Darkmess
Darkmess is a malevolent, sentient form of dark matter that appears in Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope and its DLC, Rayman in the Phantom Show. It is produced by Cursa, the main antagonist in the base game, and seeks to spread its influence throughout the galaxy, consuming energy and plunging worlds into chaos.
Characteristics
The primary power of Darkmess is its ability to corrupt other beings and environments. Driven by a primal instinct to consume and corrupt, it spreads like a stain, twisting creatures and landscapes into dark, hostile reflections of their former selves. Darkmess feeds on energy, particularly that of Sparks. By consuming them, it grows stronger and its influence expands. While it can manifest in a somewhat solid form, Darkmess is largely formless, appearing as a swirling mass of dark energy.
Manifestations
Darkmess Puddle
Darkmess Puddles are pools of corrupted energy appear on different planets and are often guarded by enemies. They trigger a battle when interacted with. Clearing them helps to cleanse the area and often rewards the player.
Darkmess Tentacle
Darkmess Tentacles are large, menacing manifestations of Darkmess that have grown tentacle-like appendages. Found in pairs on each of the base game's five planets, these tentacles wreak havoc on their respective environments.
Darkmess Gate
Darkmess Gates are obstacles made of Darkmess that block the heroes' path. They first appear in two base game battles where they must be destroyed using Bob-ombs. A third Darkmess Gate shows up in the Rayman in the Phantom Show DLC's Castle Chaos battle, where destroying it with a single Bob-omb is the key to victory and progressing to the next battle.
Darkmess Portal
Darkmess Portals are gateways made of Darkmess that appear during battles, summoning enemy reinforcements. These portals bring in varying types and numbers of enemies depending on the specific battle. They appear at the end of the enemies' turn and summon reinforcements at the end of their following turn. Heroes can destroy most of these portals by attacking them (though they cannot be dashed), and damaging the portal will reduce the HP of the summoned enemies. Some portals, however, cannot be destroyed. Players can use the Tacticam to see which enemies will emerge from a portal. The HP of Darkmess Portals remains constant regardless of the game's difficulty level.
Darkmess Eye
Darkmess Eyes are yellow eyes with black spiral pupils which mostly appear in battles, where destroying them is often the key to victory. While they can be destroyed with any attack in a single hit, they are immune to dashes. Larger versions of Darkmess Eyes can also be found blocking paths during exploration phases, like the The Pirate Set quest in Rayman in the Phantom Show. These overworld obstacles can only be cleared by throwing a Darkmess Egg at them, causing them to disappear. While primarily found in the overworld, they also feature in two battles in the base game.
Darkmess Egg
Darkmess Eggs are egg-shaped formations of Darkmess characterized by a distinctive green line running along their surface. Players may dash into these eggs to pick them up and then throw them at the large Darkmess Eyes found blocking paths. Once a Darkmess Egg destroys a Darkmess Eye, it vanishes. If the eye have not been destroyed, the egg will respawn.
Corrupted enemies
Many of the enemies encountered in the game are ordinary creatures that have been corrupted by the influence of Darkmess, making them more aggressive and dangerous.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name |
|---|---|
| English | Darkmess |
| Chinese (simplified) | 浊影 |
| Chinese (traditional) | 厄禍 |
| Dutch | Duistermis |
| French | Confusi-Ombre |
| German | Finsterzeit |
| Italian | Oscutiferio |
| Japanese | ダークメス |
| Korean | 암흑진창 |
| Portuguese | Malumbra |
| Russian | Темень |
| Spanish | Ascoridad |