In the latest Darksiders title to hit the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, Earth is now overrun by the Seven Deadly Sins and the mystical creatures and degenerated beings that serve them. The Charred Council has called upon Fury to battle from the heights of heaven down through the depths of hell in a quest to restore balance and prove that she is the most powerful of the Horsemen.
While Darksiders III is an excruciatingly difficult game, it is nonetheless a great addition to this year’s lineup of games. It strays away from the open-world setting that most releases this year have featured and sticks to a more linear path. This is not a bad thing at all as Darksiders III offers up a beautiful world that focuses on delivering pure action to the player. To add to this, combat is extremely satisfying and really allows the player to let out their innermost demons while laying waste to the Seven Deadly Sins.
As stated above, Darksiders III is extremely difficult, even on the lowest difficulty setting. Most boss battles play out in a fashion where you will be obliterated during your first few attempts. While this can be frustrating at first, things do become easier once you learn how to control Fury properly. This means that in no way is Darksiders III a mindless hack and slash title. Enemies need to be studied and their attack patterns learned in order to be successful against them.
I personally went into a few intense fights hoping for the best, while hacking and slashing away, but I spent the better part of an hour licking my wounds as I was savagely tossed around like a rag doll. This is where studying enemies and attack patterns become vital as each boss will eventually become more predictable. As difficult as Darksiders III is, I found that once I dominated an enemy I would feel a sense of satisfaction that made me want to tackle even stronger enemies just to prove my worth.
As stated above, combat is extremely satisfying in Darksiders III. Fury’s arsenal is forever growing and so are her skills. Not only will you obtain some brutal weaponry, but Fury will also gain new forms that come in the form of Hollows. Each Hollow features different abilities. For example, Fury can use her Stasis form to grab onto walls that are surrounded in a stasis aura. This form also allows Fury to walk on the surface of the water. Additionally, Scorn becomes a perfectly balanced Broadsword capable of splitting into two blades at will while this Stasis Hollow is active. The sword cuts through time and space, injuring opponents on all planes of existence, with a range of different attacks.
The Flame Hollow envelops Fury in an orange blaze. Inspired by the burning power of the Fire Hollow Scorn takes the form of two blazing flails. Fury uses the flails to dispatch enemies with violent elegance. These powerful weapons offer a new set of attacks and charging the burning energy within them executes an explosive finishing move, devastating nearby foes. Using this Hollow opens up a number of previously inaccessible paths: Fury can pass through fire and lava unscathed, or perform a fiery high jump to launch herself to new areas.
To add to the Hollows there is also Fury and Force, but I’ll let you discover these on your own in order not to spoil things. One thing I do have against Darksiders III is the fact that no matter how powerful Fury became she could still be defeated by lower-level enemies with a few hits. This was a tad bit frustrating as Fury, in the later stages of the game, begins to feel like an all-powerful god.
When it comes to visuals, Darksiders III is a great looking game overall. There is a lot of creativity on hand here… enemy models look superb and so does the environment. I will admit, human characters could have done with a bit more work, but overall, Darksiders III is a good looking game.
Conclusion:
Darksiders III is a welcome addition to the world of gaming. Its linear setting and incredible combat mechanics make it just what the doctor ordered in an industry flooded with open-world games. While it can be difficult and frustrating, it becomes extremely satisfying once you begin to progress through the game and lay waste to some of the most creative bosses I have come across.
Overall, Darksiders is a must have for those who have completed the first two games.
By Darryl Linington
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