Monday, November 26, 2018

"Darksiders III" Review


Emerging from the ether after the apocalyptic frenzy of Black Friday/Cyber Monday comes "Darksiders III." It's developer Gunfire Games' way of tapping you on the shoulder and saying "Hey, remember me?"

Anyone who has taken on either or both of the first two games of the series will have a tough time forgetting the promised apocalyptic quadrilogy. Staggering visuals, enrpaturing combat and a dynamic that crosses aspects of "Zelda" wirth "Devil May Cry" has built the "Darksiders" franchise to be one of the most talked-about in gaming.

Each chapter takes on a horseman of the apocalypse as its protagonist. War helmed the 2010 original, followed by Death in 2012. Financial difficulties suffered by publisher THQ scattered the developers to the winds, but the core has reunited to spearhead the continuation of the series into current-gen consoles.

After remasters and enhanced editions of the first two games, the chance to finally play the third full release feels like a blessing from beyond.

This time out, it's Fury's turn to take the reigns. More lithe and athletic than her predecessors, the huntress delivers her brand of death and destruction with weapons such as whips and projectile daggers, as well as the ability to transform to suit the demands of the scanario. If you've played the "Bayonetta" games, you have an idea of what to expect.

In the manner of "Dark Souls" and "Shovel Knight," you harvest souls from enemies that you can use to upgrade and enhance your abilities. The light RPG feel from previous entries returns, adding to the sense of progress and progression, as well as the power fantasy-fueling development of godlike powers. As you romp through quests in the game, you feel like a threat that sends chills into the dark hearts of your adversaries.

"Darksiders III" uses its predecessors as building blocks, taking visual cues from the remastered editions while considerably raising the bar of visual fidelity. This is one of the more darkly gorgeous games of the year. Even amid the blistering action, you often feel the need to pause for a screesnshot to preserve the majesty of the movement.

Credit the dev team for orchestrating all the moving parts into a coherent, often surprisingly emotional storyline. There is plenty of hacking and slashing to be done, but it's all for a higher purpose. Much like "God of War," this is the most mature entry in the "Darksiders" series to date, with the grim upshot of wanton destruction ever hovering over your furious exploits.

Hell hath no fury like... well, Fury. The brutal, seething starlet is ready for her closeup.

Publisher provided review code.

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