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Wow! Originality Like You Read About!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: January 25, 2007
Author: Amazon User

What a simply tremendous FPS with a completely original take on the genre. I don't need to explain the backstory, it's well explained in the game. The weapons are very satisfying, explosions are great too. The act of "flying" is seamless and enjoyable. The "scary" parts of the game are legitimate pants-wetters. 5 stars top to bottom. If you're tired of other FPS's, give this original one a try. Great game at a great price now. Environments are truly spectacular and immersive and the hard-working music score complements gameplay nicely. Even though this game was released awhile ago, it holds up great and is worth return trips to this addictive universe! Plus, any game that gives Rose McGowan any voice-over work is high on my list anyways!
My only problem is that the multiplayer maps are freakin enormous and not really playable as a 2-to-4 player deathmatch. Other that that, this is a true keeper for the XBox FPS enthusiast!

Adds style and panache to a genre that's been shot to death

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: September 30, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I first saw Darkwatch at an electronics convention in New York City and immediately fell in love.

After completing the single-player campaign in Halo 2, I shifted gears to Darkwatch. Where Halo is basically every military science fiction trope (Starship Troopers, Aliens, Predator, Space: Above and Beyond, and Battlestar Galactica to name a few), Darkwatch sets out to create its own genre. And that genre is Wild West Horror.

Darkwatch draws on two sources for inspiration: Deadlands, the pen-and-paper role-playing game, and Pale Rider, a Clint Eastwood Western. Deadlands first combined Victorian gothic horror with Wild West sensibilities, creating a wacky combination of gore and grit. Pale Rider established the notion of a supernatural hero in a Wild West setting. The Darkwatch is a secret organization similar to the one depicted in Van Helsing with access to advanced technology dedicated to keeping supernatural villains under control.

Darkwatch follows the twisted life and death of Jericho Cross, a train robber who decides to rob the wrong train. He unwittingly unleashes Lazarus, an ancient vampire, and thus brings about hell on Earth. For reasons we don't ever fully understand, Lazarus turns Jericho into a vampire. And thus, Jericho has all the cool traits of a vampire, from drinking blood to "blood vision" that allows him to pick out living auras.

What ensues is a visceral shoot-em-up. You can shoot enemies heads off their bodies with a six-gun (called a Redeemer), blow off their limbs with shotguns, and even mow them down with Gatling guns. You can also use a scope rifle similar to the one used in Halo. Did I mention the "rail rocket" AKA bazooka? The game even has a Coyote, similar to the Warthog from Halo. Unfortunately, I didn't read the instructions closely enough; there's a "chieftain" setting on the controller to make Darkwatch's controls match up with Halo's. Which would have helped, as my subsequent Halo games have suffered from playing Darkwatch so much!

Need more parallels to Halo? Instead of the artificial intelligence known as Cortana we have Cassidy Sharp whispering ghostly advice. Jericho has a "blood shield" just like the energy shield in Halo that slowly replenishes. And instead of fragmentation grenades, Jericho throws dynamite...with predictable results. There are even dual pistols that fire in a glorious cacophony at close-range enemies. You can also elbow critters with your ranged weapons, although they're considerably more deadly since in Darkwatch every gun has a blade on the handle. Just `cause it looks cool.

Darkwatch is all about shooting things up. Bottles explode. Bad guys snipe at you from everywhere. And you can fan your pistol, firing at ridiculous speeds. You run and jump across cactus-studded canyons, burning towns, dripping caverns, moving trains, and on horseback. Even the music is reminiscent of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. In short, Darkwatch is most definitely a homage, if a twisted homage, to the Wild West genre it riffs on.

Being a veteran Halo player, I decided to play Darkwatch on the harder setting (Shootist) and I'm glad I did. The game goes by quickly. In addition, the bad guys are repetitive; it suffers from the Diablo-esque tactic of reusing the same enemy model by tweaking it slightly: they're not just evil skeletons, they're SHIMMERY evil skeletons, with twice the EVILNESS! Still, that doesn't keep the aforementioned Reapers from being alternately scary and hilarious. Blowing Reapers' heads off causes them to stumble around in confusion looking for their heads; throwing dynamite causes Reapers to cover their heads and running screaming. And since Reapers lack a lower jaw, they're pretty freaky critters.

