Capcom’s Dark Void has unceremoniously crashed into an abyss of video game mediocrity.
Indeed, the title has been harshly criticized and dubbed an utter failure by a number of reviewers.
For example, Jim Sterling of Destructoid opined that Dark Void’s mixture of standard third-person shooting and jet-based dogfighting had the “potential” to be a success, but really wasn’t “all that good.”
“Dark Void is not a good game – the best parts of the game are mediocre and the worst parts are abysmal. Dreary and annoying in equal parts, this is a [title] best left avoided,” wrote Sterling.
“Better games have already been released this year, and it’s not even February yet. Dark Void will be forgotten in two weeks, and you’d be better off having not played it before then.”
Mike Snider and Brett Molina of USA Today expressed similar sentiments.
“As a whole, the 6-8 hour campaign feels uninspired and forgettable. The levels lack diversity, and players almost always spend their time in the same dull dogfights.
“Players enticed by Dark Void should prepare for a one-way flight to mediocrity, as exciting flying mechanics are wasted on bland third-person combat.”
Meanwhile, Wired’s Chris Kohler claimed that Dark Void had already “clinched the award” for the Most Ironically Appropriate Title – as it was an “empty nothing” of a game, with “few” bright spots.
“Dark Void was an ambitious project that just didn’t make it off the ground. Even though some stages (like the penultimate aerial battle) felt like they lasted forever and ever, Dark Void is a pretty short game with an anticlimactic ending that does little more than set up a sequel.”
But what does Capcom have to say about the much maligned Dark Void?
“Combining a unique blend of aerial dog-fighting, with fast-paced ground combat, Dark Void creates an exciting third-person shooter experience. Bringing a whole new sense of tension and thrill is Dark Void’s unique vertical combat system.
“Players now must worry about enemies from above as well as what’s in front of them. Equipped for fierce in-air combat with a powerful jetpack, players will hurtle through the Void at blistering speeds while shooting down anything that gets in their way.
Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, that’s because it probably is.
Nevertheless, the game may still be worth renting or trading for – if only to experience Dark Void’s vertical combat engine and slick sci-fi graphics.
