User Reviews

It's easier to appreciate this game if you know its backstory: Dark Corners of the Earth went through such a development hell - more than five years, with many interesting ideas scrapped throughout, like nonlinear story lines and a cooperative mode - it's a wonder installing it doesn't cause your PC to be eaten by some eldritch abomination.

This first person action/adventure is a shrine to Lovecraft's works, in particular The Shadow Over Innsmouth - some sequences actually come straight from the famous novella, like a chilling nocturnal escape from a seedy hotel.

Dark Corners is one of those rare games which don't just borrow Lovecraftian imagery and elements (fish-like monsters, tomes of forbidden lore...), but also get the tone right. The last Lovecraft- inspired game which mixed creepy lore and sinister atmosphere so well was the flat-out terrifying Infogrames adventure Shadow of the Comet, many years ago.

Unfortunately, and here the game's troubled development rears its ugly head, gameplay isn't quite on par: combat is clunky, stealth clunkier. After the umpteenth time I got insta-killed by a shotgun-wielding fish-man telling his comrades to "Shhhh-pread out!" as I inched my way through a tiresome stealth section, my admiration for the game "getting Lovecraft" was quite diminished.

So ask yourself: how much do I value atmosphere in a game? Enough to overlook questionable design decisions?

(might contain spoilers, tried hard not too, nothing to severe) Being a Lovecraft fan, i was dying for this game for quite a while. It looks/sounded perfect. A Resident Evil type "survival horror" game in the "first person" view set in the Cthulu mytho's, you cant go wrong!!! The thing i liked the most was how the game grew, the first bit of the game, upon arrival in Innsmouth, is pure detective work. No weapons, explosions, no timers. Just walking around a Creepy-ass town asking questions and performing good ole detective work. sneaking in and out of crime scenes to gather clues behind the backs of the obviously corrupt local police department. Next thing you know your working under cover for another "Agency" (don't wanna give away too much) and fully loaded with weapons kickin ass!! ..but still never forgetting your own agenda. It just grows and grows as a game and a story. Its plays more like a movie to watch, you really don't want to put it down.

The graphics and audio are mindblowing. Some people might argue that they are not up to par with a lot of xbox games (if you only play games for "eye-candy" don't bother) but it doesn't need too. It achieved an incredible atmosphere that is creepy, scary at times, Asylum-like and always very, VERY, true to the Cthulu mytho's and H.P. Lovecrafts world. audio and graphics both get a 5/5 from me for doing what exactly their job was...creep the poo out of you! The voice acting is great too. The main actor/character in the game, Jack, Almost has a subtle humour to him. He reminds me of a classic 1930's detective with a bit of Ash from the Evil Dead movies thrown in. there is a great amount of dialogue here too. Most game characters say one thing only, over and over to drive you nuts. In this game most characters will have at least 3 different things to tell you. Which is espechially helpful for storyline when interacting with main players in the game.

On that note, The story here is the bread and butter. This story is absolute mind'blowing. My girlfriend stopped to watch me play it the other day, and she ended up sitting on the couch for 9 more hours watching just because she was dying to see what comes next. Need i say more.

This game is exactly what i have been waiting for , for years. I only hope to god they make enough $ off it to warrant a sequel. Until then, i shall keep replaying this master piece!