So bad, bits of it are good..
Dark Messiah for those of you not in the know, is an action heavy game which couples lots of combat with a highly simplistic RPG style levelling up system. The 360 version subtitled "Elements" has a few additions over the PC original, none of them special and this may as well be the same game released quite a while ago albeit for the cost of a new game. It recived an awful review here on Gamespot and while it's not quite deserving of the criticism it recieved, it's hardly a perfect game. Fortunately it can be an entertaining one.
Story & Characters
Oddly enough for essentially what is an FPS with swords the characters themselves are one of the games strongest points, although possibly for the wrong reasons. In Dark Messiah you take the role of Sareth a generic lead who has one hilarious flaw. He dosen't seem to notice that the people he's fighting for aren't really the good guys, in fact his master is a demon summoning evil mage of the highest order and has inserted a wise cracking succubus like creature called Xana inside his body to keep an eye on him. Sareth seems to fail to be suspicious of the fact he has a demon woman living inside him and her constant urges to kill and sarcastic comments seem to fall on deaf ears and he generically saves the day time and time again on his adventures. Xana is undoubtedly what makes the game more interesting as she always has some commentry to pass on everything going on around them whether its her gloating over the death of an enemy or being spectacularly unimpressed with the generic heroine Leanna gazing dreamily at Sareth. Rounding off the cast are Leanna and a bunch of really bad baddies all equally fitting in with generic RPG conventions, but fortunately Sareth's mind bogglingly stupidity and Xana's comments make things unintentionally and intentionally hilarious in equal measures and carry the game.
Story wise theres nothing sepcial here. Beat the evil guy, save the day blah, blah, blah...
Gameplay
Killing enemies and solving very generic puzzles is the name of the game here, with the main focus on killing. You can dispatch enemies in a variety of ways like kicking them into spiked walls, setting them on fire, using collapsable source engine scenary to smack them in the face or if your a more "hands on" person decapiting them in melee. One of the games most fun attributes is maiming enemies and seeing them die in entertaining ways and the games bugs can often add to the hilarity in the death animations.
Unfortunately the bugs can detract from the gameplay heavily in other ways, monsters can get stuck in walls, you can get stuck in walls, and climbing ropes can result in some bizarre graphic bugs too all of which can result in a reload and are detrimental to the gameplay. Fortunately you can save where you like or this would have been even more annoying.
The main problem with Dark Messiah's gameplay is quite frankly after about 6 hours or so it gets VERY boring. This is the games biggest flaw.
Graphics And Sound
Ooooh boy, this is where things don't go well either. The game is hideous and the voice acting is Z list awful. I can't really say much more than that, other than don't expect much from either of these aspects of the game.
Lastability
This isn't a long game, depending on how well you take to it and how long you can play it theres maybe about 10-12 hours here. But not all of that time will be that enjoyable.
Overall
Dark Messiah is fun, but the fun is shortlived and dosen't last for the games full lifespan and the hideous graphics, bad sound and eventually repetative combat just don't work that well. What you have here is a game that is essentially very mediocre, but not diabolically awful as enjoyment can be found.
