DARQ

This game is an absolutely incredible way to spend a few hours giving your brain a workout. Jump-scares are present, though not to a ridiculous degree, and the developer behind the game couldn't have more passion behind his project. It was a lot of fun working with Vlad to voice Lloyd, and I cannot wait to see what kind of work he has in store for us to come.

Immerse Yourself in the Twisted Dreamscape of DARQ: Complete Edition
DARQ: Complete Edition is a masterclass in psychological horror and puzzle-solving, offering an unparalleled journey through the depths of the human subconscious. Developed by Unfold Games, this definitive edition of the acclaimed DARQ delivers an unforgettable experience that will leave players spellbound from start to finish.
From the moment you step into the shoes of Lloyd, a young boy trapped in a lucid nightmare, DARQ captivates with its haunting atmosphere and surreal imagery. The visual design is nothing short of mesmerizing, as every shadow and every detail contributes to the sense of unease and wonder. The art style is both beautiful and unsettling, perfectly complementing the game's narrative themes.
At its core, DARQ is a game of exploration and discovery, as players navigate through a series of intricately designed levels filled with mind-bending puzzles and enigmatic challenges. Each level presents its own set of obstacles, forcing players to think outside the box and unravel the mysteries of Lloyd's subconscious. The puzzles are cleverly crafted, offering just the right balance of difficulty to keep players engaged without feeling frustrated.
What sets DARQ apart from other horror games is its emphasis on atmosphere and ambiance similar to Tim Burton's animated films. Instead of relying on jump scares or gore, DARQ draws players in with its immersive world-building and psychological depth. Every corner of Lloyd's dream world is filled with symbolism and hidden meaning, inviting players to piece together the fragmented narrative and uncover the truth behind his torment.
In addition to its captivating gameplay, DARQ: Complete Edition also boasts a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack that perfectly complements the game's atmosphere. From superb ambient melodies to pulse-pounding orchestral scores, the music enhances every moment of the experience, immersing players even deeper into Lloyd's twisted dreamscape.
Overall, DARQ: Complete Edition is a must-play for fans of psychological horror and puzzle games alike. With its stunning visuals, immersive gameplay, and thought-provoking narrative, it's an unforgettable journey into the darkest recesses of the mind. Dive into the depths of DARQ's dream world, if you dare, and prepare to be captivated by its chilling beauty.

Really cool puzzle side scroller. Quite short, can be easily done in one sitting, The art style is great, very Tim Burton-inspired, and the characters and game overall have a Little Nightmares feeling to them which makes for a pretty nice atmosphere. The puzzles are the simplest but are easy enough not to become frustrating. You don't really get any hints or directions whatsoever throughout the game, but that's not much of an issue as most things are quite intuitive, although, you might just repeatedly die and repeat certain points a few times until you figure out how to approach the situation.
There are a few pretty annoying achievements, mostly related to speedrunning, so if you're the kind to 100% everything, you might want to rethink playing this, but other than that, the game is absolutely worth giving it a try. And don't skip the 2 free DLCs as well.
Also, the dev is an awesome guy. He sent a handwritten, thank you postcard to every player that wanted one back in 2022, and that's an incredible thing to do in my opinion, so kudos to you sir!

