VIDEO GAME REVIEW: 'The Darkness II' good, but not as good as predecessor
Developer Digital Extremes has taken the helm from Starbreeze Studios for “The Darkness II,” and it brings new gameplay and art styles to Jackie Estacado’s demonic mobster world.
Fans of the previous game will be happy to know that it is still ridiculously fun playing with "The Darkness." The game doesn’t waste any time tossing the player into the action and having them split people in half by throwing car doors, or performing gory executions using their demon arms.
The first game had the player in the role of the ultimate predator, taking out the lights and tearing apart gangsters one-by-one from the shadows. The player in “The Darkness II” is a weapon of brute force. This game has a much faster pace and instead of sneaking around, players will be shooting, slashing and throwing enemies in head-on confrontations.
Players can also upgrade their powers with essence points earned through different types of kills. By the end of the game players will likely feel almost unstoppable, and it’s a great feeling.
More enemies to fight, a difference in powers and a much more linear level design gives “The Darkness II” a heavier emphasis on action compared to the first game.
“The Darkness II” may have a very different play style from “The Darkness,” but it’s still really fun, just for different reasons.
“The Darkness” had some very powerful story events that still resonate with players today. Unfortunately, the same can’t really be said for “The Darkness II.” The story manages to stay interesting throughout, but it never creates a connection between the player and the characters like the first game did, which leads to some of the bigger moments of the game not feeling very important. It’s also pretty short; players can easily finish it during a weekend.
There is also a short cooperative campaign called Vendettas that offers a surprising amount of depth. It has different characters and runs parallel to the main story. It’s fun to play with other people and helps extend the value of the game past the initial campaign.
The graphics have been changed to a cel-shaded comic book style. Usually the game looks fine, but there are times when the cel-shading just makes it look like textures aren’t loading correctly. It’s not bad, but it could’ve been implemented better.
Overall “The Darkness II” is not quite as good as its predecessor, but it still offers an experience that is incredibly fun while it lasts. It will leave players wanting more, which can’t be said for many other games.
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC
Genre: First Person Shooter
ESRB Rating: M (Mature)
Score: 4 out of 5
