Dark Fall: The Journal (2002 Video Game) User Reviews

An exercise in blandness

[CuriosityKilledShawn · 22 June 2006]

Dark Fall looked like an intriguing game with atmospheric locations and the story about ghosts and hauntings really ought to have made it brilliant. However it's no more than bland and boring.

Yes, the visuals and the various rooms of the abandoned hotel and train station ARE very impressive. But there is so much of NOTHING to do in them. The gameplay is kind of like the Myst games, being that when the arrow is moved over something important, the icon changes. But almost every screen in Dark Fall is completely non-interactive, so it's no more than a slide-show tour of an old hotel. What's the point?

It could have been creepy and the idea of answering ringing phones to have a ghost talk to you is completely wasted as it doesn't affect the gameplay one bit. There is a bit of humor in the newspaper clippings (be prepared to read loads of them) and in the voices of snobby ghosts but it's not enough to save this dull game from dying so quickly.

If you absolutely MUST then don't spend more than a few pounds/dollars. But there are loads of better games out there so you'll probably never even give it that much of a chance.

Graphics B+ Sound C- Gameplay D Lasting Appeal D

Very disappointing!

[manchester_england2004 · 4/10 · 18 December 2009]

DARK FALL is a point-and-click adventure game developed for the PC.

The plot of the game is very reminiscent of the second adventure of the SAPPHIRE AND STEEL TV series and at least one in-joke is included in the game to reflect this. The player assumes the role of an unidentified paranormal investigator visiting an abandoned railway station in the South West of England to investigate the disappearance of their brother. It soon transpires that the station has a dark history.

As Shawn Watson has already mentioned on this comments page, the game is little more than an exercise in blandness. I might add that the problems found here are similar to those in AMBER: JOURNEYS BEYOND.

The railway station is an incredibly atmospheric location and its layout is strikingly similar to that of the one used in the aforementioned TV series.

Unfortunately, as Shawn has pointed out, there is very little interaction involved. There is no, repeat no interaction with any other character in the game. Interaction is with objects only. Other characters in the game appear only in the form of voices of spirits. There are no visuals of the kind found in THE 7TH GUEST for example.

So there is atmosphere in the game and the ghost story is interesting from an abstract perspective. But there is no suspense, tension or excitement to build on these strengths. As such, the game falls flat on its face.

Some patient gamers are likely to want to go through the tedium just to see whether an intelligent, thought-provoking or at least interesting conclusion is formed to end the game. Well I am sorry to have to say this but the ending is just as disappointing as the rest of this product.

Overall, DARK FALL is a very mediocre effort from a gaming company that has produced better works such as THE BLACK MIRROR. Indeed, instead of wasting time with DARK FALL, I recommend THE BLACK MIRROR for those interested in point-and-click adventure games. For other gamers, I recommend the SILENT HILL franchise, which is a highly-regarded series of psychological horror games that genuinely immerse players into their stories. And I recommend the second adventure of the SAPPHIRE AND STEEL TV series to everyone just to satisfy the curiosity of those keen to learn what the makers of DARK FALL tried but failed to achieve.