Deep Black Reloaded

It sometimes happens that names of games can be confusing. For example, we have the different numbers of the Final Fantasy games, because some games have not been released in Europe. Also the great sequels to Final Fantasy 10 and 13, called Final Fantasy 10-2 and 13-2, don’t make it any easier. Deep Black Reloaded is a sequel to the PSN and XBLA version of the game, Deep Black. This game has yet to come out, which will complete the confusion. A game from an unknown Russian developer that promises a lot, but unfortunately doesn’t deliver. The game desperately tries to approach the big games, but already fails at the basics and especially with a downloadable game it should be rock solid.

Sci-fi but underwater

At the beginning of the game you will get a short introduction, but little of it will stick. In short, you as a soldier have to infiltrate various bases to eliminate the enemy. Throughout the game you are constantly given short assignments that you have to complete in six different environments. Each environment contains a good dose of gameplay hours, in total you will have to put in about 8 hours. The first impressions immediately show that the game is of lesser quality. The introduction alternates with comic-like images (no idea why) and the dialogues are of very poor quality. And then I haven’t even mentioned the voice acting in the game. The main characters have a decent voice, but they don’t manage to make the game come across as serious. Lyrics about instead of butterflies, butterknives in your stomach make you laugh rather than create a bond with the characters. Also the nagging of the main character why he has to complete those assignments every time and eventually does them anyway, eventually comes out of your nostrils.

The game makes a promise that the game will mainly take place underwater and very occasionally also above water. This ultimately turns out to be the other way around, because at least two thirds of the game takes place on dry land. This has been a big mistake, because it is precisely this underwater gameplay that sets the game apart from other standard shooters. The main character has a special suit that allows him to move underwater and you can go in all directions. The popping underwater works well but inconsistencies ensure that you regularly die. Hiding and sticking to walls is only possible in places chosen by the developer, so you regularly try to hide behind places where it is not possible. In addition to a number of guns, you also have a harpoon that you can use to drag enemies into the water, switch buttons and reprogram robots. The latter is again only possible when the developer wants it and this again ensures a number of game over screens. The underwater parts are entertaining despite the flaws, but once you get to land it goes downhill.

Great Death Sounds

The diversity of enemies is very small and throughout the game you will encounter the same enemies with the most hilarious death sounds I’ve heard in a long time. The environments are all very smooth and a lot of game clichés pass by. The game is really packed with red barrels and other colored barrels that explode when you shoot them. The enemies spawn in front of you, spontaneously behind you and come running just like that. You’ll have to pump huge loads of lead into the enemies to take them down, but if an enemy lands next to you, it results in an instant game over screen. Also getting hit happens very slowly one time, but the other time you are immediately dead. The most confusing is the logic in certain levels. A good example was a large hangar where I could choose between right and left. If you went left you ended up in a dead end and if you went right you came to a switch with a large turret next to it. But if you then went back from either side, a huge load of enemies was activated. You can guess it left means restarting at a checkpoint and right whistling the enemies with the turret. So the single player is a huge disappointment, but you would say that the multiplayer could possibly save the game. At the time of review, there was not a single player in the online portion of the game and we can’t comment on this feature. But if the single player is any indication, we know enough.

Deep Black Reloaded is a game that you better leave behind during this period. With the toppers coming out there is no reason to buy this title on PC. The game could still do reasonably well on console if time is spent improving some points. The game logic is often confusing, the shooting doesn’t work well and you will often die without knowing what you did wrong. The game is eight hours long, but many will not finish it. It is only recommended if you want to hear the laughable dialogues and the hilarious death sounds of the enemies both above water and underwater.

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Author: Christiaan Ribbens | Genre: Third Person Shooter | Release: 03-03-2012 | Publisher: 505 Games | Developer: BiartGraphics: 7.5 † Sound: 4.0 † Gameplay: 5.0 † Controls: 5.0 † Playback: 4.0 5.0+ Hilarious death sounds++- Too few underwater levels- Bad logic in gameplay- Little diversity