From THQ comes Darksiders, a game very much similar to God Of War but with an interesting “Zelda-esque” twist. Boss levels (or dungeons) for instance are set up in the same spirit of The Legend Of Zelda titles with an obtainable artifact within, used in some way to help defeat the boss (as well as aid in further overworld exploration) and receive and extra increment of health. Life upgrades are even pieced together quarterly just as in Zelda. Darksiders is in effect a perfect combination of the style and presentation of Zelda and the violent third-person combat of God Of War.
Darksiders tells the age-old tale of the battle between heaven and hell. As War, one of the four horseman of the apocalypse, you set out on a journey into the dilapidated cities of post-armageddon Earth to uncover the parties responsible as well as clear your own name. Darksiders’ story, graphics, and voice acting are all more than decent. The voice acting is a cut above the rest however with star power such as Mark Hamill (Star Wars) and Moon Bloodgood (Terminator Salvation) playing integral supporting roles.
Darksiders’ combat mechanics are solid, mimicking God Of War almost exactly. Three different weapons can be acquired (one by inputting “The Hollow Lord” in the code entry option) and upgraded with more range and damage as well as an expanded move set. Quick-time-event kills, combos, and oversized bosses, staples of the God Of War series, are all present in Darksiders. What’s of real interest is what makes Darksiders different from God Of War, namely it’s aforementioned Zelda inspirations.
Darksiders is far from original. It may borrow heavily from two of the most popular game series of all time, but the resulting product is well-executed and it just plain works. All of the flashy, violent action of God Of War with the exploration and gadgetry of Zelda. Zelda’s magic boomerang, hookshot, and even it’s horseback riding and combat are used in Darksiders in some form. Mind-bending puzzles are presented late in the game that mirror those found in the Portal games as well with the use of a portal-opening artifact.
Darksiders is a solid and inexpensive game that will appeal to a wide audience of action and adventure fans alike and is available on PS3 or XBOX and now available for download from the PlayStation Store for $19.99.
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