Darksiders II Review

[Halcyon.]

 

Behold here. Nearly two years after the release of the first game (meaning the PC version), THQ makes the shelves (both digital and retail) continued a long and complex for Zelda's called Darksiders dressed in Christian mythology. This time the protagonist is another horseman of the Apocalypse, Death. Following mischief committed (and annihilate mankind) War is thrown into prison and his release depends entirely on his ability to investigate Death backstage politics of conflict.

 

From first glance, explore the universe we mingled dozens of hours is more homogeneous, both in color and the background elements, structures and scenography. If predecessor had streets infested with demons, sewage the symbols mythical combines with elements of urban contemporary in Darksiders II are thrown Veil (then the Forge Lands and so on) realms dominated by vegetation, ancient architecture and generally less anachronistic pastiches, but with the same design and style that impressed predecessor. And in the background, Jesper Kyd's music that thankfully no longer needs no presentation outlines a great fantasy universe.

 

The game deserves an epic introduction, with fanfare and gravely narrators who presents his entry into the scene. From panoramic landscapes that were first designed the mythical subtext up to the gigantic structure that will push the boulder levels in a row. Darksiders II promises sleepless nights since the first hour, forming a routine annihilated groups of enemies, chests and accomplished game side missions to place your order. Because evolution from the first to the second title in the series was done in a manner that emulates the pyramid evolution of MMORPGs.

 

There loot the numbers, giving rise to a size optimization equipment. The world has an atmosphere as nonlinear, but the regions appear more open and character development is somewhat slower and more înşuirită during several hours of play. Aesthetics plunged further into stylings of Blizzard, adventure is interspersed with moments where my mind was running to Wrath of the Lich King and an approach to modeling Viking armor, characters or demons. Secondary characters typical world oscillates between undead creatures, the spirits of devils, skeletons from the Titans wallpaper armor bearded squarish.

 

There are a variety of farming in everything you do, for example to collect the best equipment. Even reward for passing the level is all the MMO, with two shafts of talents, one focused on melee combat and the other on invoking allies and hubs quests hide always side quests, character quite generic after a while. Armors have different characteristics in different subdomains. You can not always determine in a linear fashion, that is better than B armor armor because magical bonuses (called Arcane) falls in other categories and are often the objects other than bonuses for direct attack, critical strike etc.

 

Current protagonist, Death, has available a range of customization was more generous than War, player avatar of the first Darksiders. Each tunic, boots pair of gloves or changes his look, each set of claws harvest or have additional effects. The money obtained from farming, selling their redundant or quests go on potions, equipment or development of skills charges. And NPCs sell you all kinds of demons from random chests artifacts to potions or epic equipment.

 

Control is more fluid than in the first game where there were signs of trouble without a gamepad, here we can not reproach any failures than their own shortcomings. It's free and easy camera control via mouse, the combat system based on a succession of blows, dodge and spells. In order not to risk anything during the game is automatically interrupted when invoking screen spells and eschivele form of dash, we will save your life (or pray, that as the force that feeds the existence of Death) hundreds of or to the last boss.

 

They survived the basic mechanics, and some of them were transformed in tandem with the changing hero. If War is turning into a demon, it was easy to speculate that Death had to invest in alternative form a sort of death scythe. Even horse - Ruin in the first game - is another case of Death (ie Despair), but this does not change the function that meets the special ability - sprint.

 

Instead, mechanics simple and attack the primary and secondary works differently here: two sickles (or what type of main weapon you have equipped) delivers the main attack, fast (but more modest effects), while various hammers, axes and other weapons caliber can equip the secondary weapon slot, for powerful attacks (and slow).

 

Changing weapons significantly increases the damage after stats related sites, and certain holding Posessed attribute can be improved by sacrificing equipment. We still finishing moves that works, mechanically speaking, the same as in the first game, and the animations are at least as visceral. The difference is where War was brutal and powerful Death's nimble and filthy.

 

In this light, there are several portions of platforming than before, and the routes they take a lot like Prince of Persia more than Darksiders. Walls vines, suspended platforms and boards that decorate the walls stand out game from 10 to 10 minutes, and the roads from one NPC to another or between a group of phones and other are longer and bumpy.

 

Controlling robots to build bridges archaic chains crafted from alternating with puzzles, that's right, little light and moments when we must observe the environment to move on. End of Darksiders 2 involves pretty much backtracking, but many secret chests and doors requires further skills do less strenuous revisiting areas.

 

However, this dilution by recycling routes content becomes boring at some point, particularly if you play long sessions, and the story tends to be stingy on details and clichés to throw us into the spaces between acts.

 

Most shortcomings related to patient rhythm and repetitive narrative portions combined with the variation is insufficient to feed the curiosity of the player, but I suppose these things depend very much on their predisposition to explore all the nooks and meet all the side missions. However, there are considerably more dungeons than in the first game and structure "most MMO" entails a certain type of activity less intense and airy.

 

Even battles with bosses are more generic and many of them are of the dash and spank. The feeling of reward comes more of the following battle loot than the challenge itself, while more numerous NPCs you a considerable amount of time dealing with related equipment and procurement decisions. On the other hand, fast travel has become more accessible this time, using a system similar to RPGs Bethesda, instead fixed waypoints of the first game.

 

By the third update (released last weekend) was a defect more tangible lack of graphics personalization settings. The result is that at lower resolutions, the game looked as if you had run on a PlayStation 2. Meanwhile, manufacturers have thought it would still be advisable to "activate" even three settings (quality shadows, Anti-Aliasing and Screen Space Ambient Occlusion) that substantially increase graphics quality. A very good thing indeed, because sin was extremely successful art design.

 

Those who want to find all will be pleased to hear that the number of items collected (and bonuses attached) is much higher - relics, precious stones, coins and the like will reward either by points of skill, bonuses department attributes or gold. From what you have read so far, I guess you have realized the lack of innovation: all mechanics, game concepts and story largely derived from things you've seen.

 

Exploring every nook and cranny where all sorts of rewards truncated in an effort to lengthen the game will not be for everyone, but those of us who feed their satisfaction from video games by completing 100% will have quite a lot of trouble to get . The rest might find dull scurry here and there, particularly because of the atypical proportion of exploration / combat / puzzle. Feeling journey is one that perpetually accompany us through the adventures of Death, but I wonder how much overlap crowd of fans of Prince of Persia to that of Diablo.

 

But seldom execution was so good and functional. It's clearly a first title game your fans and, by extension, Zelda fans, Soul Reaver, Blood Omen or God of War - games that borrows various pieces and reassembles them in a manner AAA. May focused on exploration and adventure than battles prevailing predecessor, Darksiders II is pretty easy (maybe a little too easy for my taste) and easy to control with keyboard and mouse, although the type and nature of the game make it truly appreciated when you have a gamepad in hand.