Riddick demo on Xbox Live now

By Oli Welsh Published 4 March, 2009

Coming to PSN soon.

Atari and Starbreeze have made a 360 demo of imminent Riddick reboot, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, available on Xbox Live.

A PS3 demo will arrive on the PlayStation network some time later this month.

The demo features the Athena Main Decks level, and offers players a chance to control a Drone, one of the semi-sentient, remote-controllable enemies that will play a central part in the first-person stealth actioner.

Assault on Dark Athena is a sequel to the 2004 Xbox game, The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay - also included in this release, in a full high-definition remake.

It's out on April 7th in North America and April 24th over here on 360, PS3 and PC. Get more info, including hands-on impressions, at the Dark Athena gamepage.

Picture of Oli.

About Oli Welsh

Oli is Eurogamer's acting deputy editor and reviews editor and likes to take things one word at a time. He is among the best dressed people in South London.

Read more articles from Oli by visiting the Oli Welsh archive page.

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Comments (50) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • muscleblade #1 3 years ago

    Guess i'll try this out later today. Ninja Blade demo tomorrow. Im still on the fence on these so demos is welcome.

  • linksdad #2 3 years ago

    First! chance I'll get to play the original ridick - sounded very good.

    Might have to get round to watching the film as well...

    (heh and doh at my pathetic attempt at a 'first' post)
    Edited by 1 at 04/03/09 @ 12:39

  • schnide #3 3 years ago

    I have to say the amount of effort that Starbreeze seem to be putting into these titles has got me interested - I'll check out the demo indeed.

  • ZuluHero #4 3 years ago

    oh didnt expect this - nice surpirse

    I too missed the first release of BB, and put off playing it when i found out about this remake. lookig forward to playing it :)

  • millerlfc #5 3 years ago

    If Butcher Bay is included then I'm happy already, was always a bit miffed that it wasn't backwards compatible.

  • DutchDemons #6 3 years ago

    hm, might check it out. I'm a bit surprised at the close release date...i thought this game was supposed to come out months from now?

    oh well, good thing they include a remake of Butcher Bay. Never got to play that one, now's a good chance then.

  • menage #7 3 years ago

    I'm not on the Fence, I'm buying this day one on the strength of the Darkness alone. I loved that game, so much atmosphere.

  • symmetry #8 3 years ago

    WOOT!

    /added to download queue

  • Doctor_What #9 3 years ago

    I was very annoyed about the lack of BC for the Xbox original (and OddWorld: Stranger's Wrath), so this is high on my list of games to watch.

    Is this available only to Gold account users, or have the Silver proletariat been deemed worthy of access?

  • peterfll #10 3 years ago

    I've just finished writing a comment on that MS gay gamertag thread, and it somehow seemed appropriate to settle here next, a thread devoted to a game whose central character is bald, muscly and overtly masculine. Oooo, come on Riddick, you big bad boy.

    \start demo download

  • asphaltcowboy #11 3 years ago

    ooo! wasn't expecting this!

    /adds to download queue

  • RedPanda #12 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 14:31:59 28-01-2012

  • muscleblade #13 3 years ago

    @menage

    I loved the Darkness singleplayer, but the multiplayer was totally broken. Im on the fence because im afraid that might be the case with Riddick too. Without the multiplayer i would definently buy it though. Almost half of the achievements/ throphies are for the MP so i need it to be quite good since i like getting most achievments for every game i have.

  • CHAZBIGPOTATO #14 3 years ago

    Lol @ Link'sdad - Respect for trying anyway!

  • bad09 #15 3 years ago

    \o/ That's a nice surprise!

    Thank god I work close and go home at lunch!

    / boots up 360, downloads for tonight

  • bratmandu #16 3 years ago

    Been waitin to play this since the last time I grabbed a guy's gun and twisted it up so he blew his own head off.

    Can't wait to get home and see if the fist fighting is as good as ever.

    Whether the multiplayer is good or bad doesn't matter - the single player will be awesomeness.

    Although the vids I've seen seem to have an awful lot of shooting; in EFBB you spent most of the time unarmed (and dangerous). Hopefully they haven't turned it into an bog standard FPS.
    Edited by 1 at 04/03/09 @ 13:34

  • zisssou #17 3 years ago

    love how you need a gold account to get a demo LOL....yeah that makes so much sense. thanks microsoft! might as well wait for the PS3 demo.

