<s>
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
of	I-Application
Might	I-Application
and	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
(	O
labeled	O
as	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
:	O
Might	B-Application
and	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
;	O
additionally	O
subtitled	O
Elements	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
)	O
is	O
a	O
first-person	O
action	B-Application
role-playing	I-Application
game	I-Application
developed	O
by	O
Arkane	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
of	I-Application
Might	I-Application
and	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
2006	O
on	O
PC	O
,	O
and	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
of	I-Application
Might	I-Application
and	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
:	I-Application
Elements	I-Application
was	O
released	O
later	O
in	O
2008	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
players	O
who	O
build	O
their	O
character	O
to	O
specialize	O
in	O
Magic	B-Application
,	O
spells	B-Application
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
unleash	O
offensive	O
effects	O
,	O
heal	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
,	O
or	O
serve	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
utility	O
purposes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Each	O
use	O
of	O
a	O
spell	B-Application
consumes	O
varying	O
amounts	O
of	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
mana	B-Application
,	O
which	O
gradually	O
regenerates	O
over	O
time	O
,	O
but	O
can	O
be	O
replenished	O
more	O
quickly	O
through	O
consumption	O
of	O
mana	B-Application
potions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
the	O
player	O
completes	O
objectives	O
throughout	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
awards	O
experience	O
points	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
used	O
to	O
buy	O
skills	O
in	O
one	O
of	O
three	O
skill	O
trees	O
:	O
Combat	O
,	O
Magic	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Miscellaneous	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Magic	B-Application
tree	O
grants	O
access	O
to	O
new	O
spells	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
some	O
enemies	O
will	O
drop	O
usable	O
items	O
when	O
killed	O
,	O
looting	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
is	O
mostly	O
a	O
fixed	O
affair	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
features	O
a	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
where	O
opposing	O
teams	O
battle	O
each	O
other	O
and	O
earn	O
points	O
by	O
performing	O
strategic	O
maneuvers	O
across	O
a	O
large	O
map	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Men	O
,	O
Elves	O
,	O
Dwarves	O
,	O
and	O
their	O
allies	O
pitted	O
themselves	O
against	O
the	O
hordes	O
of	O
Demons	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
Using	O
his	O
almost	O
god-like	O
powers	O
and	O
supported	O
by	O
his	O
fellow	O
wizards	O
,	O
Sar-Elam	O
cast	O
the	O
Demons	B-Operating_System
out	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
into	O
a	O
limbo	O
of	O
eternal	O
fire	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
From	O
the	O
essence	O
of	O
his	O
spirit	O
,	O
Sar-Elam	O
wove	O
a	O
prison	O
to	O
contain	O
the	O
Demons	B-Operating_System
forever	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
magic	B-Application
he	O
summoned	O
failed	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
complete	O
prison	O
;	O
the	O
tiniest	O
of	O
flaws	O
remained	O
in	O
the	O
otherwise	O
impervious	O
barrier	O
,	O
a	O
weakness	O
that	O
allowed	O
Demonic	O
influence	O
to	O
seep	O
into	O
the	O
world	O
during	O
times	O
of	O
a	O
lunar	O
eclipse	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Angry	O
but	O
patient	O
,	O
the	O
Demons	B-Operating_System
lurked	O
in	O
their	O
prison	O
waiting	O
...	O
and	O
planning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Now	O
called	O
the	O
Skull	O
of	O
Shadows	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
spirited	O
away	O
by	O
those	O
loyal	O
to	O
the	O
goddess	O
Mother	O
Asha	O
,	O
creator	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
and	O
source	B-Application
of	O
all	O
magic	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
