Darkman

"A hard man"

Note: Pay no attention to my previous review for this game. It didn't cater to my tastes and I saw some things I needed to clean up.

For those who don't know about the movie and comic book series, Darkman involves a scientist named Peyton Westlake, who invented a formula for burn victims. When crime lord Robert Durant and his cronies blow up his lab with Peyton in it, the doctor becomes Darkman and seeks revenge against the people who blew up his lab and disfigured his face.

Story
Have you been reading? Then you should know the story!

Gameplay
Darkman offers 3 modes of gameplay. They are:
Picture Taking: You have to take pictures of the suspect you are looking at a building through a camera lens and will have to take pictures at the suspect you're going to pursue. The more pictures you take of your suspect, the better your mask and the more time you have for your revenge. The camera stages are pretty fun, and it is pretty easy to get a shot at the suspect.
Platform: In the platform part, you just go through the stage disguised as the henchman you are following, beating up the local bad guys and getting to the suspect to get your revenge. Wait a second! Why would you have to fight other enemies if you look just like the boss? Anyway, this is where you spend most of your time, and unfortunately has terrible control. For one thing, the movement can be unintentionally quick and slippery. It can be pretty hard to land a long jump, and some obstacles can send you careening off the edge instantly with just one hit. Fighting is not an easy task either, especially in the first few levels, where you fight by hand, but will get easier as you go along. Unless you're real good, fighting enemies face to face can be a pain and requires a lot of practice.
Helicopter rope stage: Durant will fly by on a helicopter in some stages and you will have to hang onto a rope tied to the chopper, avoiding the trucks and birds that fly by by climbing up and down. They are okay, but if you can get out unscathed, more power to you.

Graphics
The graphics are pretty detailed in the camera stages. However, Darkman himself could have been done better, but other characters look good. Also, the backgrounds are not that appealing to the eyes, especially the last level. The sewers look good, though.

Sound/Music
The music fits the game remarkably. It sets the mood and fits the scenario well. However, the music may not be memorable. The sound is not bad and doesn't become annoying.

Challenge
Most of the challenge comes from the bad control of Darkman and mastering it. It is easy to get a good mask from taking a lot of pictures and the helicopter scenes won't kill you, but can give you a run for your money if you're not careful. As for the game itself, it can be easy at times and very hard at others. Like I said, what makes it hard is the terrible control (sometimes, it's like he's on ice!) and enemies that can knock you out with just one hit. Also, there is a steep learning curve, in which you have to learn, sometimes taking a few lumps here and there. Fighting the big cheese Durant is a chore in itself; be ready to spend a lot of time here and don't expect to beat him in your first try.

Conclusion
Darkman is one of the better movie/comic book based video games out there. It offers different modes of gameplay and is unique. This game is pleasing to the ears and sometimes to the eyes, but won't be as pleasing to your thumbs or patience.

The Good
-Good character graphics
-Music fits game
-Good film/comic book based game (Wow, never heard that in a long time!)

The Bad
-Terrible control
-Can be hard b/c of control
-Some enemies can knock you off ledges instantly
-Backgrounds needed work

The Ugly
-Skip (his portrait looks like a hopping scarecrow)
-Smiley (say cheese!)

Whew, I'm finally done updating my review. Now it fits my tastes, or does it? Anyway, Darkman is an interesting game that follows the movie closely. It is an above average game to try out because of the challenge and innovation. Now if only I can beat Durant...

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 07/15/03, Updated 07/26/03