  • VicViper #18 3 years ago

    @zisssou

    Well its not that you can never get it you just have to wait a while....um yeah not so hot on that front but then thats why a Gold sub costs what it does its like paying for faster downloads on filefront.

  • Rirekon #19 3 years ago

    It's awesome, if the final version is as good as BB then it's my game of the year

  • RedboX #20 3 years ago

    Hmm, looking at xbox.com I cant seem to find it...

  • Razorus #21 3 years ago

    Finished the demo a couple of times now. It's pretty short.
    It retains the atmosphere of the first game which = epic win.
    It's a tiny bit fiddly; not sure if the control layout is all that, but it's still fun.
    Not much chance for stealth-play unless you shoot out the lights.
    Checkpoint was a bit annoying. Kills are great, but as I said, maybe a bit fiddly.
    Still a must-buy for me, since I adored the first game.

    Edit: Oh, and for people who can't find it, please stop being retarded. It's not on the dashboard yet and it was a surprise addition to the marketplace; you'll have to go into the Games Marketplace, and then Demos, or New Arrivals.
    Edited by 1 at 04/03/09 @ 14:33

  • DFawkes #22 3 years ago

    Doesn't seem queuable on xbox.com, which is a shame. I'd trust my parents at home to switch on my 360, but not go into the Marketplace :p

    I'm sure I can live with the wait once I'm home though.

  • foamy #23 3 years ago

    I can't download it. It says it's no longer available :(((((((

  • zisssou #24 3 years ago

    @ VicViper
    I guess but i dont really use my 360 for playing online games its alittle annoying for me. Oh well!
    Edited by 1 at 04/03/09 @ 14:41

  • Daithi #25 3 years ago

    Download started, the Get demo button is greyed out but if you go to the All Downloads option you can download from in there. All this of course is dependent on finding it in the latest demo list, it definitely dissapeared from here for a while.

  • penhalion #26 3 years ago

    I wonder if they will ever make a movie for what happened after Riddick became head of the Necromongers. Knowing Riddick he would probably have found a way to the underverse so he could rob it!

  • ChaK #27 3 years ago

    what about PC !!!!

  • Daithi #28 3 years ago

    Didn't think much of that, played it like a shooter though which i'd assume is not the way to go.

  • dudefella #29 3 years ago

    Demo did nothing for me, loved The Darkness, never played the original Riddick. Really didn't like it.

  • Zero9X #30 3 years ago

    What is up with that awful filter. Shame really as i like the original game.

  • kangarootoo #31 3 years ago

    It seems to have buggered off again, unless I am being dense.

    Went to the game demos section, ordered by title and looked for ch, it wasn't there.

  • MrE26 #32 3 years ago

    Just played through it, reminded me of just how awesome Butcher Bay is. Little too much shooting though, although it seems that the purpose of the demo is to show off the drone combat, so i guess that was to be expected. Butcher Bay got the balance between stealth & combat just right i thought, hopefully Dark Athena follows suit.

  • bad09 #33 3 years ago

    "I wonder if they will ever make a movie for what happened after Riddick became head of the Necromongers. Knowing Riddick he would probably have found a way to the underverse so he could rob it!"

    Don't quote me, but I'm pretty certain I read a new Riddick movie is coming, whether or not it continues the Necromonger story tho is anyone's guess.

  • MrE26 #34 3 years ago

    Chronicles of Riddick was meant to be the start of a Riddick trilogy, but it died on it's arse at the box office so the other two films haven't seen the light of day yet. I'm hoping they still get made, i loved both movies.

  • Triggerhappytel #35 3 years ago

    Ooh, nice. I can't wait until this turns up on PSN - I just hope it's not too short.

  • bad09 #36 3 years ago

    Pretty sweet!

    Demo is a little too "shooty", but I doubt it will be throughout. Still even if DA is that way throughout we still have a sexy, shiny new BB to play with. Not really sure about that blurry zoom tho, was that in BB I can't remember? Hope you can turn it off in the full game.

    Anyway makes me want to play some more as it reminded how good BB was and DA seems pretty cool to. Not long now......

