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I will start this review by saying that I did indeed play the first Darksiders, but will not make this a comparison between the 2 in any way.
Story: The story for the game is more of a backdrop for the great level design and combat to playout in a meaningful way than it is a driving force for the game. Essentially, Death has to clear the name of his brother War (from DS1) and sets off to do so but before long is wrapped up in a larger story involving the Makers. Suffice it to say the story is there but nothing too great, though Death has some funny quips (like telling a crow to be quiet..) as he has a sarcastic tone throughout the game, and the game does allow you some dialogue choices as you interact with NPCs. These NPCs serve as trainers for your new combos, weapon and item dealers, and obviously they provide you your quests and sidequests that propel the game forward.
Graphics: The graphics in this game have a wide range. From beautiful to meh depending on your location. You will notice bland textures, and muddied walls in certain areas but will also see great dungeons and large bosses that push the consoles, but never quite to the edge. The game in motion is spectatcular though. Death has great animations, and every combo you unlock looks a little different as Death has realistic movements that keep you glued to your screen amidst the fighting chaos. I have heard of some slowdown in the game but truthfully have noticed hardly any, so don't let that dissuade you from picking up this gem.
Gameplay: OKAY, this is where Darksiders brings the metaphorical hammer down. Talk about infusing so many elements together in one game! Darksiders "borrows" ideas from many different games, including: Zelda (the dungeons, horse exploration, Z targeting), God of War (frantic combat based on combos and timing), Prince of Persia (smooth platforming that becomes second nature after a few hours), Diablo (tons of loot to collect and equip) and even a little Assasin's Creed (verticality) and Shadow of the Collossus (larger than life bosses). This game is like the ultimate dutch oven of video game ideas blended in a way that never feels like it rips any one game off, but rather pays homage to the brilliant ideas that have come before it. Like "Z" targeting from Zelda where you can lock on to one enemy and easily flick the right stick to shift your focus from one enemy to the next. Or wall-running from PoP that gives Death a fleet of foot feel versus his bulkier brother. But the game makes its milk in the combat. Thrashing multiple enemies just plain feels right on as a bringer of the Apocalypse. The combo timing takes a little bit to get used to, but once you do you can pull off so many different moves (on ground and in air) that you will be stomping through hordes of enemies in no time. And the BOSSES! Wow, the developers really love huge bosses, and won't hesitate to throw back to back mini bosses at you where most games have one, a cutscene, and then right on to the main boss. The main bosses are a marvel, and will rival the colossi from SotC in size and scope. Defeating them feels very "Zelda" like as you utilize a new item you gained to defeat them. No spoilers here, so sorry no examples are being given of these great battles, you should expereince them for yourself. Death also has branching skill trees which start with a few core skills (a teleport slash, summoning minions to help you fight, etc.) and expands into a very customizeable spectrum that begs experimentation (you can re-spec Death at any time to try out new skills you may not have originally chosen). The combat is so satisfying you will find yourself just itching for the next fight to show off that new combo or weapon. Speaking of weapons...
Customization: I believe this belongs in its own category as adding a true loot-based rpg system to the franchise was a genious move. Death is a totally Bada$$ character, and a beast of that magnitude deserves some bada$$ equipment. Not 5 minutes will go by in this game without you finding a new piece of armor, weapon, secondary weapon, or amulet to deck out Death how you see fit depending on the character you'd like to play. Want a Death built with pure speed? Equip a pair of lightning fast gauntlets as your second weapon to throw more punches in a second than Pacquiao throws in an entire fight. Want to do brutal amounts of damage in one swing? Equip a giant axe or hammer to demolish your foes while sacrificing some of that speed. The level of customization is great, and adds to the gameplay. An example: I picked up an "Axe of Rending," which restores your health partially but only when you execute enemies with it, so I immediately found myslef considering the situation before using it: Is my health low? Better beat those enemies close to death then bust out the axe to get that health boost before moving on. What's better is that every piece of equipment looks different and immediately affects the look of Death. Even better still is that THQ instituted a great system that allows you to pick up equipment, or even equip it immediately right in the field. The intensity of the battles is great, so in the midst of a battle I can be fighting 5 enemies, one drops a new weapon (that can immediately be compared to what I have equipped on screen), I roll over to it, hold select to equip it in game, then BAM right back into the battle with my new scythes equipped without missing a beat. More games need this type of system.
