Dark Void
Encyclopedia
Dark Void is a video game developed by Airtight Games
using the Unreal Engine 3
and published by Capcom
for the PlayStation 3
, Xbox 360
and Microsoft Windows
. In the game players must face an alien threat that humanity had previously banished. The game mixes on-foot and mid-air combat. It was released in North America on January 19, 2010, and released in Europe on January 22, 2010.
A Games for Windows – Live version of Dark Void was released on April 21, 2010 that is available exclusively through Microsoft's Games for Windows - Live On Demand marketplace.
and centers around a cargo pilot named William Augustus Grey (voiced by Nolan North
) who is teleported to another world while flying through the Bermuda Triangle
and flying through a Watchers tunnel. In this world, known as the 'Void', Will encounters an alien race as well as other humans, which are known as the Watchers and the Survivors respectively. Will reluctantly joins the Survivors, who are engaged in a feud with the alien race, to satisfy his desire to return to Earth. While aiding the Survivors, Will discovers that the Void is a middle ground that connects both the Watchers' homeworld and Earth. It also becomes apparent that the Watchers are supplying the Axis powers with various wartime provisions for reasons unknown. With the help of Nikola Tesla
, Will uses retrofitted Watcher technology to combat the Watchers and eventually find a way to escape the Void.
The game includes a hover pack, and later, a jetpack, allowing for a quick transition between traditional shooter gameplay and flight. Everything unlocked in the first play through is transferred over to any new play throughs.
Upgrades are purchased using Tech points through a shop at the start of every level before gameplay begins. Tech points are collected from defeated enemies and are hidden throughout the level.
There are three different types of Tech points, each with a different value:
composer Bear McCreary
, making his video game score debut. He recorded the score with a 63-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony
at the Eastwood Scoring Stage.
will develop a feature film based on the video game. Pitt will develop and produce the film through his production company Plan B Entertainment
, and it was said that it could be a possible starring vehicle for the actor as well.
was released in North America on January 18, 2010 and in the PAL region on March 5, 2010. Setting it apart from the next-gen version, the game was designed as a retro title featuring 8-bit graphics and sound, with 2D gameplay in the same vein as the Metroid
games.
To promote the game, a history of the game was created in which it was a title Capcom was developing to be a breakthrough NES property in the late 80s, but was shelved with the discontinuation of the PlayChoice-10
and the coming of the SNES
. This history also appears in-game during the introduction. Additionally, before starting the game, players must use the DSi microphone to blow the cartridge's "contacts", a homage to the age-old method of getting non-working NES games to play.
Capcom manager Seth Killian said Dark Void Zero started development after finishing the pre-release copy of Dark Void, which has 8-bit music playing over the ending credits.
Dark Void Zero was also released on the iPhone and Windows platforms on April 12, 2010. Both versions have an all-new secret ending. The Steam version has an additional ending (for a total of three possible endings), Steam Achievements, online leaderboards, and a SecuROM
5 machine activation limit.
gave it a 5.0 out of 10 stating, "Dark Void is one of those games you'll play, beat, and forget ever existed." Game Informer
gave "Dark Void" its highest score with a 7 out of 10. GameTrailers
gave "Dark Void" a 6.8 out of 10.
GameZone's Louis Bedigian gave both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions a 6/10, stating "The generic Gears of War-style shooting is forgivable. But the countless technical problems all but destroy a game that had the potential to be something truly special. Dark Void can be summed up in just six words: so much potential, so much disappointment." Hardcore Gamer
awarded the game a 3 out of 5, praising the innovative jet pack but stating that the game "winds up being less than the sum of its parts," and that Dark Void is "not something you need to have in your collection."
Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation
noted that Dark Void was the game that had disappointed him most in his review career - not because it was bad, but rather because it was ambitious, and in stretches, very engrossing and fun, but in the end felt both too short and too unfinished, as if the developers had run out of money or time or will.
Airtight Games
Airtight Games is an independent video game developer founded in 2004 that is made up of several former members of FASA Studio, Will Vinton Studios and Microsoft, as well as several other studios. The key members include president and creative director Jim Deal, art director Matt Brunner, technical...
using the Unreal Engine 3
Unreal Engine 3
Unreal Engine 3 is a computer game engine developed by Epic Games. It is the third generation of Unreal Engine, designed for DirectX 9/10/11 personal computers , the Xbox 360, the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Vita, the Wii U, Android and OpenGL-based operating systems such as iOS and Mac OS X...
and published by Capcom
Capcom
is a Japanese developer and publisher of video games, known for creating multi-million-selling franchises such as Devil May Cry, Chaos Legion, Street Fighter, Mega Man and Resident Evil. Capcom developed and published Bionic Commando, Lost Planet and Dark Void too, but they are less known. Its...
for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
. In the game players must face an alien threat that humanity had previously banished. The game mixes on-foot and mid-air combat. It was released in North America on January 19, 2010, and released in Europe on January 22, 2010.
A Games for Windows – Live version of Dark Void was released on April 21, 2010 that is available exclusively through Microsoft's Games for Windows - Live On Demand marketplace.
Plot
The game's story takes place before World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and centers around a cargo pilot named William Augustus Grey (voiced by Nolan North
Nolan North
Nolan Ramsey North is an American actor and voice actor born in New Haven, Connecticut. He has been described as "the nearest thing the games industry has to a bona fide leading man."-Biography:...
