The fine folks at Air Tight Games have demo-ized Dark Void. This odd slice of the cover-system shooter is now available over Xbox LIVE Marketplace. It’s a small download (weighing in around 800 MB) that should give you a decent look at the jet pack combat, the in-the-air mechanics, and the on-the-ground shooting.
We’ve spent some time with the demo this morning and decided to bring footage of it to all of you stuck at work or too lazy to download the thing. Note that it’s not me behind Noland North -- it’s Nick “Rock Band” Chester rolling through the clouds.
I can’t speak for Nick, but I know I didn’t enjoy the demo. I found the air controls messy and the hijacking controls awkward and confusing. That said, this is just a demo and I did have some positive experiences. Like that one time I accidentally ignited my jet pack inside the alien hangar thing. That was rad.
I agree with you on the air controls, though I did find the hijacking to be a pleasant surprise. Would've been nice to not have had to just quick-time-fumble in order to figure out HOW to hijack, but the act of doing so was still pretty damned satisfying.
The demo was alright. Nothing spectacular. The flight was fun, but the flight combat was less so. On the ground combat is pretty standard but again, nothing amazing.
Plus the demo was no more than 10 minutes long at best.
Played the demo at PAX, and I kind of liked it, but the learning curve is steep, and they are not kidding around about the physics of a guy in a jetpack slamming into walls and floors. Which is to say, ouch. I think I'd need to see if internalizing the naturally complex controls makes it more playable.
I think i like it, but I can't help comparing it to Zone of the Enders (better hover), Uncharted (more impactful guns and slick-er cover)and Whatever-flying-game that had a much more assisting lock on feature(kind of fun as is, but definitely not intuitive, which could be ok).
its playable and fun enough, and the first time you fire up the JetPack is COOOOOL! but it doesn't feel *amazing*.
It's a rental/preowned buy. It's playable and I had some fun, but I don't have any kind of pressing need to keep going. I think that's what most people were expecting though, certainly no-one was ever expecting this to be brilliant.
I'm thinking that these videos would be a lot cooler with some color commentary, especially from you Brad. It would take these videos from an interesting diversion to a feature worth getting truly excited about. The game looks cool though. I'm excited to try the demo out for myself when it comes out on ps3 tomorrow.
I found it weird I could kill enemies easily up close with a melee attack, yet it took a whole clip of bullets for the same affect. The hijacking was ok, but gave no real bonus. You could take a few laser cannon blasts while exposed (really?), and just as many in the ship. No real change in firepower, either. Add to that the ok at best feel of flight, and you have one disappointed gamer that wanted to blow things up while strapped to a jetpack. So sad. I really wanted to like this.
now that i've watched this i have no real desire to play it (not that i was much interested in the first place) cuz you already showed me there is absolutely nothing new here. And...Nolan North...not. a. fan. I mean he's great as Drake, but he IS Drake. Any other game that uses the same exact voice w/out any sort of different inflection or tone...this just looks and sounds like "Ugly Unfun Uncharted in Teh Sky" sorry guys, you will not be receiving my hard earned cash. TRIPE!
Looking forward to the demo, once it hits the almighty PS3. I'm only kidding about the almighty PS3 stuff. ;)
Let's see, I enjoyed what I played of this game at E3 this past year. Although, I've been known to be "too nice" on games. It also doesn't help that I have fanatical love for Capcom.
I think I was the only one, of my group of friends, who bought, played and loved the hell outta the new Bionic Commando. Gotta love that theme and on piano no less! =)
I, for one, was happy to see they didn't just fill the enemy spaceship with random, gray crates and gray, smooth walls like every other sci-fi game ever made.
I actually enjoyed the flying, the barrel rolls and 180's were easy to do and a lot of fun. I couldn't hit anything however. And everything else about the demo seems very forgetable.
Pretty sure I remember the devs saying that the jetpack controls become smoother over the course of the game. The dude starts out all wobbly and flailing his limbs, and by the end of the game you have a helmet and are a nimble motherfucker.
On second playthrough, I definitely like it. I under stand the manuevers, cover isn't that bad, and I actually got a coupel different melee finishes, instead of just the one punch (which I though was dissappointing, and the only one).
If this guy levels up well and really progresses, I could see this being a real blast in later levels.
Also, I'm really digging the music. The main theme is excellent!
It looks like a futuristic cross between Crimson Skies, Warhawk and Uncharted. However, I didn't really get a sense of speed while watching you fly through the air in that video demo. I thought the idea of hijacking enemy vehicles was cool, but from what you said, it sounds like it was kind of a pain to do it. The enemy vehicles were interesting and somehwhat inspired, but its difficult to get an idea of what the final game will be like from that short demo.
Played it last night - not bad, but not as good as I was hoping for either; at least not at first try. I'm going to play it again later and see how it feels. I am concerned though... Throughout the dev cycle, they've been hyping their "vertical gameplay" concept - especially the vertical cover mechanic. To find it missing from the demo seems... odd, at best.
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Contest:
6:00 PM on 01.06.2010
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Overall, however, I'm not really that interested.
Plus the demo was no more than 10 minutes long at best.
its playable and fun enough, and the first time you fire up the JetPack is COOOOOL! but it doesn't feel *amazing*.
Still interested, but kinda underwhelmed :(
Day one purchase.
Let's see, I enjoyed what I played of this game at E3 this past year. Although, I've been known to be "too nice" on games. It also doesn't help that I have fanatical love for Capcom.
I think I was the only one, of my group of friends, who bought, played and loved the hell outta the new Bionic Commando. Gotta love that theme and on piano no less! =)
That's pretty much every action game released since 2005.
I think it wasn't the best choise for a demo since they didn't get into the much touted vertical cover/fighting thingy.
Still interested by am waiting for reviews before I buy.
Need to use that tru $20 card some how.
Kind of a Rocketeer meets Halo esthetic.
I'll probably buy it on the cheep.
It's definitely a bargain bin game though.
Holy shit....
If this guy levels up well and really progresses, I could see this being a real blast in later levels.
Also, I'm really digging the music. The main theme is excellent!