hid	O
it	O
in	O
an	O
ancient	O
temple	O
on	O
a	O
deserted	O
island	O
,	O
far	O
from	O
the	O
machinations	O
of	O
Men	O
,	O
Elves	O
,	O
or	O
Demons	B-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
67	O
years	O
after	O
Sar-Elam	O
'	O
s	O
death	O
,	O
his	O
disciple	O
Sar-Shazzar	O
prophesied	O
that	O
a	O
half-demon	O
,	O
half-human	O
child	O
would	O
one	O
day	O
be	O
born	O
;	O
a	O
walker	O
between	O
worlds	O
who	O
would-be	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
"	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
"	O
and	O
would	O
use	O
the	O
relics	O
of	O
the	O
Seventh	O
Dragon	O
to	O
shatter	O
the	O
Demons	B-Operating_System
prison	O
forever	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
969	O
years	O
after	O
Sar-Elam	O
'	O
s	O
death	O
,	O
after	O
the	O
young	O
king	O
Nicolai	O
Griffin	O
was	O
killed	O
by	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
renegade	O
,	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
sovereign	O
,	O
Kha-Beleth	O
impregnated	O
Nicolai	O
's	O
former-fiancée	O
,	O
Isabel	O
Greyhound	O
,	O
and	O
before	O
she	O
could	O
have	O
been	O
saved	O
,	O
she	O
gave	O
birth	O
to	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
protagonist	O
of	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
is	O
a	O
young	O
man	O
named	O
Sareth	O
,	O
who	O
is	O
under	O
the	O
tutelage	O
of	O
the	O
Wizard	O
Phenrig	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
years	O
of	O
studying	O
the	O
arts	O
of	O
magic	B-Application
and	O
physical	O
training	O
in	O
the	O
arts	O
of	O
war	O
,	O
he	O
is	O
finally	O
taken	O
on	O
an	O
expedition	O
to	O
retrieve	O
a	O
rare	O
artifact	O
known	O
as	O
the	O
Shantiri	O
Crystal	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
guide	O
him	O
on	O
his	O
way	O
,	O
a	O
spirit	O
named	O
Xana	B-Application
will	O
reside	O
in	O
Sareth	O
's	O
mind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
a	O
dream	O
,	O
he	O
recalls	O
his	O
meeting	O
with	O
Phenrig	O
,	O
except	O
that	O
Phenrig	O
is	O
saying	O
that	O
he	O
does	O
not	O
trust	O
Sareth	O
on	O
this	O
mission	O
alone	O
and	O
says	O
that	O
he	O
needs	O
someone	O
to	O
"	O
hold	O
his	O
leash	O
"	O
as	O
he	O
summons	O
Xana	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
dream	O
,	O
Xana	B-Application
appears	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
and	O
attacks	O
Sareth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
arriving	O
,	O
they	O
find	O
the	O
expedition	O
destroyed	O
,	O
and	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
men	O
dead	O
,	O
killed	O
by	O
Orc	B-Language
warriors	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sareth	O
and	O
Leanna	O
are	O
chased	O
into	O
the	O
Temple	O
of	O
the	O
Skull	O
by	O
a	O
Pao	O
kai	O
which	O
Sareth	O
kills	O
a	O
little	O
later	O
with	O
a	O
gate	O
,	O
and	O
Sareth	O
proceeds	O
alone	O
to	O
the	O
top	O
of	O
the	O
Temple	O
,	O
where	O
he	O
places	O
the	O
Shantiri	O
Crystal	O
,	O
and	O
defeats	O
the	O
Orc	B-Language
chief	O
Aratok	O
in	O
a	O
duel	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sareth	O
then	O
has	O
a	O
vision	O
of	O
the	O
Demon	B-Operating_System
Sovereign	O
Kha-Beleth	O
,	O
who	O
reveals	O
himself	O
to	O
be	O
Sareth	O
's	O
father	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kha-Beleth	O
names	O
Sareth	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
,	O
and	O
then	O
commands	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
using	O
the	O
power	O
of	O
the	O
Skull	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Fueled	O
by	O
Xana	B-Application
's	O
demonic	O
power	O
,	O
Sareth	O
wakes	O
up	O
alive	O
and	O
gains	O
the	O
power	O
to	O
transform	O
into	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
,	O
which	O
grants	O
him	O
uncanny	O
strength	O
at	O
the	O
cost	O
of	O
health	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stripped	O
of	O
all	O
his	O
belongings	O
,	O
Sareth	O
uses	O
the	O
demon	B-Operating_System
form	O
to	O
fight	O
off	O
the	O
Orc	B-Language
guards	O
as	O
he	O
recovers	O
his	O
items	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
Leanna	O
was	O
rescued	O
in	O
the	O
previous	O
chapter	O
,	O
Sareth	O
may	O
visit	O
the	O
sanctuary	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
