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Darksiders 3

Darksiders III is a stunning achievement, bringing the once-dead series back to life with aplomb.
Darksiders 3 Game Cover
72%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
optimization, grinding
77% User Score Based on 7,952 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 61 reviews

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Darksiders 3 Game Cover

About

Darksiders 3 is a single player open world hack and slash game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Gunfire Games and was released on November 26, 2018. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Return to an apocalyptic Earth in Darksiders III, a hack-n-slash Action Adventure where players assume the role of FURY in her quest to hunt down and dispose of the Seven Deadly Sins. The most unpredictable and enigmatic of the Four Horsemen, FURY must succeed where many have failed – to bring balance to the forces that now ravage Earth.

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Darksiders 3 screenshot
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Darksiders 3 screenshot
Darksiders 3 screenshot
Darksiders 3 screenshot
Darksiders 3 screenshot
Darksiders 3 screenshot
Darksiders 3 screenshot
Darksiders 3 screenshot
Darksiders 3 screenshot
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77%
Audience ScoreBased on 7,952 reviews
story1.3k positive mentions
optimization92 negative mentions
  • Engaging combat system with a variety of weapons and abilities.
  • Interesting and atmospheric world design with interconnected levels.
  • Challenging boss battles that require strategy and skill.
  • Frequent crashes and performance issues, particularly on PC.
  • Main character lacks depth and can be unlikable at times.
  • No map feature, making navigation confusing and frustrating.
  • story
    3,965 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Darksiders 3" has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its character development, particularly that of Fury, the protagonist, as she embarks on a quest to capture the seven deadly sins. While some found the narrative engaging and a worthy continuation of the series, others criticized it for being predictable, lacking depth, and feeling disconnected from the overarching plot established in the previous games. Overall, the story is seen as a decent addition to the franchise, though it may not reach the heights of its predecessors.

    • “The story is gripping, with memorable characters and intense boss battles against the seven deadly sins.”
    • “The story follows 'Fury', one of the 'Nephilim horsemen' of the apocalypse and her quest to destroy the seven deadly sins.”
    • “The story is great and builds on top of the universe that the previous games built up.”
    • “The overall production quality, design and world is just as good, if not better than it was in its predecessors, but the actual story told is almost non-existing.”
    • “It feels unfinished, boring, and doesn't progress the franchise's overarching story much.”
    • “The combat is mediocre and boring and the platforming isn't anything special, dull gameplay with a lackluster story.”
  • gameplay
    2,849 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Darksiders III has received mixed reviews, with many players noting a significant shift towards a more souls-like combat system that emphasizes dodging and countering over the traditional hack-and-slash mechanics of its predecessors. While some appreciate the challenge and depth this brings, others criticize the clunky mechanics, particularly the dodge system, which can feel unreliable and frustrating, especially in group encounters. Overall, the game offers a unique experience that may appeal to fans of the genre, but it diverges from the established gameplay style of the earlier Darksiders titles, leading to disappointment among some long-time fans.

    • “The combat system shines, offering fluid and dynamic mechanics that emphasize dodging, countering, and strategic use of Fury's elemental powers.”
    • “Fury’s transformation abilities keep the gameplay fresh, allowing her to shift between forms that offer unique combat options and exploration opportunities.”
    • “Darksiders III presents players with a highly enjoyable and immersive gameplay experience.”
    • “A huge departure from the other entries in the series which isn't inherently bad but the game suffers from a number of poor game design mechanics that force play by trial and error coupled with potentially long backtracking between checkpoints.”
    • “The devs clearly didn't care about making a game in the style of Darksiders and had every intention of implementing as many Dark Souls type mechanics as possible and the game just doesn't feel like it fits with the Darksiders series because of it.”
    • “The gameplay is absolutely horrible.”
  • graphics
    1,222 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in Darksiders III receive mixed reviews, with many praising the game's unique art style and vibrant character designs that align with the franchise's signature aesthetic. While the environments are often described as visually stunning and atmospheric, some players note that the graphics can feel outdated and occasionally suffer from performance issues, such as frame drops and texture loading problems. Overall, the visuals are appreciated for their artistic quality, but technical shortcomings and a lack of graphical options detract from the experience for some players.

