Darksiders is the latest title from THQ and the first from Vigil studios (a division of THQ) . The first indication of Darksiders was way back in 2007 and the PR campaign has been feeding us with titbits on a regular basis ever since so to say expectations were high for this game would have been an understatement. Not only does Darksiders aim to be an action packed thrill ride from start to finish but it also is designed with brain racking puzzles inserted throughout, so that the game provides on both the God of War and (the likes of )Zelda templates of gameplay that it has been so obviously designed around. So many titles have tried and failed to imitate these two great franchises so will Darksiders finally be the one that not only is able to follow in their footsteps but also be able to incorporate both styles of gameplay smooth?
Read on to find out
Playing as the protagonist War, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, you are summoned to Earth when the seven seals of the truce between Heaven and Hell are destroyed. However War is deceived by evil forces and inadvertently brings about the end of the world. Dishonoured and stripped of his powers, War must return to Earth to search for the truth and punish those responsible. On his return to seek revenge War meets Samael , an encaged demon, and is sent on a quest to retrieve the four hearts of the chosen. On his quest for vindication War will reveal a deep conspiracy in which he is just a pawn in the eternal battle between Heaven and Hell.
The gameplay in Darksiders really is a breath of fresh air. You would expect a button mashing hack and slash, monster-filled roller coaster ride and yes that is what you get but there is something more. The endless amounts of combos are astonishing at first and a little hard to grasp but once you master them the character of War seems the only one capable of completing the quest. What makes the fighting system unique is the seamless swapping between weapons enabling endless combinations of moves to defeat your enemies.
Once you’ve beaten your enemies down enough you have the chance to unleash a finishing move on them. Each enemy has their own finishing manoeuvres with its own level of gore and immensely rewarding to defeat. The bosses are so much fun to fight. They are huge, wonderfully crafted monsters and they too require individual strategies to defeat them. The clever thing about this is that the techniques that you have learned prior in solving puzzles etc. are the techniques that you will need to defeat the boss.
There is a shop system as well were you can buy new weapons and combos. War has an assortment of special moves he can carry out with the L1 button. Ranging from the blade geyser to having his skin turn to flames. He also has the ability to enter a rage mode where he can tear through enemies with ease. You are awarded with your use of weapons as they level up and become more powerful. There is also a weapon forge that enables you to give your weapons enhancements again granted either as a reward or find throughout the game. You may also find artefacts which you can sell in the shop and provide you with more souls for upgrades.
One of the most impressive features of the game is the open ended world with no loading screens. You can travel to any area of the world whenever you feel like and this is made easier with the addition of serpent holes. Basically these are just ways of teleporting from one area to the other without having to walk the whole way.
The graphics are stunning. The world has been transformed into hell basically but it has been wonderfully detailed and designed . The character models too are fantastic. War is scar ridden and imposing on the
hellish environment. He looks just like his name suggests and is not a guy you would want to mess with. The monsters are visually stunning, ranging from demonic warriors to bats and bugs and a whole host of other’s. Not to mention the larger than life bosses which are just so impressive. But this game doesn’t just offer a visually stunning feast but also wonderfully suited soundtrack, provided by Award-winning composers Cris Velasco (God of War series, Clive Barker’s Jericho) and Mike Reagan (God of War series, Conan) – told you there was more than a passing resemblance to GoW! Each environment has its own ambiance to it and the music during combat is frantic and adrenaline pumping. The character voice acting is very good (and includes Mark Hamill as The Watcher who is a guide/warden over War ) and War, himself, has a very dark, pain ridden voice which fits the character one hundred percent.
On paper this shouldn’t work – Darksiders aims to master the puzzle features of Zelda and the fast paced action of God of War but I will admit it really has hit the nail on the head. It has moulded both genres into one brilliantly. The gameplay is exciting throughout and you are continually in awe of each level design and atmosphere .
Marks out of 10
Gameplay- 9.5/10 Fast paced, exciting and gory. Just what the doctor ordered
Graphics -9/10 Beautiful character design and environments. A visual master class
Audio – 8.50/10 Wonderful ambiance throughout the game and suitable action music and sound effects
Replayability – 7/10 Not much to talk about here there is a huge sense of satisfaction once complete. Would I revisit ? Yes
