Irony
You know, it actually took me a reasonable amount of time to write my previous entry. It may have sounded like a bit of a whinge, but it described a real problem in the industry that I face daily. It had pretty pictures and everything, and some thought was even put into them (their choice and position is significant and contains a - *ahem* somewhat pointed - message). So it is not without a clear sense of irony that I now must eat my own words.
A scant day after posting, I borrowed a copy of The Darkness from someone at work. It’s a dark game, and is not without its flaws, but it pretty much put me in my place. The people who made this game cared, and it contains some of the best narrative work I have ever played. The lead character is the first in as long as I can remember that doesn’t come off as cheesy or contrived in some way (in fact, he’s beautifully rendered lyrically and artistically), and the gameplay manages to mix action, dichotomy, and metaphor without misstepping. My only criticism is that they didn’t make enough of the appearance of the central possession mechanic - that was a world of spooky and shocking just waiting to be played out.
So bravo Top Cow, Starbreeze, and 2K Games.
posted by monty · at 12:00 am · filed under Uncategorized