The Negatives: I'm not going to sit here and say DS2 is a "perfect" game, it has some hiccups, but they are diminutive in nature. Sometimes when scaling a wall, in order to climb up, you have to be in the middle of the rail, if you are off a little to the right or left, Death will jump straight up instead of climbing, basically the game thinks there is nothing above him to grab, even though there is. You move right a centimeter and then it kicks in and recognizes the ledge. It will happen a few times to everyone that plays, but again it's minor. For it being an "open-world" game, there isn't a ton do in said open-world. You will ride around on your horse to get from one location to the other, but aside from a few "hidden" chests (they show up on the map) or a random scalable building, the open world mostly serves as your mechanism for travel and little else. Also, they did not do a great job of showing what Death can and can't climb, meaning he can scurry 15ft up a wall, but can't jump up onto a 5 foot ledge. Once you realize this it does not affect you in anyway, but it's funny to see him wall run and acrobatically swing from post to post, but can't jump up a 5 foot block. Again, all these issues are minor and in no way detract from the overall experience, which is an absolute blast.
Closing: By now you probably want the "should I buy it or not" answer, and I will say YES absolutely everyone should experience this game. If you like adventure, puzzle solving, great dungeons and finely tuned combat wrapped in a replayable package, this game is for you. It even tracks tons of statistics for you (best combo, most damage, a TON of things) that get posted to leaderboards so you can compare against your friends. You can even gift items to your friends! I will say, please avoid the IGN review of this game as the clear bias of it baffles me. As of now, they are the only reviewer to give this game less than an 80, and as an avid gamer and review reader will openly say they got it wrong. Read or watch any other review and you will see nothing but admiration for this title. It was a long time coming, but THQ finally has a game that fits the hardcore mold, and Darksiders 2 is the perfect game to pick up now and dive into before the fall / year end bonanza of games come out. Go get it now!
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Let me begin by saying I've never written a review for a game regardless of how strong I feel abou it. I would of written one for Batman Arkham City, but enough fans and critics gave the game the credit it deserved--Reviews are to help potential buyers make a choice after all. With the lack of user reviews so far about this game, I felt I should include one. I've only been playing now for about 3 hours, and I will say without a doubt, it is the best game of 2012....If Batman hadn't come out last year, I would say for the last 2 years! Most reviews are saying if you liked the first one, give this one a try--This obviously being true, even if you couldn't get into the first one, or didn't play it, this game will change your mind about the franchise. Its is much more fluid and responsive than its predecessor.
The "look and feel" of the game is taken straight from The Legend Of Zelda....Dare, I even say improves on it, as the combat is taken from God of War (which is a lot more exciting than Link's combat styles). That combined with the fact that the visuals are as though were taken from Lord of the RIngs coupled with the amazing score....'EPIC' is all I can take out of this game. One of the finest action/adventures I've played....and I'm just beginning.....
Buy Darksiders II Now
FOR BETTER:
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Darksiders 2 is an impressive follow up to THQ and Vigil's apocaplyptic journey. Even if you never played the original, don't have any reservations about picking up the sequel. Death is an extraordinary character: well-acted, well-animated, enigmatic and engaging.
In this installment we take on the guise of War's brother Death, one of the four horsemen, who has undertaken a quest to absolve his brother from the punishment of the Charred Council for destroying humanity. Realizing that his brother had been framed, Death vows to do whatever is necessary to restore the balance between angels and demons.
Like its predecessor, Darksiders 2 does an EXTRAORDINARY job of pulling concepts from other licenses and making them feel original within a common theme (the battle between Heaven and Hell at the End of Days). This time around the primary draw is Ubisoft's 2008 Prince of Persia. Death will perform wall runs, extended climbs and other free-running tactics that are visually identical to the unnamed Prince. Yet despite references to other genres and titles (Portal, Shadows of the Damned, Legend of Zelda, God of War, Devil May Cry, etc.) Darksiders 2 manages to move beyond the driving concepts to deliver a wholly unique experience. From background art, puzzle implementation and narrative framework Darksiders 2 manages to mold its own identity by successfully working RPG elements into a visually striking hack-and-slash world.
