Dark Horizon First Look PreviewAt first glance, space shooter Dark Horizon reminds me of Psygnosis' classic PlayStation space sim Colony Wars -- both games feature a heavy focus on space combat while revealing a detailed good-versus-evil narrative via in-cockpit communications. As Paradox Interactive's modern spin on the genre unfolds, the Murk -- an evil force of pure darkness -- has slowly enveloped the galaxy. Though humanity had thought this threat invincible, a powerful new weapon known as the Light Core offers hope. You play as a Guardian, a regular fellow who's been infected by the Murk but still remains mostly human -- and, unsurprisingly, the fate of the galaxy rests squarely on your shoulders.
A recent demo showcased the space combat -- multiple laser-firing ships locked in battle chased each other as bright suns and nebulae glowed in the distance. The gameplay itself is similar to many other flight combat games like Ace Combat, in that the majority of the game will be dogfights with fleets of enemy ships. Utilizing a simple mouse-driven interface, an equally simple-but-effective heads-up display, and clear mission objectives, Dark Horizion does a nice job of giving the player depth without cluttering the screen. The game offers two different "modes" (that you can switch between) that alter your ship's abilities: Shadow mode allows your ship to stealthily approach a target or wriggle your way between enemy mines, while Corter mode (the developer's term) is an offense-oriented option that sacrifices some of your ship's defensive abilities for increased firepower.
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