Dark Earth is one of those great under appreciated games that went largely unnoticed when it was released.
It came out rather quietly in 1997 with next to no one really picking it up. Well, this reviewer did all those years back and it was a lot of fun and it still is to this day.
Plot - Like all good post-apocalyptic setting's, Dark Earth takes place after a series of disaster's virtually destroy most of the world. A group of survivor's go on to set up a last city of hope (called Sparta), one of the only places where the light still shines on the planet. You're Arkhan: A young man who suddenly finds himself plagued by an evil poison. It's eating away at not only his body but his very soul and unless he finds a cure, he will become the very thing he hates. Basically, most of his quest takes place within the last remaining place of light on this Dark Earth. There's also another plot that makes up most of the game but for some reason it feels more like a sub-plot. It's about the 'enemies' (the dark remnants of humanity) getting closer, the light getting weaker and you having to find a way to stop them. While a bit disjointed in places, Dark Earth effectively set's up it's steam-punkish universe and contains a cool, revenge-filled story.
Gameplay - It's pretty typical Action Adventure, in that it involves you running around and engaging the various characters in conversation. Being the post-apocalypse and all, this sometimes also involves adventuring to various places, trading, and fighting. With that said, the way in which you do combat (involving various melee weapons and guns) is quite nifty. Instead of simply pressing one button to do your attacks, you have to go into combat mode and hit a combination of keys to attack (this is also how you pull off combos). It was a great system that unfortunately hasn't been put to use that often in terms of PC Action Adventure games.
Graphics - They pale in comparison to today's games, but for 1997, these were pretty impressive 3D graphics. All the steampunk-esque environments (pre-rendered) and characters are uniquely designed and Sparta itself is a fun place to explore.
Sound - Dark Earth is notable for featuring full voice acting through out (this WAS 1997, after all). Overall, the VA is solid, with Arkhan's voice actor displaying real emotion through the journey. The various background noises and music that accompany each new environment is well done and adds to the atmosphere of this strange 'dark' universe.
Basically, if your looking for a great, early 3D Action/Adventure game with a unique story/setting and fun characters, I would definitely recommend Dark Earth to you. You'll probably be able to find it somewhere for a good price these days and it's well worth the experience.
