Review Darkwood. “Days without getting into your own trap: 0”.

You like it when blood is in veins? Когда игровой мир в одинаковой степени как привлекает, так и отталкивает своей мрачностью и создаваемым напряжением? Then you here! Welcome to the dark -haired! The most terrible Polish forest in the history of mankind!

In short, Darkwood is Survival Horror with a view of. But, if everything was so simple, this review would not have been. This project is standing favorably against the background of its competitors (which, I must admit, in recent years there were few), thanks to the abundance of interesting features introducing diversity to the established formula. But about everything in order.

Darkwood meets the player with a prologue in which the narrative is on behalf of the doctor – one of the key characters. It is cooked in this hell from the very beginning, which affected it in a very negative way: the home has come into desolation, the windows and doors are boarded up with boards, and the moonshine apparatus leaves no doubt about how the owner of the house copes with stress. Before the fateful meeting, the doctor can check the condition of his sick dog (with the opportunity to offer the unfortunate creature a portion of life -giving euthanasia), inspect the district and make sure that his prisoner, whom he “caught so difficult” still did not run away. However, he will soon have another headache – during the next patrolling of the surroundings, the doctor will stumble upon a seriously wounded person in a cloak … who owns a very interesting key.

From this moment on, a protagonist goes under the control of the player, who is immediately tortured by the doctor. He demands from him, tell about the whereabouts of the door that the found key unlocked. Having not achieved an answer, the doctor locks his next captive in one of the rooms. Of course, the player manages to get out of captivity … only in order to encounter monsters breaking into the house. As a result of the subsequent brawl, the protagonist dies, after which he finds himself in one of the shelters scattered along the darkness.

Interesting fact: At first this can not be noticed, but the protagonist is not able to clearly explain. He communicates with other characters exclusively through gestures, nods and unintelligible muttering. And he can’t eat soup. In the end, for this you need lips.

What was this retelling? To convey the atmosphere, of course! You see, the darkness is a small branch of hell on Earth. People here are embittered, the creatures look like they came straight from nightmares, and the forest itself … He wants to kill you. Literally. But this is all the lyrics, let’s go to how the game manages to maintain such a gloomy mood (in addition to bewitching musical accompaniment, of course).

Let’s start with the player’s field of view. Despite the nongamstop-casinos.uk camera with a view of the top, the protagonist sees only what is in a small cone in front of it (this zone can be expanded, thanks to abilities). He also does not see what is behind various obstacles: from walls and trees to large -sized objects like a fallen helicopter. In addition, the player sees monsters and traps only when the protagonist notices them, which encourages constantly looking around in search of danger.

It would seem that this is such? However, the developers realized that if you leave most of the screen unequal, this will unpleasantly affect the dive. Therefore, it is important not only what the protagonist sees, but also that he is fanciful. For example, the protagonist may seem that the building is whole and full of prey, but, being inside, the player understands that it has long been destroyed. Needless to say, this feature is often caught up with horizons?

The combat system based on timings also adds voltage. In order to hit the near -combat weapons, the player first needs to bring him over the enemy skull. However, the process is long, and the enemies are enemies and extremely dangerous. The art of struggle in close combat will have to be hidden on their bitter experience. Especially when you will have to fight not with half -dead dogs, but with unusually fast olderers, etc.p. One interesting feature is connected with this: contrary to the original impression, the starting weapon does not lose its value as the plot progresses. For example, the speed of the lounges of the board with nails is much faster than that of an ax or shovel, which allows you to more effectively withstand small opponents.

In this regard, the handling of firearms is much easier, because during aiming, unlike the swing, you can shoot from it. However, getting on the enemy in this way will turn out, unless, point -blank. And this is in conditions when each cartridge is in the account. Given all of the above, it is no wonder that the firearm often becomes the last trump card in the player’s hands.

Interesting fact: Some types of weapons can only be obtained from boxes in the werewolf camp. Unfortunately, they are closed to the code lock, and the code itself can only be found in the game files (each time at the beginning of the new game it is generated again). However, you can open the boxes honestly using the enforcement (a thousand combinations for each castle).

