The Dark Half is an Adventure Game for DOS developed by Symtus and published by Capstone Software that was released in 1992. It's based on Stephen King's novel of the same name, with pictures taken from the film adaptation. You control the novel's protagonist Thad Beaumont, who had his George Stark pen name buried, but he somehow rises from the dead and starts killing people. Now he has to avoid the police, save his family, and get rid of George for good.
The game uses an engine that is reminiscent of SCUMM and supports VGA graphics. Thad is controlled by selecting one from thirteen different commands located at the bottom of the screen and clicking on something. Items in his inventory are located in the top part. Deaths are few and far between, with most of them happening due to the police, when you either pick the wrong answer to a question or get caught when you're not supposed to.
This game provides examples of:
- American Kirby Is Hardcore: Zigzagged. In most regions, the cover only shows the bloodied logo, while the Spanish cover shows a picture of sparrows at night forming a face. One is "hardcore" by using blood and being simplistic, while the other is ominous and atmospheric.
- Angry Guard Dog: A mean dog guards Fred's closet. He has to be put out with tear gas.
- Bookcase Passage: Thad's study is located behind a bookcase he can push.
- Crazy-Prepared: If Thad takes George's razor when he's distracted to take a pencil but doesn't replace it with a dull one, it'll turn out that the latter expected the former to take it and has another one with him.
- Dialogue Tree: You can select one from up to three responses while talking to someone. Picking the wrong answer during interrogations is the most common way to get a game over.
- Game-Breaking Bug: Playing the game with an improperly set up soundcard can result in the game hanging up during a cutscene, with the sound playing indefinitely.
- Meanwhile Scene: The game will occasionally switch to show scenes, usually to show George killing people.
- Molotov Cocktail: To enter the blocked-off study near the end, Thad has to create a molotov cocktail with a whisky bottle, gauze, and a cigarette lighter.
- Pillow Silencer: Thad has to use a pillow to shoot the strongbox without the police hearing it.
- Shows Damage: Each time Thad gives a useful plot suggestion to George and deteriorates, more and more of skin becomes red, until his jaw falls off and he dies.
- Split-Screen Phone Call: The game shows the two characters' faces while they're talking with each other over phone, with Thad on the left and the other person on the right.
- Strategy Guide: The game received a hintbook purchasable for 9.95$ that gives hints for puzzles, items, and interrogation answers.
- Useless Item: The bird whistle and the crowbar have no gameplay usage. While the whistle has a long list of steps to get it and the hint book tells you it's really not that important, the crowbar is easy to buy and is implied to have some use which has been scrapped in development.
- Warp Whistle: The TRAVEL TO command opens up six slots with places you can go to by clicking there.
- A Winner Is You: The ending only consists of George getting taken by sparrows and Thad hugging Liz. It lasts about 20 seconds.
- You Have Outlived Your Usefulness: If Thad dies once George is given too many solid plot suggestions, the latter tells the former he's done such a good job, he doesn't need him anymore.
