The Dark Prophecy is a great retro title. Fortunately, though, the achievement list demands you return to experience different outcomes and some secret moments. Yet, mere mortals, on the other hand, will struggle. If you are a veteran of the genre, you’ll fly through the game with little challenge. Where The Dark Prophecy is lacking is its longevity. This is the extent of the control setup and it is mastered in no time at all. You may talk to someone, use an item, move Jacob, or inspect your surroundings. By pressing one button, you flit between 4 working methods. Instead, it was a simple and well-considered system that is easy to understand and smooth to operate. I expected it to be clumsy, awkward, and unbearable. I was impressed by the excellent controls. Should I help the prisoner? A simple and well-considered control system. Had some of the dialogue been performed, it would have enhanced the story and the comedy moments. Unlike its peers, The Dark Prophecy missed a trick by relying solely on text narration. However, I was disappointed by the lack of acting. The sound effects were notably good with their comical timing and larger-than-life delivery.

The simple but fun music complemented the zany action without being overbearing. If they had implemented a light hue or sparkle to key items, it would have reduced the confusion and removed the issues altogether.Īlongside the delightful visuals was a folksy and magical soundtrack. However, the developers could have alleviated the aforementioned game stalling issues with some simple visual changes. Alongside this, I appreciated how easy the text was to read, and the simplicity of the UI. With a moody colour palette, pixelated imagery, and its brilliant fantasy setting, it looked great. Maybe it’s the nostalgia speaking, but I adored The Dark Prophecy’s dated aesthetics. The Dark Prophecy is pixelated and dated, but it looks great. Accordingly, some players will quit as progress often stall as there are no obvious solutions to hand. Occasionally, the cryptic clues were too obscure, and this led to confusion and wasted time. Unfortunately, there were many times when I simply guessed my way out of a problem, and this was annoying. However, this can be frustrating if you get stuck and can’t find key items. By doing this, you’ll expand your interactions and will receive new tasks to complete. Once you’ve found each item, they must be combined, used, or given to certain pivotal characters. Subsequently, you must thoroughly explore every scene and location.

The gameplay revolves around point-and-click mechanics. As such, much of the retro gameplay and dated plot work perfectly with the silly fantasy tale. The phrase “if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it”, is apt. This may seem like a complaint, but it isn’t. Consequently, there are few surprises and most of the action lacks originality. Why? Well, the developers have played it safe throughout. If you are familiar with this genre, then nothing will surprise you.

The dark prophecy summary