The Xbox 360 has
seen its share of first-person shooters, some of them good (Call of Duty 3) and
some of them very disappointing (Perfect Dark Zero). Still, how many
first-person shooters allow you to look for a woman’s lost bracelet in a subway
station or devour the hearts of your enemies? The Darkness, a game based on the
Top Cow Comics graphic novel of the same name, comes to the Xbox 360 and makes
this one of the coolest shooters to arrive this summer.
The game follows
the plot of the graphic novel and uses its characters perfectly throughout the
game for you to interact with in the single-player mode. You assume the role of
Jackie Estacado, a hitman working for the Franchetti mob in New York City under
the direction of his Uncle Paulie. During a failed assignment, Paulie believes
Jackie is a thief and puts a hit out on his own nephew and this puts Jackie in a
really bad mood to the point that he decides to take out Paulie once and for
all. This, of course, would have been considered suicide but on the day he turns
21, a supernatural force awakens within Jackie known only as the Darkness and it
consumes his soul but grants him a demonic gift. Will the Darkness inevitably
control him or will Jackie find a way to tame the demon inside?
Almost
immediately gamers will know they’ll be in for something different since the
game’s opening is not merely an animated cutscene but rather an interactive one
where you’ll actually be participating in a frantic car chase down a tunnel
during rush hour. From there you’ll be exploring the game’s world on your own
and when I say explore I mean walking around to different areas in the city.
While there will be plenty of running and gunning, there are also moments where
you’ll be walking around pedestrian-filled areas as well as spend some quality
time with your girl Jenny Romano. Jackie gets around by subway so you’ll be
catching a ride to Chinatown and to the very orphanage Jenny and Jackie came
from before Jackie was picked up by his Uncle Paulie. In the subway station
you’ll be tasked with some side objectives such as looking for an elderly
woman’s prized bracelet that fell off somewhere or helping a subway performer
who has been bullied into keeping his mouth shut.
These things are
but a few samples of what you’ll come to expect from The Darkness. When Jackie
encounters a television set you can switch the channels and watch complete music
videos as well as an entire movie or three (like the Sonny Chiba martial arts
classic The Street Fighter or the Frank Sinatra film The Man With the
Golden Arm). There are even classic Gabby and Popeye cartoons and the
complete Flash Gordon chapters from the old serial. It’s these small things that
might seem insignificant that gives the game its unique twist on the genre.
You’ll be interacting with familiar characters like Butcher Joyce as well as
Aunt Sarah.
The Darkness,
the demonic entity that comes to reside within you, arrives early in the game
and gives Jackie his own abilities that allow him to do more than just shoot the
bad guy that happens to get in the way. Still, Jackie is no slouch when it comes
to shooting and he can easily dual wield different handguns and submachine guns.
He’ll even come into possession a shotgun for those close-quarter encounters.
The Darkness comes complete with two snake-like demons that can be activated at
any time you wish. The left snakehead actually can send it to scout ahead from a
long distance, attack an enemy, devour said enemy’s heart by ripping it off the
corpse’s chest and then retract at your command. Devouring hearts actually works
to upgrade your Darkness powers to make room for new ones such as the Demon Arm
to impale bad guys as well as Darkness Shield that protects you.
It even won’t
take you long to figure out how to use your Darkling minions. Darklings are
vicious demons that come to your aid once you summon them. They appear only when
you manifest the Darkness and there are four different kinds of Darkling
minions. The first demon breeds you’ll encounter are the Berserkers, Darklings
that will slash at your enemies then you’ll graduate to the Gunners (who carry
around a chain gun), Light Killers (they destroy any light source) and Kamikaze
(who have explosives tied to their bodies and detonate before a crowd of
enemies). You can summon the different Darkling types by holding the right
bumper button and picking which type best suits your needs. The best part about
them is that they actually get to work quickly and do a pretty good job taking
out the enemy.
