Darksiders II is a complete amalgamation of everything that the first game should have been. The world is expansive and open, the quests are engaging and fun and the gameplay is refined. One of the most interesting things about the second game is that you can actually outfit your character with different equipment and weapons, ultimately resulting in separate character classes depending on how you choose to play. Better yet, there are several skill trees to level each offering different player perks.
Since I played on a PC, I can honestly say the game runs a lot better than the first title too. I still have issues in performance while trying to play the first game, yet with Darksiders II it’s possible to crank up the visuals with little to no slowdown. One could say it has something to do with the engine, but personally I feel that the developers did a better job porting the second title than the first.
I won’t give much away, because I don’t want to spoil the experience for you but one of my favorite moments so far has been a fight with a giant boss, fairly reminiscent of an enemy from Shadow of the Colossus. You can bet your ass that I spilled countless f bombs while trying to best the big bad. Sure, there were frustrating moments here and there but the main point is that I had lots of fucking fun.
Darksiders II doesn’t really need an in-depth review. There are a lot of different elements and mechanics at play, but none of them are so complex that they require a complete rundown of their inner workings. This is one of those few games that you can pick up and play for a little while, immerse yourself in the game and world, and then hop out feeling refreshed.
After starting my playthrough, I found myself constantly at odds with my day, because I felt a creeping desire to jump back into the world. For me, Darksiders II was that good. I was sad when the experience finally came to an end. Lo and behold, you can imagine my surprise when I realized there’s a New Game+ option that allows you to experience everything at higher difficulties while carrying your stats over.
I picked up the game for about $6 in a recent Humble Bundle, though having played it I would have felt just as good had I paid $50+ for the title.
Check the game out if you haven’t already. I’m pretty sure you won’t regret it.
