《黑暗魔宮（Dark Half / ダークハーフ）》是於1996年5月31日由Westone Bit Entertainment開發、Enix（現為 Square Enix）發行的超級任天堂（Super Famicom）平台角色扮演遊戲。在日本遊戲史上以其獨特的雙主角敘事架構、陰鬱的世界觀，以及極具挑戰性的靈魂能量系統（Soul Power System）聞名，成為16位元末期少數具藝術氣質與哲學深度的黑暗系RPG之一。

故事設定於英雄與魔王的宿命對決千年之後。傳說中，神祇「羅達」（Loda）率領六位聖騎士成功封印魔王，為人間帶來長達一千年的和平。然而，當歲月流轉，人們早已淡忘戰爭的傷痕之際，一股「魔王即將復活」的不祥謠言在各地悄然流傳。

主角之一的勇者法爾科（Falco），是一位信奉光明、懷抱正義之心的年輕戰士。他聽聞傳言後，獨自踏上通往「魔王之頂」（Demon’s Peak）的旅程，誓要阻止黑暗的回歸。卻在命運的捉弄下，親眼見證魔王的復活，並在混亂中喪命。就在靈魂墜入虛無之際，一道神秘的聲音令他復甦，賦予他新的使命──再度挑戰魔王，阻止人類的滅亡。

與此同時，被封印千年的魔王也從沉睡中甦醒。被束縛的歲月化為無盡的憤怒與仇恨，他發誓要向當年背叛並封印他的六名聖騎士展開報復。魔王召喚出三名忠誠的魔人部下，踏上血腥的征途，屠戮人類、摧毀城鎮，以吸取靈魂之力恢復力量。

必須交替操控勇者法爾科與魔王，在各自的七日旅程中完成使命。兩位主角的行動互相影響，勇者的正義舉動可能改變魔王篇的命運，而魔王的破壞行為也會對勇者的世界帶來毀滅性後果。最終的結局取決於玩家的抉擇——光明是否能再度拯救世界，抑或黑暗終將吞噬一切。

核心玩法圍繞在名為「靈魂能量」（Soul Power）的獨特系統。這數值象徵角色的生命力與精神力，會在移動時隨步數逐漸消耗。當靈魂能量歸零時，遊戲立即結束。擊敗敵人可恢復部分能量，但補充量極少，因此每次行動、每步探索都充滿壓力與危險。

這種「行走即消耗、戰鬥即風險」的設計打破傳統RPG的節奏。必須謹慎規劃移動路線、控制節奏，否則將在未抵達存檔點前死亡。遊戲中的陷阱與機關複雜，常設有隱藏陷坑與迷宮般的設計，若不慎多走幾步，就可能導致靈魂能量枯竭。

此外，遊戲並未採用常見的經驗值升級系統，而是以事件與戰鬥中獲得的特定報酬來強化角色。存檔點的使用次數也受到限制，每次存檔後該地點會消失，僅能獲得微量靈魂能量作為回報。這種極端的設計使遊戲難度極高，也成為當時玩家最津津樂道（或痛苦不已）的特徵之一。戰鬥採用傳統回合制，但勇者與魔王的戰鬥風格截然不同：

• 勇者篇偏向戰略型戰鬥，需靠有限的資源與法術生存；
• 魔王篇則可透過吞噬人類靈魂來回復能量與力量——這在當時極具爭議，也顯示遊戲對「善與惡」的哲學反思。

採用等角俯視視角（Quarter View），畫面細膩而充滿壓迫感。背景以寫實筆觸描繪，色調偏向陰鬱的棕黑與血紅。角色立繪採油畫風格呈現，營造出濃厚的哥德式氛圍。音樂由濱田智之（T. Hamada）與 Ts MUSIC 製作，全程以低沉的合成音、管風琴與環境聲效構築出詭譎又悲壯的氛圍。無論是勇者篇的哀愁旋律，或魔王篇的冷酷節奏，都強化遊戲的道德張力與宿命感。

在1996年上市後，銷量約 2.5 萬套，屬於中等規模的發售表現。然而在玩家與評論界中，它獲得「被低估的傑作（Underrated Masterpiece）」的評價。媒體讚賞其劇情深度、雙主角架構與黑暗哲學主題——不只是傳統的「勇者打倒魔王」，而是探討善惡相生、光與闇不可分割的宿命。許多評論者稱其為「Enix 晚期最具實驗性與思想性的 RPG」。