    • “The art direction is stunning, capturing the franchise's signature style while enhancing it with a darker, more immersive aesthetic.”
    • “Darksiders 3 boasts a captivating art style, with environments that range from desolate wastelands to towering demonic fortresses.”
    • “Graphically, the game is very pretty and respects that larger than life art style that the franchise is renowned for.”
    • “The art style looked hideous, the characters laughable childish, and the overarching gnostic vibes and twisting of lore was not in the least appealing.”
    • “The graphics themselves are not that good for 2018.”
    • “The graphics are mediocre for what the game is worth, and if you consider it to any AAA released this year, it looks like a PS3 game.”
  • music
    450 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in Darksiders 3 has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it good but ultimately forgettable compared to the standout soundtracks of its predecessors. While some appreciate the atmospheric background music that complements gameplay, others criticize the lack of memorable tracks and the sparse use of music during exploration and combat. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a solid but less impactful element of the game, failing to reach the heights of the previous installments.

    • “The soundtrack of Darksiders 3 is a powerful blend of orchestral and electronic music, perfectly capturing the game's epic scope and dark undertones.”
    • “The atmospheric background music perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the tense and thrilling moments.”
    • “The music is a great accompaniment when it plays and the main menu theme feels foreboding yet empowering.”
    • “The lack of music being played especially during free roam is one major annoyance.”
    • “There is almost no music in this game, which adds a bit to the game feeling cheap.”
    • “The music is mostly just something that plays in the background and is rarely noticeable.”
  • optimization
    318 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and loading freezes, particularly in complex environments. While some users report smoother gameplay on higher-end systems after patches, others continue to face persistent problems, indicating that the game is not well-optimized across all hardware configurations. Overall, while there have been improvements since launch, the game's optimization remains a notable concern for many players.

    • “At launch it definitely had some performance woes, but that's ancient history and it actually runs quite lovely these days on a capable rig.”
    • “The game runs very well for me and I noticed no major performance issues whilst playing.”
    • “Performance has been steadily improving, quality of life features are being added quickly, and bugs and crashes have been increasingly rare for me.”
    • “It has stuttering when switching locations (often) disregarding how powerful hardware you have.”
    • “This did not happen and the game runs horribly, with an unacceptable amount of stuttering and loading, frame drops, audio issues, crashes, resolution problems etc. A game priced at 60 euros has no right to present itself with that kind of problems.”
    • “The performance issues, however, drop its value significantly and I could barely recommend it even during discount season.”
  • character development
    297 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in "Darksiders 3" primarily revolves around the protagonist, Fury, who undergoes significant growth from a brash and abrasive character to a more relatable and humbled figure. While many reviews praise her evolution and the depth of her interactions, some critics note that the development feels rushed or lacks impact, particularly in comparison to previous installments. Overall, Fury's character arc is seen as a highlight, though opinions vary on its execution and depth.

    • “Fury's character development is great, and she has some great banter with many of the NPCs.”
    • “Cherry on the top: Fury, the main character of this opus, is graced with some genuine character development and evolves throughout the game from her initial fiery personality to a somewhat less abrasive but still endearing version of herself.”
    • “I loved the character development for Fury; I kind of hated her at first, but she's almost my favorite among the horsemen of the apocalypse.”
    • “However, character development is lacking, and the plot can sometimes feel disjointed or convoluted.”
    • “You are slapped across the face repeatedly with exposition about Fury’s character development, but it never really seems to manifest in her behavior or attitude.”
    • “The character development doesn't make any sense if you delve into the lore and the levels of fanservice are mind-boggling.”
  • grinding
    192 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive due to the high enemy health pools and the necessity to farm souls for leveling up. While some appreciate the exploration and backtracking elements that make grinding feel less noticeable, others criticize the lack of meaningful rewards for the effort, leading to a sense of frustration and diminished enjoyment. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant factor that can detract from the game's overall appeal, especially when compared to previous installments in the series.

