DarkStar One (DVD-Rom)
by CDV Software
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Video Game Reviews of DarkStar One (DVD-Rom)
Customer Review: Problem with using joysticks
Summary: 1 Stars
If you intend to use a joystick with this game please go to the Darkstar One website and look in their forums for all of the complaints about joysticks not operating correctly before you spend your money. The main problem is that the axis are reversed (and cannot be un-reversed) which (at least for me) renders that game unplayable. If you use a keyboard for flight/space sims the game should be playable. This is another example of an unfinished product being rushed to market with major issues still unresolved. Customer Review: Bug Ridden POS
Summary: 1 Stars
It looks like this game will be GREAT...in a few months when they fix the MANY bugs...It won't work in any resolution except 1024x768, Frame rate slow downs, CTDs, Joystick Problems...and yes I did install the 1.2 beta patch. Wait for the bargain bin for this one.Customer Review: Get this Game
Summary: 5 Stars
For all of you who loved Freelancer, this game in many ways feels similar, but it has a more polished, updated feel to it. Great graphics, pretty good story, and awesome custimizations in the ships, what more could one ask for?Customer Review: About time
Summary: 5 Stars
It has been way too long having a good space adventure game and this one will fit the bill nicely. If you like Freelance or Independence War 2, you would like Darkstar One.Customer Review: Good, but not as much fun as Freelancer
Summary: 4 Stars
Darkstar One (DSO) invites comparison to Freelancer (FL) because the games are so similar. One reviewer even claimed that DSO is "Freelancer done right." Sadly, no. FL had a more exciting story and excellent voice acting-- this game was originally developed in Germany and the English translation is sometimes a bit odd. There are 55 star systems in FL, and 300 in DSO, but the DSO systems have very little exploration potential. The only place to land in each system is the trading station, invariably named "Trading Station."
Combat is a lot like FL, and missiles are fun to shoot (Hellfires almost never miss). The Swarm missile is like a shotgun blast, unguided but useful in close quarters. Shields don't work the same as in FL, so it's possible to take out some of the weaker pirate ships with one Hellfire. The variety of weapons is not as much as in FL. One thing DSO has that FL doesn't is controls to roll left and right as well as strafe in a dogfight.
Unlike FL, the player goes through the entire game with one ship, but it can be equipped with lots of different items. The innovative part is how the Darkstar One can expand itself to create more weapon and equipment slots. One especially useful upgrade allows you to mount turrets that fire automatically at hostile targets, e.g. ships on your tail (wish FL had that).
The side missions are different but can be repetitive after a while, like in FL. You can sign on as a freighter escort to earn money, that was something missing from the original FL. Also, there are occasional distress calls to answer and invitations to join in combat missions. Kayron has a co-pilot named Eona. Sometimes she can be useful, such as reminding you that another ship is on your tail.
Inter-system travel is by hyperspace drive. You can leave a system from anywhere that's not too close to a solid object. Systems are entered through a single hyper gate. Inside a system, there is no cruise engine but you have an afterburner that can be upgraded to get more out of it. Also there is a time dilation effect to speed up routine movement inside a system. There is no autopilot, and formation flying is manual too.
Docking on stations is actually quicker than FL once you buy a landing computer (affordable very early in the game). Inside the station everything is handled in one room (but there is a "panorama" or viewing port to see outside). As mentioned above, there is no landing on planets-- you can only dock at the single trading station.
The trade system, at least in the demo, isn't very interesting. The dynamic pricing that people said they wanted in FL has been implemented but that just means you have no idea whether a trade run will make money. And cargo is carried in unwieldy containers that get towed behind your ship. You have to drop the container to fight off pirates and then pick it up again. Bounties and missions pay a lot better than trading.
If you like to see fireworks, DSO delivers. The Big Bang torp will do a job on large targets like capital ships and pirate asteroids, making fiery shockwaves that spread across the sky. You can even get paid by the rebels for blowing up ships, but the police are much tougher than FL and I haven't been able to escape them to enjoy the money. There is a reputation system that's rudimentary compared to FL, and it doesn't look like crime pays.
In summary, if you love FL this game is worth playing but there are some aspects that fall short of expectations. Unlike FL, Ascaron, the makers of DSO, are talking about a possible sequel. There's hope the game will improve in the next edition.