At night, the player has a chance to demonstrate his combat dare, fighting off the hordes of terrible monsters, crazy savages and … paranormal phenomena? At the same time, the protagonist is strictly contraindicated in walking along the night with a pace, because at this time of day they roam there … Clushes of bloody fog, striving to destroy the stranger at all costs. By the way, you are. As a result, your shelter becomes a fortress. Besieged fortress, whose barricaded windows and doors are the only obstacle to enemies.

Here I would like to criticize the game. During the siege, the enemies will break the barricades, closed doors, as well as some objects that blocked their way. The problem is that they will break everything that turns up by their arm. In other words, if you barricade every passage to the shelter, there is a high probability that enemies simply will not reach you, preferring to break into empty rooms. However, this does not mean that the game does not have ways to get a player in a corner. For example, during one of the events, all lamps except one can go out. At the same time, at least one of them is located outside (their number depends on the specific shelter). Not afraid of darkness? In vain, in this game stands.

Fortunately, the night does not last forever – even the sun rises above this damned place. In the morning, time stops, giving the player the opportunity to calmly engage in craft, strengthening/restoring barricades and trade. In addition, you can place traps, add gasoline into the generator and clean the area (sometimes at night do not pass without a trace). For all this, of course, you need resources … which you will constantly miss. Fortunately, the game has merchants regularly visiting the protagonist in his shelter.

Trade in the darkness occurs according to the principle of Barter: for each given item you get glasses, for each taken – you lose them (you can also get glasses, holding out all night). However, each merchant has its own counter of services rendered, assortment and preferences in goods. Having given the cartridges of the werewolf, you will get points only from him. What is the funny thing: at the beginning, the player will need rare goods, and in the end – suffer from a shortage of basic.

Interesting fact: The werewolf has a very peculiar sense of humor. If you show him the game “Electronics” (the very one with a wolf from “Well, wait!”), Then he will take it for a mockery and will become furious. However, if you confirm that this is really a joke, the werewolf will change anger for mercy and even give the player a gun … with one cartridge.

When all the houses are converted, the time for planning the next sortie comes. And this was also beaten by developers: due to the limited size of the inventory, the player is forced to determine the purpose of the campaign in advance. If there is an acute need for resources, it is necessary to go light in order to carry as much production as possible with you. When studying new locations, you will have to take with you weapons and medicines. And when completing tasks, you should take everything that can at least somehow help in survival.

Fortunately, the protagonist at least does not need food and drink. But this does not mean that he cannot cook. True, instead of dishes, he will cook the “doses” of the essence (created from mushrooms, infected flesh and other “delicacies”). When entering the essence, the protagonist can get skills … mutating even more. Darkwood pumping is primarily interesting in that, together with the advantages, the player is forced to take shortcomings, introducing additional variety to the gameplay. For example, a side effect called “cowardice”, which significantly reduces the field of view of the protagonist when he receives wounds. Given this, the option of passing without pumping is not devoid of meaning.

Since we are talking about passage options, I would like to talk about one of the juicy features of Darkwood: about the moral election. Unlike the vast majority of games, where the choice between good and evil practically does not affect the player, in the darkness, good deeds reduce your chances of survival, and evil – on the contrary, increase. That’s all you need for happiness! It is easy to be a good man if you do not cost you anything. It is much more difficult to help others, if you can survive yourself with difficulty. Maximum immersion occurs in high complexity, where the number of lives is limited.

Summing up, I want to focus your attention to the following: Darkwood is one of the most innovative horror in the last ten years. If you have a completely at the scooters of countless horror-blacks, then this project is your choice. There is everything that you need to tickle nerves so hungry lovers. Most of the time, Darkwood keeps the player in suspense, and in advance, the converted scenes successfully catch up with horror. At the same time, it’s just nice to play it. I wish you good luck to all those who decide to personally explore the terrible secrets of the darkness! Thank you for your attention!