Darksiders: This means War!

Darksiders is an action-packed, gore-filled thrill ride of a game. Developed by Vigil Games and THQ Entertainment, this game features one of the most badass of all characters: WAR. That's right people, you play as the First Horseman of the Apocalypse in all his kickass splendor. War and his three siblings Death, Strife, and Fury, are all what are called Nephilim, the guardians and enforcers of the Charred Council, the judges, jury, and executioners of the Three Kingdoms, The Kingdom of Heaven, The Kingdom of Hell, and the Kingdom of Man. In this game, War is framed for having brought about the Apocalypse before its time, so you spend the vast majority of the game trying to figure out what went wrong with the Kingdom of Man and why, for some reason, everyone seems to blame you. In terms of originality, I give this an 8/10, merely because there have been other games that have used this concept before, albeit not with the Four Horseman and the Apocalypse and so on.

Visually, Darksiders is stunning. The graphics of the game all come from the artwork of Joe Madureira, a well-known graphic novel artist, and it shows. The art of Darksiders is very crisp and sculpted, with every environment being unique and visually appealing. From crumbling cathedrals to harsh deserts, the environments of Darksiders provide not only a challenge, but also a feast for the eyes. Cracked buildings, overturned cars, fiery explosions, this game has it all. Going along with this crisp art style are the character and enemy models, all of which are very original and rendered beautifully. War, for example, really looks like the First Horseman of the Apocalypse, from his hugely muscled and armored frame down to his absurdly gigantic gauntlet and sword. This guy seriously looks like he could kick some ass. Along this same vein, the enemies are well-rendered and unique and the bosses are splendid as well. The angels look very much like warriors of Heaven, and the demons are grotesque and monstrous, as befits denizens of Hell. For visual and artistic flair, I give Darksiders a 10/10.

The sound of Darksiders is also fantastic. The voice acting is top notch, with War being voiced by Liam O'Brian, also known for his role as Gaara in the Naruto anime series, and The Watcher being voiced by the infamous Mark Hamill of Star Wars and Batman fame. The other characters are also voiced in a very precise manner, with insane attention to detail. Each character possesses their own personality and they feel REAL and not just like digital creations. The music of Darksiders is also superb, lending a doomed ambiance to the ravaged planet where the game takes place. Mark Hamill really makes the game for me though. He does an amazing job as The Watcher, whose main role in the game is to police War and make sure he isn't going against the wishes of the Council. He really is my favorite character, because he is so full of spite and venom and hatred. His dialogue is really one of the best aspects of the game. In terms of sound, Darksiders gets a 9/10 from me.

Gameplay in Darksiders is, sadly, much of the same as is seen in many other games, like God of War and Devil May Cry. Darksiders borrows heavily from other games of the same genre, even going so far as to almost blatantly copy some of the weapons and upgrades available in other games. For example, the Crossblade, a big 4 pronged boomerang which ricochets off nearby objects and returns to you after its path is complete. This is analogous to the Boomerang in the Legend of Zelda series. Also borrowed from LoZ? Ruin, War's steed, analogous to Epona from Legend of Zelda. Darksiders even has a portal gun! Granted, these items fit into the gameplay well enough, but still, a little originality would be nice here. In addition is the idea of collecting souls as currency, just like in Devil May Cry and God of War. This has been done. Weapons leveling up the more you use them? Been there, seen that. A grappling device that allows you to swing from points set in ceilings? Seen it. Climbing up walls and ceilings with your bare hands? Also been done. Button-mashing finishing moves? Ho hum. Insanely challenging puzzles? It's been done. I need more originality!

Despite the familiar aspects of Darksiders, the gameplay is still very enjoyable. The amount of gore and violence in the game goes a long way to make up for these lackluster details. The finishing moves and the characters in Darksiders also make it a very enjoyable game, and they cover up the flaws very nicely. As the Charred Council does not trust War, they send the Watcher to look after him, and if he goes out of line, The Watcher has the power to kill War. The dynamic between War and The Watcher is amusing, and Mark Hamill does an excellent job voicing the malevolent spirit. One of my favorite lines in the entire game is when The Watcher hisses, "As far as you're concerned, you're a dog on a leash. I tell you to bark, you bark. And if I have to kick you, you'd better not bare your teeth. Understand?" As such, you really hate the Watcher, but you almost can't help liking him too, because he is so mean and angry. Darksiders is also a great stress reliever, as you can go around and kill stuff to relieve your stress. Even though some of the puzzles in the game are frustrating at times, eventually they can be figured out. So, despite the flaws of the gameplay, Darksiders still gets an 8/10 from me. It may not be wholly original, but it works.

In summary, if you loved God of War, Devil May Cry, or Bayonetta, you'll love Darksiders. I know I've ragged on it a bit, but it really is a good game. Once you sit down and play it, you'll understand why. And come on, let's all face it, it doesn't get any meatier than playing a Horseman of the Apocalypse. So I urge you, go out and rent the game at least, and bring about the Apocalypse!