Game review: Darksiders 2

Death is back and with attitude, with the release of DARKSIDERS 2 published by THQ and VIGIL GAMES.

DARKSIDERS 2 is a follow up to the acclaimed DARKSIDERS, and you get to play as DEATH the fourth rider of the apocalypse on a whirlwind adventure set in NETHER REALMS.

This game takes place during the 100 year imprisonment of DEATH`S brother WAR who has been wrongly accused of starting the apocalypse.

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In a moment of anger DEATH defies the council and sets off to prove his brothers innocence, and that’s where the game begins.

DARKSIDERS 2 is an open world RPG very similar to GOD OF WAR with a dash of TOMB RAIDER and PRINCE OF PERSIA thrown in, and you would have thought with all these elements from such great games we would have a potential game of the year. Sadly, that is not the case.

DARKSIDERS 2 is a good entertaining game with plenty of action and missions. The story is interesting and the voiceovers have a certain amount of humour, so the game doesn`t take itself too seriously.

If you like looking for things within a game then this is for you.

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As I spent plenty of time collecting things, then fighting a boss then collecting some more things and so on and so forth, that is basically the premise of this adventure, with wall climbing and jumping a large part of the gameplay (just like PRINCE OF PERSIA).

Weapon-wise you have plenty of choice with a primary and secondary set, plus a number of spells and incantations that can summon a murder of crows, or a group of demons to help with your fighting, and a wide variety of outfits that help improve DEATH`S abilities.

As in the first game you have to solve puzzles but the difference being you have a vastly expanded world, which reminded me of LORD OF THE RINGS in its layout.

As you complete quests and side missions you gain experience and when the experience metre is full the player is awarded skill points that enable you to upgrade DEATH`S skills and powers.

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With the new addition of Gold coins to collect this allows you to buy weapons from the forge as you progress.

Another feature I found useful is the fast travel option, which allows you to travel from one area to another, especially when you are stuck fighting a boss that has taken three hours to beat.

It’s always handy to go off somewhere else, upgrade some more then come back and kick their bottoms.

The main thing I found frustrating with DARKSIDERS 2 is the amount of random glitches within the game. For instance, you’re fighting away and at the opportune moment you need to hit the B button to finish your enemy off - nothing happens!

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Or the other classic is running along a wall you hit A to keep moving. Instead he jumps to his death (can death die?). These kind of glitches should not be in a game of this calibre, and it is very annoying and does spoil the enjoyment.

The actual missions can become repetitive after a while and I did find I had to consult a walkthrough a few times to find out where to go next.

You do have a guide called DUST, a glowing crow who is supposed to show you the way, but even he doesn`t work half the time.

Apart from all its failings DARKSIDERS 2 is a fun game to play and with plenty of combos and weapons, dispatching an enemy is more than satisfying.

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The graphics aren`t up to much. OK the impressive environments are good to look at, but let down by the low resolution.

You get to meet a number of other characters within the game who offer advice or simply tag along and assist in battles, a number of which seem to have acquired a shrek like Scottish accent which I found amusing.

With up to 30 hours of game play this is value for money and if you can fight your way through the glitches then it is a satisfying feeling once it’s completed, and you can then retain your settings in NEW GAME PLUS MODE.

Summary

DARKSIDERS 2 is indeed a fun game to play ok a little frustrating in parts mainly due to the annoying glitches, but it is still one of the better RPG games to come out this year,.

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It is good value for money but I would recommend a walkthrough if you don`t want to spend hours roaming about a vast open world looking for your next mission.

I give DARKSIDERS 2 8.5 out of 10 as it is a good game and above all fun to play most of the time just be prepared for a few moments of frustration.

Darksiders 2

Developers: Vigil Games

Publisher: THQ

Xbox 360®

Playstation 3®

Wii U®

PC

Genre: RPG

Release date: 21st August 2012

©theleet