    • “There is no inventory or weight limit and, for the most part, drops for materials and gear are hard-set, while consumables, soul clusters, and lower tier materials have a chance to drop from pretty much any enemy. This means that there is no grinding for materials, and when you want to upgrade your weapon beyond a certain point and do not have the materials for it, you will need to boot up New Game+ (NG+ is a game mode in which you start off with most of the items you had at the end of your previous playthrough, but otherwise 'restart' the game with enemies more buffed than they were before. You can, however, change the difficulty level each time). Whenever Fury dies, all enemies and destructible environmental objects respawn, meaning that if you want to farm souls to level Fury up, you can (but do not have to; you will get enough to have a good time of it).”
    • “There is no grinding for materials, and you can farm souls if you want, but it's not necessary to enjoy the game.”
    • “The game allows for a flexible approach to leveling up, as you can choose to grind if you wish, but it's not a requirement.”
    • “The amount of grinding required to unlock everything is just a bit too much and the rewards aren't really worth the grind.”
    • “Combat becomes tedious at this point and after a while I started running past them because it wasn't worth the time or effort to kill them.”
    • “All enemies respawn every time you die, making some areas very tedious and repetitive.”
  • stability
    178 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly impact gameplay. While some users experienced minimal issues, others faced severe problems such as freezing during load screens and unresponsive controls, making the game nearly unplayable at times. Overall, the consensus is that the game requires substantial optimization and bug fixes to enhance stability and performance.

    • “Pretty much bug free.”
    • “Runs great on my laptop, no hitches or hacks anywhere.”
    • “No glitches, no graphic bugs, the game runs smoothly for me.”
    • “Game doesn't recognize controllers (while the 2 previous did without issues), and is full of glitches/bugs that makes it unplayable.”
    • “What to be said about 'the last darksider!?' First developers did not disappoint with the technical state of the game... the game is still broken even after 4 years... many random crashes and glitches.”
    • “Darksiders 3 is a good game; however, it all starts out fine until the later half of the game where it begins to hard crash, freeze, and have unrendered platforms, making it impossible to finish.”
  • replayability
    112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The replayability of Darksiders III is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the new game plus mode and exploration elements that enhance replay value, while others criticize the lack of depth, limited customization, and overall content, leading to a perception of minimal replayability. Many reviews suggest that while fans of the series may find some enjoyment in replaying for achievements or hidden content, the game falls short compared to its predecessors, resulting in an average to low replayability rating. Overall, the game offers moderate replayability, particularly for dedicated fans, but lacks the engaging features that would encourage multiple playthroughs for others.

    • “It fits in really well with the series as a whole, and has loads of replay value to try and level up and bring in those achievements.”
    • “The game offers considerable replayability in the form of 9 levels of new game plus with increasing difficulty and available upgrades.”
    • “Totally worth it if you're a Darksiders fan, solid mechanics, tons of cameos and fun gameplay with tons of replay value.”
    • “30 hours to complete the game, never touch it again since it has no replayable value.”
    • “Darksiders III seriously lacks replayability and just gets more and more boring because it takes away player originality and reduces the replayability of the game.”
    • “If you are a Darksiders fan, wait for a sale, because this game is severely lacking in depth and replayability when compared to previous Darksiders games.”
  • atmosphere
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich detail, dark art style, and immersive sound design, effectively capturing the post-apocalyptic setting. While many reviewers appreciate the interconnected world and distinct areas that encourage exploration, some feel that it lacks the depth and uniqueness of its predecessors, particularly in comparison to Darksiders II. Overall, the game maintains a visually stunning and atmospheric experience, though opinions vary on its ability to fully engage players as previous installments did.

