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Grade: 2.5/5
IP adaptations are no easy task. Although DC Comics characters and storylines are well-known in the world of film and television, “DC: Dark Legion” — DC’s newest video game, released March 14 — is on a mission to engage players in the mobile realm. Drawing inspiration from the comic series “Dark Knights: Metal,” developers FunPlus and Warner Bros. Games situate the player in the universe of Prime Earth, where the Batman Who Laughs — a supervillain Batman, but Joker-ified — wreaks havoc through Crisis Towers emitting dark energy. As the player progresses through the storyline and combat levels, they are pitted against Dark Knights, or corrupted DC characters, ranging from the Justice League to Batman’s rogues.
With updates in the future, including an eventual roster of more than 200 characters, also known as champions, the current line-up features iconic heroes and villains, but also some lesser-known ones. Staples such as Wonder Woman are included with Red Hood and Deadshot. For comic fans, building teams with more than just mainstream heroes and villains can be an exciting prospect. Character designs are spot-on and detailed, with even lower-level characters — such as Joker’s henchmen— having distinct outfits and personalities. In order to build your own squad of heroes and villains, the RNG system called The Bleed allows players to summon characters and weapons using World Anvil Shards, an in-game currency.
Offering both PvE and PvP combat modes, players can build community through a type-to-chat feature or creating and joining leagues to share resources and battle. However, the unwieldy mobile format limits the streamlining of these functions, especially since chat and team features are often more fluent on PC. And while the game is downloadable on PC, it’s limited to a vertical window. Taking your team to battle is a hit or miss experience. Since battles are not turn-based or open-world, much of the fighting is automated. The main strategy, besides equipping characters with stat building weapons and skill upgrades, is simply deciding when to click on a charged-up character so they can use their skill. Players who don’t mind putting the battle on auto and 2x speed probably won’t mind the format, but if you want a more interactive experience, it’s MIA.
For beginners, the initial progression of the game is straightforward. Players can easily upgrade their underground base and develop a settlement to house their earned characters and protect civilians, respectively. In-game strategy guides for building characters are accessible and there are many opportunities to farm materials. However, “DC: Dark Legion” loses sight of a true trajectory with an overwhelming activity selection. There are more than 15 tabs on the home screen and even more options once you click into them. Different events, challenges, daily gifts, tasks and redeemables clog the screen and multiply into an army of red exclamation points fighting for your attention. There’s too much focus on keeping players constantly claiming resources and less on the game’s basis: the storyline.
You would think saving the universe from a nefarious villain with your favorite characters would be a bit more enthralling. An underwhelming story progression and limited cutscenes take players out of the DC Universe and back to a non-immersive reality. The player takes a backseat in the story despite an opening scene where the disembodied voice of the Monitor, a universal being, asks them to personally save the world. Dialogue options in the story don’t carry weight; the player is usually passively observing conversations between characters, some of which are awkward and don’t add substance to the plot.
In terms of story graphics, maps for the main plot are restricted to pre-ordained paths, and the graphics are indistinguishable from each city, likely contributing to the monotonous progression. Graphics in the cutscenes present are adequate, with only ventriloquistic instances of speech that misalign with character movements detracting from the experience.
At its essence, “DC: Dark Legion’s” strengths come from its exceptional character design and activity plethora for those who want to keep busy. Its mobile format doesn’t effectively facilitate community, and unlike Green Arrow, this game missed the mark on creating substantial story progression and interactivity. “DC: Dark Legion” could save you from the villain of boredom, but might not have you returning to fight the Dark Knights.
”}]] “DC: Dark Legion” could save you from the villain of boredom, but might not have you returning to fight the Dark Knights. Read More