Set in the twisted hellscape of a lucid nightmare, DARQ Ultimate Edition blends physics warp puzzles with haunting atmosphere. You play as Lloyd, a quiet character with a distinctive Gothic design. His pale face and long limbs fit easily into the darkness of the dream world, but only his relative normalcy keeps you tethered to the real world.
The game starts at home, you guide Lloyd to bed, where he begins to dream. No introduction or explanation as to what is happening. This creates a sense of chaos that fits well with the eerie atmosphere of the game.
Lloyd’s nightmares have distinct themes that act as clues as to what kind of trauma in his life caused such dark dreams. You can project it into the setting or simply lose yourself in its surreal mysteries.
DARQ Ultimate Edition is divided into levels containing dreams that you must escape. Solve puzzles and traverse each world while dodging bandage-wrapped, distorted humanoid figures with lampshades and facial devices.
The game plays with the expected features of a 2D side-scrolling format. At first you can only go forward and backward, but you can also play with the physics of the world. Gravity can be reversed every time you step on a wall, until you walk on the ceiling. You can follow parallel paths back and forth from the original starting point. Some levels have levers that allow you to shift the camera and look in different directions.
Each level has a slightly different approach to how the world works. Every start needs to be recalibrated so that you are properly prepared for challenging puzzles. The puzzles are really interesting, with additional challenges added by the chaotic world and the spooky creatures that lurk in the shadows.
There are many moments when simple solutions are hidden in plain sight if you don’t trust what you’ve learned about the world so far. DARQ Ultimate Edition may not be a game for those who get frustrated easily, but it’s for those who enjoy moments of realization as achievement.
The slow pace of many enemies means there is a fair amount of latency and the excitement wanes over time. Therefore, it is suddenly overturned by puzzles that require speed.
The DARQ Ultimate Edition comes with 2 DLC adventures and a 60-page graphic novel. There are also collectibles scattered throughout the story that can be sought by anyone who truly invests in solving all the puzzles. and helps justify the price of the game to some extent.