Girl Gamer

It’s the End of the World As We Know It…But You’ll Feel Fine

Humans have been gone for ages and the remaining world has become both beautiful and grotesque – in some areas, lush green forests offer the occasional hint of an old highway sign, while large growths obscure your path with ice, stone and boiling lava. Crows roost in abandoned and sunken buildings, while homes and a turn of the century train station are submerged in water.

Throughout your quest for vengeance, War will explore many beautifully designed locations such as these. From flickering candles in a dilapidated cathedral to rain water cascading down the walls of a battle-scarred library, Vigil Games put a lot of thought and care into the ambience of each location.

Statues that hold the key to your next path, beholders that secure doors with magic…these are just some of the intriguing puzzles you will encounter on your way. Pacing is good for learning these tricks, as well – challenges allow the player to hone their skills just in time to learn something new…so as War grows in strength, so does the gamer.

“My Name is Legion: For We Are Many.” – Mark 5:9”

Let’s face it – what happens when you see one of the Four Horseman? Run, pee your pants or a combination of both. Either way, you’re hosed. War has a reputation in this world, and despite his disgrace for allegedly assisting in the extinction of mankind, demons still revere him as a worthy adversary. This, however, does not stop anyone from trying to kill him at every turn.

Demons wander the empty earth like extras in a zombie movie. These weaklings are no match for War, but don’t get too comfortable because your foes keep getting harder and harder. Even on Normal Mode, you will encounter demons with blades, energy drains and devastating attacks. As you would with a boss, pay attention to patterns and each enemy’s weakness to defeat them.

Just when you think you’re out of danger, more and more demons (and even angels) will be waiting to lay down the hurt. Recurring characters have been taken straight out of biblical lore – Sammael, a fallen angel (and the 'god’ reborn in the Silent Hill franchise), Uriel, a strong and beautiful angel and of course, War and his faithful steed, Ruin. Darksiders are specially trained Nephalim, which according to the Kabballah are the offspring of angels and humans. The whole concept of Armageddon, of course, comes from the Book of Revelations.

Don’t Make Him Angry. You Wouldn’t Like Him When He’s Angry.

War’s powers are kept in check by The Watcher (voiced by Mark Hamill) who is bound to him to assist him on his journey. The Watcher is cynical and a bit of a smart-ass, but offers some helpful hints along the way.

Armed with weapons like a scythe and a sword the size of a Volkswagen, War is well-endowed with combos and sophisticated moves to satisfy even the most ravenous button-mashing appetites. Later in the game, as War becomes more powerful, he regains the ability to enter Chaos Form. Think of the Balrog in Lord of the Rings. Big, mean man made of fire that will crush you and enjoy every minute of it. Yeah. I love Chaos Form, lol.

War will collect, buy and upgrade weapons through gifts and a demon called Vulgram. A shady character to say the least, Vulgram can be bought with souls you collect throughout the game. These souls can then be redeemed at “Vulgram locations” throughout the world.

The Plot Thickens

Without spoiling anything for you, I have to say that the story takes a lot of turns and the line between good and evil is blurred significantly. Even angels and demons have their ulterior motives, and War must strike bargains with both sides in order to seek out The Destroyer. He is supposed to be neutral and bound to the Council – but now that his honor is at stake, War begins to develop motives of his own.

Colorful Characters

When you think of demons, the colors red and black usually come to mind. Darksiders offers a pleasant surprise, in that all characters (with few exception) are actually brightly colored; even demons. Vulgram, for example, trails a mist of bright blue. In contrast, parts of the decimated world remain dull and placid; mere shadows of their former civilizations, while others seem brighter and better off without human interference.

War’s character design is masculine and powerful; typical of the artwork of Joe Madureira and yet he remains vulnerable to attacks and must often use brains AND brawn to bring himself ever closer to his redemption.

In Conclusion

Darksiders is an action-packed adventure that challenges your ability to think quickly and seize opportunities. You must be observant and although button-mashing will be fun and satisfactory at times, many other circumstances require the skillful use of weapons and combos. Much like Tomb Raider, War can climb certain walls to traverse impassable areas and he is surprisingly nimble for his physique – great character design!

There was one instance of “collidable world geometry” in which War got stuck in a drain…but by reloading the game I was able to continue without losing any progress. Also, I think I was standing in exactly the right place at the right time for this to happen, because it never happened again. (I had just defeated a slew of enemies and happened to standing on a drain when a short cut-scene occurred.) Completely understandable why game testers would have missed it.

I also got a retro feel during a few instances, where a guardian would laugh maniacally which was a stark contrast to the more realistic mannerisms of the other characters. Also, when War unlocks a new path there is a dramatic musical tone not dissimilar to a “dun dun dunnnn” in a melodrama. I found it highly amusing, but a bit detracting at times.

Overall, Darksiders gives players a reason to continue – if not to restore the human race, but the primal need to redeem one’s reputation and honor. Just when you start to feel invincible, the stakes are raised and you must learn new skills to survive. War is a dynamic character, and rumor has it there will be a sequel and film adaptation. This game is highly recommended.