If you’re a fan of the ‘nightmarish platformers where horrible things chase small boys’ style, then Darq ought to be proper up your road. In this case, these nightmares are literal – Darq is an upcoming “psychological horror game set in a zero-gravity lucid dream”. Adam spotted it again in 2015, however builders Unfold Games aren’t sneaking it out till close to the top of this yr. You can watch its newest trailer now although, and I’m curious about whether or not you’ll have the identical response to it that I did.
SO. The artwork’s modified considerably since when we last saw it, and the mix of the primary character’s striped clothes with an emaciated look makes me really feel uncomfortable. The outdated model of the character wore the identical horizontally-striped shirt, and it’s arguably a extra direct reference to an everyday prisoner’s uniform quite than a prisoner in a focus camp. Nevertheless, I believe there’s sufficient similarity within the new character’s look that the resemblance in all probability isn’t unintended. Which launches us off into uncomfortable territory, the place I’ve main reservations about holocaust references getting used as an inexpensive approach of unsettling individuals.
Bear in thoughts that it is a recreation about operating and hiding, the place you’re powerless to combat no matter comes after you. Is getting enjoyable out of what may very well be learn as a mechanical allegory for Nazi atrocities okay? I don’t imply that query rhetorically – I’ve been making an attempt to work out my reply and I’m all kinds of conflicted. The looser that allegory is, then the extra acceptable it initially appears. But then if the reference was supposed, utilizing it as a type of facet layer of horror strikes me as crassly manipulative. Even if it wasn’t supposed, I don’t assume my thoughts would be the just one to go down these strains, and the devs arguably have a duty to keep away from that?
There’s much more to be stated on that subject normally, however I’ll cease speaking about it now within the context of Darq as a result of I’d be judging the sport based mostly on trailers and a few press supplies.
I’m all of the extra conflicted as a result of I actually wish to play this. A lucid dream feels like a incredible setting for a horror recreation, the gravity warping appears neat, and each animation seems as sinister because it probably may.