This time around Death can choose between his primary weapon (scythes) set to the [] button, and a secondary weapon (armblades, gauntlets, hammers, axes, glaives, and claws) which is set to the /\ button. Attack combinations can be purchased by trainers, and are easy to execute during battle. Although most sequences are little more than a mix of both buttons with pauses between inputs, the simple commands belie Death's flashy and intense moveset. There are an extraordinary number of different weapons to find, each with their own perks (damage types, stat bonuses, exp. increases etc.) that can radically change your playing style. In addition, these weapons are found based upon your character's current level and come in increasing rarity: white common, green uncommon, blue rare, purple unique, and gold legendary. The most interesting addition are "possessed weapons" which can be upgraded by "feeding" other items to them. These weapons can be enhanced a set number of times before reaching their maximum potential by taking on the attributes of the weapons and armor that are fed to them. With each new progression you have the option to choose a perk that will subsequently improve with further item leveling. In most cases a fully upgraded possessed weapon will be better than a similar level unique or rare one. In all cases combat is visceral, fast paced and exciting.
Armor is likewise found in differing rarities, although there are no legendary or possessed pieces of armor. Based upon the attributes you use with your playing style, your version of Death may greatly vary from your friend's. Both weapons and armor can also drastically improve the effectiveness of skills chosen from the Harbinger and Necromancer skill trees. Although the diversity is not as great as in a game like Dragon Age it is still enough to keep your character evolving throughout the duration of your playthrough. The best part is that the demon merchant Vulgrim can respec your character for a very low fee, so you can try any other skill combinations at your leisure.
FOR WORSE:
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Despite all of my praises, Darksiders 2 is not without faults. It pains me to list them, because I TRULY LOVE the direction of the game. The real problem that keeps it from becoming a masterpiece is overambition and not enough time to see it through. Darksiders 2 makes multiple trade-offs from the original and unfortunately not always for the better.
Graphically the sequel takes a hit in texturing and even character modeling. Things are not quite as smooth as the first time around, and you will notice some "near-polygonal" edges on some of the characters. When swimming or in confined areas walls look bland and occasionally dip to PS2 quality. Fortunately this is not the norm, and most vistas are gorgeous and stunning. Despite some pixellation when viewing further draw distances, the artistic design and bold coloration of the sequel TRULY save the day.
When I first started playing Darksiders 2 I was blown away by the sweeping orchestral movement and striking vista of a foreboding icy fortress. In retrospect, I feel this cathartic moment at the game's onset might have set the bar a little "too" high for the rest of the game. After 35 hours, I can safely say that both the narrative and bosses take a back-seat to those in Darksiders 1. All too often the story is revealed via comic book style cutscenes, rather than full out CGI. There are also not very many moments that ramp up emotionally or deliver sweeping orchestral keynotes like the first game. Although there is an attempt to tie in to War's tale, Death's episodic journey also seems to be much more flash and less substance. He has relatively clear motivations for why he is going somewhere, but the enemies and challenges he faces are more often typical RPG fare than the "ultimate battles" faced by his brother. Prepare for a lot of fetch quests set between largely open areas (Unlimited quick travel saves the day!). There are also more dungeons, but less differentiation between areas in a similar zone. Dungeons are also MUCH smaller, and require less coordination or logic when choosing between various tools. In addition, because of the revamped combat system the enemies and bosses are more like those found in God of War/Devil May Cry than Legend of Zelda. These are no longer "puzzle bosses," but more hack-and-slash.
Yet most of these issues are a matter of creative opinion, if not the results of time constraints. The real commonplace issues are the small bugs and technical flaws you will find along the way. I had to hard restart my PS3 8 times while playing Darksiders 2. Several of these were due to complete freezes during combat or platforming, but even worse were the several "almost" game-breaking glitches. Thank God the developers had the intelligence to insert fail-safes when a save was reloaded from initial start-up.
1.)I had a NPC who was supposed to carry a heartstone for me get stuck on a door, and I could not get him to pick it up until I restarted the system. Thankfully it reset the heartstone to a point where I only had to complete a small portion of the dungeon, and the character did not get stuck again.
2.)I had the audio completely cut out when speaking to the Lord of Bone. I had to do a hard restart and erase my dungeon waypoints to get it to trigger properly.
3.)I completed several Forge Land dungeons later in the game and was not able to recover a special item required for an earlier quest.
4.)A contextual button that was supposed to appear and allow me to place a lantern on a statue would not trigger. This was the first time said puzzle was used. Thankfully, I understood the level design and realized that something was supposed to happen here. The button prompt allowing me to progress through the dungeon only appeared after shutting down and restarting the PS3.
5.)One of the primary bosses known as "the Wailing Host" froze mid-strike for about 20 seconds with its health bar half depleted. During this time Death was still able to circle around the battle arena and attack as normal (further reducing the boss's health bar). However, the boss became invincible after the temporary freeze and would not die when its health reached zero. This is because the battle is actually punctuated by several button prompt actions that were not triggered after the glitch. This was the only major glitch that inexplicably resolved itself without having to fully restart the PS3, BUT I had to restart the boss battle from a checkpoint three times before it was fixed.