With a solid
story that is quite gripping and filled with colorful characters, you would
think the game is gaming perfection. It’s not quite perfect when it comes to the
controls, which can be a tad jerky at times and sometimes it takes a few bullets
to take down a bad guy. Then there are the moments in the game where you’ll
think logic was completely tossed out the window. What doesn’t anyone react to
the snakeheads unless you send one to scout ahead? Why do some enemies talk to a
corpse you just killed a few inches away from them?
Overall, these
small problems will not fail to distract from the game’s best qualities and the
great level design that makes the game such a treat to play. You will find
yourself fighting against police officer and a SWAT team that enters an Italian
restaurant and you’ll infiltrate and wipe out a mobster safe house. You’ll face
off a large number of Paulie’s goons and they’re actually smart enough to take
cover and shoot from a safe location. There’s even a multiplayer mode, although
it feels put together rather quickly and doesn’t stray from the usual deathmatch
and team deathmatch mode with human and Darkling avatars.
When it comes
the visuals, The Darkness also looks great. The game is dimly lit yet you’ll be
able to see plenty of details in the environments that give the city a truly
gritty look. The character models themselves are also beautifully detailed and
move naturally. Another aspect of the visuals that will not fail to impress are
the visual effects and there are plenty of them. Aside from the flashy effects
that come from the Darkness, you’ll find great lighting and gunfire that light
up a corridor nicely.
The game’s sound
also makes quite a good impression since the voice acting is excellent and true
to the characters. You’ll actually learn a lot about Jackie from the load screen
conversation he holds by himself as if he were being interviewed. The game does
not shy away from bad language so if you’re easily offended this might not be
the game for you. There’s also a great score that is never repetitive and
wonderfully emotional to the point that it tends to pick up at just the right
moment. Add detailed sound effects and you have a game that does the sound right
so play this one with a good sound system.
The Darkness
for the Xbox
360 is an enjoyable and wonderfully unique first-person shooter that’s not only
appropriately creepy but also deeply engrossing. While the game is far from
perfect, the game’s very few weaknesses are overshadowed by the many things that
make this an addictive, bullet-fueled romp worth the purchase price. If you’re
looking for a first-person shooter with a lot of personality, great
next-generation graphics and plenty to do, then this is the game for you.
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Gameplay: 8.5
It’s a
first-person shooter but the supernatural elements add a new twist to the genre
in a good way. The controls can be a bit jerky at times but it pales in
comparison to the great story, the interactive environment and the solid action.
While the game features the ability to rip out human hearts, the game isn’t
overly bloody.
Graphics: 9.0
On the Xbox
360, the visuals really shine and the level of detail placed on the character
models as well as the environments will not fail to please those who enjoy good
eye candy. The cutscenes are a real highlight in the game, as are the visual
effects thanks to the demon.
Sound: 9.0
The game
possesses a great soundtrack that is both lush and beautifully cinematic.
There’s also a very strong cast that voices each character perfectly and the
sound effects are wonderfully detailed to the point that you’ll even make out
the rats going through the garbage.
Difficulty:
Medium
Your Uncle
Paulie will send plenty of his goons after you and there are times when you’ll
be outgunned even with your Darkness powers. Still, thanks to the game’s
checkpoints, you won’t have to travel very far and the Darkling demons actually
do lend a helping hand.
Concept: 8.5
The graphic
novel comes to life and so does a good portion of New York so you’ll get a good
look at the grittier side of the city and even interact with characters in areas
like the subway. The story and the characters are a highlight of the game and
what other game can you sit back with your girlfriend and watch an entire movie
like To Kill a Mockingbird with Gregory Peck? There are also dozens of
extras to unlock like comic books and concept art.
Multiplayer:
7.5
Up to eight
players can battle it out online or through System Link in a multiplayer game
that lacks a unique game type. Still, the action flows without a stutter and the
ability to play as a Darkling or a human allows you to mix up the action.
Overall: 8.5
A truly unique
experience from start to finish, The Darkness is one of those games that will
hook you in and steal your soul. In other words, with a blend of the
supernatural as well as an action-packed mobster story, this game has all the
goods to keep fans of the genre quite satisfied with all the things this game
has to offer. Xbox 360 owners, this is a game you will most definitely want to
buy.
