bit-tech Shopping: Capcom Darkwatch (Xbox)

• Action/Adventure
• First Person Shooter (FPS)

Rating: 8

Time with product: 6 Months

Strengths: Really nice graphics; intense action; cool Western-horror theme and storyline; can play as good or evil

Weaknesses: Pretty short game; limited multiplayer options

Summary: Darkwatch is a run-and-gun action game that takes place in a cool Western-horror setting. You play as Jericho Cross who has vampire-like abilities and battle hordes of monsters and zombies. Although the game itself is fairly short, it's very fun while it lasts. With crisp graphics accompanied by catchy Western tunes and explosive sound effects, you're in store for a very intense experience. Another interesting feature in Darkwatch is that you can play as good or evil. This isn't exactly like Fable where everything you do will affect the outcome of the game. You have the option to devour or cleanse the souls of your enemies after you defeat them. However, it is a pretty interesting ability at your disposal. With regards to multiplayer options, there aren't too many. Darkwatch has the usual Deathmatch and Capture-the-flag options but not much else. Nevertheless, it's an excellent game that's definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 8

Time with product:

Strengths: cool vampire abilities

Weaknesses: somewhat short game

Summary: Darkwatch is one of the many the first person shooters out there for the X box. What makes it unique is that it combines both the wild west and evil vampires. While other shooter games may be about the military , it is fun and refreshing to play in a darkened and different environment. You play as Cross, a hapless train Robber who unwittingly releases an evil Demon who then transforms him into a vampire. You are then quickly deputized as a member of the Darkwatch who the fight to oppose the growing number of the unDead that were unleashed. You not only gets the standard shooter weapons like pistols, rifles, dynamite, and even rocket launchers, but to also get to use some pretty cool Vampire powers like the blood shield, which acts like a force field that was in Halo, that recharges when you take cover. You also have a high jump ability and Blood vision, which lets you see hidden objects and enemies. You can also cause location based damage on your enemies, where you can blow off limbs and heads. Your guns also have a melee attack and you can also act as either a good vampire, who tries to redeem and cleanse the souls of all other transformed victims or as an evil demon who simply annihilates them and devours their blood for energy. You also have a great variety in your missions; in one of you are on horseback, trying to jump aboard a moving train, and in another, you drive a heavily armored buggy that shoots and runs over the myriad undead. This game also has a multiplayer campaign which adds good variety to it . Overall this is a good game and I would definitely put it on my must -get list.

Rating: 8

Time with product: 6

Strengths: Tons of action, good graphics, immersive sound

Weaknesses: Vehicle controls are hard to get used to

Summary: I'm not that big of a first-person shooter fan, but Darkwatch has such in-your-face action all the way through, that it feels a lot more like an arcade game then your usual first person shooter. Enemies will pounce toward you and get in your face like in a House of the Dead game - they are very aggressive and will make you pound them with constant shots or flee from some areas. That's not to say that Darkwatch is hard, but you will need to learn the controls well to get the most out of the game. The melee weapons are very well done here, allowing you to feel like you are actually pounding on the enemy in front of you, instead of just a slight flinch, then enemies will fly back or stagger in real time as if you actually hit them. The sound effects really help to add to the overall immersion of the game. The only bad thing I found in Darkwatch was that the vehicles in the game can be hard to control and I found myself fighting with them while fending off against enemies. Overall the game is definite pickup however!

Rating: 8

Time with product: 3 Months

Strengths: Good story, control setup and some fun missions

Weaknesses: Few enemy types, pacing feels odd, little replay value

Summary: Darkwatch actually has a story, and while it doesn't feel fully fleshed out, it can be engaging. But this is really a single-player fps, without deathmatching or co-op modes. So it needs to stand on the merits of that story, and the experience conveyed, which I felt was uneven. As a vampire, you slowly accrue powers and basically choose either to be good or evil. Aside from a few different powers, the story is fairly similar regardless of which path you chose. Once you beat the game, you can replay any mission. However, because of the lack of diversity in enemy types, the desire to replay missions is weak. There are a few moments (shooting on horse back, for example) that is fun, but the controls feel a little awkward and not as smooth as when on foot. As the price has dropped to near rental levels, this is definitely worth picking up. it has good visual, audio and generally well made. It doesn't revolutionize the shooter and if you only want multiplayer, this is not for you.

Rating: 10

Time with product: 5 Days

Strengths: Great atmosphere, interesting weapons, nice graphics, good controls

Weaknesses: Somewhat short

Summary: Darkwatch is an excellent first-person shooter for the Xbox that mixes westerns with vampires. The whole atmosphere for the game is very good and the graphics really bring you into the game. The weapon selection is varied and extremely satisfying to use. The controls are tight and should be instantly recognizable to anyone who has played Halo. The storyline is dark and intriguing and really fleshes out the characters. The fact that your character develops vampire abilities throughout the game offers some unique powers and twists not found in other shooters. The game can be finished in less than six hours, so it is a little on the short side, but it's an action-packed six hours. I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys a good first-person shooter, and especially to people who enjoy the subject matter. My only warning is that this game definitely deserves it's mature rating.