RETRO – After Heroes V, Arcane Studios brought us back to the “next-gen” world of Might and Magic in Ashan, this time with an action RPG twist. Dark Messiah not only shifts the gameplay style but also adopts a first-person perspective, allowing players to carve through knights, orcs, goblins, cyclopses, and other terrifying creatures that dare to challenge Sareth, a young mage apprentice. With recent remaster rumors circulating, we decided to revisit this review, originally published in print back in 2006.

I don’t know about you, but—call me a heretic if you must—even as a long-time fan of the classic Might and Magic series, I have to admit I prefer this newer, darker, and more stylish universe introduced in Heroes V over the bright, somewhat kitschy, fairy tale-like world of the older games. The French have a knack for dark fantasy, something I first realized after reading their comic books, and Heroes V only solidified that impression. (Yes, it was developed by a Russian studio, but the game’s aesthetics were crafted by the French artists at Ubisoft.) However, to fully immerse myself in this brutal, twisted, yet at times darkly humorous world, a different gameplay style and perspective were necessary. And quite honestly, there couldn’t have been a better choice than Dark Messiah.

Beginner’s Misfortune

I spent a lot of time pondering how to begin my review of this exceptional action RPG. It has everything you could want—Valve’s Source engine, HDR effects, a revolutionary combat system that integrates environmental interactions, and much more. But there’s one aspect that immediately caught me off guard when testing the review version: the surprisingly engaging story of Dark Messiah. At first glance, it seems like just another pile of fantasy clichés. We follow a young mage apprentice, Sareth, who embarks on a quest to deliver a mysterious magical stone—first acquired in the tutorial—on behalf of his master, Phenrig, to another mage named Menelag, who resides in Stonehelm. But things quickly take a turn for the worse when the city is attacked by a raging cyclops, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake before we take it down with a few well-aimed ballista shots. Naturally, we become the town hero, everyone celebrates us—so far, so predictable, right?

But the plot thickens almost immediately. A necromancer named Arantir attempts to steal the stone, and only a clever trick allows Sareth to reclaim it. From there, the chase is on, introducing us to a cast of colorful characters—some allies, some enemies, and others whose true loyalties remain shrouded in mystery. Even Sareth’s mentor, Phenrig, becomes a source of suspicion, as does Menelag’s beautiful and seemingly kindhearted niece, who aids us but appears in a nightmare as an ally of Arantir. The most captivating character, however, is Xana, a dangerously alluring succubus whose voice constantly echoes in our mind, yet we never actually see her—except in fevered dreams. Xana oscillates between sarcasm, biting wit, jealous outbursts, and seductive whispers, adding layers of personality to the game. Credit for this goes to the exceptional voice actress who brings her to life. Meanwhile, the entire story is woven around the legend of the “Dark Messiah”—a half-demon offspring of a mighty demon lord and a mortal woman.

According to prophecy, this demon spawn will one day break open the prison that holds his father and unleash horrors upon the world, bringing about Ashan’s ultimate destruction. I won’t spoil any more details, but rest assured: betrayal, love, dramatic twists, and shocking revelations await. Dark Messiah‘s narrative rivals that of both KOTOR games, making it a must-play for fans of well-crafted fantasy stories—even those who typically prefer turn-based RPGs.

En Garde, Monsieur Orc!

Make no mistake—Dark Messiah is about as far removed from turn-based gameplay as you can get. This is a pure, blood-soaked action RPG where you can practically feel the blade of your sword slicing through a Black Guard’s armor and sinking into flesh or hear the sizzle as your fireball chars the hide of a charging orc. While the enemies themselves aren’t particularly original, the combat system is. Forget the clunky, floaty swings of Morrowind or the generic spell-flinging of classic RPGs—even Oblivion‘s combat feels dated compared to this.

In Dark Messiah, melee combat fully exploits the physics of the Source engine. If you don’t master advanced swordplay techniques, you’ll be nothing more than orc fodder. Combat requires a mix of blocking, precise slashes, and well-timed thrusts that can deal devastating damage. And that’s just the basics. Build up enough energy, and you can execute a brutal finishing move—sending body parts flying in slow-motion as your enemy collapses in a heap. (No, it’s not full bullet-time, but close.) These executions vary based on your weapon and spells, rewarding experimentation. However, don’t think for a second that your foes will just stand around waiting to die. They fight back aggressively, forcing you to master the rhythm of combat—raising your shield at the right moment or striking before they recover from a failed attack.

Fear the Night

Combat alone would make Dark Messiah worth playing, but the real magic lies in its creative use of environmental interactions. Dungeons, ruined castles, mountain passes, and caves are littered with traps, spikes, and hazards waiting to be exploited. When surrounded by a gang of overconfident orcs sneering, “Haha! Stranger dies!” all it took was a quick sword slash to cut a rope, sending a massive log swinging down to crush two of them instantly.

The remaining two had no idea what hit them. I shoved one onto a jagged iron spike protruding from a broken railing—instant impalement. The last orc, now terrified, edged backward toward a cliffside. One swift boot to the chest, and down he went, screaming into the abyss. For spellcasters like myself, the game offers even more sadistic delights. A well-placed fireball can turn a hapless enemy into a living torch, flailing and screaming until they collapse into a pile of smoldering ashes. No fireball handy? Just kick them into the nearest campfire. The sheer level of creativity in combat makes replaying Dark Messiah a joy, as you discover new ways to dispatch your enemies using every trap and trick in the book.