NO GAME MANUAL:
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THQ also decided to cut down on cost by NOT including a physical game manual. They didn't even include an in-game manual like the one in Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning. Instead, they give you a web address for finding the contents online. This wouldn't be a terrible problem, but many of the finer details regarding collectables, locating/setting quests, and the HUD are not directly explained. Be prepared to do a few internet searches before fully understanding the game.
TIL DEATH DO US PART (Summary):
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I wish Darksiders 2 had more CGI, better music, a more focused narrative and more/bigger boss battles. Yet when all is said and done it is still an EXCELLENT addition to the franchise. I feel that the pressure to release the game by mid-August after an initial delay hampered the artistic and technical design of the game. THQ's president even released a statement saying two things:
1.)The game had to release this summer because he felt it could not compete with games like Assassin's Creed 3 and Call of Duty. Obviously this drove the decision to cut out the more difficult to develop aspects like full CGI.
2.)If Darksiders 2 fails to perform up to sales expectations, he will reallocate all of Vigil's staff to other games, effectively ending the series before it really had a chance to take off.
So, Death's journey may not be a perfect one. It might not even be quite as good as his brother's before him. HOWEVER, it is still a journey worth taking in every sense. Breathtaking landscapes, multitudes of loot, New Game +, hundreds of collectables, memorable characters and stellar voice acting await.
If you have any interest whatsoever in the material or genres that Darksiders 2 represents do yourself a favor and purchase both Darksiders 1 and 2. Keep the series alive and give Vigil the chance to craft a truly epic game in Darksiders 3. I spent 35 hours trying to find out what happens next, and I feel Vigil deserves the chance to tell me.
THQ, Let's see this war through to the end!
(8.5/10)
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I have liked this game a lot!
It's similar to Darksiders 1 in terms of the history, characters, dungeons and enemies. But, it differs a lot to Darksiders 1 in:
* This game is a lot more RPG, there are other characters that give you missions, you collect gear like boots, gauntlets, and weapons, and you choose which to use to boost your abilities (magic, strength, health, wrath, etc).
* It's far less linear than DarkSiders 1, with a lot of optional dungeons that you choose to do only if you want to complete a side-quest, there are also optional-bosses that give you rewards for beating them but are not essential to the game history.
* The bosses are a lot harder (Apocalyptic mode), very much like Silitha in the first game
* You can create your own weapons by getting something called a "Possessed Weapon" and feeding it with lower-level weapons, those "sacrifices" make the possessed weapon stronger. You can choose to certain degree which qualities of the sacrificed weapons are inherited by the possessed, thus tailoring the weapon to your needs.
If you liked the first game I recommend playing this one, and if you like RPG that would be one more reason.
In total you'll need some 30-40 hours to finish this game, and 50 to platinum (it's not a difficult platinum but it's time consuming). If you buy the Limited Edition it comes with the "Crucible Pass" which is needed for 2 of the trophies, if you don't have it you can buy it from PSN Store.
The game features a DLC called "Argul's Tomb" that adds 2 more dungeons to the game, the dungeons are not difficult and the DLC can be beaten in 1 hour. This DLC is visually appealing and the final boss is ... great :) and hard even when you are at level 25.
Want Darksiders II Discount?
After having worked directly with the customer service folks at THQ and having posted asking for help on their forums, and now having waited more than two weeks, I feel I should share a comment with the Amazon review community.
First off, this game is amazing. The graphics, gameplay, sound, acting...all of it...It's just awesome.
Unfortunately, there is a bug that causes some players (others have reported the same issue) to not receive a mission critical item (the Soul Splitter) and prevent the game from progressing.
THQ's response has been to restart and try again. Since they have opted for a save system that does not allow you to go back a short time in your progress, you are left with no option other than to simply start over and ___hope___ you don't get the same error. No fix, no help...just cross your fingers.
Well, after 25+ hours invested and no way to know if the exact same thing would happen again, I am now going to have to just eat the $60 I spent on the game. It's not like you can get your money back.
The truth is, I don't really want my money back. I want a solution so that I can pick up the action from where I got stuck and keep playing.
Anyway, if you are willing to roll the dice, then go ahead and play this otherwise amazing game. If, however you are like me and think that a company should not profit from selling _known defective goods and refusing to fix them_ then stay away from this and all THQ games (I was looking at Saints Row next...not anymore).
