• Review: The Darkness II

    by
    Judecca
    Published on 05-14-2012 04:55 PM
    0 Comments Comments


    The Darkness II

    Developer: Digital Extremes
    Publisher: 2K Games
    Platform: PC
    Genre: First Person Shooter
    Rating: M
    Release Date: February 7, 2012

    The Darkness games are based off of a comic from the mid 90s. When overpowered characters capable of deicide were all the rage. The first video game didn't see the light of day till the larval stage of this console generation and was only released for consoles. This time around a PC version was made available so those of us that use a mouse and keyboard can frag with our preferred implements of gaming.

    Presentation
    Once again you play the role of mafia don Jackie Estacado. Orphaned. Grew up as a hitman for the mob. The love of his life gunned down in front of him. You might as well go all the way and have him carry her around like that Aztec with the dead princess. I wouldn't mind spraying that on the hood of my car. With so many cliched plot hooks and the “Light vs darkness. Fight through hell. ORIGINAL STORY DO NOT STEAL” that has been done to death you'd expect the story to take a nosedive awfully fast but it doesn't. Even though characters with a mary sue power level are common there is a key factor that separates the good ones from a shallow self-insert escapist fantasy. The dialogue. If your characters crack one liners, drink, and complain about how much they hate their lives then it doesn't matter if you place them in the most over the top setting imaginable. Because a meaningful connection can be established through how the characters perceive their environment. The Darkness II does exactly that.

    Graphics
    Up close textures look too artificial, bland, and almost generic. Don't expect any high caliber eye candy like Battlefield 3 or The Witcher 2 as far as the rendering is concerned. The saving grace for the graphics is the color scheme and comic book aesthetic. Despite being all about darkness the colors in this game have a vivid splashiness to them. Such as the glow in your tentacle monster eyes or the dark red splotches of blood on the floor. When you couple the bold colors with the cel-shaded graphics you can irrefutably claim that a comic book experience was delivered. So next time someone says “graphics don't matter” you can bring them back to earth by telling them that the right choice of colors, character design, and proper rendering of objects creates a little thing called immersion.

    Sound
    The percussive feel of the weapons is mainly due to the sound. Though they may not be monstrous like the shotgun from Doom they do emit a mechanical tinny noise. Giving an audible feel of the bullets leaving the barrel. The same effort was not placed into the actual impact of the weapons. Some meaty exit wound noises would have added a bit more to the combative experience. An oversight of this nature is simple to overlook since there is so much going on when you are in the thick of it. Even more forgettable with your tentacles growling, biting, and dismembering. The soundtrack for the game is gripping. It mainly consists of an orchestral score with a larger focus on eerie violins and what I call “a female seraphic choir”. The music does a bang up job of bringing out all of the underlying sentiments of the game.

    Gameplay
    If you liked the extra abilities that Bioshock and other similar shooters gave you then you will not be disappointed. Having four arms gives you more than just twice the options. After accumulating experience points from kills and eating hearts you can tailor Jackie to become the anti-hero you want him to be. If you want to be known for your fast hands and deadeye shooting you can invest in gun skills. Your tentacle strikes can be made even more devastating with damage upgrades and the ability to suspend enemies in the air briefly after slashing at them. Combine those skills with the Darkness powers skill tree and any enemy who survives your wrath will truly be terrified for the rest of his days after seeing you unleash a swarm of pestilential flies. Execution skills provide the player with a way out when things get really hairy. If you are running low on health, ammo, powers, or need a shield to shrug off some bullets you can grab the nearest enemy and get what you need from him with a gory kill animation.

    Shooting is very accurate even at long ranges. Especially with a mouse. It's not because the hitboxes on enemies are generous. Most of the weapons (especially the 1911 pistol) have a concussive sensation that almost travel along the gamers hand when fired. The accurate and percussive shooting is in keeping with the comic book feel.