Forget Being a Jack-of-All-Trades…

While Dark Messiah doesn’t claim to be as deep an RPG as Oblivion, it still offers surprising character development flexibility for a game primarily marketed as an action title. Combat skills allow you to specialize in melee or ranged attacks, magic focuses on offensive and healing spells, and the miscellaneous category (“misc”—real creative name, huh?) includes upgrades like increased stamina, higher health, better mana regeneration, “magical affinity” (for wearing mage robes), and stealth abilities for assassin-style players.

Interestingly, there are no traditional level-ups in Dark Messiah. You don’t grind your way to becoming a Level 23 Fire Mage. Instead, you earn experience points that must be spent wisely. Unlike other RPGs, where killing endless enemies grants unlimited XP, here you only earn points for completing significant objectives. This ensures a more structured progression path, but also forces you to make tough choices about where to invest your upgrades.

With a maximum of around 90 experience points available throughout the game and a total of 230 skill points required to unlock everything, you’ll never become an overpowered demigod. Instead, you must carefully craft Sareth into the warrior, mage, or assassin that best suits your playstyle. At first, this system may feel restrictive, but it prevents power-leveling exploits and keeps the game challenging from start to finish.

Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Make no mistake—Dark Messiah is no cakewalk. This is one of the toughest action RPGs in recent memory. Even with fully upgraded health and mana, every fight demands skill and strategy. Enemies don’t go down easily, and the game maintains its difficulty right up to the final boss fight. Of course, there are always ways to outsmart the opposition. Some enemies are particularly vulnerable to certain spells, and higher-tier magic, like lightning storms or the devastating inferno, can obliterate entire groups in a single cast.

The AI is solid and varied depending on the enemy type. Black Guards and orcs are fearless and aggressive, fighting to their last breath. They aren’t mindless brutes, though—some will call for reinforcements or attempt to flank you. In contrast, goblins are cowardly; they hesitate to attack when alone and flee at the first sign of real danger. However, in groups, they become more brazen and will swarm you with reckless abandon.

Necromancers, as expected, prefer to keep their distance, casting nasty spells from afar. Oddly enough, they’re the easiest to deal with since they rarely dodge or reposition themselves—most could be dispatched before they had a chance to do real damage. Meanwhile, mindless creatures like giant spiders, zombies, and floating beholder-like creatures act exactly as you’d expect: they charge straight at you, making them easy to lure into traps.

I had been promised by one of the developers at E3 that the AI would adapt to its surroundings and try to set traps for Sareth—unfortunately, I never saw this in action. While the enemy AI isn’t dumb, it doesn’t quite live up to that lofty expectation. It’s competent but not groundbreaking.

Gorgeous and Atmospheric

Graphically, Dark Messiah is one of the best-looking FPS games I’ve ever seen—especially when maxed out. Arkane Studios fully harnessed the power of Valve’s Source engine, incorporating effects from Half-Life 2 and Lost Coast while adding a few unique touches of their own. The most impressive visual trick is HDR lighting, which shines when transitioning from dark dungeons to sunlit ruins, momentarily blinding your character as their eyes adjust. Another standout effect is the underwater distortion when swimming, which adds a layer of realism.

Beyond the special effects, the game’s artistic direction is phenomenal. Stonehelm feels like a living, breathing medieval city, from its opulent noble chambers to its grimy, rat-infested cellars. NPCs wander the streets, chatting amongst themselves, and there’s even a grief-stricken woman endlessly washing a blood-stained shirt—possibly mourning her lost husband after the cyclops attack. It’s small environmental details like this that bring the world to life.

The mountainous regions, home to the orcs and goblins (who, by the way, are looked down upon by their bigger green-skinned “brothers”), are full of rustic wooden huts and filthy caves. These areas offer some of the most breathtaking vistas in the game, with sweeping views of Ashan. In contrast, the dark, decayed catacombs and crypts feel appropriately oppressive, populated by rotting zombies and ghoul-like creatures with pale, deathly skin. The crypt level does drag on a bit, with repetitive room designs and less imaginative layouts, but the rest of the game more than makes up for it.

The creature designs are equally well-crafted. Wizards like Phenrig and Menelag look like they’ve spent too much time hunched over alchemical flasks and spellbooks—bald, wiry, and gaunt. Orcs are hulking, muscle-bound brutes with unkempt hair, while goblins are scrawny, chattering pests. The undead are appropriately grotesque, with zombies looking like they just crawled out of a graveyard, but it’s the fast-moving, wall-scaling ghouls that sent shivers down my spine. The combination of high-quality models, smooth animations, and richly detailed environments makes Dark Messiah one of the most visually impressive action RPGs I’ve ever played.

The Ugly Side…

By now, you’re probably wondering what kind of rig is needed to fully enjoy this game. Thanks to the Source engine, even at max settings in 1240×960 resolution, my aging X800 GTO handled it surprisingly well—aside from some frame drops in extremely detailed, heavily lit areas. However, to prevent unbearable audio stuttering due to constant loading, I had to strip my system memory of everything running in the background (hello, DOS-era nostalgia). A quick defrag on my hard drive helped a little, but the game’s infamously long load times remained. From launching the main menu to loading individual levels, every transition took ages. Honestly, I haven’t spent this much time staring at a loading screen since the Commodore 64 and Amiga days.

Despite these flaws, Dark Messiah is an absolute gem of a game. The only other downside is its relatively short length—if it doesn’t constantly crash like my review copy, you could finish it in a weekend. But overall, it exceeded my expectations, especially in terms of storytelling. This is a stunning, atmospheric, expertly crafted action RPG with a fantastic combat system and well-balanced progression. More games like this, please—immediately!

-Gergely Herpai ‘BadSector’ (2006)-

Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Arkane Studios, Floodgate Entertainment
Genre: FPS
Release: 2006