Definitely one of the best survival horror titles and will be talked about for years to come.
The graphics of ED are perhaps its second strongest facet for its time, with meticulously detailed environments and lush texturing. The GameCube is pushed to the limit at many points with gorgeous lens flare and coloured lighting effects. But certain character textures are well done and others of lesser quality. The weapons and item details are good, so are the environmental details of the game’s locations. These range from a grandiose and creepy Rovias mansion to underground tombs, cathedrals, also a jungle-infested temple complex in Cambodia. ED is a globe-trotting adventure that subtly alters the games locations as they are revisited by characters from ancient times to the modern world. I do have one moderate gripe, though. The game could have had more varied locations rather than just levels that are a collection of tunnels, corridors and ‘box rooms’. Some outdoor locations would have added greatly to the expansive approach of ED. The main location is the Rovias mansion; packed to the brim with ‘haunted house’ style secrets. Despite minor inconsistencies in the graphics and visual presentation, ED does a very good job in the ‘looks’ department.
A key factor in survival-horror games is audio. Mess up on the sound and your horror game is nothing more than a tacky ghost ride. Thankfully, the aural experience of ED is punchy and stark, greatly reinforcing the gameplay. There is a rich variety of music, ranging from tracks that draw from chants of Franciscan Monks to a Middle-Eastern/ Arabian theme. Music is atmospheric and brooding but not highly original. It very much serves as ‘background’ rather being used in a dynamic sense during gameplay. But some tunes are again, rushed through in creation. Sound effects are, for the most part, strong. Monster effects and weapons’ sounds are audibly graphic and tangible. Little details of fire crackling and footsteps are very immersive. However, some effects have been blatantly attached from stock libraries, but this a minor criticism of an experienced gamer that has spent far too much time in game worlds! This only slightly diminishes the authenticity of the rest of the audio presentation in the game. So far, ED has more or less delivered on areas of graphics, audio and gameplay to quite a high standard but there are other notable areas of the game that don’t feel as well produced. Firstly, there is the clunky inventory. This is perhaps the most deplorable aspect of ED. It is reminiscent of Resident Evil and AITD and all those annoying ‘Mix’ ‘Equip’ and ‘Combine’ options that you had to choose just to fire a gun! It has simply been tacked on with very little thought, straight from yesteryear Playstation games. It is outdated, outmoded and does the opposite of creating a smooth gaming experience. Nowhere is this felt more than in the cantankerous spell system! The inventory and menu system could have been refined a lot more and many screens could have been rid of altogether. Secondly, despite the evolutionary advance in console technology, games as a form of interactive art have not progressed beyond the ‘B’-movie scripting and voice acting. The dialogue is at some parts strong but in others mediocre. The voice acting varies in quality, and the dramatic tone is non-existent in the roughly edited cut scenes, occasionally reducing the game to a 2nd class horror experience.
Eternal Darkness: Sanity’s Requiem seems to be one of the most ambitious game projects ever. The scope and breadth at which it tells a supernatural tale is broader than many other games. But there are many inconsistencies throughout ED. Several areas of the game truly shine but others simply seem ‘hashed together’, like the weak level design. Also, a few additions such as a first-person view and a movable camera would have helped in giving more player control. The re-play value is supposed to be high. You need to play the game through three times in effect to destroy all three gods but I merely saw this as subjecting gamers to repeat déjà vu experiences. The difficulty is set on the easy/ intermediate side, and is not too draining on the reflexes or the cranium. ED is unique in many welcome ways but falls short due to graphical and audio cutbacks, a lamentable inventory system and mixed dialogue & voice acting. Overall, I enjoyed the game to a large extent and it is definitely a must try and a possible must own, for many open-minded GameCube gamers.