Darksiders: Warmastered Edition (Xbox One) Review

Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is a fun and exciting journey. Become the first Horesman of the Apocalypse, War. As he returns to earth, War discovers it is not time for his arrival. Now War must find out who was behind this betrayal. The ‘Warmasteded’ edition look. The combat in Darksiders is fast paced and exciting. For anyone who has not experienced the Darksiders’ series and enjoys hack and slash games, then I highly recommend picking this game up. The Darksiders’ lore creates an interesting and compelling story not normally associated with a hack and slash title.

The Seven Signs Of The Apocalypse

The story of Darksiders is full of interesting characters. The main character, War, is the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. His task is to rain down destruction when the seven seals have been broken. Called upon for action, War brings his trusty sword and horse and is about to destroy the earth, only to find out he has arrived too early. War must answer for his transgressions to a higher council. This group of deities decides War must be punished for his actions and he is sentenced to death.

War vehemently denies these acquisitions and demands that the council let him discovery the real reason he was called down. The council reluctantly agrees if War agrees to be stripped of his powers and allows the council to send a chaperone with War. With no other choice, War agrees to these terms. What lays ahead for War is a journey full of adventure and intrigue. Who or what called down War to earth? Is there something more sinister going on?

War, What Is He Good For? Fighting!  

The combat mechanic in Darksiders consist of the typical hack and slash variety. A light and heavy attack. The ability to dash or block and a variety of other abilities that will help War as he tries to uncover the truth. While simple, the combat in Darksiders is rather enjoyable. War’s sword, Chaoseater, will gain experience and through progression, players will learn new moves. This is not the only item that will assist War on his journey.

Throughout the game, War acquires other tools to help him progress. This journey is comparable to the Metroidvania-type adventure. A rather linear world leads players to different dungeons. Each dungeon contains a new item. This item helps beat the dungeon’s boss and helps War progress across the map. Some of the items were typical, such as the ‘hook-shoot’ chain. One item which was an interesting addition for puzzles, was the Voidwalker. The Voidwalker added the Portal-themed puzzles to the game. Players would have to fire at one portal and create an exit at another portal. Then the player would be able to jump between these two portals. These puzzles and combat all take place on these beautifully crafted landscapes.

Location, Location, Location

Even after the apocalypse has left a desolate earth. There are still plenty of  interesting places with some breathtaking views. Although this is more of a linear adventure than most sandbox games, each level is much different than the last. Since the first seal has broken, 100 years has passed. These once populous cities now lay rest to a vibrant lush green paradise. War will also ride his trusty stead, Ruin, though an expansive desert full of giant sandworms. Massive sized demons have gone to great lengths to create giant-sized castles These descriptions are just some of the places War will encounter. These locations do a great job of further immersing the player into the story. The final piece of the puzzle for Darksiders is the unique character designs.

Character Design By Joe Madureira

This famous artist is best known for his stylistic depictions of the famous Marvel mutants, the X-Men, Joe Madureira was the creative director for Darksiders. His distinct style is seen throughout the game. Each character appears larger than life and is covered in armor from head to toe. War’s sword, Chaoseater, is as tall as War. This larger-than-life approach does a good job of placing these strange characters in these amazing settings.

Darksiders Is Worth Picking Up

Darksiders contains a rich story and a deep combat system. The easy combo system creates some pretty interesting signature moves. Expect to spill a lot of demon blood. Heck, even the game “tracks” the amount of demon blood War spills. It is easy to see each kill happen as the game has been upgraded to 1080p. THQ Nordic has done an amazing job with the upgrade in graphics. This was a strong title when it was released and it still remains a great purchase.

DarkSiders: WarMastered Edition
Release Date: November 22nd, 2016
Platform (s): Xbox One, PS4, PC
Published by: THQ Nordic
Developed by: Vigil Games