Dark Void Demo Impressions

I had downloaded the Dark Void demo from XBL a while ago. I figured I'd try it out, especially because I have deep respect game companies and their courage to release new IP these days. The economy is bad enough but I feel like publishers, Capcom of note, are listening to fans and backing new ideas.

Today, I finally booted the demo up and decided to give it a spin. I landed on normal difficulty and took the jet pack for a spin.

Unfortunately, that spin quickly turned into a dive. Here's my problem: it took me all of two minutes to die by the hands of one of the "Watcher" UFOs. For a demo, this is really unacceptable. How am I supposed to know that I should be putting a lot more energy into avoiding the enemy fire, when the only way I can conceivably figure to shoot back is to line up on a direct flight line towards the enemies.

I guess my biggest problem with this Dark Void demo was that I walked away frustrated. I hold no quarter for a game demo which is (supposedly) trying to sell me on a game I've never tried that kills me within the first 5 minutes. I quickly backed out of the demo and let Dark Void fall by the wayside. I wasn't exactly planning on picking up the game, but maybe had the demo been a better experience, I could have at least rented it.