The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we take a gander at Dark Mist.
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Developer: Game Republic
Region(s) available: Europe, Japan
Players: 1
Hailing from the brains behind the legendary Internet meme Giant Enemy Grab (that’s Game Republic to everyone else), Dark Mist is essentially a dungeon-crawling hack-em-up fashioned in early 90s clobber. Players control Artemis, a warrior of light who must traverse dank dungeons and scrap with the forces of darkness while simultaneously hunting down keys to unlock fresh areas.
The game is viewed from an overhead perspective akin to classic Zelda games, with players able to utilize three different weapons to duff up the various baddies dotted throughout each room. Foes themselves come in all shapes and sizes, with some rooms hosting larger brutes capable of lobbing projectiles at Artemis, and require some nimble footwork and pinpoint accuracy to dispatch. Bosses are also part of the package, showing up on every fourth level and generally giving your weapon thumb a vigorous workout.
In addition to your bog-standard hack-n-slash weaponry, you’ll also be able to chuck bombs in certain levels, as well as unleash a powerful charge-based attack. Conspicuous by its absence however is a save system, and quitting the game plonks you all the way back at level one. Outside of the main campaign, there’s also a time attack mode and obligatory online leaderboards to keep you distracted. Needless to say, Dark Mist’s retro-tastic appeal should definitely make it a fine choice for the old timers out there.
Check back tomorrow as we once again have another butcher’s Inside PlayStation Network.