Then there are the screaming Banshees that are fond of taunting you. "Run!" they whisper as you run away, or "Dynamite!" when you throw dynamite or my most favorite quote of all, "MY ARM!" after blowing off one of their arms.

In theory, there's a bit of a role-playing element as Jericho whether he wants to reject his vampire/criminal heritage or embrace it. Poor souls, sometimes dead and sometimes living, give Jericho an opportunity to prove his moral character. These choices provide access to good or evil powers, neither of which have a very significant impact on the game.

The single-player storyline is barely coherent and surprisingly adult. There's a video titled Prom Night that will undoubtedly get a lot of replay by male players (my wife thought it was ridiculous). The ending is very abrupt, but I've gotten used to that with games these days.

The multiplayer is excellent; the blood vision power becomes much more important when picking out an intelligent enemy from a distance. The ability to jump really far changes game play, even more than it does in Halo. The multiplayer games can be played with vampire powers turned off, turning it into a traditional Wild West shootout.

Darkwatch doesn't break any new ground as a first-person shooter, but it definitely adds style and panache to a genre that's been shot to death. Playing on hard, I felt I got my money's worth.

if someone gets you this game their not your friend.

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 7
Date: May 18, 2006
Author: Amazon User

yes the wild west is always a refreshing change in the first person shooter genre. BUT if you're looking for a game with this descpition GO RENT GUN...it's alot better and you won't want to kick your self every time you turn it on.

Something a little different for me

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: April 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I liked the game when my husband bought it home for me to play i was a bit iffy at first but the more i play and got into it was the more i liked it, it was sort of different for me because of the transportation in most shooting games you always have a car put sometimes riding the horse and shooting was a bit fun for me don't know about any body else.

So by playing this game i went out and bought "GUN" and i like that game also so i mean over all i like the graphics, the storyline and the concept of Dark Watch good game to add to your collection....

Nice job capcom

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: February 04, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Darkwatch is a game that capcom came out with and can lean on the same way that bungi can relate to halo and halo 2. I first started playing darkwatch and found the controlls similar to that of halo and halo 2 except the meelee and the reload have swapped for this game. Very good story line to run on, cool characters, nice meelee stles with certain weapons. My favorite gun would have to be the redeemer with the shotgun as a back up weapon for when you got no more ammo. I found the hardest creatures to kill are the banshees and the fat samarai guys that spit out mudd like stuff. Fun game to play if you like halo and halo 2. I will give my score. I do score on a lot of things.

Pros:
Easy controls to learn
Fun game to play
Sweet meelee

Cons:
Too short
graphics are dissapointing for the xbox

Thats all that I got. Now the game scores that I will give

Story layout 9/10
graphics 7/10
weapons 8/10
sound 10/10 Nice job capcom
Look and feel of the game 10/10 Nice job again
Game length 6/10 Hope Darkwatch 2 will be a lot longer.
Mini mission's 9/10
Artilary vehicles 8/10
Multiplayer map size 12/10 Excellent job. Map is nice and big.
Difficulty matching gameplay 9/10
Character looks 10/10 Looks and moves like their real.

Overall score on game 9/10

Just ok...

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 4
Date: January 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

This is a fair game, but if you've played any first person shooters(FPS), you've played this one. You are either shooting monsters or hacking them to "death" with the butt of your weapon.

Like I said, it's just about like any FPS, only set in sort of a western setting that you can't see real well because it is, I guess, appropriately dark.

There aren't many variation within the types of enemies you encounter.

Your character is first person throughout most of the game, except when riding horseback, I don't know why they chose to change it there.

If you are looking for a western game, try Gun. If you want a monster killing game, this is one, but so are so many others out there.

"Dark" one to Watch... with a wary eye

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: October 16, 2005
Author: Amazon User

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.

The wait is over....sort of

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

It was a long wait and a lot of extensions to the original release date, but Darkwatch is now readily available on the Xbox platform. How does it live up to the hype? Pretty well.

First of all, this game is in a shooter-genre all of its own. The setting is the Wild West, but with a spin, vampires and undead. If any other games have tried this, I haven't seen them. It really is a refreshing setting and helps to make Darkwatch feel fresh while in reality it is just any other shooter.