  • Quint2020 #37 3 years ago

    That was awesome, reminded me just how good the original game was, this is looking to be brilliant as well, shame the demo was too short and I'd have liked a few more stealth sections but it was excellent nonetheless, retains all the atmosphere of the original. Bit early for GOTY!

  • ronuds #38 3 years ago

    "I guess but i dont really use my 360 for playing online games its alittle annoying for me. Oh well!"

    You're complaining about how you can't get it unless you have a gold account - so you plan on getting the PS3 version. Well, PS3 version isn't even available yet! You may end up waiting the same amount of time as Silver users. lol

  • septimus #39 3 years ago

    Excellent. Getting this on 360 definitely (belongs on that console like many others belong on PS3 etc).

  • creepylizard #40 3 years ago

    just played the demo. I wish they'd have more stealthy bits seeing as how thats what the majority of the game will probably consist of. I get that they wanted to show off the shooting but still...
    liked it though...btw how many more characters in videogames is that woman out of star trek and battlestar galactica (among other sci fi things) going to play? she's the female Ron Perlman!

  • creepylizard #41 3 years ago

    just played the demo. I wish they'd have more stealthy bits seeing as how thats what the majority of the game will probably consist of. I get that they wanted to show off the shooting but still...
    liked it though...btw how many more characters in videogames is that woman out of star trek and battlestar galactica (among other sci fi things) going to play? she's the female Ron Perlman!

  • creepylizard #42 3 years ago

    just played the demo. I wish they'd have more stealthy bits seeing as how thats what the majority of the game will probably consist of. I get that they wanted to show off the shooting but still...
    liked it though...btw how many more characters in videogames is that woman out of star trek and battlestar galactica (among other sci fi things) going to play? she's the female Ron Perlman!

  • ronuds #43 3 years ago

    Triple post. Sweet.

  • creepylizard #44 3 years ago

    it was THAT important to say...
    bloody computer......

  • curtlikesmeat #45 3 years ago

    For the guy who asked about the film, Diesel and Twohy (the writer I think) were interested in doing more but the studios weren't bothered about putting loads of money into it since it wasn't that successful at the box office. Diesel has said that they'd be interested in doing another one on a lower budget, in a similar style to Pitch Black. That's the last I heard anyway, there may be more recent news.

  • Lukree #46 3 years ago

    I wasn't too positively surprised by the demo... So small level and I still managed to confuse what to do and where to go. "High definition gaming" - with such low res textures?!?

    The original one was really great, hopefully this one will be better than the first impression.

  • muscleblade #47 3 years ago

    The graphics wasnt good enough. The Darkness had decent graphics and Butcher bay was one of the most impressive looking games on the Xbox. Today when we have games like COD4 and Gears 2 this doesnt cut it. Im not a graphics whore at all but this was just too lackluster and the MP you get to see at the end of the demo looks lame. Still on the fence. A lot of interesting games coming out in the coming months.

  • weaselrat #48 3 years ago

    Played the first riddick. It was ok. Mainly succeded because it had the best graphics and hand to hand combat at the time. Wasn't breathtaking though.
    Played this demol through 3 times last night. Quite short and hard to tell if it's gonna be any better. Not really any new ideas. give it an extra point for the voiceover and violence though.
    Wait for the review before pre ordering.

  • kule #49 3 years ago

    Really looking forward to this! Good demo if a bit short. I loved the original there were so many little things that made it great.

    Silly things like the camera & shadow moving like you'd expect riddick to in a film really brought the game/character alive.

    I like the new blurring when you turn your head quickly too, little things really bring games to life.

  • EssAitch #50 3 years ago

    I don't know why but demos almost always turn me off a game. Maybe, for many games, playing the demo is enough to scratch the itch. Resi 5, Fear 2, TR underworld, Wanted all suffered this fate for me. Not Riddick, though, I love it. I want this game badly.

    I haven't played Butcher Bay as I came to the 360 from PS2 land but I think I can understand commenters that are hoping for a more stealthy, melee oriented full game. Having said that, though, when this demo is being a stealthy FPS, don't you think it is being a very good stealthy FPS? The closing section when you are on the raised platform sniping at the goon below is awesome and the leaning out of cover / over the edge mechanic is just brilliant.

    It's going to be a long month. £35 pre-order at Amazon, hmmm.....