Dark Half

Template:Infobox VG***Dark Half***is the first installment in the Dark Half series. It is developed by DECA UK and published by NINE100 Studios. It uses the Wartech 3.0 engine and it is released on Playstation 3, Playstation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and PC in 2015.

A sequel to the game was released two years later and was called Dark Half 2. It uses many influences from the first game, which set high standards for the whole series.

## Plot

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Dark Half story takes place on an island in the caribean rim of islands. It is ruled by a vicious drug warlord, who completely shuts off the island from the authority of the United States and hostes pirate activities in the seas surrounding it. CIA operative Randy Mercer is send on a classified operation to take down the warlord, who goes by the name of Raul Vasco, and stop the illegal drug transportations to Mexico, where it is brought to the United States via the borderline.

## Gameplay

Dark Half is inspired by the Far Cry-series. The game takes place in an open world, where the player has freedom to choose what to do at any moment, alongside a plot that only storywise progresses, but doesn't make much change to the freedom. Even when the player switches roles, from Mercer to Rico, the player keeps all his progress and skills throughout the rest of the game.

Gun handling is the same as many other DECA FPSs, however some basic survival skills are added, like gun jamming and extra inserted bullet capacity. When a player switches his gun for a weapon on the ground, he'll lose his weapon forever and needs to find it plus all attachemetns to get it back. To get new guns, there are enemy camps which have unique weapons and other weapons can be unlocked by doing special quests. Money also don't appears, instead when a weapon is empty, the player has to scavenge for bullets, pick up a weapon or switch weapons.

Enemies are now possible to act like the player, like performing takedowns, climbing object and use more advanced weaponry. Sometimes, when an enemy spots you, he doesn't shout to all his teammates. Instead, he tries to stealth attack you like the player would do. To determine how enemies act, is a random system integrated. Each enemy has a different level in four stats, bravery, experience, knowledge and physical stats. The numbers vary from 1 to 100 and how higher the number, how braver, more experienced, smarter and sportive the enemy is.

The player can develope his character by equipping weapons, but also upgrading skills. If the player succeeds a mission, he gets experience points. When gaining enough skill points, the player can unlock a skill in the skill tree. There are 3 skill trees which each having an unique speciality.

## Gamemodes

***Story missions*** - Missions following the storyline's progress.

***Domination*** - Conquer or destroy outpost to dominate special areas and gain access to special things.

***Dead or alive*** - Takedown HVI's to Vasco and have the decision to interrogate or to kill the target.

***Arms deal*** - Intercept Vasco's weapon transport to collect weapons and attachements.

## Characters

***Rico*** - A former american worker on cruise ship which was hijacked and raided by Vasco's gunmen. Rico lost his memory and became a employer of Vasco's terror network, swifty ranking up. He is known as an antagonist in the beginning of the game, but is later revealed as the main protagonist. Rico is a reckless, brutal and powerfull warrior who has advanced experiences with firearms and combat. However during te story, he develops a side of himself that is driven by rage and revenge, the theme of Dark Half.

***Randy Mercer*** - An infamous CIA agent who was send to the island to kill Vasco, but was killed by Rico in his mindgame. However during Rico's mindgame, the fate of Mercer is revealed as he was Rico in Rico's mind. Mercer was like Rico careless and reckless, but nevertheless also an horrible person.

***Hawke*** - A CIA agent who was send with the main division to the island to execute the assault on Vasco's terror network. Hawke defected the CIA when he mwt Rico to execute his own plan to takeout Vasco. Hawke has however other motives than Rico, which determinds his fate after he holds Rico at his gunpoint when he has captured Vasco.

***Raúl Vasco*** - An arms dealer and terrorist who has his own company set up on the island. Vasco is not much seen in game, but many rumours descripe him as a living nightmare with no weakness and no fear. He doesn't sell only weapons, but also let his company perform raids, hijakings and hostage taking. He recruited Rico as one of his gunman by giving him an unknown drug, using that to almost any soldier to punish. He is the main antagonist of the game.

***Leah*** - A fellow worker on the cruise ship of Rico an one of his best friends. She was killed during the raid. In Rico's mindgame, Leah returns as a hostage, as he wants her to be alive. After Rico mindgame is over, she is only mentioned by Rico during his revelations.

***Assault commander*** - The commander of the CIA operation. He appears twice in the game and only once in person. He contacts Rico when the CIA offers him a deal. He appears again, sitting at a bureau when Rico kills him.

## Skill trees

The skills are divided into 3 kind of threes, the Predator, the Ghost and the Scavenger. The predator skills are fast killing and kill chain skills combined with other combat skills to kill as much people as possible. The ghost skills are for stealthy takedowns and sweeping undetected through area's. Also the ghost skills grant the player more agility and movement freedom. The scavenger tree grants skills to use outside the battle area, like crafting and looting items, but also health.

When the player has unlocked enough skills in one skill tree, the player is granted with a speciality. Each skill tree has his own. The predator does more damage, the ghost slows down time and the scavenger highlights important special things and has more health with a faster regan.

