Dark (video game)

DARK

European cover art

Developer(s)| Realmforge Studios
Publisher(s)| Kalypso Media
Director(s)| Benjamin Rauscher
Designer(s)| Christian Wolfertstetter
Programmer(s)| Korbinian Abenthum
Artist(s)| Victor Linke
Engine| Vision[1]
Platform(s)| Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360
Release|

* NA: July 3, 2013 (PC)
* EU: July 5, 2013
* NA: July 9, 2013 (X360)
* AU: July 18, 2013

Genre(s)| Stealth, action role-playing[2]
Mode(s)| Single-player

Dark (stylized as DARK) is a stealth action role-playing video game developed by German team Realmforge Studios and published by Kalypso Media in 2013. Players control Eric Bane, a vampire suffering from amnesia who seeks to recover his memories.

## Contents

* 1 Gameplay
* 2 Plot
* 3 Release
* 4 Reception
* 5 References
* 6 External links
* 7 Features
* 8 History
* 9 See also
* 10 References
* 11 External links

## Gameplay

The gameplay of Dark is based on stealth combat. Eric has many supernatural vampiric 'skills' at his disposal; he can use Shadow Leap to quickly teleport to different areas and to perform stealth finishers, make himself temporarily invisible, see in the dark and slow down time. His abilities are linked to a certain number of 'blood points' which are used up each time Eric uses a skill. He can drink blood from his enemies to restore his health and blood points.

## Plot

The game follows the story of Eric Bane (Doug Cockle), a newly turned vampire suffering from amnesia. He learns that his transformation is not complete and that, if he does not drink the blood of his sire, he will mutate into a mindless ghoul. In order to avoid being such a foul creature, he receives missions to drink ancient vampires' blood. However, an angel in Eric's view appears to guide him to the righteous path, and ease intolerable pain that comes from not drinking appropriate blood as it disappears. With a question of this vision, he tries to recover his deleted memories and his true self.

## Release

Dark was officially announced on May 4, 2012. A playable version of the game was presented at the 2012 Role Play Convention in Cologne, Germany [2] and the E3 2012.[3][4] The game was released in July 2013.[5]

## Reception

Reception

| Review scores

Publication| Score
PC| Xbox 360
Edge| N/A| 3/10[6]
Eurogamer| N/A| 3/10[7]
Game Informer| N/A| 2/10[8]
GameSpot| 3.5/10[9]| N/A
GamesRadar+| [10]| N/A
IGN| 4/10[11]| 4/10[11]
OXM (UK)| N/A| 6/10[13]
OXM (US)| N/A| 4.5/10[12]
PC Gamer (UK)| 43%[14]| N/A
Polygon| 3/10[15]| N/A
The Digital Fix| N/A| 3/10[16]
The Escapist| N/A| [17]
Aggregate score
Metacritic| 41/100[18]| 38/100[19]

Dark received "generally unfavorable" reviews from critics, according to review aggregator website Metacritic.[18][19] Much of the game's criticism was aimed at the poor melee combat, camera, script, and lack of interest in the game's protagonist.

In a mixed review, Jon Blythe of Official Xbox Magazine UK stated: "DARK is frustrating, because that initial feeling of being a zippy blur of a vampire in a world of neon-lit night never leaves you. It's just swamped in frustrating design decisions, a script that lurches from passable to laughable, weak enemy AI, and a vortex of a lead character who's impossible to like or hate."[13]

Dan Whitehead of Eurogamer stated that "low-budget games can be delightful and surprising, but only if the core elements work. Here, they don't. In its best moments, this is only ever a reminder of better games. In its worst moments - of which there are far too many - Dark frustrates and irritates as only a clumsy stealth game can."[7]

Michael Engle of The Game Scouts said, "I would rather [insert cliché about how to kill a vampire here] than play this game."[20]

In the most negative review on the website, Andrew Reiner of Game Informer complained that "I’ve played a lot of bad Xbox 360 games for achievements, but hardly any are as unpolished and poorly executed as Dark. It’s easily one of this generation’s worst titles. Even when the stealth is working moderately well, the slow pacing is a killer, and no amount of blood sucking brings satisfaction. Most levels were completed through trial and error, failure after failure, and then success coming from exploiting an AI bug or an odd design decision."[8]

