Among the many expected sequels to arrive in this 2012 is also one of the most anticipated: The Darkness 2. The Darkness sequel that amazed half the gaming population in 2007 (the other half was in fact committed to despise it for undeniable flaws, however), the second episode is coming on the shelves with a very different premise than the predecessor, and charging on shoulder a much higher level of expectation. The development, first of all, went from Starbreeze guys to Digital Extremes, already responsible for the multiplayer component of Bioshock 2. This handover, as we have seen in the many hands-on, which led us to this point, has deeply influenced the development of the title, which took-consciously-a direction quite different from the parent to a more dynamic and purposeful gait. (The concept, however, is taken from an American comic dated 1996) .
Promises and concerns have therefore characterized these endless months of waiting. Now, with the production this coming February for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC, it’s time to discover what really is The Darkness II all about.
Two years after the events of the first episode, Jackie Estacado is firmly at the head of the family, which drives the business supported by his aunt and inseparable from the “gorilla”. The memory of Jenny, who died following the outbreak of Darkness, he never slowed down and, in an attempt to bury forever the monstrosity that dwells inside his body, good Jackie keeps a low profile. At least until, on a night like any other, our unsung hero receives the unpleasant visit from an organization known as the Brotherhood (the original custodians of Darkness) that vomited tons of lead on him to make him realize that he can never feel safe. The devastation of the restaurant is full of Jackie, the dead are everywhere… yet the shady characters behind this apparent mafia conspiracy does not intend to stop, ultimately attacking our own darling in an attempt to revive what had so long been able to keep dormant. In a fit of madness, on the brink of death, Jackie gives in to the Darkness and embraced the powers starting the mad pursuit of the sinister individual behind the recent misdeeds.
Behind this day of ordinary madness hides the gloomy picture of the villain, determined to take back the darkness by any means, with violence, if necessary, from the body of Jackie. The protagonist and the Darkness itself, not at all willing to abandon it, then embark on a fight to the last mutilation (it is quite appropriate to say), to maintain control of a power unleashed at its peak. But not all. All of a sudden (just before the exact middle of the adventure) we will be catapulted into an unknown psychiatric hospital where the plot seems to take a completely different path (do not want to anticipate anything about it).
With two (or more) parallel stories to weave as they approach the roaring (and devastating) final, the title manages to keep the player firmly glued to the screen for the duration of the adventure, spread in about ten hours. To intrigue, even more of the plot itself (well packed), the perfect characterization of the protagonist and the supporting actors, capable of supporting and embellishing the plot. By Johnny-right arm-to-expert Jimmy crowds of Darkness-Chief and silent until the villain, every second lead is a fundamental part of a narrative that will see the pyramid to its apex Jackie (and, sometimes, even Jenny) busy, between a loading and the other, in monologues that in the past have come to know.
Moments of real gangster film that will hit like a punch in the stomach, the player, plunging through the stories of Jackie adolescence, in the same darkness in which our hero lived, darker than ever. One very dark tones and unprecedented violence, The Darkeness 2 portrays a dark and introspective picture among the most successful events of this generation, often leaving the player dazed, unaware until the last instant of things as they might be resolved.
Turning to gameplay; the gameplay of The Darkness II shows full of surprises from beginning to end. The strategic, tactical and stealth nature of its predecessor have definitely gone to make way for an action that seems to define dynamic really a euphemism. Except for some banal environmental puzzles and the need to destroy light sources, and from time to time, generating well-hidden levels of play will be presented linear and crammed with enemies to disintegrate. At our disposal, not a vast arsenal of guns (say little more than half a dozen weapons) and a flood-instead-of -new powers relating to the Darkness, which is present here in the form of two tentacles always at our side.
The first will be there to serve as the main instrument of death, necessary to tear enemies, as well as a tool to disarm them or use the many interactive elements present in every scenario: from the doors of the cars, unhinged and then begin to offer coverage to mo the frisbee to decapitate the unfortunate, the iron rods, through which impale enemies brutally by sidereal distances. Become familiar and accumulated points Darkness will have the power to unlock some enhanced by a large circular menu, equally divided into four branches representing the branches of expertise of available talent. The possibilities, killed enough enemies, are really huge: it will go from right to draw a swarm of insects to annoy the unfortunate (unable, meanwhile, to move and shoot) the addition of bloody executions through the loyalists tentacles, which are useful for restore health even before you get the hearts of the victims or recover, in the same way, extra ammunition.