purge	O
Xana	B-Application
from	O
his	O
body	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
Sareth	O
proceeds	O
with	O
the	O
cleansing	O
,	O
he	O
loses	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
transform	O
into	O
a	O
demon	B-Operating_System
,	O
but	O
gains	O
the	O
ability	O
to	O
use	O
powerful	O
holy	O
weapons	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
Sareth	O
attacks	O
Arantir	O
,	O
he	O
summons	O
his	O
Avatar	O
of	O
Death	O
,	O
also	O
seen	O
in	O
Heroes	O
V	O
:	O
Tribes	O
of	O
the	O
East	O
(	O
the	O
dragon	O
in	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
does	O
resemble	O
a	O
pao	O
kai	O
but	O
it	O
is	O
still	O
uncertain	O
as	O
to	O
what	O
the	O
dragon	O
really	O
is	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
ensuing	O
cut	O
scene	O
will	O
vary	O
slightly	O
depending	O
on	O
whether	O
it	O
is	O
Leanna	O
or	O
Xana	B-Application
that	O
accompanies	O
Sareth	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
giving	O
the	O
game	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
four	O
different	O
endings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critical	O
praise	O
of	O
Arkane	O
's	O
previous	O
game	O
,	O
Arx	B-Application
Fatalis	I-Application
,	O
gave	O
the	O
opportunity	O
for	O
them	O
to	O
work	O
with	O
Valve	O
to	O
develop	O
a	O
new	O
title	O
on	O
their	O
Source	B-Application
engine	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Raphaël	O
Colantonio	O
opted	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
Arx	B-Application
Fatalis	I-Application
2	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
were	O
approached	O
by	O
Ubisoft	O
and	O
asked	O
to	O
apply	O
the	O
Arx	B-Application
Fatalis	I-Application
game	O
engine	O
to	O
their	O
Might	B-Application
and	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
became	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
of	I-Application
Might	I-Application
and	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
refined	O
the	O
first-person	O
melee	O
combat	O
of	O
Arx	B-Application
Fatalis	I-Application
with	O
a	O
lesser	O
emphasis	O
on	O
role-playing	O
elements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Despite	O
having	O
received	O
a	O
"	O
no	O
youth	O
release	O
"	O
rating	O
from	O
the	O
USK	O
,	O
Ubisoft	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
two	O
German	O
versions	O
of	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
will	O
contain	O
some	O
changes	O
from	O
the	O
internationally	O
released	O
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critical	O
reaction	O
to	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
has	O
been	O
divided	O
,	O
particularly	O
between	O
the	O
US	O
and	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
reviews	O
"	O
on	O
both	O
platforms	O
according	O
to	O
the	O
review	B-Application
aggregation	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
criticized	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
control	O
problems	O
and	O
graphics	O
,	O
stating	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
may	O
be	O
the	O
ugliest	O
game	O
powered	O
by	O
 [ the ] 	O
Source	B-Application
engine	I-Application
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Japan	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
ported	O
for	O
release	O
under	O
the	O
name	O
on	O
17	O
July	O
2008	O
,	O
Famitsu	O
gave	O
it	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
22	O
out	O
of	O
40	O
,	O
while	O
Famitsu	O
X360	B-Operating_System
gave	O
it	O
each	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
two	O
sevens	O
,	O
one	O
six	O
,	O
and	O
one	O
seven	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
interview	O
on	O
15	O
August	O
2012	O
,	O
with	O
Dutch	O
gamesite	O
Gamer.nl,	O
Might	B-Application
&	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
creative	O
director	O
Erwan	O
le	O
Breton	O
mentioned	O
they	O
were	O
discussing	O
a	O
possible	O
sequel	O
to	O
Dark	B-Application
Messiah	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
However	O
,	O
,	O
Arkane	O
Studios	O
has	O
left	O
Ubisoft	O
and	O
the	O
Might	B-Application
&	I-Application
Magic	I-Application
team	O
was	O
still	O
searching	O
for	O
a	O
new	O
studio	O
to	O
take	O
over	O
the	O
sequel	O
.	O
</s>