    • “The game utilizes a dark and atmospheric art style that perfectly captures the post-apocalyptic setting.”
    • “The atmospheric background music perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the tense and thrilling moments.”
    • “The atmosphere and art style of the game is gorgeous, and for an apocalyptic world, it was beautiful.”
    • “And every time you try to get back into the atmosphere of the story, Fury will just utter out the next angsty, tough girl drivel that could've been taken straight out of a Duke Nukem game in terms of ego.”
    • “I was expecting a game that would be better than Darksiders 2, one of my favorite games, but it wasn't almost in all aspects. The world, music, characters, and the atmosphere were okay but nothing extra or surprising.”
    • “Darksiders 3 retains the art style and atmosphere of the series, but instead of improving on what made the previous games such a joy to play, this one emulates Dark Souls' elements and does nothing to improve on those either.”
  • humor
    78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with some players finding it genuinely funny through quirky character interactions and absurd situations, like Avarice throwing random objects. However, others criticize the humor as inconsistent or forced, likening it to a classmate trying too hard to be funny. Overall, while the game features moments of wit and humor, opinions vary on its effectiveness and execution.

    • “Imho the best Darksiders part - pretty difficult journey with suitable humor and interesting dialogs.”
    • “The writing is witty, humorous, and filled with metaphor.”
    • “To hell with those people who didn't like this game, I'm loving it so far, very pretty, main character is awesome, platforming is light but fun, combat is fast-paced and satisfying, puzzles are tough, and plenty of funny moments.”
    • “Death from one hit on the easiest difficulty is just an unfunny joke.”
  • emotional
    38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of Darksiders 3 is a mixed bag, with some players finding the character dynamics and story elements heartwarming and reminiscent of classic games, while others feel the emotional beats fall flat and character development is rushed. The game evokes a range of feelings, from nostalgia to heartbreak, particularly regarding the relationships between the Horsemen, but many players express frustration with the gameplay and narrative execution, leading to a sense of disappointment. Overall, while some moments resonate deeply, others leave players feeling disconnected and unsatisfied.

    • “Atmosphere is heartwarming, yet still dark.”
    • “The fact that she knows her brothers so well and despite wanting to lead the group and pretending that she doesn't care about them, she respects them and loves them is a heartwarming thing to realize about the bunch since in 1 and 2 it barely seems like a family that would stay together and fight alongside each other against hell and heaven and the Charred Council.”
    • “I honestly didn’t care, enjoyed the emotional impact, especially after the horse trailer; it broke my heart.”
  • monetization
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing it as a cash grab due to its unfinished feel and high price for DLC. However, a notable positive is the absence of microtransactions, which several players appreciate as a refreshing change in a market often plagued by such practices. Overall, while the game's pricing and perceived lack of content are points of contention, the lack of microtransactions is seen as a significant advantage.

    • “What you pay for is what you get - cool story, no microtransactions and a decent (not perfect) hack and slash fighting style from the start to the end.”
    • “No microtransactions in sight, and that alone deserves some kind of reward.”
    • “*side note* no microtransactions for miles in this game so that's a huge plus in my book for this game.”
    • “This game I would consider to be an unfinished product that was released into the market as a quick cash grab.”
    • “That's lazy and dumb, and I sure hope they do better on any future DLC than that pathetic cash grab.”
    • “Worst cash grabber ever... biggest Dark Souls ripoff and no save checkpoints. So what are you asking for $60... and for DLC... $80?”
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65%Critics’ scoreBased on 61 critic reviews
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13h Median play time
15h Average play time
14h Main story
32h Completionist
4-24h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 82 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Darksiders 3 is a open world hack and slash game with fantasy theme.

Darksiders 3 is available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Steam Deck and others.

The main story can be completed in around 14 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 32 hours to finish. On average players spend around 15 hours playing Darksiders 3.

Darksiders 3 was released on November 26, 2018.

Darksiders 3 was developed by Gunfire Games.

Darksiders 3 has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its optimization.

Darksiders 3 is a single player game.

Similar games include Lords of the Fallen, Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition, Blue Fire, The Surge 2, Darksiders and others.