Game Review: Darksiders

For my first review, I thought that I'd do a review on a game which although by no-means revolutionary, I certainly feel was extremely under rated. Darksiders is the first game produced by Vigil Games who are currently developing an MMO based on Warhammer 40K.

Darksiders is set in a Post-Apocalypic Earth which was for once not destroyed by humanity but as a result of the eternal war between the forces of Heaven and Hell. Throughout the game you take up the mantle of War, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse as you strive to bring justice to those who defy the council put in place to uphold balance in the world. Darksider's story is incredibly solid and has more twists than you can throw a stick at.

Gameplay-wise Darksiders is an incredibly smooth game with combat working just as well as in any other spectacle-fighter. Despite this, the game is much more than just a hack'n'slash as there are many puzzle and exploration elements very similar to those found in the Legend of Zelda series. Just like in a Zelda game, there are several 'dungeons' which must be completed with a suitably epic boss at the end. Items in the game are also similar to those in the Zelda series in that they are often needed to complete the dungeon they are found in. These items however are very original especially one which is essentially a Portal Gun. Despite the abundance of puzzle, exploration and sometimes platforming elements in Darksiders, they rarely get tiring as in games such as God of War.

The game's graphics although not spectacular, do the job incredibly well. The art style is quite unique as it appears like something from a comic book but at the same time is incredibly well rendered. The voice acting in the game is also exceptional and the characters are brilliantly brought to life.

Although it is not a very long game, Darksiders does feel incredibly complete as a game both in terms of polish and its story. Upon completing the game you really feel satisfied but still wanting more just like after reading a good book.