Darksiders Genesis

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 3,171 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Darksiders Genesis Game Cover
Set before the cataclysmic events of the first Darksiders game, ‘Darksiders Genesis’ takes players deeper into the world of Heaven, Hell, and the balance that binds them.
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In "Darksiders Genesis," play as War or Strife, two Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and prevent Lucifer from upsetting the Balance of existence. This top-down action adventure game is a prequel to the Darksiders series, allowing you to experience the origin of the Horsemen and their duties under the Council. Engage in intense combat, explore open levels, and uncover the mystery behind Lucifer's nefarious plans.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 3,171 reviews
story315 positive mentions
stability170 negative mentions
  • Engaging combat mechanics with a variety of combos and abilities.
  • Great character interactions and humor between War and Strife.
  • Visually appealing art style and detailed environments.
  • Frustrating platforming sections due to fixed camera angles.
  • Numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay.
  • Repetitive gameplay and lack of depth in the storyline.
  • story799 mentions

    The story of "Darksiders: Genesis" is generally viewed as a prequel that expands on the lore of the series, focusing on the relationship between the horsemen War and Strife. While some players appreciate the engaging dialogue and character interactions, many find the narrative to be shallow or forgettable, lacking the depth and complexity of previous entries. Overall, the storytelling is considered serviceable, with a mix of humor and action, but it may not satisfy those seeking a more profound narrative experience.

    • “Building upon the deep lore established in previous titles, Genesis weaves a narrative that is both captivating and immersive, shedding new light on the story before Darksiders 1 of the horsemen.”
    • “The story is great, the combat is great, the leveling system and core systems are all great.”
    • “The story, yet simple, is totally worth it; dialogues in-game add a little extra to make you know about the horsemen's relationship.”
    • “The story is poorly explained and uninteresting/confusing.”
    • “The story is forgettable, as it just goes through the motions of fetch quests to progress to the next big bad, all the way up until the finale which brings a revelation.”
    • “The story is unimaginative and boring and the overall game just feels unfinished.”
  • gameplay661 mentions

    The gameplay of "Darksiders Genesis" has received mixed reviews, with many praising its engaging combat mechanics and cooperative play between the characters War and Strife. While the game retains the franchise's signature hack-and-slash elements, the shift to an isometric perspective has led to some clunky controls and frustrating platforming sections. Overall, players find the gameplay enjoyable and reminiscent of earlier titles in the series, though some aspects, such as puzzle design and camera angles, have drawn criticism for being less refined.

    • “From the intense combat to the satisfying exploration, 'Darksiders Genesis' keeps you hooked with its fast-paced action and engaging mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, Darksiders Genesis offers a blend of fast-paced combat and exploration with a focus on co-op play, allowing two players to control War and Strife simultaneously.”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic, level designs are a lot of fun.”
    • “There are a lot of frustrating, clumsy, and annoying 'puzzle' mechanics that ruin the flow of what would be a fun game.”
    • “The gameplay is simplistic yet engrossing, especially on hard difficulty as even though I was always about 200+ the recommended story mission power rating, the enemies are unforgiving if you slip up and let them gang up on you.”
    • “The platforming is god awful and the repetitive gameplay gets real old, real quick.”
  • graphics319 mentions

    The graphics of "Darksiders Genesis" have received widespread praise for their stunning visuals and unique art style, which effectively captures the franchise's signature aesthetic. Many reviewers highlighted the game's vibrant environments, detailed character designs, and smooth animations, although some noted occasional graphical glitches and bugs. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point of the game, contributing to an engaging and immersive experience.

    • “The visuals are a testament to the game's craftsmanship, showcasing a rich and vibrant world teeming with detail.”
    • “Darksiders Genesis is a beautiful game with a combined isometric ARPG graphics styling that is consistent across many games, with health and resource pickups easily identifiable and a clear indication of enemy actions.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous, the art direction stellar, and the sound, score, and voice acting are great.”
    • “Rubbish story lines, clunky controls, shite graphics.”
    • “Refunded this after like 15 minutes of playing, extremely bugged out graphics that just did not change when changing from low to ultra, don't know if this is a bug they know about or just how bad the game looks.”
    • “Graphics feel old.”
  • music279 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its epic quality and emotional depth, often highlighting it as a standout feature. Composed by Gareth Coker, the soundtrack is noted for its ability to enhance the game's atmosphere and gameplay, making battles feel more intense and engaging. Overall, the music is described as a significant highlight, with some reviewers suggesting it rivals or surpasses previous entries in the Darksiders series.

