Battlefield Blunder- Darkest of Days Review

While the notion of time travel is a popular motif in gaming, only a handful of titles have effectively exploited the concept. For every game like Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask or Braid, whose central gameplay mechanic is built upon the ability to manage time, there are a handful of diversions that use temporal travel as a way to artificially add environmental variety. Most would agree that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ journey into the past and future was no more compelling than their contemporary exploits.

Developer 8Money Lab’s recently released, Darkest of Days certainly spins an absorbing time-bending narrative. Just as protagonist Alexander Morris faces an imminent death at the Battle of Little Bighorn, a soldier appears from an enigmatic bubble. Morris leaps into the sphere and is jettisoned into the future. There, he is introduced to the executives at KronoteK, a corporation whose goal involves fixing any potholes in the time-space continuum.  Darkest of Days narrative is delightfully pulpy science-fiction, constructing a steadfast impetus for Morris to explore a variety of distinct epochs.

Within the confines of KronoteK headquarters, players may select their next destination. Initially, only the dank trenches of World War I, and the battlefields of the Civil War will be available, but later early Rome and World War II stages are unlocked. For the first hour of gameplay, Morris’ weapon loadouts are faithful to the time periods, with muzzle loaded rifles and six shooters during the title’s nineteenth century combat. Gamers accustomed to the full-auto bursts of contemporary titles may find tedium in Darkest of Days simulation of antiquated weaponry. However, players that preserve are rewarded with a contemporary arsenal for historical settings. In these moments, Darkest of Days narrative possibilities are nearly realized. Using a sighted SMG to mow down a team of sword-wielding Centurions is pure fanboy fantasy. 

Beyond the game’s lackluster presentation, other problems are brutally apparent. Melee attacks will occasionally fail to make contact with an enemy combatant standing in front of the player. Neighboring friendly and unit units will sporadically ignore each other during heated battles. Snipers will eliminate the player from a location beyond the reach of the player’s weaponry. While each of these quirks is intermittent, they each contribute to the game’s overall frustrating execution.