Darksiders

Religion has been the background for many great films, plays and books; why not a video game? The reason why this often makes a great backdrop is that many religious stories are filled with fantastical elements, like toads falling from the sky or a monkey king dying to save his people from mango-hungry humans.

I personally enjoy the dark biblical book of Revelations which is often used for horror films, due to its nightmarish like stories and descriptions. Darksiders is not a religious game in any way shape or form, but modifies some stories to use as a rich and dark backdrop.

Set up & Presentation

Darksiders is very loosely based upon the story of the Apocalypse from the Book of Revelations. For those of you who missed that week of Sunday school, the Apocalypse is the prophesied beginning of the war between heaven and hell. In the case of Darksiders, the Apocalypse came premature, and War - one of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse - is blamed for it.

As War, you must prove to the Council that it’s not your fault; or be punished for breaking your code. The Council strips you of most of your powers and assigns a warden, The Watcher, to guide you and make sure you follow the Council’s will.

The over-world in Darksiders is rich in detail and color; a destroyed Earth, a century after the Apocalypse. Though the art-style is not very original, it is very fitting to the game and story within.

Game Play

Darksiders felt like a throwback to old NES games where the game play would constantly evolve, wherein each chapter feels totally different from the one before. After a couple hours of hack-and-slash action the game slows down with some great environmental puzzles that become increasingly more complex and thought provoking throughout the game. Each new item that War picks up can be used as a weapon and a tool for puzzle solving.

You will meet a variety of demons and angels throughout the game as you solve the mystery of what caused the early Apocalypse and who was behind it. A few of these characters will help war… for a price. The great demon Samael will open new paths for the hearts of the demon rulers of the post-Apocalyptic Earth. Vulgrim will sell items and weapon upgrades for the souls from foes you encounter

Vulgrim’s upgrades increase your power and add to the variety of special attacks you have, to help you smash mindless human corpses, rip apart demons and tear the wing off of angels of war.

In addition to purchasable upgrades, War’s primary weapons become more powerful with use. I found that by using his sword most of the time I felt almost like a god by the end of the game. War will also find a variety of cool items with the most useless one being the first one War acquires, a horn that can push back hordes of enemies, well at least the weaker ones.

To Buy or Not to Buy:

Darksiders will keep you on your toes and the ending will blow you away. From hack-and-slash battles to some of the best environmental puzzles this side of Portal or the Water Dungeon from The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time, this game will not disappoint. Sure the story may be a bit thin, but great presentation and constantly evolving game play make up for it. This game is a must buy for any real gamer.