First seen at IAAPA 2012, Universal Space had a new video game light-gun game to show off called After Dark. It’s a co-op shooter that follows in the vein of buddy shooters like Let’s Go Jungle or Deadstorm Pirates. I had the wrong impression that it was available at IAAPA but it turns out for the US that it was not available until today. In fact in the press release about the availability they even have a picture of it being pulled out of a shipping container.
There are two versions of the game, the software being the same but some hardware features being different. The Standard version has a 47″ screen, the deluxe has a 55″ monitor, motion base and an enclosed sitdown space. Both cabinets are nice to look at and have lighting effects to draw attention to themselves. As for the software, it has been mentioned before how this is like a tribute game to Van Helsing and from what I played of it, your characters flew through canyons shooting goblins and blowing up bridges among other things. I will have to give it some more play at Amusement Expo next week although I do have a video of it from IAAPA 2012:
Speaking of Amusement Expo, UNIS has provided us with a preview of what they will have there. That includes
After dark dlx
After dark std
Fruit mania Xteme
Fruit std
Pirate hook
Tubin twist
Ducky splash
Astro invasion
Mini train with smoke
There might be a few extras but at least for what is being confirmed it would be from those games above. Most are redemption/videmption games, excepting the After Dark. I haven’t heard any official announcements about what will be shown by other companies but I imagine we will hear about those soon as the event is only a week away.
And for those interested, the press release:
PRESS RELEASE – For immediate release
UNIS Games – Ready to roll out in the US
Tim Snelling unloads the first machine at the new Dallas Warehouse
After Dark DLX with stunning shoot-out gameplay
With the Amusement Expo in Las Vegas just around the corner, UNIS games is all a buzz getting together the final details of their booth (801). Machines previously introduced at the IAAPA show in November will be on display including the new sit-in and play video machine After Dark DLX. This stunning shoot-out gameplay machine, together with its little brother After Dark STD, is now available for immediate shipping in the USA.
Debbie Gonzalez, Sales Manager in the US, is incredibly enthusiastic about the future of UNIS in America, “UNIS games is already making its mark in the US, and now we have our brand new Dallas service center and warehouse facility headed by Tim Snelling, machines are now ready to roll out without delay to our distributers. “I am sure that the Amusement Expo is going to be another fantastic show, and it will give operators and distributers the opportunity to, not only come along and try out our new range of great machines, but to also see some of the latest impressive earning reports from our machines in the US.”
Find out more at www.universal-space.com email Steven Tan sales@universal-space.com or call Debbie Gonzalez, US Sales Manager on Tel: +1-714-377-0508
Played this – looked like a ripoff of Namco’s Dead Storm Pirates to me.
UNIS’s strategy seems to be looking at what’s popular and doing their own clones.
I actually enjoyed this game. Managed to finish all the stages at the Playdium near Toronto. It was the standard version but the cabinet itself looked nice and colourful. The lightguns themselves felt nice and responsive and the force feed back was fine also.
My major gripe with the cabinet itself was the wheel. Nowhere near as responsive as Dead Storm Pirates. Might have been a mechanical issue, not sure.
As for the game itself, don’t expect console quality graphics and sound. They were decent enough, nothing that would take away from the experience. I like the designs of the monsters and the characters – the protagonist being modelled after van helsing from the most recent blockbuster movie.
The voice actors are horribly bad and the script is full of syntax mistakes and poor word choice. The script would fit in with the various horrible game translations of early Japanese NES games – and guess what, I loved it. The Z-movie acting and script just adds to the charm of this and makes it stand out from other arcade shooters.
As for the controls, it functioned and never got in the way. Always felt the reticule was where I wanted it to be.
To conclude, give this game a shot even if it doesn’t compare to other horror shooters like Dark Escape 4D and Dead Storm – both of which are also at the Playdium but tend to have long line for. Its fun, charming and absolutely hilarious.
Now if could get more horror arcade games like The Silent Hill and Castlevania arcade games in North America.