Adv: Dark Archon Invasion [by BCSoft Games]

Game Review: Dark Archon Invasion
Release: January 22, 2004
Genre: Action
Developer: BCSoft Games
System Requirements: P3 500 MHz, 16 MB Open GL Compatible Video Card, 128 MB of RAM
Players: 1
Price: US $19.99


If you're thinking that this game sounds familiar, you should. Dark Archon was one of BC Soft's action titles that has been reviewed here, and Dark Archon Invasion is not so much a new game but just the old one revamped. Dark Archon 2 is going to be a completely different game, but until it is released, you can enjoy the original with new tweaks in graphics, music, and gameplay.

The story is the same. Four different peoples fighting over the universe. Each has their own main ship, with their own special abilities. Invasion actually provides the story in the game this time, which you can view from the main menu. Of course, the story then unfolds as you play through each of the different campaigns.

What is really nice about this release is that the gameplay has been for the most part fixed. If you don't know what I mean, there were a few levels in the original Dark Archon that seemed to be filler, such as the race levels. Those have been removed completely. Also, when you originally played the game, it was just too difficult for new players to get into because the speed would overwhelm you. Now, the dog fights can be just as exhilarating as before, but they also allow you to play without getting a cramp in your hand.

The dog fighting can get very intense, which is what I liked about the original game. With a large number of ships attacking each other, the fight can be pretty fun, but if you find yourself alone with an armada from one group after you, that's when you really have to be dexterous. Your attacks can generally destroy any missiles that come your way, but when you have seemingly hundreds of enemies screaming at you, you can't always hit all of their attacks successfully. Evasive maneuvering and power ups are your main tools to survive at that point.

Each ship has a different main attack. Earth's ship has a spread gun that widens its angle as you increase its power levels. The Black Faith, on the other hand, tends to have stronger attacks that start to mimic the ion canon power ups in the game. Secondary weapons are also different, with my favorite being Earth's speed boost, since you can use it to evade attacks while also playing chicken with the enemy ships. Like I said, dog fighting is fun.

Some levels have you destroying every enemy on the map, whereas others have you accomplishing specific goals, such as collecting supply orbs or following a drone ship for intelligence purposes. If the races were my least favorite level in the original game, the follow-the-ship levels have replaced them, since it is entirely too easy to lose within a few seconds if you're not paying attention. Still, these kinds of levels are few and far between, and the rest of the game more than makes up for them. What can be especially fun are the boss stations that need to be destroyed. These are the only enemy objects that you can crash into, and they can be huge, with varying methods of attack. One station had an attack that pulled your ship closer to it, with moving around as a satellite as your only defense. Sort of a slingshot effect, if you will. While attacking the stations, the enemy fighters will be warping in for defensive purposes, so you need to deal with them as well.

A nice feature is Survival Mode, where you basically play for as long as you can and try to rack up kills in the process. I liked this feature because casually playing, you might not want to go through an entire campaign, especially if some levels are difficult. You get a fully loaded ship and all the enemies you can take, allowing you to practice and compete against the top ten lists available. Throughout the game is a nice set of musical scores that match the game mood well. While I thought Invasion seemed to slow things down from the first release, I think that the improvements are phenomenal and actually add quite a bit to this already good game.

Graphics: 9
The ship models and special effects all worked well together to create an even better experience than the original release created. This game still created the illusion of being in the middle of a massive dog fight, and it was much easier to find the different objects in the game, such as the supply orbs and power ups.

Sound: 8
The music and sound effects created a great atmosphere to play within. I would find myself humming the tunes at different points, which I will admit here for the sake of the review.

Game Play: 10
The options you have for controlling your ship are varied, allowing you to get into the game easily. I found that this version improved a bit on the controls, which were already pretty sweet.

Value : 9
With four campaigns provided, the game already gives you plenty to play through. The Survival Mode can provide you with plenty of casual gaming for those days that you can only get a few minutes to yourself.

Concept: 8
This game was already released before, and Invasion is a great improvement upon an already great game.

Fun: 9
Besides some frustrating levels that involve following ships at just the right distance, Invasion is a lot of fun to play. The upgrades, the power ups, the various mission types, and the different ship types all combine to create a great game.

Overall: 9
Dark Archon was a great game, but its earlier levels were sometimes too difficult for a new player to get into easily. Invasion basically took out a majority of the flaws of the original, such as the race levels, and just about everything was improved, from graphics to gameplay. The end result is a game that is not only easier for beginners to get into, but also challenges fans of the original. A great game just got better.
Added: March 30th 2004
Reviewer: Gianfranco Berardi
Score:
Hits: 5588
Language: english