E3 2012: Darksiders II hands-on

Death is a bad ass. Sure War was a bad ass as well, but this is a new kind of bad ass. A much more nimble bad ass that relies on quick attacks and dodges. But this wasn't the highlight of what was shown off during our Darksiders II hands-on. Oh no, it wasn't the fact that we got to take on a War doppelganger. It was loot. Yes! Loot!

During our demo, we got to play the very beginning of Darksiders II, which eased us into the story, that will run parallel to the first Darksiders, and War's journey of redemption. Death believes his brother is innocent, but rather than taking the higher road, Death goes through any measures possible to exonerate his brother.

But the loot! Yes, you'll battle tons of enemies as Death with his quick and nimble dual scythes that can connect at will, but the best part is that you'll be picking up tons of loot. From gloves, bracers, chest pieces and even weapons, you'll be picking up and equipping pieces of loot that also change Death's appearance. For those that love loot, this newly revealed feature is amazing.

The game's interface easily lets you compare what you're currently wearing with what's lying on the floor. The stats that are better will either shine green if they're better, red if they're worse, or white if they're the same. This system keeps you in the game, without needing to go into your inventory to check whether the gloves you just picked up provide more protection than the ones you're rocking at the moment.

You're even able to pick up various weaponry that will then be assigned as your Y or Triangle button, letting you unleash very stylish combos. There are also various weapon classes ranging from extremely slow but powerful hammers and axes, or fast but weaker weapons like daggers.

We did inquire about the game's length and were assured that the regular game will feature about 20-25 hours worth of gameplay just for the story alone, but nearly double that amount if you're a completionist.

We were also told that the game's environment is way more expansive than in Darksiders, which means you'll have even more to explore this time around.

We loved what we saw today, and even though it was just the beginning sequence to the game, it was as action packed as ever, and we cannot wait to get our hands on Death's adventure later this year.