Result : 6 - Good, 8 for warhammer fans.
 | Graphics : 7 - Does the job, but no panache. |
| FMV : 6 - Unusual style, but looks dated. |
| Sound : 7 - Best bits are the men calling stuff mid-fight. |
| Music : 7 - Maintains atmosphere, but no sparkle. |
| A.I. : 3 - Enemy are simpler, your men are brainless. |
| Lifespan : 7 - Some replay value. |
| Gameplay : 7 - Addictive, frustrating and absorbing in equal doses. |
| Adrenaline : 6 - Often its a matter of correcting your set-up mistakes. |
Based on the wargame, Warhammer : Dark Omen is a real-time wargame. The plot revolves around undead hordes rising up due to some necromancer re-animating. You fight some greenskins too, as they flee the hordes moving towards the Empire from the south. You control Commander Bernheart, a mercenary general. You start with one unit each of infantry, Calvary, archer and cannon (with different units being obtained as you progress).
The controls are reasonable with the D-pad, the only frustration is the lack of multiple unit selections. Mouse being an option that doesn't seem needed. The AI is average for the enemy, but your own troops show an amazing lack of initiative. This includes shooting your own troops, waiting to be charged, and poor path selection. I think this just shows a lack of decent programming in these areas, and would greatly benefit the game if more modern and sophisticated commands were allowed to be issued. Even allow you to select all you missile troops at once would be an improvement, as then you could give "all cease-fire" or "all fire at target X" commands. As it currently is you must select each unit and give each one a "hold" command, this can often take some time, during which your cannons are happily blasting your own units to pieces in the back...
The graphics are not anything special, but they do let you see what's going on, and you do not lose any of this awareness if you zoom in or out (apart from viewing less battlefield of course). The sound is pretty average, but the speech of the units and characters is quite nice. At times surprisingly well acted. Pity the FMV-type screens between battles look so dated.
Dark Omen does play well, and is probably a must for a Warhammer player. It just suffers a bit from the "Why didn't they..." syndrome.
Chapter skip:
Press R2, R1, L2, R2, R1, R2 at the main menu. Then select the "Resume" option.
Battle skip:
Press Select, R1(2), L2(2), R1, R2 at the deployment screen. Then select the
"Resume" option.
More Money:
Press Select, R1, L1, R1, L2, R1, R2 at the deployment screen. Then select the
"Resume" option.
Instant death:
Press Select, R1, L1, R2, R2, R1, R1 at the deployment screen. Then select the
"Resume" option.
Fast reload:
Press Select, R2, R1, R2, R1, L2, R1 at the deployment screen. Then select the
"Resume" option.
Select opponent:
Press Select, L2, L2, R2, L2, R1, R1 at the deployment screen. Then select the
"Resume" option.
Small heads:
Press Select, L2, L2, L2, L2, R1, R2 at the deployment screen. Then select the
"Resume" option.
All cheats:
Highlight the spare book in the caravan. Then hold Select and press R1, L1, L2, R2.
View FMV sequences:
Enter at the Main Menu..
The Black Grail Left, L1, Circle, L2, Triangle, R2
Carnstein and Jewel R1, Triangle, R2, R2, Square, R1
The Hand of Nagash R2, Left, R2, Up, Down, Left
Liber Mortis Circle, Triangle, Square, Right, R1, R2
Victory L2, Right, Square, Right, R1, R2
Long March R1, L2, Triangle, Square, Left, R2
