Darksiders II Game Review (8.9/10)
Review by Xbox 360 (7.0/10)
Let’s start by addressing the big logical problem. Action RPG Darksiders II lets you play Death himself. The bad man with the big scythe, the Reaper of Souls, the Horseman of the Apocalypse. Not only do you ride a pale horse, you summon it by pressing RB and LB. Amazing.Except not, because this is a video game, and on his quest you’ll watch Death get knocked about by beetles, slip uselessly into innumerable pits, and begin every single conversation with an NPC by asking them who they are. Shouldn’t he know who they are already? If this guy showed up to claim your soul, you’d probably put up the same mumbled resistance you’d show a mugger.
Even his quest is kind of sweet, which is a word we never thought we’d use when describing anything to do with Death – he’s just trying to help his brother. Admittedly his brother is War, who’s currently standing trial for erasing humanity during the first Darksiders, but it’s important to not get caught up in the details. The point is that Death has to restore life to all humanity, an interplanar journey that sees him hopping between madder and madder realms, harassing custodians from the Tree of Life to the Realm of the Dead.
Review by Game Style (9.0/10)
Darksiders was a fine but unappreciated game, it scored a nine on this very site. Yet it feels like a bit of a forgotten gem at times. When Darksiders II was announced, it appeared to see a bit of a rebirth for the original, with a lot more talk about the game as gamers prepared for the sequel. The original was considered by some to be the best Zelda game on the current generation of consoles and PC. If you haven’t done so already, get the first title and play it, it is more than worth it.
Darksiders II picks up where Darksiders left off, but players will no longer be playing as War. This time Death is the main character. He believes that his brother War is incorruptible and therefore not the bringer of the apocalypse. Death goes on a personal mission to prove the innocence of War and in turn that there is a conspiracy afoot. It is a story that plays out through a mix of cut-scenes and in game narrative, this works really well and it keeps a fantastic pace to the game.
Review by Game Informer (9.0/10)
Darksiders concludes with a hell of a tease. War, one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, stands ready for action. “You will be hunted,” angel Uriel warns. “The White City for certain…The Council…and there will be others! You would wage this war alone?!” The rider calmly turns to her, raises a fist, and says, “No. Not alone.” The camera pans up and centers on three flaming objects rocketing toward Earth. War’s fellow horsemen are coming to fight at his side. The screen fades to black, and the wait for the sequel begins. Bury your excitement for War uniting with his fellow Apocalyptans. Developer Vigil Games instead takes us back in time to the beginning of Darksiders, when War is accused of inciting a conflict between Heaven and Hell. Rather than revisiting this scenario from his perspective again, we see how these events affect his brother Death, the most feared Horsemen of them all.
Death’s story runs in parallel with War’s arc, set in the 100-year span when War is imprisoned in the Charred Council. He is questing to free his brother and save mankind from the apocalypse. His goal is clearly defined, but Death’s journey quickly devolves into multi-part fetch quests with little in terms of gripping narrative progression. Because of the throwaway fiction, Death is a faceless lead who spends most of his time excavating rare artifacts from dungeons. His only significant story contribution comes when the final boss is defeated after 20-plus hours of play.
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