As a shooter the game delivers fun gameplay, but nothing stellar, and no real moments that made you say wow - like the dual weild in Halo2 for example. The controls are fluid (as others have mentioned if you are familiar with Halo and Halo2, you will want to use the Cheifton controller configuration right from the get go) but occasionally I found that the charachter just didn't always turn when I told him to, especially when taking damage. This was rare, but odd. In addition, his ability to fan the hammer on his revolver for rapid fire didn't always work by holding the fire button down the first time, and I had to release the button and hold it again. So far, those are the only glitches I've noted.

The maps are actually very small and/or linear and you are limited in where you can run (and thus, your strategy is limited). You have the added ability to lean from side to side, and while I haven't noticed much of a difference using this ability, it could prove helpful. The appearance/mood/setting is very well done, creepy and dark, and mature. Their are corpses and muilated bodies, etc. that push this game into the mature realm.

Now, shooting is the key element of shooters, so on that note, the guns are very, very fun and inventive (but not believable) given the era. You start with a simple revolver but you won't be limited to that for long at all. In the same opening level you get the Redeemer and that is the pistol you will most likely keep throughout the game. While holding an amazing amount of ammo and having rapid fire, the Redeemer also allows you to fan the gun's hammer and thus greatly increase your rate of fire. It is a great way to mow down waves or put rounds into a large target, but it can also eat your ammo and it is difficult to adjust your aim. You will also have the options of dual pistols (fire more lead, but very inaccurate except at close range), a carbine (slow rate of fire, somewhat powerful), shotgun (not really my favorite, only effective at close, close range and slow rate of fire) and Range Rifle (sniper rifle). You will encounter stationary weapons and you can shoot with unlimited ammunition from the back of your horse - undead horse. You can also throw dynamite, and shoot dynamite bolts from a gas powered crossbow. This weapon is fun, great at distances and against groups, but the delayed explosion means that nearby enemies will be on top of you before the dynamite explodes - and you get to blow up with them. All the weapons have a melee attack, and for some, like the crossbow, you may use it more than the primary fire in some instances.

The enemies in Dark Watch all looked amazing to me, and have very good animations - although they are all the same after a short while. They all look creepy and really add to the atomoshere of the game, and are just plain fun to shoot up. Some elements of the world around you respond to gunfire/bashing, but not a lot.

You have some vampiric abilities in Darkwatch, but I found them to be somewhat bland. You earn them by doing good or evil deeds and thus earning good or evil (if you will) powers. The powers are essentially defensive sheilds and buffs to the power you deal with your guns. You have a double-jump that is quite useful from the start, but unlike some other vampire games you don't have a glide, hover, slow fall, or anything of that nature, and you don't have any sensory awareness (radar) to tell you where enemies are - and they will come at you from behind a lot and you won't have any advance notice that they are there. You do have "bloodvision" that turns everything into shades of red and gray and allows you to see the enviroment much subdued and the targets and certain items are easier to make out - they glow pink.

I've completed what I would guess is 50% of the game, not a very long game, but typical for a shooter. I haven't really noted a lot that would make me want to replay the game in full, but I can see myself coming back to it from time to time.

In short, if a Vampire Western theme appeals to you, this game will deliver hours of enjoyment.

duh

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 7
Date: September 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

why are you people all harping on the fact that this game is for mature people? A LOT OF GAMES ARE FOR MATURE PEOPLE! evil dead. mortal kombat. GTA. halo. breakdown. about 75 % 0f all video games are intended for adults! it is stupid to note a specific game as being for mature gamers just because it involves decapitation. a lot of them do!

Way too much hype

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: September 17, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I bought this game because at the time there were no new games for the xbox at the time that i thought were worth spending 50 bucks on. Dark Watch had so much hype online, in magazines and in stores that i thought id get it, bad mistake. The game is fun for 20 minutes then it becomes clear that each level will be the same as the last and this will continue to happen. It is so repetitive that the game could be playing the previous level with a new name and i would have believed it. Each level involves shooting a skelton, zombie or banshee in the head with a very small amount of guns, fun at first then a pisser after. It starts off as a small challenge, but once you get hang of the controls and get good at shooting the enemies in the head(quickest way to kill them) it becomes a synch. I beat the game in 3 hours, no joke. Then i looked around the options to see if there is anything else to do, there was none. Pissed off that i had just spent 50 bucks on this games i put it in the case and havnt touched it since.

Pros: Fun for 5 mins, decent graphics, origional story line.

Cons: disgustingly repetitive, lack of "cool guns", way too short and easy.

Dont get it, and if your thinking of renting try another game

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