Darksiders II
- August 19, 2012
- Vigil Games
Darksiders 2 is the perfect example of a sequel, mountains of new content, entertaining combat and it's all set in a beautiful world.
In Darksiders II, play as Death, the most formidable of the Four Horsemen, in a vast, detailed universe with unique art style. Customize your experience through varied armor, weapons, and skill trees, exploring an open world while completing side quests and leveling up with numerous equipment options. Death's agility allows for engaging acrobatics and exploration in this action-packed adventure.
Nintendo Switch
PC
Windows
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Wii
Wii U
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- The game features great visuals and artwork, with lush environments that are visually appealing.
- The gameplay is challenging yet rewarding, encouraging exploration and leveling up, which adds to the overall enjoyment.
- The story is engaging, and the character of Fury is likable, making it a solid addition to the Darksiders franchise.
- The camera and enemy lock-on system can be frustrating, leading to issues during combat.
- The game has been criticized for its difficulty, which some players find unfair, especially for newcomers to the series.
- There are reports of glitches and long load times, which can detract from the overall experience.
- story15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story of Darksiders 3 is generally well-received, featuring a compelling narrative centered on the protagonist Fury's quest to defeat the seven deadly sins, with strong voice acting enhancing the experience. While the game is set in the same timeframe as its predecessors, some players feel that newcomers may struggle to connect with the story without prior knowledge of the series. The enhanced difficulty adds depth to the gameplay, encouraging players to engage more fully with the narrative.
“Great story and excellent voice acting.”
“They had compelling storylines and were fun to play with fast, smooth action and interesting puzzles to solve.”
“So I imagine anyone who picks up Darksiders 3 without having enjoyed the earlier games in the series would be even more disconnected from the story, and such a person is incapable of telling anybody why they should care about the Darksiders series.”
“I'm admittedly a fan of the series, so I'm 80% certain that I'm biased in favor, but I can't give any game in the series a perfect score if I'm told it's the same story from a different viewpoint.”
“Darksiders 3 tells the story of Fury, sent to Earth to vanquish the seven deadly sins.”
- gameplay13 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The gameplay in Darksiders III combines elements from previous titles with both old and new mechanics, offering a challenging experience that requires mastering dodging and various elemental magic enhancements for combat and traversal. While the depth provided by different weapons and an addictive loot system is praised, players also note frustrating camera angles, glitches, and a lack of engaging puzzles, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many find the gameplay enjoyable once they acclimate to its difficulty.
“It feels like Darksiders with a mix of old and new mechanics.”
“You will die a lot at first, but once you get the hang of the dodging mechanic, the game becomes a lot of fun.”
“Featuring an addictive loot system, tons of side quests, and rich gameplay, Darksiders II easily deserves a spot alongside the other greats of the genre.”
“Game mechanics: Darksiders 1 & 2 were both brutally difficult, and apparently Darksiders 3 is no different.”
“The game is ugly to look at, the environment is crudely drawn, there are no real puzzles to solve, the camera angles are awful, and the gameplay is glitchy.”
“[Jumping/moving mechanics are frustrating in close quarters.]”
- graphics10 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the visuals and art style as impressive, while others criticize the texture work and overall quality as reminiscent of older consoles like the Xbox 360. Despite some players enjoying the graphical presentation, many feel that it does not represent a significant improvement over previous titles in the series. Overall, the graphics are seen as a highlight for some, but a disappointment for others, particularly in comparison to the remastered editions of earlier games.
“The graphics are very good and the general gameplay is excellent.”
“Pros: - great visuals and artwork.”
“I love this game; the graphics are awesome and the gameplay is impeccable.”
“Graphically, the game is a step backwards, with bland texture work and some muddy environments.”
“Given the fact that the Darksiders War Mastered Edition and Darksiders 2 Deathfinitive Edition are available, I would say graphical improvements are null and void, not even worth mentioning.”
“Graphics are about what I would expect on an Xbox 360 game, not Xbox One.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, while some users report occasional glitches and a higher difficulty level compared to previous titles, the game remains largely stable, with most players experiencing minimal crashes—often only once during extensive play sessions.
“Some people are complaining because it is significantly more challenging than the previous games, and there are a few glitches here and there.”
“All things considered, I logged at least 20 hours on this game, and it only locked up/crashed on me once, so the glitches aren't terrible nor do they make the game unplayable.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's good length and the scaling difficulty in new game modes, which significantly enhances its replayability. The addition of game-plus features further contributes to the overall replay value, making it an engaging experience for multiple playthroughs.
“The game has a good length and the upscaling of difficulty in New Game+ adds a lot of replayability.”
“This game offers a lot of replay value, especially with the New Game+ feature.”
“The game lacks significant replay value, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“Once you complete the game, there isn't much incentive to go back and play it again.”
“The limited choices and outcomes reduce the overall replayability, leaving little to explore.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players feeling that Fury, one of the four horsemen, is underappreciated both in-game and by reviewers, suggesting a disconnect between the character's intended significance and player reception.
“Character design: ironically, it's mentioned in the game that Fury is the least favored of the four horsemen, and that seems to reflect the sentiment of some reviewers as well.”
“The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonist.”
“I expected more growth and complexity from the characters, but they often come off as one-dimensional.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance on consoles when not installed, leading to reliance on the fast travel system. Additionally, the removal of Mark Hamill's Watcher companion in favor of tutorial pop-ups has detracted from the overall experience.
“The performance stumbles without a game installation on consoles, forcing players to rely on the fast travel system. Additionally, tutorial pop-ups replace Mark Hamill's Watcher companion from the first game.”
“The optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and long loading times that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
“I encountered numerous bugs and glitches that hindered my progress, making it clear that the game wasn't properly optimized for all platforms.”
Critic Reviews
Darksiders 2 review
Agreeable hack-n-slash fare the puzzling and platforming is lightweight, but offsets the roaming and robust combat well.
77%Darksiders II Review
Darksiders II is an exhilarating action-RPG set in an enormous game world. Featuring an addictive loot system, tons of side quests, and rich gameplay, Darksiders II easily deserves a spot alongside the other greats of the genre.
90%Darksiders 2 Review
If you loved or even liked the original Darksiders, you'd be out of your mind not to pick this one up. Vigil's second effort is better than the original in every way imaginable.
80%
