Operation Darkness Preview

Usually when you think of a World War II strategy game, “Japanese RPG” isn’t quite the first term that comes to mind. However, the folks at Atlus are looking to throw their hat into the ring with their upcoming title, Operation Darkness. A strategy RPG developed exclusively for the Xbox 360, Operation Darkness has you as a soldier on the front lines of World War II fighting against the Axis powers in Europe. However, whereas the game has some root in history, it gains some style points by also eventually having you take on vampires and a host of other supernatural baddies with some newly developed powers of your own, and some pretty fun strat-RPG elements provide the backbone for the gameplay as well. If you’re a RPG fan looking for a different take on history, then Operation Darkness might be the title you’re looking for.

Operation Darkness pits you as a member of a British SAS squad in 1942 as you fight through the European theater, taking you to places like France and North Africa. Along the way, you’ll uncover a host of supernatural occurrences, including Nazis that can rise from the dead and characters that have the ability to transform into werewolves.

While the supernatural elements are laid on quite heavily, there is some degree of historical accuracy, including an introduction that sets the stage for the Second World War by illustrating the discontent and financial ruin that Germany was in following World War I. These unfold through narration and footage from the time period, and do a good job of providing some background.

The combat system unfolds like most strategy RPGs, as you’ll have to move your characters around grid-based maps, point them in a direction and have them perform different tasks. Firing your weapons gives you a certain amount of range, though some firearms can do more damage at a greater distance than others. The further you are from your target, the more your hit rate goes down, and hence, the less damage you can do.

Similar to games like Fire Emblem, once you have a character die in battle, they’ll remain dead for the rest of the game. Luckily, you’ll be able to purchase more soldiers and units to keep you going.

Graphically, the game looks pretty good. There were some framerate issues, and the camera was a bit tough to manage, but overall the look of the battlefields was nice and the character models were good.

Operation Darkness is looking to stir up the pot with a fresh take on both World War II games and strategy-RPGs, courtesy of its interesting story elements. Look for a full review soon.