    You would think that the eagle eye shooting and Darkness powers make for an easy playthrough right? The game throws varied waves of enemies at you despite them looking like carbon copies of each other. It also has a way of suppressing your use of darkness powers with light sources. Fortunately these sources can be destroyed with a swing of a tentacle or a well placed round but not all of them can be dispatched so easily. Each encounter forces the player to adapt to the situation while at the same time giving the player a mixed bag to draw from. After so long the combat can grow a little stale. Forcing the player to create their own form of amusement by mixing it up a bit more. Like using tentacles more often or maybe toying with enemies like a cat with a mouse.

    Lasting Appeal
    The new game plus feature is a little unexpected of an FPS. Giving you a chance to redo the game on an insane difficulty with some abilities to fall back and build upon. The multiplayer is more of a mini story mode with an online co-op. You choose between one of four different hitmen each with a unique darkness power. Although fun, after the first go or two it doesn't provide enough to keep players coming back for more.

    Conclusion
    The Darkness II accomplishes the feat of capturing the comic book through the medium of a video game. People who enjoy quick and bloody combat with a unique experience will be quite pleased with it. It's short life span and somewhat repetitive nature could be a turn off for some. Luckily an effort was made to offset this with the newgame+ mode and some multiplayer element. The fast and aggressive combat coupled with a rich comic book atmosphere makes this a fun little gem for gamers who want an FPS with a solid single player experience.

    -Score-
    8/10

  • Review Scale

    Score 10- Flawless Victory: A score not handed out to every game. Games earning this rare score sit at the very pinnacle of excellence. These games act as the examples for which all others should be measured with. They are instant classics from the beginning. These games not only deliver what was expected of it, but also exceed the player’s expectations. The game’s features are innovative and original. No game is without its absolute flaws, but the finished product you bring home surpasses the anticipation the game has formed. A day one buy is a must. The game you hold in your hands with this score is a video game jackpot.

    Score 9 - 9.5- Outstanding: Games earning scores such as these absolutely must be played. Games that achieve this high ranking do so because they define the genres that they are in. Flaws are few and barely noticeable. Features seen in the game have been renovated to provide something new and fresh. The story, gameplay, graphics, and lasting appeal are all fantastic and is reason enough to bring the game home and to enjoy with family and friends. Every penny you spend on the game is so worth it.

    Score 8 - 8.5- Great: Any flaw the game may possess is overshadowed by its fun factor. These games would be great for gamers to play. These great games appeal to gamers more and more outside its normal player base because of what it brings to the table.

    Score 7 - 7.5- Good: Flaws do exist in these games, but the positive features of the game can counterbalance the flaws. Additionally, players who are predisposed to liking a game of a particular series or genre with this score should enjoy the game. These are in no way bad games, and much fun can be had with them. An overall good game is worth taking a look at, whether you are willing to buy the game or rent it first. That or you can also wait for the game to reach a good price.

    Score 6 - 6.5- Decent: Games falling into this category may suffer from numerous flaws (for example, graphics or gameplay), but are still worth playing. Granted, the player should be aware that a game with these scores may not guarantee them full satisfaction.

    Score 5 - 5.5- Average: An average game is one in which a game’s features are neither good nor completely terrible. Instead, the finished product is manageable. Little has been done to hold the player’s interest. If anything, rent this game before you consider buying it so that you can at least get a feel for the game’s overall experience.

    Score 4 - 4.5- Poor: Games falling into this category may only keep gamers entertained for a short while. While the game may seem enjoyable for moments at a time, it can quickly grow old and may never be revisited again. The game’s overall function is lacking in quality and may not hold the player’s attention for long. The game leaves little or nothing else to return back to.

    Score 3 - 3.5- Bad: If any positive qualities about a game in this category exist, it is not enough to redeem the game for its shortcomings. Sure you may find yourself playing it, but for how long? You will wind up not giving the game a second glance.

    Score 2 - 2.5- Horrible: Games such as these may not be totally unplayable, they nearly are. Additionally, they may lack, or greatly suffer in, the fundamental functionality of the software as a whole. The game simply does not come close to meeting industry standards at the time of its release.

    Score 1 - 1.5- Appalling: Gamers should avoid this game at all costs. The game was clearly not ready to make its way to store shelves in its status. Save your money and find something else. See it in the bargain bin? No! Stay away! Keep moving and look for something else.

SEO by vBSEO