    • “The fabulous dynamic music is perfectly integrated into the action and effectively sets the dark mood and atmosphere while playing.”
    • “The soundtrack is a highlight in this game; make sure to not turn down the music.”
    • “One of the things that I adore most about this game is the soundtrack; Gareth Coker did an amazing job creating intense music that just amplified the scene.”
    • “While playing with a friend, you do not hear the song or voices of bosses.”
    • “The background music might have been worked on a bit more.”
    • “Negative points: weak story, mediocre dialogue save some exceptions, music could use more variety.”
  • stability171 mentions

    The game is widely reported to be plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, particularly in later chapters, which can disrupt gameplay but are generally not game-breaking. While many players find the experience enjoyable, especially in co-op mode, the lack of polish and persistent technical issues detract from its overall stability. Despite these flaws, some reviewers still recommend it for its fun mechanics and engaging story, albeit with caution regarding its buggy nature.

    • “It runs well with no glitches, and it is pretty addictive.”
    • “The game maintains a smooth performance throughout, ensuring a seamless experience.”
    • “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, which makes for a stable gameplay experience.”
    • “The sheer number of glitches and errors prevent me from recommending this game.”
    • “It's a buggy piece of shit and you know it.”
    • “Despite the shift in camera angle and the few buggy problems here and there, thankfully none of them are game-breaking, this game is a beautiful addition to the Darksiders series.”
  • humor106 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely driven by the dynamic between the characters Strife and War, with Strife's witty, light-hearted banter contrasting War's serious demeanor, resulting in entertaining dialogue that keeps players engaged. While some players find Strife's humor reminiscent of Deadpool and enjoyable, others feel it can be forced or overdone. Overall, the game successfully blends action and humor, providing a fun co-op experience filled with amusing interactions and moments, despite occasional bugs that add to the comedic atmosphere.

    • “Strife is hilarious, especially his banter with War throughout the game.”
    • “The dynamic between Strife and War is hilarious and works so well; the conversations never got boring.”
    • “The humorous and wholesome interactions between the characters bring that family feeling that the others just seemed to lack.”
    • “All of which are overly forced, not funny, and super awkward.”
    • “War aligns with its personality from the first game, and Strife serves as the comic relief for the squad, but not to the point of being boring or unfunny.”
  • grinding72 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly when farming for creature cores and completing achievements. While certain elements of grinding can be enjoyable, especially in co-op play, many players noted that the experience can become monotonous over extended sessions. Overall, the game offers a balance of grinding that some appreciate, but others feel detracts from the overall enjoyment.

    • “Exploration is good; take note you will be looking at your map often, but it's not too bad. Exploration is not that tedious, in my opinion.”
    • “The game is plagued by numerous questionable design choices that overshadow its strengths, resulting in a tedious and unenjoyable experience.”
    • “Getting an optimized build can be fun, but getting the cores leveled up completely felt a little grindy.”
    • “The only downside is that regrinding levels for extra power can feel a little tedious, and the usual backtracking that we know from Darksiders is present.”
  • replayability68 mentions

    Overall, the game exhibits a strong sense of replayability, driven by its engaging level design, diverse character builds, and various difficulty levels. Players appreciate the opportunities for exploration, collectibles, and customization, which encourage multiple playthroughs, especially in co-op mode. However, some users noted that certain modes can become repetitive, and not all levels offer significant replay value.

    • “Its fun, has replay value with the higher difficulties, and tells a good enough story set in an interesting setting.”
    • “Between the amount of customization you can do with different builds in their 'creature core' system, the skills, and more importantly the two playable characters, Genesis has a solid amount of replayability.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is fun and addictive, the level design is fantastic and there is plenty of replayability, especially once you unlock more gear, and overall it's just a beautifully crafted game.”
    • “The replay value is okay, I guess, but I don't think I'm going to play this game again.”
    • “There's no replay value and the story is like one page of dialogue.”
    • “All in all, there is a huge lack of replayability.”
  • optimization39 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its excellent performance and stability, particularly on consoles and the Steam Deck, while others report significant issues such as crashes, bugs, and inconsistent performance across different levels. Many users noted that the game is better optimized for controllers, leading to frustrations for those using keyboard and mouse setups. Overall, while some players enjoyed a smooth experience, others encountered notable performance problems that detracted from their enjoyment.

