DARQ Complete Edition Review (PlayStation 5)
DARQ tells the story of Lloyd, a boy who finds himself in the middle of a lucid nightmare. Unable to wake up, Lloyd has to face his fears and decipher the meaning of the dream.
Pros:
- Beautiful black and white graphics.
- 1.55GB download size.
- Platinum trophy.
- Graphics-performance or cinematic.
- Puzzle gameplay.
- Simple easy to learn controls.
- Haunting soundtrack.
- Every area feels atmospheric and looks spectacular.
- The goal of the game is to get through each area by doing certain tasks and solving the puzzles.
- Can adapt to the world and use the environment in unique ways in order to travel around.
- Unlock level select.
- It’s a highly detailed 3D world but plays out as a 2D platformer.
- Autosaves regularly.
- Includes all the extra levels DLC-The Tower and The Crypt. You can choose to play these whenever you want from the menu.
- So satisfying when you figure out a puzzle.
- The main game has 7 chapters.
- Can replay levels.
Cons:
- No tutorials.
- Small interactive icons.
- Short game taking a handful of hours.
- No replay value.
- Can feel lost and stuck without little in the way of help or hints.
- Only one control layout.
-
Graphics - 8/108/10
-
Sound - 8/108/10
-
Accessibility - 8/108/10
-
Length - 7/107/10
-
Fun Factor - 9/109/10
Summary
I don’t really like starting a review off with swearing but DARQ has earned it! This game is fucking fantastic. It’s a puzzler with an emphasis on manipulating the environment to your will. You get no help, no tutorials or anything, and whilst that sounds like a huge downer, it really isn’t as part of the fun is figuring it out yourself with trial and error. I just adored the level design to the animated backdrops as I went about my business. What the game excels in is giving you a world that has all the answers and empowers you to not only find them but also how to use them. Without realizing you will have finished the main game as it is just a handful of hours hit it one of those games that stays with you long after you turn it off, I never found a good way to describe it, the game has a weird hold on you where you just want to see what’s next so of course, I did it all in one run, it’s easy to do and to be honest the best way to do it. I am not a huge puzzle fan but the world created in DARQ is one where you want to be better, you want to see what’s next or what this crank will do, it’s just suck a polished solid puzzler.
