There are many popular genre combinations nowadays. The tactical shooter, the adventure puzzler, the high-score shooter. None though are quite as strange as the FPS RPG. Not just because that’s almost enough letters to have a game of countdown, but because it’s a marriage between perhaps the most and least immediate videogame strands that exist. Like a turtle on rollerskates, it just doesn’t seem to make sense.

Start tucking in though, and like spaghetti and tomato sauce it somehow satisfies (stop laughing at the back). In truth, this is more just a story-driven shooter than out-and-out adventure, though your 9mm is ably replaced with a wealth of swords, and occasionally a bow. Stepping into the established PC series’ universe, you’ll assume the role of Sareth, the apprentice of a wizard, Phenrig, off to retrieve some sacred amulet or other in just about the most generic medieval ghouls and goblins plot yet conceived. None of this really matters once you start playing, however.

Getting straight to the point, Dark Messiah’s main strength is its combat which, relatively old hat as it is now, makes for an entertaining spell of wanton brutality. Adding variety to the standard (and rather conductor-like) blade waving, plenty of environmental set pieces are on hand to crush your foes beneath barrels, or sweep them off their feet thanks to ornate chandeliers. A classier death there ain’t.

As for negatives, well, it’s essentially a year and a half old, so characters’ hair looks a bit like a Lego figurine’s. Also, though there’s an attempt to add realism through that most absent of FPS effects, real limbs, attempts to pick things up stretch to holding your arms out in a circle and watching the corpse or whatever get sucked into your arms. This is charming, but unbelievably silly to watch. Also, the receipt of health potions is balanced a little on the easy side than might be gifted to such a skilled warrior. Ultimately though, Dark Messiah left us distinctly on the ‘not bored’ side of neutrality, and for such a departure from the norm, that’s quite something. Now the only thing we have to work out is why someone would get a three foot square crate to store two potions in...

Dave Shaw