There will, though in a completely different way than before, be the support of the annoying (in all senses) Darkling, totally detached from our command (and not upgradeable). The creature, manageable sessions in pseudo-stealth for a total of scarce 10 minutes throughout the adventure, will be tasked to help resolve some thorny situation and generally give us a substantial hand in battle. If the first task is performed properly, the first problems occur in fulfilling their second. Even after obtaining the possibility to personally launch the Darkling against the enemy, this is more a hindrance than a help, often merely to stay in it between the feet, driven by an artificial intelligence really reviewable. And just mitigates the amusement that often we give this child of darkness, thanks to a natural propensity for committing sacrilegious indecent exposure.
Beyond this small flaw, however, we can say that over half the adventure runs really well. The action is always varied and dynamic , thanks to the many variables in the field (powers, weapons, interactive objects) and the corollary of enemies, though not super-intelligent, more than adequate. Also do not miss the variety of situations with alternating shooter phases to the most relaxed sessions narrative to the villa or psychiatric hospital, with the interesting addition of a few Boss Fight (for the least difficult) to impepare everything. Past a certain threshold, marked in particular by the arrival of other beings with the powers of Darkness, the magnificence of such mechanical drama is showing the most repetitive and tedious production, mainly due to the complete elimination of stealth and steps on rail that characterized the first episode.
The enemies can be eliminated only and only through extensive use of guns, forcing us to abandon this fun mix of bullets and blows with the tentacle that had cheerily accompanied us so far. The levels are linear at the beginning but will expand suddenly turning into something the player wants to bring as soon as possible to finish the chapter, to enjoy the immediate next step of narrrative. Fortunately, the defect occurs only during late game, and you’re going to scratch at all the goodness of the product that’s only less discouraging and limiting fans of the genre, which is more difficult to engage in the New Game + but interesting for lovers of well-paced gunplay.
The longevity-beyond the completion of the single player campaign-will still be guaranteed by Revenge missions, assignments to be completed in the coop. Laudable, in this case, the integration into the main aspects of the story. The five playable characters, each with a tool “soaked in Darkness” (katana, staff, accept…) and a distinctive personality very well broken, will be sent in the course of about twenty assignments in adverse situations to unravel the main plot. Also in this case, however, in the long run, the spectrum of the repetitiveness will be felt. The low weight of which will be equipped with unique powers, for our heroes and characterization always with pretty similar goals, will ensure that we will meet again to take up a large part of firearms, pleading that the hordes of enemies perish quickly.
The graphic style, from the beginning, was one of the factors that have struck a major concern for the fan of The Darkness. Doubts that we would now have alleviated in full, praising that, on balance, is one of the best cel shading noir ever. While showing clear ambitions to graphic novel, the production definitely does not skimp on Digital Extremes, showing a compartment full of visual details and enhanced by cleverly integrated particle effects (and able to convey extreme mutilation of impact), as well as a range of expressions to point of perfection.
But the greatest praise to the manner in which they handled the light sources, with the effect of stunning audio-visual and color change to black and white scene whenever Jackie, owned by the darkness, is hit by a light beam. Really, Oscar. In a picture so rich, it could not miss, of course, also some small flaw: there we went to look, holding a large magnifying glass, some imperfection in the “drafting” of the environmental textures and an occasional lack of fluidity in certain animations.
Of lesser effect on the sound department that, compared with an enjoyable soundtrack, has a number of environmental samples (all weapons) not too convincing, which combines, in contrast, a dubbing of pure blockbuster. The Darkness II, while not classed as a masterpiece (especially in the repetitiveness of situation), appears as one of the most interesting productions of 2012, a title that fans of the saga simply should not miss. The change of direction, stumbling in small part, has helped the franchise, which now boasts a more rhythmic and a more varied range of possibilities for action. The multiplayer, once devoid of the competitive mode, appears then as a trump card in a decisive way to stretch the longevity of the product.
The Darkness II (Xbox 360)
GAME INFO: The Darkness 2
Release Date: February 07, 2012
Also on: PS3, PC
M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Intense Violence, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: 2K Games
Developer: Digital Extremes
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