In Retro: "Darkwatch" (Review (Xbox)

My review of a cool little shooter from near the end of the last-gen Xbox cycle... Enjoy.

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Darkwatch is, technically, one of the slickest and most responsive shooters to grace the console systems. On the other hand, it’s oft-delayed development cycle did nothing to prevent the finished product from coming across half-baked in most every other department.

Interestingly, the game is set in the old West, but with a gothic twist. It seems our protagonist, the outlaw Jericho Cross, has just robbed the wrong train – instead of sacks of wealth it contains an evil vampire lord. Unwittingly unleashing said vampire from the custody of the shadowy organization known as the Darkwatch, this creature of the night proceeds to raise the dead and wreak all kinds of havoc. Sound cool? Yeah, it certainly does, but the implementation of this unique setting leaves much to be desired, and the ensuing plot makes little sense.

This is exceedingly unfortunate, as the gameplay here is well worth any shooter’s raised eyebrow. The production values are spot on, and the action has been polished to a blue steel sheen. Think Painkiller meets Halo and you may have some idea what to expect with this one. Blasting countless vampires and other beasties into oblivion with heavily modified old Western firepower is the highlight… and all that blasting is certainly cathartic fun. A cool arsenal and a handful of vampyric superpowers provide action that is undeniably delicious. All of this is wrapped up in tight, responsive controls and a solid frame rate despite the swarms of baddies that fill the game’s small(ish) levels.

On the flipside, nonsensical story notwithstanding, the game offers little in the way of variety (and what it does proffer up feels decidedly tacked on, such as one level in which you’re tasked to drive a vehicle merely because that’s the new trend in shooters). For instance, you’ll probably find yourself choosing your favorite weapons early on and sticking to them, and the game’s incessant use of Reapers, scythe-wielding undead which are not only the first enemy you encounter but easily the most overused, detract from the overall experience. On top of this, the melee attack (ala Halo) is a little too powerful, and to conserve ammo and make quicker kills you’ll probably find yourself bashing enemies in the face just as often as you shoot at them.

The game’s single greatest offense, however, comes in terms of its length. This one can be finished with ease on the normal difficulty setting (albeit with one frustrating level near the end that tasks you with jumping through a fiery town killing flying Banshees). There is some slight replay value to be had due to a very gimmicky feature that allows you to make good or evil decisions, but it’s just that – gimmicky, and really quite lifeless. The game plays out much the same in either case.

That said, there’s still a lot to like about Darkwatch as a first person shootist. Expect the problems, deal with them, and you’ll find a slick, fairly addictive action title just beneath the surface. It just had the potential to be so much more, and it’s hard not to get the distinct impression that this one was rushed out the door before it could really mature into a grade A product.

FINAL SCORE: 7.9 (Good)