Eternal Darkness

Through such a lengthy development cycle, I feared that getting my hopes up too much for Eternal Darkness would result in disappointment. So I waited, and waited, and now that ED is finally upon us, I can safely say that it is one of the greatest games I have played in a while. Focusing mainly on action, Silicon Knights has managed to nail the combat in nearly every aspect. The player can target specific body parts (and yes, you sicko, that includes the head!) to defeat enemies faster and easier. If you're not up for melee, you can always step back and cast magick spells that range from summoning a zombie to restoring health, magic power, and sanity. While I will admit that the magick system is a tad complicated, it is still one of the high points of the game. Another aspect I love about Eternal Darkness would have to be your sanity meter, one of the most unique qualities (not to mention cool) have witnessed in quite some time. When you are spotted by monsters, the character's grasp on reality begins to slip, and as the sanity meter goes down, hallucinations occur. I won't ruin any for you, but let's just say that ED messes with your head more so than any other game! Finally, I can't write this review without mentioning ED's excellent story that spans across different eras and allows you to control multiple characters who are all fighting against a great evil known as the Eternal Darkness. While a tad confusing at first, the plot does come together much better near the end, making for an enthralling game. With all that said, you can bet that Eternal Darkness was well worth the wait. Rent or buy, play this game.

Graphics- 8.5- Good, but I could tell that ED was originally slated as an N64 title.
Sound-9.5- Excellent voice-acting and great music and sound effects that creates a spooky atmosphere.
Control-9.0 The controls are very easy to get used to and work very well in even the heat of battle.