2Dark Review
2Dark is a fun take on the idea of a neo-retro game. Gamers who like puzzles and suspense should find the game rewarding. Join Erik with the Gamers Lounge as he reviews the game and lets readers know if this is a must buy.
2Dark was created by Frédérick Raynal who is best know for Alone in the Dark. 2Dark stars Detective Smith who has faced personal tragedy with the abduction of his children and the murder of his wife. Players catch up to Detective Smith in Gloomywood several years later where he is burnt out from his career in law enforcement. He is tasked with investigating the disappearance of children while continuing to search for his own.
Sounds easy right? The first thing I noticed is the game looks rough, other reviewers mention it's ugly. This is just part of the style. I do have to mention the game is dark. There is a lot of gore, in awkward 16 bit style. There is a lot of death and some of it will be the children gamers are trying to rescue.
The game is dark for another reason, players will have to depend on using a flashlight or a lighter to see their way through levels. If players can find a power source they can partially light up a level. But being in the dark lets Smith keep quiet and out of sight. 2Dark gives gamers visual cues if they are making excessive noise which allows enemies to find players quickly.
The basics to each level are this, sneak through and rescue children. Try not to die and save a lot. While this could be classified as survival horror, I thought it was more focused on stealth. In some ways I was reminded of Rule of the Rose which was a stealth survival horror game on PS2.
Smith does have some tools at his disposal. He’ll find weapons such as clubs, guns, and knives. Bullets are scarce. Enemies can take a lot of damage before dying and move quickly once they spot Smith. I recommend trying to sneak and backstab if you can, or lure them into traps in the levels. This one of one of my greatest frustrations with the game. I don’t mind being stealthy but the controls make it tough when it comes to combat. They are imprecise and Smith moves like he is dragging 50 lbs ankle weights.
When it comes to rescuing the children, the game can play out like painful escort missions unless you want to carry them. But by carrying the children Smith loses the ability to utilize items. The children are also not very good at being quiet and will alert enemies. The inventory management is poorly designed. The game doesn't pause and it can be tough to swap items in a hurry.
Most players will want to replay each level after they try trial and error. Save a lot if you can. The game has some interesting concepts but the gameplay and controls may cause prospective players to lose interest.
Game was provided for review by the publisher.
Final score 3/5