Dark Times
Gather round, gamers, for a tale of terror unlike any you’ve heard. A tale of a terrifying creature, long dead and barely remembered. An unloved child, sent to an early grave. Aye, it be the tale of the Nintendo Wii U. A console so confounding and maddening that there are scarce few who owned one, but this Halloween season its spirit has been resurrected! Beyond the Dark: Nightwatch has used dark magic to conjure second-screen asymmetrical multiplayer for a new, unsuspecting generation! Are the horrors offered here intentional, or does the Wii U’s curse haunt this new offering?
Phew, well let’s drop the fun Halloween review gimmick for now! Indeed, while it was never as popular as Nintendo had desired, the Wii U’s few standout multiplayer titles were truly unique and engaging. Zombi U‘s multiplayer mode that had the second player dropping zombie units to attack player one blended FPS and RTS genres into one incredible bout! Nintendoland‘s Luigi’s Mansion mode, where one ghostly player would only be visible on the second screen, was also an unexpected horror delight. Indeed, while the console was deeply flawed, there’s a lot of potential in this type of local experience. Beyond the Dark offers this on the Switch 2 by having one player on the TV and another on a second screen. This second screen can be another Switch 2 by using a friend’s pass or even an older Switch model by using Game Share to stream it locally. This may have alarm bells ringing for some, bringing to mind the expense of the GameCube GBA link cable nightmare needed for certain multiplayer titles. At least online play is also an option. If you have a friend with the console, you should still have a chance to play!
A Ghoulish Time
So while one player is having a more traditional horror FPS experience, the other takes on the role of a robotic companion. This entails watching security cameras to find items the other player requires. Oh, and to keep an eye on the monster prowling the halls! This is what makes communication vital between the two players. However, unfortunately, this is far from a smooth process. The game is incredibly obtuse, with systems barely explained, which makes the intended obstacle of communication a secondary concern. The cat-and-mouse of being hunted is spoiled when the rules are so vague. The basic visual design is legible but unremarkable; some of the uncanny rooms are memorable while many more aren’t. This isn’t helped by the noticeable drop in visual fidelity when playing via GameShare.
It’s a shame; there’s so much potential to this concept. Currently, Beyond the Dark is too rough around the edges to recommend. Turns out the only things scarier than a monster in your home are a game of unrealised possibility.
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