[TezChi]

I recently picked this game up after playing the demo and I'm compltely blown away by it! I mean, I've always been a diehard fan of horror games, and I must say that 'Darkness Within' is, so far, one of the scariest I've played for a long while. The way that the text's are written is genius, combined with genuinely very atmospheric locations. Also I dont know if it's just me being dumb, but the puzzle difficulty seems very challenging (though it may becuase I set it on hard), still, I think this is one of the best horror games I've played in a long time.

Anyone else got the game, and if so what are your opinions on it? (no spoilers though please, as I'm not too far into it yet). Also I'm thinking of picking up Barrow Hill from Lighouse Interactive as well, I played the demo though it was very short (but great). What do you think?

[Jelena]

I've played Darkness Within too and I think it's an excellent game with great atmosphere and a nice variety of puzzles. Indeed some of them were difficult, but there are reasonable ones too.
D.W is especially close to my heart since I was one of the Beta testers and it was so much fun doing the testing and discussing with the developers.

Barrow Hill is another great horror game. You should definitely get it.

[misslilo]

Well, I tried playing it - twice actually, BUT I guess I'm too much of a scared mouse, cuz I'm freaked out by every little sound, lol.

I like the story so far and it looks good, just not sure if I dare continue...
This IS my first scary game afterall

[TezChi]

Well you sure picked a good one for your first scary game! I must agree, the sounds in the game are incredible, especially when, like myself, you play in the dark with a good set of headphones!!

[kitkatrpn]

I tried that once...playing in the dark with headphones on that is...one of my kids came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. My husband had to peel me off the ceiling! Darkness Within has plenty of atmosphere that even when I play it with the lights on it still gives me the heeby geebies I love that!!

[skurken]

Hehe

It's on of my recent favorites, I enjoyed it immensely

[buddi]

I loved this game. I was scared from the opening scene and I thought they did a great job blurring or shaking the viewpoint at scary parts to give you that out of control and panicked feeling, without resorting to timed sequences. As a long time H.P. Lovecraft fan, I thought they really captured the essence of Lovecraft's horror. Typically, Lovecraft's heroes are more men of intellect than of action and I thought the research tasks and the abililty to "think about" made for a very playable but still Lovecraftian adventure. Some of it could have been better implemented IMO, but months after playing I've forgotten the little glitches and only the satisfaction of a good game with a good story remains in my memory. This might be one of the few games I actually replay.

Barrow Hill is another of my favourite games. It's not really very scary, more creepy, although I did jump once when a bird flew out at me. I could go on for paragraphs about how much I liked this game, but the short version is, it's almost perfect.

[Pavel4444]

I tried the demo and thought it was bad and boring. What did you like about it? Maybe I am just not too into horror games.

[TezChi]

Well if you aren't into horror games I don't suppose you would have liked it. I personally love the atmposhere and storyline, its very well written and VERY scary. Also the puzzles and locations are spot on imo, its a very good game for a fan of horror.

[buddi]

It's had to say what is so great about the story without giving away spoilers. I'll stick to saying that it's complex and well developed and goes in an interesting direction, at the same time it is quite vague, in the best Lovecraftian style. Horrors are hinted at but not quite seen, startling revelations are made, but their deepest implications are left to your imagination.

The game play isn't perfect, but it's very innovative in the way it lets do research and think about your findings. Like Barrow Hill, a lot of the game depends on finding and reading documents and piecing together the parts of the story, but Darkness Within allows you to combine found clues as if they were inventory items, which is challenging and adds a lot of depth to the story.

The things that really tied the whole game together were the atmosphere and pacing. The locations, the music, the camea effects, all were very spooky. You would go to sleep and wake up to find that days had passed while events spun on without you.

[kadji-kun]

Just bought this game. Thanks to all that suggested it in the 'List of Scary Games'. This game is absolutely creepy. Just as horrifying as Darkest Corners of the Earth. I'm really surprised that such an immersive first person game works with a prerendered environment. I thought it can only be done just like in DCotE, but I was sure wrong.

So far its been a pleasure playing this game. There are a lot of things done in this game which have never been done in any other FP game of the type (prerendered) like the use of camera movement, showing the players hand (holding up the torch) and more. DCotE was a tad boring in parts, but it was absolutely scaring especially with all the action scenes. To think there was another game like it is great. Well worth the money!

I tried playing this at night, but I just couldn't. haha Not as scary as DCotE, but almost here.

[Shazzner]

Yeah I thought it owned. One problem I had though was one of the first puzzles was pretty much bullshit, and I thought there were too many plot threads going along and, as I figured, only one or two of them got remotely tied up.

But it was still a great experience and definitely had some chilling moments. Of the recent horror games to come out my favorites list would be:

1. Scratches
2. Sherlock Holmes: Awakening
3. Darkness Within

I do need to go back and finish Barrow Hill...

[kadji-kun]

Yeah, I agree.

I just got stuck with a bug that possibly breaks the game (without walk through).

Spoiler:

In the office, you open the drawer to take out a paper with a symbols list. I did this day 01, and now when I need it, its no longer in the inventory.......second, I cant open the drawer again.

Something that makes me want to give up the game. I hate starting over.

I Take it back. Wrong office.

[Thorn]

I just finished this game, thanks to the suggestion in another thread I kinda liked it, the sounds and music were incredible!

But, I sped through it, which means I didn't read some of the documents... I wonder if that's why I don't understand the ending?
What was supposed to happen during the eclipse? o_O

[TezChi]

Wel....

Spoiler:

In some of the documents, it said that during the eclipse is the time for the "creatures" rebirth, ie the folklore they were worshipping. Whether this is true or not you dont know, as it is suggested many of the ideas were simply myths and legends, such as the Iathers Curse and Children of Dis etc. You also found out that Harold Loreid is the descenedant of the peoiple who created this cult. So, is he insane or did these things really happen to him?

I thought it was a great ending actually.

[Thorn]

Originally Posted by TezChi

Wel....

Spoiler:

In some of the documents, it said that during the eclipse is the time for the "creatures" rebirth, ie the folklore they were worshipping. Whether this is true or not you dont know, as it is suggested many of the ideas were simply myths and legends, such as the Iathers Curse and Children of Dis etc. You also found out that Harold Loreid is the descenedant of the peoiple who created this cult. So, is he insane or did these things really happen to him?

I thought it was a great ending actually.

Ohhhhhhhhh right. Thanks!