Darkwatch Review

I think Darkwatch is a potentially good game ruined by mindless fun.

It definitely wasn't something I'd expect from Capcom. I liked it for the shooting and tasks of reaching certain dynamite plungers, but soon got tired of using the same three weapons over and over again. The same mindless enemies charged at me for the games pitiful amount of levels. The same goals, reach a new area, take out enemies, or activate something. I think this game had potential, but I was fairly wrong.

The game plays out like an average shooter. It takes place in the Old West, with all the horses and guns. Speaking of horses, you can ride your own in certain levels. Anyway, the story is simple: you are Jericho Cross, gunslinger, outlaw, and because of a recent accident, a vampire trying to become human again. The secret organization, Darkwatch, can help, but you must first prove yourself. There are good and bad choices you can make to alter the storyline and get new powers, but I've seen no change in the story from decisions besides your dead partner's yells. Only in the end do you get a true story-changing choice. The story was okay, smashed into the game's rather scarce amount of missions. I was rather disappointed by how little effect it had on the game, though.

Visually, Darkwatch is supreme. The blood is like fresh juice, although it doesn't get on the ground. But DarkWatch's biggest advantage over other First-Person Shooters is the physics, which has a huge effect on the game. Whenever you kill, the zombies never die the same way. Flips, jumps, rolls, you name it, they die by it. You can even slice body parts off with your melee attack. Headshots never appeared so gory, and the explosions caused by dynamite made guts fly. Jericho looks like a monkey, and people are very well detailed.

The music was like any other negative-story game, gloomy and low. The sounds were very well made, and effects by falling or explosions were impressive. I can't say it's the best, but I also can't say it's the worst.

Darkwatch also has a Gunslinger mode for those of you who like doing pointless levels over and over again. You can unlock Concept Art, but only for completing ridiculously hard hidden tasks.

Overall, Darkwatch is just your pointless shooter game with great potential because of visuals and sound effects, but ruined by repetition, the unchangeable storyline, and the always-asked question of "Why am I playing this?".

Darkwatch gets a 4.5 out of 10 from me.

This review was added on 12th November 2005 by Joey Cusimano.