Dark Void Updated Hands-On Impressions

Dark Void is a game that has generated a good amount of buzz thanks in large part to its unique blend of third-person shooting, jetpack flying, and the ability to punch robots in the face until they don’t have a face anymore. However, those who were looking forward to it now have a longer wait because the game recently joined a large chorus of games delayed from the holiday 2009 release window to early next year. Here at GamesCom 2009 we had the opportunity to see one of the features developer Airtight Games has managed to add with that extra development time.

What's New: According to Capcom, one of the most frequently requested additions to Dark Void after the play-testing it has undergone is the ability to use the game’s jetpack to hover freely over the ground in addition to using it for all-out flying. Well, that’s exactly what Airtight has done with this extra development time. Previously, the game had you either running and gunning on foot or flying through the air with the jetpack or on UFOs you had sky-jacked. The ability to hover now adds a new dimension to the gameplay that exists somewhere in between those abilities. You simply hit the A button to jump and then hit it once more and hold it down, which causes Will to slowly lift off into the air as if he were doing a protracted double jump. It’s a feature that takes some getting used to, but it provides an exciting new way to take on enemies and navigate throughout the game’s levels.

What's Different: Dark Void seems to have been given a noticeable level of graphical polish since the last time we saw it. The lighting is especially nice in the way bits of sunshine peek through the clouds in the sky. Considering how much time you spend flying through the air, that’s something you’ll notice a lot more quickly than in other action games.

What's The Same: Pretty much everything else. Dark Void hasn’t undergone any drastic changes since Airtight started adding new features. It’s still the same game we’ve been anticipating since it first showed up on our radar at last year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo.

What Impression The Game Made This Time: Dark Void is still a game to look out for; it just has a slightly longer wait and there's a bit more to be excited about now that it has been delayed. You can expect to see it arrive on January 12.