然而，同時也因其極高的難度與不友善的系統設計而備受批評。靈魂能量過快消耗、迷宮陷阱過於苛刻、缺乏明確指引等，使許多玩家望而卻步。但對於追求挑戰與哲學敘事的玩家而言，這款作品堪稱一場黑暗而純粹的藝術體驗。隨著時間推移，本作逐漸成為超任玩家之間的「傳說級邪典遊戲」。其強烈的道德二元性、壓抑的氛圍與殘酷的機制，影響後來一些黑暗RPG與獨立恐怖遊戲的設計，如《Shadow Hearts》與《Shin Megami Tensei》系列的後期作品。

這是結合宗教寓言、心理恐懼與策略限制的黑暗幻想作品。不僅讓玩家扮演光明的勇者，也迫使玩家以魔王的身份思考「毀滅是否也是一種救贖」。以16位元時代的圖像與音樂，構築出極具藝術性與哲思深度的體驗，讓人難以忘懷。儘管它從未在海外正式發售，也未被主流市場接受，但對許多老玩家而言，《黑暗魔宮》仍是那個時代最獨特、最具靈魂的黑暗RPG。

Dark Half is a 1996 role-playing game developed by Westone Bit Entertainment and published by Enix for the Super Famicom. It’s remembered as one of the most distinctive and unconventional RPGs on the platform — a game that breaks traditional genre norms by letting players control both a hero and a demon lord, two opposing forces racing against time before the end of the world in seven days.

The story begins a thousand years after the holy god Roda and six sacred knights sealed away the Demon King. Humanity has lived in peace ever since—until ominous rumors of the Demon King’s resurrection begin to spread. Falco, a brave warrior, sets out to confirm the truth but is tragically caught in the midst of the resurrection itself and dies. However, guided by a mysterious voice, he is miraculously revived and begins his quest to defeat the returning evil.
At the same time, the resurrected Demon King emerges from his ancient seal, filled with hatred for the six knights who imprisoned him. Assisted by his demonic lieutenants, he embarks on a dark crusade to hunt them down, slaughtering the innocent in his wake.

The gameplay alternates between the perspectives of Falco (the hero) and the Demon King, making for a unique narrative where both light and darkness progress in tandem. Each chapter alternates between the two protagonists, and their actions can influence one another’s storylines. After seven in-game days, the player’s choices and actions determine which side ultimately prevails—good or evil. This dual-protagonist structure was groundbreaking for its time and became the game’s most memorable feature.

Unlike standard RPGs, Dark Half employs a distinctive “Soul Power” mechanic. Soul Power decreases as the player walks or performs actions, and if it reaches zero, the game ends. While defeating enemies replenishes some Soul Power, it’s never enough to fully offset exploration, forcing players to carefully balance movement and combat. This system creates a constant sense of tension and dread, fitting perfectly with the game’s dark atmosphere. Saving is also limited—each save point can only be used once, after which it disappears.

Combat is challenging and punishing. The game features no traditional experience points or leveling system; instead, character growth depends on the player’s strategic choices and management of scarce resources. Players who neglect careful planning early on often find themselves overwhelmed later in the story, particularly on the hero’s side. Dungeon puzzles are notoriously complex and full of traps that consume valuable Soul Power, adding to the game’s difficulty and oppressive mood.

Visually, Dark Half employs a quasi-isometric (quarter-view) perspective with a gothic, oil-painted art style that gives the world a somber, mature tone. Its eerie, melancholic soundtrack by Tomoyuki Hamada (T’s Music) deepens the grim atmosphere and sense of foreboding throughout.

Upon release, Dark Half sold approximately 25,000 copies—a modest number—but over time it earned cult-classic status among RPG enthusiasts for its bold experimentation, mature storytelling, and philosophical themes about the inseparability of good and evil. Critics and fans alike have praised its originality, though many note its difficulty and unconventional mechanics make it a polarizing experience.

Today, Dark Half stands as one of the Super Famicom’s most unusual and daring RPGs—a gothic masterpiece that explores moral duality, free will, and sacrifice, wrapped in haunting music and a suffocatingly dark atmosphere. It’s often cited as a hidden gem of the 16-bit era, recommended to players who appreciate challenging, conceptually deep, and emotionally charged RPGs.