DARQ

DARQ is a survival horror adventure game developed by independent team at Unfold Games.

Story

The main character of DARQ is Lloyd, a boy who one night discovers that he has found himself in a lucid dream. Unfortunately, it quickly turns into a real nightmare for the hero; as if that wasn't enough, subsequent attempts to wake up from it fail. The protagonist must therefore learn to survive in a reality full of dangers and strange phenomena not subject to the laws governing the outside world. The story can end in several ways, and which of the finales we see depends on the choices we make during the game.

Mechanics

In DARQ we travel through an extensive house (partly procedurally generated), look for useful objects and solve environmental puzzles. Most puzzles require manipulation of the laws of physics (Lloyd can, for example, levitate) and the environment (for example, rotating whole rooms); besides, at certain moments we are forced to move in total darkness. The whole thing is governed by the so-called logic of sleep, so for example, when you enter a room we have already visited, it may turn out that its decor has completely changed.

Things are complicated by the fact that enemies wander through the locations, which the boy cannot fight face to face. In order to escape with his life, the protagonist must move carefully and sneak past them, trying at all costs to avoid direct confrontation. The game has some jump scares, however, they are rare, because the creators try to arouse fear in us mainly through the gloomy atmosphere.

Technical aspects

DARQ features monochromatic 2.5D graphics, maintained in a distinctive style reminiscent of Tim Burton's cinematic works. The action is observed from the side, but the camera following Lloyd often changes its position, showing locations from different perspectives. We are accompanied by music recorded by a symphonic orchestra from Budapest; the soundtrack was composed by Wlad Marhulets.

Last updated on May 6, 2020