If you’ve ever wished that Tim Burton would make a game; Darq is the game for you!
So What’s It About?
I have always been interested and terrified by the idea of lucid dreaming. For those of you who may not know, lucid dreaming is when a person becomes aware of the fact that they are dreaming. Being aware of this allows you to control and interact with things in your dreams. But what happens when you slip into a nightmare? Darq answers this question.
In this Burton-esque experience, you play as 16 year old Lloyd who has become aware that he is dreaming. When the dream turns to a nightmare, Lloyd finds that he is unable to wake up and is up against forces much too strong for him to handle. To survive, Lloyd must rely on stealth, sound, and the manipulation of the world around him. The developers have stressed how important the use of light and sound will be to the gamers experience. As unsettling as the dark is at times, it may be your only salvation.
Introducing Unfold Games!
As I have mentioned before, Darq is being made by the three man team of Unfold Games: Wlad and Damian Marhulets and Chris Vick. Wlad is primarily a film composer with many films and awards under his belt. While Darq is Unfold Games’ first game, this isn’t Wlad’s first venture into the gaming industry. After writing music for A Cat’s Manor by Happiest Dark Corner, he decided to set the time aside to make his own game. Darq began as an experiment in October 2015 and the game sky rocketed after being green lighted on Steam. They were pleasantly surprised by all the interested, positive feedback they received, and here we are today. Wlad said, “I did not believe it would grow to become what it is now.” The guys at Unfold Games, and myself included, are so happy that it did.
Final Thoughts
What first drew me to this game was the aesthetic. Since a young age, I have been slightly obsessed with all things Tim Burton. So when I saw the trailer for Darq, I had to know all about it. Wlad couldn’t have described it any better, “It’s grotesque and creepy, but also, hopefully, beautiful and emotionally moving.” The use of light and shadow really make the game beautifully unsettling. I love horror games that use mood, music, and atmosphere to frighten you rather than rely on random jump scares, and Darq is doing it perfectly. This game looks so smart and is so unique compared to other games in the market, and I can’t wait to experience everything it has to offer.
The game is set to release on Steam in early 2017 and hopefully consoles after that! For more updates, keep an eye on Unfold Games’ Twitter. Oh, and sleep tight!
