вспомнить хотя бы Devil May Cry 3 или Batman: Arkham Knight на РС.
    Это касается и нелепого высера Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements.
    Скажу честно Dark Messiah от Arkane на РС стала для меня одной из любимейших игр вообще. Я её прошел несколько раз с разными умениями и всё бы хорошо. Но, прошли годы, у меня появился Xbox 360, я узнал о порте Elements и, конечно же, захотел сыграть в любимую игру на, тогда ещё любимой, консоли. Как же я об этом пожалел.
    Начну с внешнего вида. Игра выглядит просто ужасно. Хвалёные вырезанные миссии из оригинала, смотрелись чужеродными не только по сюжету (просто посреди оригинальных миссий вставили куски, не имеющие никакого отношения не к месту, ни к повествованию), но и графически выглядели как какие-то черновики, без теней, без текстур.
    Но это можно было бы простить, если бы не решение убрать из игры полностью все элементы прокачки персонажа. Забавно в Elements нет элементов:)
    Игру сделали прямой как шлагбаум. Нельзя было создать своего идеального избранного самому. Давали играть только строго за мага, мечника или вора. Всё! А ведь это была фишка игры.
    Портисты решили, наверное, что в консоли играет более тупой контингент, который запутается в прокачке и полностью её вырезали. Ха!
    Ну и говорить о том, что эти помои даже переводить не стали на русский, не буду.
    Даже не знаю, кого в этом винить, если это делали корейские студенты, вопрос к разработчикам. Как они могли отдать своё лучшее творение, в руки не пойми кого? А если это сама Arkane........ то вопросы будут уже к психиатру. Это же мазохизм, как есть!
    Моё пожелание тем, кто не видел игру, но хочет её посмотреть. Играть только в версию для PC, тем более, кому это важно, сейчас на Windowse можно подключить геймпад к любой игре.    … Expand
  21. LT_Gruber
    Jan 10, 2023
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very hard but amazing game with a lot of realism.

    Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements is a unique experience. It shares story and characters from the Heroes of Might and Magic series but is a completely standalone game with a surprisingly good story, solid mechanics and an unforgiving difficulty.

    In Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements, you are an apprentice called Sarteh, trained by a master magician named Phenrig, trained in the arts of combat and magic. You complete your training and need to go to an expedition to the city of Stonehelm. Your master plants a spirit inside your head named Xana, who guides you on your travels.

    You need to search for the Skull of Shadows, an artifact that your master Phenrig and his buddy Menelag, lord of Stonhelm want you find. You eventually meet Leanna, a chick that helps you on your journey.

    You learn that Xana is actually a demon that possesses you and besides finding and destroying Arantir, you need to banish her from your system, what you eventually do. Then you take the fight to Arantir, getting hindered by Orcs, Goblins and a Pao Kai in the process. You dispose of the Orc war chief and start your battle with Arantir. After defeating him, you decide the final fate of the Skull of Shadows, spawning one of the four different endings the game offers.

    You can earn skill points in combat to improve your skill tree. There is no bound class for you to master so you are free to spend your points however you want. However, you need to think about the feats and skills you want to master because “a little bit of everything” is not going to work out for this game.

    For the time, I thought (and still think) that Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements is one of the best-looking games out there. I was stunned by its realistic graphics, its animations, the view bobbing of the main characters, the fact that you could see your own feet and limbs and the incredible detail of the environments. Even today, this game looks like it is just four years old or something, but it is actually almost thirteen years. The enemies look horrifying and very detailed, and the overall tint is colorful but very grim at the same time. A unique combination.

    The music has that typical Heroes of Might and Magic vibe and never fails to impress when in combat, running away from hordes of zombies or when fighting epic bosses. The sound effects are solid, and this is one of the games in my personal top ten when it comes to sound. The *kling* sound of the swords, the impact of your kicks, the footsteps, the magic attacks, the sounds and speech of enemies, it is all just perfect.

    The controls work fine but because of the realism this game offers in movement and platforming, it can be a little stiff and clunky sometimes. Jumps need to be perfect, and your range is limited. It takes some time to master but when you do, it could just as well be a VR game.

    The combat mechanics and style of fighting in Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements is also really unique and still one of the most realistic ones out there. You can block, dodge, kick and really need to get control of the situation. Mainly because of the outstanding AI that enemies use, in which they can outsmart you easily, drive you into a corner or simply land a hit on you before you got time to figure out what they are going to do. You can also interact with the environment, kicking enemies in spikes for example or smashing them off ledges. It feels so epic and satisfying when you nail an Orc to the spike wall behind him and overall, I think it is perfection. The enemies are almost human players in their actions and behavior and to this day, I believe it is one of the best and most realistic combat experiences I have ever played.

    The realism in combat, movement and platforming makes this game also really, really hard. The whole game has a vibe of danger, helplessness and caution over it. You cannot rush towards your goal and hope for the best, every step can be a trap, an enemy lurking around the corner or a jump that you need to plan carefully. I also thought this game had a very grim atmosphere. Your character Sareth is really cautious and overall, not that positive about the events around him and because this is one of the few games that let you bond automatically with the fate of the main character, you can feel his questions and cautious behavior too. It is a little hard to explain.

    In conclusion, I thought Dark Messiah of Might and Magic: Elements was an amazing game that came out of the blue and it still a unique specimen in the Might and Magic series and games in general. It is hard as the seventh layer of hell but well worth it in the end.

    Definitely recommend this awesome game.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
38
#38 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
52

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 27
  3. Negative: 8 out of 27
  1. Pelit (Finland)
    88
    A well-polished remake of the excellent action RPG from PC. It is only due to the far too simplified and illogical character class system that the new version falls slightly behind the original. [Jan 2008]
  2. Games Master UK
    58
    Just the combat would have been dumb fun. Sadly, too much clag gets in the way. [Feb 2008, p.58]
  3. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    50
    It's just a bit shallow, and technically flawed with it: the frame-rate is nowhere near as solid as you'd expect from a game that looks only "all right" and the physics system is prone to craziness. Despite all the time in development, it lacks polish. [Feb 2008, p.96]
See all critic reviews »