) who is teleported to another world while flying through the Bermuda Triangle
Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and surface vessels allegedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances....
and flying through a Watchers tunnel. In this world, known as the 'Void', Will encounters an alien race as well as other humans, which are known as the Watchers and the Survivors respectively. Will reluctantly joins the Survivors, who are engaged in a feud with the alien race, to satisfy his desire to return to Earth. While aiding the Survivors, Will discovers that the Void is a middle ground that connects both the Watchers' homeworld and Earth. It also becomes apparent that the Watchers are supplying the Axis powers with various wartime provisions for reasons unknown. With the help of Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
, Will uses retrofitted Watcher technology to combat the Watchers and eventually find a way to escape the Void.
Gameplay
The games make use of a new "vertical cover system", as well as a standard cover system.The game includes a hover pack, and later, a jetpack, allowing for a quick transition between traditional shooter gameplay and flight. Everything unlocked in the first play through is transferred over to any new play throughs.
Upgrades are purchased using Tech points through a shop at the start of every level before gameplay begins. Tech points are collected from defeated enemies and are hidden throughout the level.
There are three different types of Tech points, each with a different value:
- Yellow: 50 points
- Red: 100 points
- Purple: 500 points
Music
The score to Dark Void was composed by Battlestar GalacticaBattlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
composer Bear McCreary
Bear McCreary
Bear McCreary is an American composer and musician living in Los Angeles, California. He is known for his work on the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica television series.-Biography:...
, making his video game score debut. He recorded the score with a 63-piece ensemble of the Hollywood Studio Symphony
Hollywood Studio Symphony
The Hollywood Studio Symphony is the credited name of the symphony orchestra behind many major soundtracks, including The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Sucker Punch, Jurassic Park 3, Last Samurai, Pirates of the Caribbean, We Are Marshall, Spider-Man 2, Lost and The...
at the Eastwood Scoring Stage.
Film
According to Variety, Brad PittBrad Pitt
William Bradley "Brad" Pitt is an American actor and film producer. Pitt has received two Academy Award nominations and four Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one...
will develop a feature film based on the video game. Pitt will develop and produce the film through his production company Plan B Entertainment
Plan B Entertainment
Plan B Entertainment is a film production company founded by Brad Pitt, Brad Grey, and Jennifer Aniston. In 2006, Pitt became the sole owner; the company currently holds a release deal with Paramount Pictures, along with Warner Bros...
, and it was said that it could be a possible starring vehicle for the actor as well.
Spin-off
A spin-off title for DSiWare called Dark Void ZeroDark Void Zero
Dark Void Zero is a platform video game released by Capcom for DSiWare download service. It was made as an April Fool's parody of the video game Dark Void and it was later decided to make it an actual title; it was promoted as a game "found" in Capcom's vault...
was released in North America on January 18, 2010 and in the PAL region on March 5, 2010. Setting it apart from the next-gen version, the game was designed as a retro title featuring 8-bit graphics and sound, with 2D gameplay in the same vein as the Metroid
Metroid
is an action-adventure video game, and the first entry in the Metroid series. It was co-developed by Nintendo's Research and Development 1 division and Intelligent Systems, and was released in Japan in August 1986, in North America in August 1987, and in Europe in January 1988...
games.
To promote the game, a history of the game was created in which it was a title Capcom was developing to be a breakthrough NES property in the late 80s, but was shelved with the discontinuation of the PlayChoice-10
PlayChoice-10
PlayChoice-10 was an arcade machine which could consist of as many as 10 different games previously available only on the Nintendo Entertainment System home console...
and the coming of the SNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System
The Super Nintendo Entertainment System is a 16-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America, Europe, Australasia , and South America between 1990 and 1993. In Japan and Southeast Asia, the system is called the , or SFC for short...
. This history also appears in-game during the introduction. Additionally, before starting the game, players must use the DSi microphone to blow the cartridge's "contacts", a homage to the age-old method of getting non-working NES games to play.
Capcom manager Seth Killian said Dark Void Zero started development after finishing the pre-release copy of Dark Void, which has 8-bit music playing over the ending credits.
Dark Void Zero was also released on the iPhone and Windows platforms on April 12, 2010. Both versions have an all-new secret ending. The Steam version has an additional ending (for a total of three possible endings), Steam Achievements, online leaderboards, and a SecuROM
5 machine activation limit.
Reception
IGNIGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
gave it a 5.0 out of 10 stating, "Dark Void is one of those games you'll play, beat, and forget ever existed." Game Informer
Game Informer
Game Informer is an American-based monthly magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of popular video games and associated consoles. It was formed in August 1991, when FuncoLand started publishing a six-page magazine, free in all its retail locations...
gave "Dark Void" its highest score with a 7 out of 10. GameTrailers
GameTrailers
GameTrailers is a media website that specializes in video game related content. It provides free access to original programming , game trailers and recorded game play. Along with standard definition , many of the video clips are offered in a higher resolution .Users can upload videos, create...
gave "Dark Void" a 6.8 out of 10.
GameZone's Louis Bedigian gave both the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions a 6/10, stating "The generic Gears of War-style shooting is forgivable. But the countless technical problems all but destroy a game that had the potential to be something truly special. Dark Void can be summed up in just six words: so much potential, so much disappointment." Hardcore Gamer
Hardcore Gamer Magazine
Hardcore Gamer magazine is an American video game magazine published by Robert Kotick. First published in 2005, Hardcore Gamer has had over 30 issues published and has since spawned a website, ....
awarded the game a 3 out of 5, praising the innovative jet pack but stating that the game "winds up being less than the sum of its parts," and that Dark Void is "not something you need to have in your collection."
Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw of Zero Punctuation
Zero Punctuation
Zero Punctuation is an ongoing video game review series created by comedy writer and video game journalist Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw and published by the online magazine The Escapist.-Background:...
noted that Dark Void was the game that had disappointed him most in his review career - not because it was bad, but rather because it was ambitious, and in stretches, very engrossing and fun, but in the end felt both too short and too unfinished, as if the developers had run out of money or time or will.