Hidden Gems - Dark Void

At the beginning of every year, there's always a horrible drought of games. It seems that nothing meaningful comes out until the last of the Winter frost melts away and Spring is in the air. But unfortunately for some developers, that's not the case. Today we're going to look at a painfully overlooked title that was released in the early days of 2010, Capcom's Dark Void.

There were several reasons to overlook Dark Void. It was released during a AAA-game dry spell, it was received poorly and it had a downloadable spin-off which was considered superior. Ouch. But Dark Void is anything but a shitty game, it has a refreshing take on the overused cover system, an interesting flying mechanic and a genuinely moving story.

 Ouch.

You play as William Gray (voiced by sexy Nolan North), a cargo pilot operating at the dawn of the Second World War. After attempting to fly over the Bermuda Triangle, Will crashes his plane on a remote island, where he first encounters the antagonistic Watchers, a race of slug-like creatures occupying mechanical bodies. Will is drawn into a war between Human Survivors and the Watchers inside the titular void, a wasteland-like world which is the border between Earth and the Watcher Homeworld.

At first, the game plays like a regular cover-based Third-person shooter, akin to Gears of War. But as the game progresses, you acquire a hover pack, which allows you to float across chasms and enter the "Vertical Cover System" which allows you to take cover while hanging off objects. A common criticism of the title was the occasional glitch while in vertical cover, but it's mostly trouble with the A.I., who can't seem to understand how to take cover. That aside, another twist on the gameplay is the inclusion of the Jetpack, which allows to you to soar across the vast expanse of the void. The flying controls are responsive, and Will is able to perform a variety of maneuvers while airborne. The levels that enable you to fly are some of the funnest in the game.

Shooting from cover is very basic. Well, when you're on the ground anyways.

The visuals in Dark Void are one of the strongest elements in the game. The environments are varied and range from a tropical Bermudan Island and the mechanical interior of Watcher ship, to the empty wasteland of the Void.  The character designs, though still graphically stunning, are admittedly less interesting than the environments. The audio takes a backseat to the visuals, but it's somewhat notable for it's epic orchestral score and solid voice-work (Yay! Nolan North!)

Dark Void can be found new for the bargain price of $20, you're essentially stealing the game at that price. The game is definitely a strong runner-up for most underrated game of 2010 and worth much more than the meager sum you'll be paying. Give it a shot.

- Kyle K.