The Quarter Bin

Last week I had a chance to sit down with a final build of THQ’s forthcoming action-adventure title, Darksiders. In development for four or so years, the game comes partially from the mind of former comic artist Joe Madureira, who took an indefinite leave from the industry to focus on making video games. With an incredible design aesthetic and gameplay influences from the likes of Legend of Zelda, God of War, and Castlevania to name a few, Darksiders could be a surprise hit early next year.

If you don’t know, Darksiders pits you in the role of War, one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. Somehow you were wrongly summoned, bringing down the apocalypse early, thus removing humanity from the mortal plain. War faces judgment for his transgression, but claims innocence. He’s stripped of his powers, and sent back out into the world to take down the real monster responsible for destroying the world, the Destroyer. By your side will be the Watcher, voiced by Mark Hamill, a guide of sorts that will help you in your quest. The story of a fallen hero on a path towards redemption isn’t terribly new, but Darksiders’ plot looks compelling enough to keep you playing to find out what happens next. I didn’t meet up with any of the other horsemen in the game during my playtime, but that doesn’t mean they won’t appear. The only issue I had was that War only felt like a horseman in name. The game is some 20-25 hours long, so there’s time for him to become more than just an ambiguous hard-ass, but the characterization early in the game isn’t very strong.

War’s journey will take him through a variety of locales and pit him against all sorts of demons, all of which are rendered with a comic artist’s eye. One would think that a game about a post-apocalyptic world would be dark and gloomy, with a color palette consisting of over-saturated grays and browns, but Darksiders doesn’t follow the convention, and presents a world full of vibrant colors. Don’t get me wrong, there are moments and areas where the world is under a darkened cloud, but for the most part, Darksiders’ settings reflect a planet that is very much still alive. What’s great about Darksiders’ look is how it feels like a comic book come to life. From the huge, bulging muscles, to the elaborate costuming, every man and demon on the screen brings Joe Madureira’s excellent penciling skills to life. Many of the visuals alone would be worth playing this game, but coupled with the solid gameplay, Darksiders is a package that’s fairly irresistible.

I mentioned before that Darksiders borrows a bit from some of the more classic adventure games of recent memory, but that is in no way a bad thing. The game never delves into cheap imitation, as the gameplay feels more like an homage to classics like Legend of Zelda and God of War. Not only is the combat eerily reminiscent of those titles, but there are also chests which imbue you with magic, health, and experience, and a musical cue that plays every time you unlock a new area. War controls pretty well, and he’s able to utilize a few different weapons as he progresses in the game. Your trusty sword, Chaoseater, will always be at your disposal, but you’ll eventually gain access to a scythe, guns, and a few other accessories that make your journey to redemption easier. The platforming in the game isn’t terribly difficult, though there will be times where a mistimed jump will lead to you having to replay a small section of the game. It’s never that daunting since the game has a pretty decent autosave that makes sure to record your progress fairly often. Boss battles are epic, and occasionally a bit difficult, but defeating a boss that’s easily ten times your size is extremely satisfying.

There are only a few weeks left until the game arrives, and even though I’m still playing through several of last month’s huge releases, and will likely get a few more games for Christmas, I’m eagerly anticipating the release of Darksiders. January is typically a slow month for gaming, but Darksiders has the potential to start 2010 off strongly, setting the bar for everything that follows.