Dark Envoy Review: Sibling Warfare

Dark Envoy

Presenting Gameffine's Dark Envoy review. Dark Envoy is an RPG-adventure with tactical real-time combat and online co-op by Event Horizon

Product Brand: Event Horizon

Product Currency: USD

Product Price: ‎$26.99

Product In-Stock: InStock

Editor's Rating:
6

2023 has been undoubtedly one of the best years of gaming in history. And a large portion of it belongs to the critically acclaimed RPGs we have got this year – shoutout to Larian Studio’s GOT contender Baldur’s Gate 3, Blizzard’s mighty Diablo IV, and Bethesda’s Starfield which saved the day for Xbox fans this year. Needless to say, the bars for RPGs have never been higher. Despite such dooming odds, we have yet another addition to RPGs from the indie scene. Dark Envoy is a game that combines classic RPG mechanics with a skill-based combat system that allows for diverse tactical options. The game is set in the fantasy steampunk world of Jaan, where humans and non-humans are at war over their technological and magical superiority. The player controls a party of relic hunters, Malakai and Kaela, who explore the ruins of an ancient civilization and uncover secrets that could change the fate of the world. Presenting Gameffine’s Dark Envoy review.

Dark Envoy, developed and published by Event Horizon, was released on 24 October 2023 on PC via Steam and GOG.

A Flawed Tale

The premise of Dark Envoy is intriguing, as it mixes elements from different genres and settings. The game offers a choice and consequence system that affects the story and the world, as well as the moral alignment of the main characters. The game also features a dynamic weather system that influences combat and exploration, as well as a day and night cycle that changes the availability of certain quests and events.

The story of Dark Envoy is decent, but not very original or engaging. The game follows a typical fantasy plot of finding ancient artifacts that could save or destroy the world, while dealing with factions that have their own agendas and motives. The game has some branching paths and multiple endings, depending on the choices made by the player throughout the adventure. However, the story lacks emotional impact and surprises, as it is predictable and linear.

The characters of Dark Envoy are not very memorable either, as they lack depth and personality. The main characters, Malakai and Kaela, are siblings who have different views on the world and their role in it. Malakai is more impulsive and aggressive, while Kaela is more thoughtful and diplomatic. The player can choose who to side with in certain situations, which affects their relationship and alignment. The companions are even less developed, as they have little backstory and interaction with the main characters or the world. Overall, the writing is average and uninspired, failing to create a compelling narrative or dialogue.

Eye Candy That Outlives the Welcome

The gameplay of Dark Envoy is focused on combat, which is real-time with pause. The player can control up to four characters in the party, each with their own class, specialization, skills, and equipment. The combat system is influenced by the tactical turn-based system that the game was originally going to feature, as it includes environmental interactivity, a cover system, flanking, elevation, and more. The combat is challenging and rewarding, as it requires careful planning and execution.

The strengths of Dark Envoy are its combat system, its class and skill system, its dynamic weather system, and its graphics. The combat system is fun and strategic, offering a lot of variety and customization. The class and skill system is flexible and diverse, allowing the player to create their own builds and playstyles. The dynamic weather system adds realism and immersion to the game world, as well as affecting the gameplay. The graphics are beautiful and detailed, creating a vivid and atmospheric environment.

The weaknesses of Dark Envoy are its encounter design, its characters, its writing, its performance issues, and its limited scope. The encounter design is tedious and repetitive, as the game relies too much on combat and not enough on exploration or puzzles. The characters are bland and forgettable, as they have little development or personality. The performance issues are frequent and annoying, causing crashes, bugs, glitches, and long loading times. Even though the full review build overcomes a lot of these issues present during its early access, there’s still a lot of work to be done. The limited scope is evident in the game’s length and content, as it offers only around 20 hours of gameplay and few side quests or activities.

Real Talk

Dark Envoy is a tactical RPG that tries to implement interesting ideas and features that make it somewhat redeemable, but its lack of an intriguing story, uninspired characters along with repetitive conquests get the best of it. Even though a lot of port issues have been addressed in its full release, some of the issues still remain prevalent as they were in its review build. Nevertheless, if you are new to the genre of tactical RPGs, Dark Envoy would be a decent place to start.

FINAL RATING: 60/100