[gekko]

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is my favorite GameCube title to date. It is also one of my favorite videogames of all time. Does that surprise you? It shouldn't. It comes from a development studio well-verses in making deep, intriguing games, and it's a title that has been in construction for several years. Nintendo and Silicon Knights have molded the game into something that might initially trick some into believing it's a Resident Evil clone. However, this couldn't be further from the reality of the situation. The truth is that the title exceeds the play mechanics of Capcom's series in just about every way, from tighter controls, to a much more compelling storyline, 12 playable characters, the addition of multiple combat types, and a magick system that could really become a game all by itself. The end result is far more satisfying.
But there is something every gamer should know going in: Eternal Darkness doesn't offer an immediate pay off. Players will have to invest into the adventure, play, expand, build, learn the magicks, figure out the story, and really advance to reap the full treasures the title has to offer. And don't get me wrong -- the treasures are grand, beautiful things to behold.

Simply put, an amazing achievement that shouldn't be overlooked. Games do not come any better than this. The greatest insanity of all would be to avoid playing it.

You know what needs to be done. Buy. Do not hesitate. Go now!

-- Matt Casamassina

Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem is a very difficult game to rate. By all accounts it features a polished design, one of the best plotlines I've ever experienced, and developed gameplay concepts, centered on an inventive insanity meter and incredible magick system. For me, without question, it's the first must-have GameCube adventure, an experience no intelligent gamer should miss. What I think makes it difficult to rate is its style. As with all games, it will cater to a specific audience. I don't think it appeals to as wide an audience as, say, Zelda for instance. But then again, either does a title like Resident Evil. But I don't bring up Capcom's survival horror because I think Eternal Darkness is some knock-off of it. In fact, I think it completely the opposite of the genre, where Sanity's Requiem excels beyond it in numerous areas. You won't survive the horrors in Eternal Darkness -- believe me. I've frequently made the movie analogy that if Resident Evil were The Night of the Living Dead, Eternal Darkness would be Psycho. There's a big difference. Of course, I think Eternal Darkness will appeal to a similar audience because of mature content. Yes, indeed, Silicon Knights has injected a storyline into ED that draws on the minds of scholars and famous writers. As well, there's plenty of gory subject matter and very adult themes. It didn't get an M rating for nothing.
I digress, however. The biggest thing I think potential buyers of this game need to understand is that it is not for those with short attention spans, or anyone who can't commit to spending some considerable time with a title. We so continually get complaints from readers that there aren't enough lengthy games on GCN. Well, this is the one you've been looking for. This is the first single-player experience that really offers up a lot of gameplay worth and even replay value. After investing about five hours you'll just start to scratch the surface of Eternal Darkness. At this point you'll have a vague concept of what's going on and you will have only barely began to use the magick system. You're really an amateur after playing 20% of the game, and things begin to really ramp up.

This is what makes Eternal Darkness so rewarding. It's a smooth curve of gameplay progression and intensity. With a dozen characters to play, everything remains fresh. It truly is like reading a book and you'll have your favorite chapters. On the technical side, everything from the slick graphics engine to the detailed sound design and stunning third-person camera design is lovely. Sure not everything is perfect, but most is exceptional.

I highly recommend picking up Eternal Darkness: Sanity's Requiem. Nintendo and Silicon Knights have crafted a truly intelligent psychological thriller, complete with balanced gameplay and plenty of surprises you'll never forget.

Play it alone. Play it loud. Play it now.

- Fran Mirabella III