    • “Performance is flawless, gameplay is so much fun, long game run time as well.”
    • “I'm genuinely impressed so far how stable, well-optimized and bug-free the game is.”
    • “Great graphics with amazing optimization.”
    • “It's a beautiful game with very buggy controls and mediocre optimization.”
    • “You simply realize the game is not optimized for platforming of this accuracy - and why would it?”
    • “Only thing I really dislike about this game is horrible optimization for keyboard and mouse.”
  • atmosphere29 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its detailed graphics, dynamic music, and immersive sound design, which effectively create a dark and engaging world. Reviewers highlight the successful integration of the soundtrack with gameplay, enhancing the overall experience, while the character design and environments contribute to a memorable and atmospheric setting. Despite some technical issues, the game maintains the distinctive atmosphere of the Darksiders franchise, combining elements of mystery, supernatural themes, and humor.

    • “The fabulous dynamic music is perfectly integrated to the action and effectively sets the dark mood and atmosphere while playing.”
    • “Gorgeously detailed graphics, audio and level design set a memorable atmosphere.”
    • “The music is well produced; it captures the atmosphere and tension of the current chapter you're in.”
    • “The environments are detailed and ooze with atmosphere, and the character design is as fantastically over the top as ever.”
    • “Everything in the beloved universe of Darksiders has that distinctive atmosphere that characterizes the franchise.”
  • character development20 mentions

    Character development in "Darksiders Genesis" receives mixed reviews, with some praising the depth and authenticity of interactions between characters Strife and War, while others criticize the overall storyline and character development as lacking depth compared to previous entries in the series. The character designs are widely appreciated for their creativity and visual appeal, but the gameplay's simplicity in character specialization is noted as a drawback. Overall, while there are standout moments of character growth, particularly for Strife, the game is seen as not fully realizing its potential in this aspect.

    • “Good character development on Strife, made me willing to find out more about him.”
    • “The commentary between Strife and War really feels authentic and brings more character development to both of them as you get to know them more.”
    • “Character development is via a shared skill tree (makes sense because you switch between characters War and Strife in the game).”
    • “The storyline and character development in Darksiders Genesis lack depth.”
    • “The game leans heavily on the original; it is overall on the simple side for character development and specialization, compared to Darksiders 2.”
    • “The sad lack of character development from Fury is noticeable.”
  • emotional11 mentions

    Darksiders Genesis evokes a strong emotional response through its engaging gameplay and character interactions, blending heartfelt moments with humor and action. Players appreciate the depth of the characters, particularly the protagonist's humanity, which adds a layer of emotional complexity to the experience. The combination of satisfying combat, meaningful dialogue, and a rich soundtrack enhances the overall emotional impact of the game.

    • “🔘 It makes you feel emotional.”
    • “Ultimately, he is perhaps far more 'human' than I expected him to be; certainly more emotional.”
    • “I cried while getting to Leviathan's core.”
  • monetization9 mentions

    The game features a one-time purchase model with no microtransactions, which many players appreciate as a refreshing change from typical predatory mobile monetization practices. However, some users feel the game lacks depth and polish, suggesting it may be a quick cash grab despite its fair pricing. Overall, the absence of microtransactions is seen as a positive aspect, but concerns about the game's quality and marketing persist.

    • “You will get played without any microtransactions.”
    • “There are no actual microtransactions.”
    • “Not to mention its price for what you get here, with no microtransactions, it is absolutely worth it.”
    • “There are traces of what would have been the standard predatory mobile monetization practices you're probably familiar with.”
    • “Felt like a quick cash grab.”
    • “I just wish there was more of a push behind games like this rather than buggy cookie cutter cash grabs most companies keep shoveling out.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

77% average critic score

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Play time

28hMedian play time
28hAverage play time
14hMain story
31hCompletionist
11-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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