Operation Darkness

Operation Darkness is a turn-based tactical RPG developed for the Xbox360 by Japanese studio Success and released in late 2007. It was licensed to Atlus for its American release in mid-2008. A fairly standard take on the tried-and-true mashup of World War II and the occult, the game follows a squad of SAS soldiers - the Wolf Pack - fighting the Nazis across the European Theater and eventually attempting to assassinate Adolf Hitler himself. The so-called Wolf Pack's membership includes Edward and Jude, a pair of infantry soldiers reassigned after their last mission resulted in the death of their platoon; Cordelia, a firestarter; James Gallant, the leader (and a werewolf); Keith, the point man; Frank, a close-combat specialist; Cynthia, a top-heavy Irish sniper; Herbert East, a medic and the only character who can revive dead soldiers; and, um...JackTheRipper.

Generally very poorly received by critics, the game has nonetheless found its cult following, most of whom will admit that it has more than its share of flaws (The nearly complete lack of any kind of tutorial, there's very little explanation of the effective use of cover mechanics, the abounding Narm) (that the entire main cast is voiced by popular professional VA's helps too) but remains enjoyable nonetheless as a result of its handful of unique gameplay mechanics and its straight-faced treatment of its decidedly ridiculous and somewhat Troperiffic subject matter.

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This game provides examples of:

• Alternate History
• Beethoven Was an Alien Spy: Bet you didn't know Hitler was an archmage capable of summoning dragons.
• Camera Screw: Infamously.
  • Even in the demo it's obviously bad. With all the zaniness inherent in the plot, you'd think they could go with more stylized design so the camera could move more freely.
• Dead Little Sister: Edward's little sister was killed by the Germans.
• Dueling Games: Valkyria Chronicles, although in this title combat is not in real-time.
• Evil Is Sexy: Carmilla.
• Fur Against Fang: The werewolves are on the Allies side, and the vampires are Nazis.
• Genius Bruiser: Frank Gaunt.
• Ghostapo: Surprisingly enough, the main enemies of the game.
• Jack the Ripper: ...Jack the Ripper.
• Jiggle Physics: Attempted and failed with Carmilla and Cynthia.
• Knife Nut: Jack.
• The Medic: Herbert East.
• New Meat: Edward and Jude - at least new to the Wolf Pack. One would assume that Edward, particularly, couldn't have been in the Army for long at his age, but then again, Cordelia was apparently recruited at age 13.
• Ninja Pirate Zombie Robot: Vampire Nazi mages. Driving tanks.
• Officer and a Gentleman: James Gallant, all the way.
• Our Monsters Are Different: Pretty much every sub-category you might care to think of.
• Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: The Wolf Pack.
• Refuge in Audacity: The main article says all you need to know about this.
• ~Screw This, I'm Outta Here~: German tank ace Michael Wittmann voluntarily leaves a battle with the Wolf Pack in disgust over the SS's use of reanimated German soldiers which in his opinion is defiling the corpses of brave men.
• Shout-Out: Herbert East (in function as well as name) is an obvious reference to H.P. Lovecraft's story Herbert West: Re-Animator, and in fact was named Herbert West in the Japanese release. Carmilla's name, likewise, is a reference to J.S. Le Fanu's well-known literary Lesbian Vampire.
• Stay in the Kitchen: Jude's initial reaction to Cordelia, though it is World War II....
• Stupid Jetpack Hitler: Oh God, where do we start?
• Those Wacky Nazis
• Tsundere: Cordelia Blake.