### Predator

* *Takedown* - Ability to perform a takedown on an enemy. Can be unlocked by default.
* *Gunsling takedown* - Ability to grab the person on who you performed a takedown's gun and fire it at other targets.
* *Aimed reload* - Reload while aiming down the sights of the rifle.
* *Sprint reload* - Reload while sprinting.
* *Pyromaniac* - Fire does 25% less damage on the player.
* *Instinct* - Aim assist in a diameter of 1 meter.
* *Iron lungs* - Hold breath longer.
* *Nimble fingers* - Reload pistols, SMGs and shotguns 25% faster.
* *Nimble hands* - Reload assault rifles, LMGs and sniper rifles 25% faster.
* *Steady aim* - Hip fire accuracy increased.
* *Scrapper* - Launcher accuracy increased.
* *Counter takedown* - Ability to takedown an enemy who's performing a takedown on the player.
* *Line gunner* - Shoot one-hadn weapons while zip lining.
* *Shoot & slide* - Ability to shoot while sliding

### Ghost

* *Distant takedown* - Ability to throw a knife to takedown an enemy in the distance after taking down an enemy.
* *Death from above* - Ability to perform a takedown on an enemy when jumping on him.
* *Death from below* - Ability to perform a takedown on an enemy while swimming beneath him.
* *Dual takedown* - Ability to takedown 2 enemies at once (does also apply to death from above/below).
* *Bag and drag* - Ability to drag bodies.
* *Feather light* - 25% less falling damage.
* *Blackout* - Ability to shut down electricity in buildings.
* *Frog man* - Swim twice as fast.
* *Dexterity* - Climb and mantle objects 2x faster.
* *Tactical shooter* - Fire while behind cover.
* *Backyard baseball* - Throw back grenades.
* *Master chef* - Cook grenades.
* *Ghillie* - Less detectable in bushes.

### Scavenger

* *Resupplier* - Auto resupply same bullets from enemies.
* *Combat archer* - Ready the bow faster.
* *Painkiller* - Gain a second health slot.
* *Advanced painkiller* - Gain a third health slot.
* *Extreme painkiller* - Gain a fourth health slot.
* *Adrenaline* - Restore health slots that are not empty twice as fast.
* *Rezurection* - Restore empty health slots.
* *Zoology* - Receive more items after skinning animals.
* *Payday* - Receive more rewards after completing missions.
* *Strong biceps* - Pump, cock or pull the bolt 50% faster.
* *Pickpocket* - Gain more items after looting.

## Weapons

### Sidearms

* M1911
* Makarov
* P226
* G17
* .44 Colt Anaconda

### Assault rifles

* AKM
* AK5C
* FX-05
* FN FAL
* SG 553
* POF P416

### Submachine guns

* Mini-Uzi
* MP5A2
* PP2000
* KRISS Vector
* MPK
* PP19 Bizon

### Light machine guns

* RPD
* M60A3
* FN Minimi
* PKM
* MAG

### Shotguns

* Saiga 12k
* MP133
* SPAS-12
* Model 1887
* R780

### Sniper rifles

* SVD
* Remington 700
* L96
* Zastafa M93

### Special

* Bow
* Flare gun
* RPG
* Thumper
* Flamethrower

## Vehicles

In Dark Half is a wide variety of vehicles to ride on. They spawn randomly and can be in possession of enemies. The words highlighted in white, is the name appearence of the vehicle in-game.

* Mitubishi **Montero**(SUV, 2nd Gen)
* Volkswagen **Passat**(Sedan, B4 Variant)
* Nissan **Titan** (Pick-up truck, 2005 variant) [MG Turret versions available]
* Honda **Civic** (Hatchback, 6th Gen)
* **UAZ**-469(Jeep) [MG Turret versions available]
* Honda **CRF** (Motorcycle)
* Polaris **Razor** (ATV)
* Patrol Boat Light (**PBL**, includes mounted MG)
* **Airboat** [MG Turret versions available]
* Kawasaki **Jet Ski** (PWC)
* **Zodiac** (RHIB)
* UH-1N **Huey** (Helicopter, includes mounted MG)
* Beechcraft **Bonanza** (Plane)
* **Sportsub** (Submersible)
* **Hang Glider**
* **Zipline**
* **Parachute**
* **Wingsuit**

## Multiplayer

Dark Half features a multiplayer mode that os described as a *Passive Multiplayer*. This means that players can create certain missions, based around missions from the singleplayer, and pass them on to friends or random people. They can engage in these missions and the rewards from these missions are divided between both players.

Certain rewards are very rare to acquire when playing singleplayer only, thus the multiplayer missions are very rewarding. Missions can be accessed at bounty billboards spreaded across the singleplayer maps.

The types of missions you can customize for others are Dead or Alive, Arms Deal, Domination and a new Trials mode, in which players can choose their own goals. Exemples of this are kill 100 mercenaries with a pistol or kill 10 animals with a grenade launcher. There are also rewards that are exclusive to a game, meaning that for exemple obsidians can only be awarded in your game and emeralds not. This indicates that you need to asks other players for emeralds in trade for obsidians.