The Dark Furie

Day Three

I've just left the city after a few story developments. Nothing major to report but I've been staying with some interesting people while on this island. Not one of them is obsessed with hatches or numbers either, so that's a bonus.

To say that the design of the four people I'll be spending most time with on this vacation is a little eclectic is an understatement. While the look of each of the playable characters fits every possible gaming stereotype (big, bad guys and girls with more cleavage and flesh on show than is practical in these circumstances) the stories behind them are far from traditional fare, and indicative of a dual design approach that permeates the core of this game.

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A former American football star, spoiled by life and successful in every possible way, Logan's ego finally put an end to his bright future. Taking part in a reckless street race with tragic consequences, Logan not only killed a young woman - his unfortunate passenger; he also fractured his knee, putting an end to his sports career. His fall from stardom inevitably followed and he plunged swiftly into a life of bitterness and despair. In an attempt to get away from the demons hunting him, he gladly takes the chance to experience the beauties and wonders of Banoi.

Soon enough though the getaway he was dreaming about turns into a real life nightmare...

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Purna is a former officer of the Sydney Police department. After losing her career when she killed a child molester who could not be touched legally because of his wealth and connections, Purna then turned to working as a bodyguard for VIPs in dangerous places all over the world.

She is hired not just for her skills but her looks as wealthy men did not mind showing up with Purna on their arm.

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A one-hit-wonder rap star of fading fame, Sam B was booked by the Royal Palms Resort Hotel to perform his well known song "Who do You Voodoo?" at a high profile hotel party. He gladly took the chance to play this gig.

Once strong, self-confident and proud, Sam B has had a troubled past and a history of drug and alcohol abuse, as his private life became caught in a haze of fake friends and bad advisors.

Trying to pick up the pieces and earn some extra cash, he suddenly finds himself surrounded by a whole lot of different problems...

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Xian Mei is an employee at the Royal Palm Resort, born and raised in China, she chose an occupation that allowed her to leave her country of birth in order to experience different people and cultures - Banoi is her first placement outside of her homeland.

She is a fast learner, intelligent, and also - as a passionate sportswoman - quick on her feet. Having just arrived at the island, Xian Mei was responsible for a myriad of menial tasks at the hotel, before starting work as a receptionist. This opportunity to meet and greet all the different nationalities that visited the hotel was ideal for Xian Mei, as it provided a perfect source of inspiration for her dreams of travelling the globe.

That is of course, before suddenly the world around her begins to crumble...

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The back stories to the characters in this game are told in their own words in a voice file before starting the game. It's here that you find out that Sam B wrote "Who Do You Voodoo" as a joke and was devastated when he made it big with that yet nothing else he wrote took off, that the child molester Purna shot had caused his fourteen year old daughter to commit suicide due to his abuse and didn't even die when she shot him, but had the political pull to get her thrown off the force and evidence buried, that Logan blames others for his own failings and justifies things with "someone else is doing it anyway" type of excuses. These are real insights into what would otherwise be caricatures for cutscenes. The game itself blatantly thinks of them as the gun one, the sharp weapons one, the blunt weapons one and the throwing one and would love to just call them that and be done with it.

This sort of fractured design is evident all over the game and pulls it apart over the course of play. The story tries to concentrate on the human aspect of these events, showing you the need these people have for survival, how hard each death is on them, how awful each person turning is. There are events all over the place that push this to the forefront and the music in the safehouses, particularly the church, pushes that aspect forwards. The game, on the other hand, tries to make the carnage as much fun for players as it possibly can. Both of these aspects make for an interesting experience and, with the right quest choices, you can stick to one for a little while. However, when they mix they don't mix well.

The real reason my packages are always late, and what I have to go through to get them.

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A couple of months of extra story editing for a few added cutscenes as well as more incidental comments from the player characters could have emphasised the humanity aspect a little more without detracting from the fun of the game, but as it stands each of these wildly different approaches to the game makes the other a somehow lesser experience. Still, even that could be seen as a statement about humanity and how easily we can turn the most horrific things into fun in dire circumstances, if only to stay sane.

Wish you were here...