Customer Reviews

The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(118)

 

 

I will never know if this game is any good because I refuse to buy a game that will eventually cease to work. I'm sure the pirates out there are having a blast with it. Congratulations on accomplishing nothing and losing legitimate business, not to mention, credibility as a publisher. I will think twice before buying Atari software in the future. Thanks Atari, I was actually looking forward to this one.

Yes, this is a DRM based review. Why is this important? Because the major game publishers appear to have decided that even though you are rewarding their efforts with your hard earned money, you don't actually OWN this title. They have decided that they will decide how and where you will use their product. For the record I do not condone piracy, but it is equally unacceptable to limit my legal use of the game or to try to make it difficult or impossible for me to resale the title later. It is unacceptable to install programs on my PC that monitor how I use the game and seek to monitor my compliance with their terms and conditions. The only way to keep the publishers from shackling us with this and making it the "standard practice" is to yell as loud as possible everytime time it happens. If you will let me legally use this however and whenever I want, you will be rewarded with my money, otherwise, not one red cent!

I'll just admit that Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher's Bay (this game's prequel) was an absolutely amazing experience. I couldn't wait to get my hands on this... until I saw the "requires internet connection to play" notice on the back of the package at a local retail store. Needless to say, I put the game back on the shelf pending more research (I will NOT buy games that included limited internet activations). As it turns out, Dark Athena uses the most stupendously draconian DRM the PC gaming world has ever seen: your $50 buys you exactly 3 installs. Period. You don't "get any back" when you uninstall nor can you revoke activations like you can with EA games (which I also refuse to buy since they use limited activations - revoke tools or no). From the moment you buy the game - you can only install it 3 times and then it's done; You can't install it ever again - it just won't run after that. Yup, you are essentially paying full retail for a use-limited rental. Please don't support rentware by purchasing this game. Send Atari the message that you won't stand for this kind of abuse in the only language they'll understand... [lack of] money.

I was a huge fan of the original and a guaranteed buyer for this installment - but Atari lost my business because they don't know how to treat me, a willing, paying customer, with even a modicum of respect. I won't be swindled, abused, or taken advantage of - and I certainly won't PAY for that treatment. SHAME ON YOU, Atari.

To Starbreeze - I'm really, truly sorry that I won't be able to pay you for your hard work on this game. Hopefully you'll be able to arrange a Steam release without the 3rd party DRM... and the sooner the better. I'll await that day with my Amex at the ready.

Okay, I liked the first Riddick title. It was a great game, and I played through it several times and still have the disc so I can play again in the future. I've seen enough gameplay from Dark Athena to know I'd enjoy this game, but man, this limited install business is a deal-killer for me.

Three installs and then call the vendor. Really? I game from 2 machines, desktop and laptop, at a minimum. If I install it on my employers laptop to enjoy while I'm on the road for business, then that's 3 already. Windows 7 is practically around the corner, so there's a 4th and 5th install for home. I'll be rebuilding my desktop, and likely replacing my laptop over the course of this year, so there's a 6th and 7th install already, and we haven't even considering having to reload due to spyware infections or other failures. Seven in the next year to year and a half. Now then, I can gamble and hope that I can get someone at Atari (a company struggling to even exist these days) to deem me worth of some additional installs, but 4+ (could always get a new work laptop, making it 8)? I'm not willing to take that gamble, nor do I feel I should need to. T

his was another canceled pre-order for me. I've had only three of those now: Spore, Alone in the Dark (first in the series I've simply skipped altogether), and now this title.

Gentleman, your DRM is killing you. People are starting to come around to what a small minority have been preaching. You are punishing your legitimate customers chasing those piracy numbers the been counters throw at you. More and more, people are wising up and simply saying "NO".

Potential customers looking to buy this game, consider this. The economy is terrible. When the economy was good, Atari were barely afloat. Do you want to gamble that Atari will still be around to grant you, a paying customer, the ability to enjoy your investment a year from now? Two years? Companies that are cornerstones of our economy are failing. Atari is very nearly renting games for 50 bucks +/-. That's not the kind of customer focus I'm looking for in a company I expect to weather the storm.

I'm sure I'll pick this up once it's a 5-10 dollar title. As I said, it looks like a great game. This is of course assuming Atari is still around to activate my installs by then. After all, it's just a coaster if Atari doesn't say you can play the game you purchased via online activation.

I was sooo looking forward to this game , but not now ...once again , as others stated I will not purchace any game with limited installs and no revoke tool , $50 to rent a game is unexceptable . DRM's are ok to a point , but install limints ARE NOT .

Gaming companies will eventually learn that treating legit customers like idiots/fools just does not work . When gaming companies go under/broke maybe they will learn.

I will also have to say what a big disappointment it was to find out this game has DRM. I had to return Farcry 2 because it had problems running on my system. I now suspect the problem to have been the DRM software installed on it.

I feel gun shy thinking of shelling out any money for a game with DRM. I feel like I'm just taking my chances. Just 3 installs as well? I have to agree, that's not owning a game. That's renting.

Almost bought this game, thankfully I read these reviews first. Don't let DRM infect your PC. Remember, once they shut down their activation servers you'll never be allowed to play your game again. You're buying a soon -to-be worthless plastic disc, not a game.

Prohibitive DRM means you're rolling the dice on whether or not the game will work for you - and the odds get worse over time.

It's a darn shame - I really want to like Vin Diesel's stuff.

Dark Athena is another game that I was considering purchasing, but after reading about the anti-consumer DRM, 3 activations, no revoke tool, I canceled any plans to own the game. Some publishers just don't learn. Any intelligent business would be able to look at EA's Spore debacle and think 'Hmm, that really hosed sales of their game. Maybe we should try a different approach.' But no, Atari marches on like the lemmings off a cliff.

Once you buy the game, you can only install it three times. Ever. If you get a new computer, there's one install down the tube. If you so much as uninstall it to make space for a while, that's another install gone. Use all three and you can never install it again. Have fun with your rental.