Darksiders II Review

Speaking of quests, exploring Darksiders' numerous dungeons - hacking, slashing and puzzle-solving along the way - will make up the lion's share of your journey. Much like the hub-world, dungeon environments tend to skew large, in terms of their cryptic layouts and spacious courtyards. However, these initially grand impressions eventually reveal themselves as well-crafted illusions - dungeon progression is a deceptively narrow, guided experience. Typically, there's predetermined, clearly marked path forward. While linearity isn't inherently a bad thing, it feels restrictive in this context, as the game's other moving parts actively encourage experimentation.

Puzzles also tend to fall on the simple side of the spectrum. Genre staples such as moving blocks, pulling levers and raising platforms are well represented, alongside a toolset of bombs, grappling hooks, ghostly phantoms and more. Despite this apparent variety, Darksiders II ultimately boils down to a relatively flat difficulty curve and series of frequently repeated puzzle mechanics, which can make the process feel tedious and robotic.

Beyond puzzle-solving, combat will occupy a good portion of your time. Staying true to the God of War mold, melee attacks are separated into two camps: quick, light jabs, and slow, heavy onslaughts. The focus isn't on comprehensive combos, instead relying on occasionally timed strikes for depth. While magical abilities also add some flexibility to combat, a steady dose of button-mashing and dodging will suffice for most encounters, thanks to a limited range of enemy behaviours. Additionally, Darksiders II prefers to conjure up increased numbers of familiar foes in an attempt to raise the stakes, which doesn't exactly encourage a nuanced approach - certain boss fights notwithstanding.

The inclusion of role-playing elements, in the form of a levelling system and loot collection, definitely adds a degree of strategy to combat and general progression in Darksiders II. Experience gained from the list of aforementioned activities rewards players with Skill Points, which unlock magical abilities and corresponding upgrades. Whether it's protective shields, a murder of crows at your disposal or a whirlwind burst of energy, these enhancements add some personality to otherwise run-of-the-mill battles.