## References

1. ↑ Urban, Michael (16 February 2013). "Latest trailer released for "DARK," a cel-shaded vampire RPG". OnlySP. http://www.onlysp.com/latest-trailer-released-for-dark-a-cel-shaded-vampire-rpg/.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Tan, Nicholas (4 May 2011). "Vampire RPG DARK Will Suck, Hopefully". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/news/vampire-rpg-dark-will-suck-hopefully-12737.
3. ↑ Austinat, Roland (10 June 2012). "Vampir-Action mit Dark: Muss man das Schleich-Action-Adventure auf der Rechnung haben? Die E3-Vorschau" (in de). PC Games Hardware. http://www.pcgameshardware.de/aid,889777/Dark-E3-Vorschau/Action-Spiel/News/.
4. ↑ Sanchez, David (6 June 2012). "E3 2012: Dark preview". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/previews/e3-2012-dark-preview.
5. ↑ Mitchell, Richard (14 May 2012). "Dark is a stealth game with vampires, sneaking to Xbox, PC". Engadget (Joystiq). https://www.engadget.com/2012/05/14/dark-is-a-stealth-game-with-vampires-sneaking-to-xbox-pc/.
6. ↑ Edge staff (24 July 2013). "Dark review (X360)". Edge.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Whitehead, Dan (8 July 2013). "Dark review (Xbox 360)". Eurogamer. http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-07-08-dark-review.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 Reiner, Andrew (9 July 2013). "Dark (X360): A Vampire Who Sucks At Everything". Game Informer. http://www.gameinformer.com/games/dark/b/xbox360/archive/2013/07/09/a-vampire-who-sucks-at-everything.aspx. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
9. ↑ VanOrd, Kevin (26 July 2013). "DARK Review (PC)". GameSpot. http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/dark-review/1900-6412133/.
10. ↑ Suskie, Mike (12 July 2013). "Dark review (PC)". GamesRadar. http://www.gamesradar.com/dark-review/.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Johnson, Leif (11 July 2013). "Dark Review". IGN. http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/07/11/dark-review.
12. ↑ Reparaz, Mikel (24 July 2013). "Dark review". Official Xbox Magazine. http://www.oxmonline.com/dark-review. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Blyth, Jon (8 July 2013). "DARK Xbox 360 Review". Official Xbox Magazine UK. http://www.oxm.co.uk/57843/reviews/dark-xbox-360-review/. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
14. ↑ Cobbett, Richard (November 2013). "Dark review". PC Gamer UK: 68. http://www.pcgamer.com/dark-review/. Retrieved 31 January 2016.
15. ↑ Kollar, Philip (15 July 2013). "Dark review: thin blood (PC)". Polygon. http://www.polygon.com/2013/7/15/4525902/dark-review.
16. ↑ Poxon, Ryan (20 August 2013). "Dark (X360)". The Digital Fix. http://gaming.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/1905/dark.html.
17. ↑ Goodman, Paul (19 July 2013). "Dark Review - C-Grade Vampire Noir (X360)". The Escapist. http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/10482-Dark-Review-C-Grade-Vampire-Noir.
18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 "DARK for PC Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/dark/critic-reviews/?platform=pc.
19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "DARK for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. https://www.metacritic.com/game/dark/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360.
20. ↑ Engle, Michael (12 July 2013). "Dark Review". The Game Scouts. http://www.thegamescouts.com/2013/07/dark-review.html.

## External links

* MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

## Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

## History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

On February 13, 2025, Freyholtz stepped down as the site lead to move onto new projects, leaving operations to Tracy Poff, a veteran coder on the site, and Atari staff.[18]

## See also

* IGDB - game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/.
2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/.
3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1.
4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards.
5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/.
7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521.
8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media.
9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned.
10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner.
11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames.
12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games.
13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/.
14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/.
15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/.
16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/.
17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames.
18. ↑ "An update on MobyGames leadership". 2025-02-13. https://www.mobygames.com/forum/3/thread/269628/an-update-on-mobygames-leadership/#post-269628.

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