Dark Side
Description official descriptions
In Driller, the Ketars attempted to blow up the moon Mitral, but you stopped them. Now, they have Energy Collection Devices collectively known as ECDs, and hope to stock them up to use towards the Zephyr One device, and direct its energy at the planet Evath, resulting in a catastrophic radiation overload.
Your mission is to beam onto their base on the moon Tricuspid and destroy the ECDs. Destroying one will buy you more of your limited time. The problem is, many are connected to at least 2 others, and those can immediately regenerate, so you must tackle them in an order in which those with only 1 connection are attacked first.
You are inside a spacesuit, propelled by a Jet Pack with limited fuel, and possess lasers and a shield. Shield energy is limited but can be recharged through pentagons and rods. In a world viewed through the Freescape 3D system, you roam the verdant planet of trees, buildings, and underground tunnels.
Gameplay in Dark Side has more action than its predecessor, Driller. The Freescape world has a third dimension - due to the jetpack you can leave the ground and look down on the view. You can also rotate the angle, change the length of your steps, make quick U-turns, and look up or down. The jetpack uses energy at a fast rate, so use this feature sparingly. You must avoid the security turrets called Plexors, which shoot lasers and weaken your shield, and deflector devices, which can beam you into prison.
Groups +
Screenshots
Promos
Credits (ZX Spectrum version)
8 People
Designed by | |
Programmed by | |
Cover Artwork by | |
Additional Artwork by | |
Additional contributions by |
Reviews
Trivia
Development
Driller - a prequel to Dark Side - was basically a technical demo showcasing the Freescape system but offering very little in the way of gameplay. Dark Side gained more depth and was enhanced with new features. Developers were also focused on engine optimisations - they created new procedures on 16-bit machines that were ported back to 8-bit versions what resulted in small speed increase (around 5%).
References
- The deadly laser gun "Zephyr One" was named after Incentive's Berkshire office address.
- Sphinx figure that could be stumbled into during the terrain exploration served no real purpose but was just a case of the developers saying "look at some of the cool stuff we can do
Awards
- ACE
- October 1988 (issue #13) - Included in the Top-100 list of 1987/1988 (editorial staff selection)
- ST Format
- January 1990 (issue #06) - Included in the list 50 Games of the Year
Identifiers +
- MobyGames ID: 21802
Contribute
Know about this game? Add your expertise to help preserve this entry in video game history!
Contributors to this Entry
Game added by Martin Smith.
DOS added by BdR.
Additional contributors: jean-louis, mailmanppa, Jo ST.
Last modified February 22nd, 2023.