Darksiders Review

Stories from the Bible... Chances are, if you are unaware of the Christian Side Hug, or what a Chastity Ring is (no, not the work of Sauron, though some would argue), then it's likely that you would be unaware of the Book of Revelation and its message. Enter Vigil Games and THQ! Now you too can experience a vision of the apocalypse in magnificent 1080p and all its surround sound glory. Just think of it as a 'What If?' version, as it does not truly follow the scroll of old.

Had all things gone to plan, the Seven Seals would have been broken and the Four Horseman of the Apocalypse would be summoned to wreck divine havoc upon the world. Alas, that was not so. The premature call to arms between angels and demons spilled forth all over the Earth, heralding an end to the Kingdom of Man. War, one of the Horseman, answers the call, but the problem is - no one called!

The Law, and consequently, the truce between heaven and hell was broken, alongside War himself. The Charred Council (his infuriated employers) accuse War of defiling the Law and siding with Evil, but give him a chance to prove his innocence. And so begins his journey of discovery and bitter revenge (the best journey of all) but not before he is bound to Luke Sky... err, The Watcher (voiced by Mark Hamill) who, well, just watches.

The game is said to be a mix between Zelda and God of War, though having not played either, I approach this game with a blank slate, and as such, this will be reflected in my appraisal of it. You essentially play the role of War through his quest to find out what happened and to redeem his honour and name in the process. Perhaps the best way to describe this game is to use a quote from the Darksiders website: an "intense action combat and epic adventure, set in an immersive demon ravaged world". But don't be fooled to think that it's all repetitive hack'n'slash. The game offers numerous challenging puzzles that will both intrigue and frustrate. You will have to overcome these in order to progress through the main game.

You start out your journey with a somewhat impotent version of your former glorious self, though fret not, as he compensates this with his rather oversized Chaoseater - an angry sword that thirsts for destruction. This is your first weapon that you start out with. The game will throw more weapons and items at you during your progress, which breathes new life in what might have otherwise become a repetitive process. Just when you master one element you are given a new toy to play with, which in turn changes the way in which you interact with your environment. A very clever move by Vigil Games!

You can level up your main weapons by using them in battle. This will not only make them more powerful, but you can then buy new combo moves for your favourite tools of the trade. Add to this the Passive Abilities that you collect along the way, Wraith Abilities which use up Wraith energy to perform (think Spells and Mana), and consumable items to replenish said bars. And this is just scratching the surface!

As you progress through your quest you also recover your items and abilities, slowly but continuously. From turning into your 'Chaos Form' for a short period of time - a supernatural version of the Incredible Hulk, to being re-united with your phantom steed - Ruin. One surprise after another, and this is where I'll stop with the story elements, as I do not want to give away too many spoilers.

The game controls are surprisingly good considering the large amount of available options. This is helped by the fact that you start off with a few items and moves and build upon it one by one. Again, very smart thinking on the developers part as the controls become very intuitive during the progress of the game. My personal favourite would have to be riding Ruin, as the animation and controls are second to none!

The overall graphics look stunning and the artwork of Joe Madureira is truly a sight to behold, especially in Full HD. For anyone who does not get to experience Darksiders in HD then I truly weep for you, for the amazing details of the game will not get the awesome reception that it deserves. From the very beginning of the game, even from the title screen, Madureira sets an epic visual tone that never wavers! From the beautifully illustrated paintings on the walls, to the intricate details of the creatures found inhabiting this world. The animation is also well done. Summoning Ruin is always a highlight and the fatality animations are as fluent as they are striking and varied.

The game music in a nutshell is excellent. Voice acting is good and feels in tune within the spirit of the game. Mark Hamill does a fantastic job as the voice of The Watcher, and all the other characters voices match their visuals to a tee. Sound fx while not revolutionary do fit in very well with their corresponding actions.

The only thing I would like to have seen more of is the epic pre-game music they have playing at the menu selections screen. You know the score - holy and eerie vocals akin to that of Final Duel (Darth & Luke's final battle) or Lacrimosa, or perhaps better still: O Fortuna (go ahead, start googling). I'm talking about the kind of tracks that make your hair stand on end and shroud your skin with goose bumps. Though all in all, I have to say that I am very pleased with the overall music in this game.

The only negatives that I have found are screen tearing during certain parts through the game and the occasional slowdown (of which I only experienced during only one or two parts towards the end of the game). There will also be times when you become frustrated with puzzles, to which I found The Watcher was of no good service. It would have been nice if when you summoned him he'd give you a helpful hint, rather than him re-telling you the same useless line.

When all's said and done, you can easily lose yourself with Darksiders. The storyline is intriguing. It's world is littered with original creatures and enemies, and there are plenty of imaginative bosses to fight and figure out. Some of thm will require a mental workout on your behalf, and if you don't cheat yourself by googling the solutions, your frustration will be transformed into feelings of triumph and delight!

Want more Darksiders info - Take a look at the Darksiders video review here