Sights & Sounds
Hues are for suckers
Even the oldest color monitors were 4-bit, permitting nerds in the 80s to finally see in a stunning array of 16 colors in an incredible 100x100 resolution without leaving the darkness of their mothers' basements (provided they were willing to fork over the money for an expensive adapter)
Eventually they kept raising two to higher and higher powers until we stopped thinking about color depth altogether. Darq said "fuck all that" to the decades of technological advancement and decided that shades of gray were good enough
I suppose that Darq isn't entirely black and white; as you progress, you'll get a subtle pink hue imparted by an emergency light, notice the almost imperceptible yellow glow of a sodium lamp, or spot the pale blue of a sparking wire
And while the world never really burst into a wide spectrum of colors, your eyes will eventually adjust to pick out the muted palette of some interior settings. It's a strange visual effect. It's almost as though the colors are muted disproportionately to the light levels. Very eerie
Another noticeable bold choice Darq makes is the near absence of a soundtrack. Oh, sure, if you go look it up, you'll find a nice track listing of haunting orchestral music, but little to none of that shows up until you see the credits roll
The sound design, conversely, is very in-your-face. Beyond the nearly constant machine droning emitted by the various puzzle contraptions you encounter, you'll hear tons of squeaking gears, crunchy footsteps, and a healthy dose of "Inception noises as you make your way through the game. It sounds like lower frequencies are boosted and maybe compressed, making them sound more punchy and distorted
Story & Vibes
Tim Burton presents
Being an artsy puzzle game, there's no overt narrative in Darq. You just go through your your moody, surreal puzzles in a dimly-lit world until the game ends more or less where it began
Instead, Darq is all about the vibes. The cacophonous sound effects and lack of light build an unsettling atmosphere, as does the absence of music
The creepy air ramps up a bit once you begin encountering the blind, pale, twisted inhabitants that would like nothing more than to wring the protagonist's impossibly skinny neck
Speaking of the protagonist, the exaggerated size of his facial features and head in proportion to his rail-thin frame reminded me of characters from The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach
Playability & Replayability
A new perspective
Darq is a puzzle adventure game where there isn't really a stated goal other than to move forward. You start off in your bedroom (serving as a hub world), go to bed, and wake up in a new puzzle-filled reality in a spooky setting. At the end of the stage, you return to your room to repeat the process anew
On the whole, the puzzle variety was quite good. I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was little to no block-pushing mechanics, which are the definitive hallmark of an uncreative puzzle game
Instead, Darq will test your perception. Our protagonist has the very interesting ability to walk up or down whatever surface is in front of him. See a wall? No bother! Just plant a foot on it and keep walking. The screen will rotate to keep your character vertical
This perception-shifting meshes well with the other more traditional puzzle elements like switches, item assembly, sequencing, and timing. The little gameplay twist makes for some truly clever puzzles
The most notable of these, in my view, is the level taking place at the intersection of two city streets. At the middle of the intersection is a pair of hanging rings; grabbing these and pressing left or right will shift the world 90 degrees, permitting you to see a single side of one of the streets depending on the way you rotate. Very cool
Remember those monsters I mentioned? Yeah, you'll need to avoid them. The good news is that they're blind, but the bad news is that they're very capable of hearing you. You'll need to sneak using the dedicated control to get past them unnoticed
I got all of the achievements in the main game as well as all of the non-speedrunning achievements in the DLC included in the Complete Edition, so I'm not feeling a replay anytime soon. I just don't get much enjoyment out of speedrunning
Overall Impressions & Performance
First try
It's hard not to be impressed by the fact that this was the developer's first game. I've tried a number of people's first Unity projects, and I rarely come away with this positive of an impression
He clearly had a vision in mind when putting together this game. The strong artistic choices that are simultaneously minimalist in most ways but excessive in some make this a memorable game
And it's always nice to get a breath of fresh air in the puzzle scene. The most similar game I can think of that matches Darq in tone and gameplay is Creaks, though I can see some similarities to PLAYDEAD titles like Limbo and Inside
The game performed quite well on the Steam Deck. I'm not sure why, but these compact, artsy puzzle titles feel perfect for the platform
Final Verdict
7.0/10. The strong audiovisual design plays well with Darq's creative puzzle mechanics, putting an interesting twist on a well-trodden genre. While some lore, narrative, or objective could have enhanced the experience a little, this is still a worthwhile experience for those looking for something a little creepy and mysterious

Played it in 2024 when browsing through my library in search for something cool, wow this was top stuff! Burtonesque horrirsh 2D adventure puzzle game with amazing sounds and visuals, relatively short but fits just right. fyi it made me search for dev teams and on the same team heard they were included in the new silent hill, so ye, all the pieces fit, recommend the og game and both dlcs (tower better than crypt)

DARQ is a 2.5D puzzle game with a spooky feel. You play as a character who is exploring their dreams, where they can walk on walls and ceilings to reach different places and find items to solve small puzzles. Solving these smaller puzzles leads to bigger ones, and once you solve those, you either unlock a new area or get an item you need for another puzzle.
The gameplay is simple. You can walk, run, jump, and interact with things to use items from your bag or activate levers and switches. The game is short and easy to play. It takes about two hours to finish all seven chapters, plus another hour to play through the two extra expansions that come with the game.
Most of the puzzles aren’t too hard, but I liked the expansions more because they had a bit more challenge. If you’re into games like (Little Nightmares) or (Inside), DARQ will be a fun experience. I recommend buying it when it’s on sale because the game is pretty short.

Great puzzles, atmosphere, graphics, art direction, sound, and enemies. Everything about this game is fantastic.
Don't miss out on the *FREE* DLC either.