The original Darksiders seemed to come out of nowhere at the start of 2010, taking us all by surprise in the usually dormant month of January. It wasn’t exactly a perfect game, but it showed how fresh a new IP could be, and it was easily good enough to warrant a sequel that, in case you haven’t had your ear to the ground over the past few months, is getting a release around mid-August. With developer Vigil Games now a bit older and wiser, Darksiders 2 will hopefully round off the corners of its predecessor and, should it accomplish such a feat, there’s no reason why it couldn’t be the action adventure game of the year for 2012. How could it be considered so, I hear you ask? Read on for the six big reasons below.
It’s a sequel
Whilst I normally deride sequels as unimaginative ways for publishers to milk more money out of existing IPs, Darksiders is one of the few cases where a sequel actually seems like a good idea. Whilst the game had an interesting design and tried and tested gameplay mechanics, there were moments when various elements of the gameplay, world and character design seemed a bit confused, an understandable blemish for a game so rich and vast. With Darksiders 2, it seems logical to assume that Vigil Games will be comfortable enough with the engine and game world to really hit the nail on the head. Should they do this, it could be even better than the original, and that kind of heightened quality would surely make it a GOTY contender?
A deeper story
The original Darksiders sported an intriguing concept, but the minute to minute story elements sometimes left a little to be desired. It was generally well handled, but a few slow moments belied an otherwise well paced scenario. Number two sounds a bit more engaging by comparison, with main protagonist Death attempting to clear War’s name in events that run parallel with the plot of the original. It should be a deeper tale that is more intricately interwoven with the game world, two awesome storytelling positives that should add another string to Darksiders 2’s bow.
It covers all formats
That’s right Wii U, we still care about you… Sort of.
An action adventure game like Darksiders on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC is one thing, but to launch Darksiders 2 also as an early release for the Wii U is another thing altogether. On a system that so far generally seems devoid of really hardcore titles, Darksiders 2 could offer a real boost to early Wii U sales and it could be an oasis in an otherwise dry Christmas period for the hardcore gamer who wants to continue supporting Nintendo.
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