I’m a huge horror movie and game fan, so when I saw that the Dark Meadow was going to be released on Android as a THD title, I was pretty excited. We’ve been playing with the game on both the Asus Transformer Prime and the HTC One X and have walked away pretty impressed with the tweaks made for the Tegra 3 optimized game.
I think my expectations were a bit too high for this game, ever since I saw the Silent Hill and Resident Evil references in the iOS reviews, as I am a total horror geek and have a Silent Hill tattoo (yeah, I’m that guy.) Even with the great visuals, I was expecting a little more on the gameplay front. Nonetheless, after playing the Dark Meadow for a while I’m definitely excited to see what’s to come in the mobile space when it comes to horror games. That excitement starts with this game.
Your player character wakes up in a decrepit and run down hospital room, where you then meet a man who will speak to you in the game with the intercom in certain rooms. Your ultimate goal is to get out of the hospital, but you’ll collect gems, gold, and other artifacts along the way, as well as kill the monsters that cross your path. Weapons are limited for the most part, as your primary way of dispatching the creatures are crossbows, swords, and bombs, all of which are pretty effective.
Mobility is pretty limited in the game but it was likely an intentional implementation. Unlike games like Shadow Gun, the on-screen joystick method isn’t present in the Dark Meadow. Instead, a green, pulsing dot is placed on the ground to show you where your character can walk to. It’s not necessarily ideal for a lot of exploration but you do get a 360 degree view from your current location at all times.
The title is optimized for the NVIDIA Tegra 3 processor, which has allowed for some interested tweaks from the original version. You’ll find that the environment is ‘more alive’ than the iOS version, as it features high-quality textures and rich dynamic lighting effects. Even some of the most subtle effects like the dust particles floating around give you more of a sense that the hospital you’re in is rotting around you.
As you play, you’ll find gold and gems that will allow you to purchase new weapons, health kits, and other objects of the sort, while you can upgrade your skills with XP you gain from finishing a level or killing a monster.
Overall, the Dark Meadow is a game that should easily entertain people who are looking for a visually stunning experience coupled with a touch of horror.
Head over to the Google Play Store or Tegra Zone to grab the Dark Meadow for yourself!