The Darkness (PS3) Review

Hey I know it’s been out a year but, like me you may have been swamped by good games last year and are now only picking these titles up at the bargain prices.  With this in mind please read on for my full and frank review of the comic based FPS horror fest that is The Darkness

Produced by the studio that created the Xbox classic Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher bay title, Starbreeze, this is another in the long line of comic book to video game conversions.  Based on the first series of The Darkness comics by Top Cow productions and created by Marc Silvestri, Garth Ennis and David Wohl.

So the Darkness of the title is a demonic force that takes over your character Jackie Estacado on the day of his 21st birthday.  As Jackie is going about his usual business of working for the local mob he and his goon-squad compatriots come under heavy fire after a bungled collection job.  Jackie is unaware at this point that his Uncle Paulie has marked him for assassination as he thinks he has ripped him off.

After a chase through the streets and then a building site you emerge in a cemetery and a demonic voice hisses cryptic weirdness at you.  All of a sudden the “Darkness” springs from your body and snake like demonic tentacles issue forth from your shoulder area (think Doc-Oc’s arms with nasty teeth and bad breath).  You get your first taste of the Darkness powers.

Jackie must now try and clear his name with his Uncle Paulie but his goal is altered after Paulie and his paid for cop Chief Shrote lay waste to the orphanage he was raised in and then murder his long time girl friend in front of Jackie’s eyes.  Jackie then embarked on a story of revenge to take down Shrote and Paulie.

The graphic design of the product is very strong as you would expect from a game based on a comic book series.  The general look and feel is dark, dirty and Gothic to the core.  The game has a generally pleasing look too it and the graphics engine in use is solid and keeps the game running at a satisfying rate.  There are plenty of bells and whistled being deployed in the graphics department with realistic shadows and fully modeled physics for objects and enemy models. If there is a complaint to be leveled at the graphics is it that they are far too shiny.  Surfaces that look grimy a dark are still shiny with an almost “wet” look to them.  All the texture work is high resolution and there is plenty of variety to them.  The guns look meaty and the Darkness powers are represented well.  The animation is solid and fluid with the only real weirdness being Jackies flowing black hair which seems to fly around like he is constantly in a wind tunnel.  Those issues aside you really can’t fault the graphics as they delivered a very good looking world to play in.

This is your standard FPS affair with a variety of the usual weapons on display (pistols, shotguns, M4 Carbon, Uzi etc) and the ability to dual wield the small weapons is always a nice touch :O)  The thing that helps kick it up a notch is the Darkness power abilities.  There are several different abilities ranging from a snake like embodiment of the darkness that you can control remotely to a huge black hole that sucks every enemy onscreen back towards it and ultimately kills them.  The variety of attacks is compelling as is the overall story which is a break from the standard line of drivvle that is used to justify why lone person X is wading through alien/enemy Y using generic armory Z.  There are several “other worldly” section to the game and althoug a nice break from the New York streets the gameplay does get a bit undirected and loose during these segments.   the main complaint would be that it sometimes lacks focus and you can be left think OK so I have to go to do job Y but how the fuck do I find where it is?  Another string to The Darkness’s bow is the use of small “drone” fighters called Darklings.  These are conjured forth from portals at certain places on the maps and can be of several varieties,for example Berserker & Gunner.  You can also “level-up” your Darkness powers by eating the hearts of your fallen enemies – nice touch.

Sound design in the game is top notch with some acceptable scripting and good voice acting.  The gun effects are sufficiently meaty and the whispers and gurgles of your Darkness appendages are good.  The real star is the rambling of the Darklings that you can call forth from portals around the level.  They rant and grumble about things and are truly sadistic beings – weirdly they offer great comic relief.  The enemies can be heard discussing matters and relaying extra info with regard to the back story and add depth to the fact that they are just Darkling fodder.

There are many collectables in this title as you pick up scraps of paper with phone numbers scrawled on them.. You then take these to a public phone and dial.  You are treated to a short answer machine message from the various inhabitants of this fictional Big Apple and this then unlocks something in the extras menu.  Things like concept art, complete comics and design videos are all available and add a little to the longevity and overall appeal.  The game is neither long nor short and weighed in at about 17 hours for me as I took some of the option side quests (Grand Theft Auto style).  Replay is not high on the list unless, as I say, your into the collectibles or finding the other costumes for your Darklings.

A lot of hard work has gone into this title (just watch the in game unlockable video on the graffiti alone to see the attention to detail!) and I really enjoyed Starbreeze’s Riddick game.  It is a good solid all rounder that I have enjoye4d playing.  I picked it up for the bargain price of £9.99/$20 from Gamestation and I am glad I did.  It may not be the best FPS you have ever played but it it entertaining and a meaty enough challenge to keep you occupied for a few hours.  The graphics and sound are well above average as is the gameplay and story.  If your yet to pick this up then I would suggest that, if you like an FPS or like the Riddick game, you grab it at a bargain price and have fun devouring hearts of fallen scum – and I haven’t even mentioned the Nazi sack men in the otherworld sections.  A sequel is rumored to be in production at Starbreeze but no official announcement has been made yet – but people at Top Cow and publisher sK have let more than a few hints slip.

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