As "atmospheric" as the WW1 Nazi hellscape may have been, it was incredibly boring and tedious and repetitive. Portions of the Darkness had decent combat and interesting story elements, but my overall impression of the game was brought down immensely by how annoying the Constantine-esque hell areas were.
Which probably puts me in the same boat as man of shorn scrotes.
Mmm. Devouring hearts. And not the KH2 kind. NOM NOM NOM.
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Psychotic OneThe Lord of No PantsParts UnknownRegistered Userregular
edited February 2011
I hope they keep it very story and dialogue oriented. The Darkness really shined during the non-action sequences. Between Mike Patton's creepy voice, a solid script, and some of the best loading screens in any videogame. It really made you feel for some of the characters and really hate others.
My feelings about The Darkness are ones akin to Indigo Prophecy in that they both had several extremely good scenes, while the games themselves aren't as great as they could have been.
Damn I need to play it again, didn't get around to finishing it. How long is it, roughly?
I love the atmosphere in both Starbreeze games I've played (this and Riddick), but combat never felt good at all in either one of them, to the point where I really didn't care to finish them.
If they can keep all that and make combat more fun somehow, I'd be onboard. I'd probably need to finish the first for continuation purposes though (ugh)
Man, The Darkness was such an underrated game. I picked it up not knowing much about it, and it soon became one of my favorite games. If they can improve the controls, and write a good story, then I'll be happy.
I also must echo the sadness of
Jenny's death, I can't think of very many games that elicited such a strong emotional response from me.
Super excited for this, the first Darkness was one of the most emotionally charged gaming experiences I've ever had. Particularly...
...the part where you just sit on the couch with Jenny watching TV. I played The Darkness about a month after for my first girlfriend left me, and looking over at her vacant spot on the couch at that moment totally annihilated me, made me cry and everything. Awesome game moment.
Hoping they incorporate the Darkness's comic look at least a little bit in this one, that was one of my only disappointments with the original.
That does it. the SECOND Im done with Splinter Cell Conviction this is going back in.
Ive said a billion times on here how I got this free with BioShock, tried to play it first, but all the BioShock hype sucked me in and I switched over, and never swicthed back.
Now after reading how this game has the most emotional ending (especially after finishing NIER recently) I have to give it a shot again.
Also, i had no idea the main guy was Charlie from Fringe. That alone just makes me excited as hell.
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The original game surprised me with how good it ended up being, but I'm just as skeptical as anyone else about the game being developed without Starbreeze. Dark Sector wasn't awful, just really unnecessary. It is easily one of the most bland gaming experiences I've had with this generation. Once the novelty of the glaive wore off, it brought absolutely nothing to the table.
Also, World War I German soldiers =/= Nazis.
Edit: I wouldn't say the ending is all that emotional. It just sort of...happens. The 'emotional' moment everyone seems to be talking about happens about two-thirds of the way through the game.
That preview has Jackie apparently checking out the boobs on the ladies in his entourage, which.. doesn't sound like the guy we left at the end of the first one, sadly. I liked that he had a girlfriend who he was clearly devoted to, rather than the usual love-interest fare.
Considering how things were left off, and the fact that they mention he's now the head of his crime family, it's not hard to imagine his personality shifting a bit. I have my doubts, but I'll at least remain cautiously optomistic until I see something more than a handful of screenshots and a brief introduction to the plot.
That preview has Jackie apparently checking out the boobs on the ladies in his entourage, which.. doesn't sound like the guy we left at the end of the first one, sadly. I liked that he had a girlfriend who he was clearly devoted to, rather than the usual love-interest fare.
That's one of the things that kinda concerned me too, when I read the preview. I really hope they don't turn Jackie into a one dimensional, asshole, anti-hero, who we root for only because all the other guys are even worse.
But, they do have the writer from the first game, so maybe I don't need too worry to much.
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SteevLWhat can I do for you?Registered Userregular
edited March 2011
I finally started playing the first one tonight. I'm enjoying it so far, although the combat is different enough from other games I've recently played that I got killed a bunch of times near the beginning.
I quit before finding it the first time I played, so this was all new.
I sat down to watch TV, and saw it was To Kill a Mockingbird. And I was like, wow, that's pretty neat. Bet its a loop of the intro.
Then I hung on the couch for the most genuine relationship scene, ever. Ever. It was honestly heartwarming. Then I got an achievement, so I figured they must end this soon.
And lo and behold, I sat and just felt like watching the movie. It was great. Her head in the screen kind of just soothed me and I felt like staying. Then I noticed a HALF HOUR had gone by, so I got up and made the phonecall to progress the story.
...and now Im crouched in front of Jenny's TV, because dammit I just want to watch this movie. I am shocked it appears to actually be the full movie. I feel like "this is a game, go play the game. Go do what the guy on the phone said!" But I just really want to watch this now.
Someone tell me Im not alone in this. I think I may stay for the duration.
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I quit before finding it the first time I played, so this was all new.
I sat down to watch TV, and saw it was To Kill a Mockingbird. And I was like, wow, that's pretty neat. Bet its a loop of the intro.
Then I hung on the couch for the most genuine relationship scene, ever. Ever. It was honestly heartwarming. Then I got an achievement, so I figured they must end this soon.
And lo and behold, I sat and just felt like watching the movie. It was great. Her head in the screen kind of just soothed me and I felt like staying. Then I noticed a HALF HOUR had gone by, so I got up and made the phonecall to progress the story.
...and now Im crouched in front of Jenny's TV, because dammit I just want to watch this movie. I am shocked it appears to actually be the full movie. I feel like "this is a game, go play the game. Go do what the guy on the phone said!" But I just really want to watch this now.
Someone tell me Im not alone in this. I think I may stay for the duration.
You are not alone my friend, you are not alone. I too was amazed that they had the full movie in the game, and it's not just "To kill a mocking bird" I think they have a few other full length movies that you can watch.
And the scene with Jenny on the couch, that one scene, beats any other video game portrayal of romance that I have experienced. It's not grandiose, it's not two polygonal characters having sex, it's just a quiet heartfelt moment, in a game-world filled with corruption and brutality.
ah I clicked YOUR spoiler thinking it was a spoiler about MY spoiler, but it wasnt, but fortunately it doesnt say anything except stuff I sort of already suspected based on his loading screen voiceovers.
Such a great scene in game.
Still watching, by the way. Great flick. Southern child actors are the cutest.
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ah I clicked YOUR spoiler thinking it was a spoiler about MY spoiler, but it wasnt, but fortunately it doesnt say anything except stuff I sort of already suspected based on his loading screen voiceovers.
Such a great scene in game.
Still watching, by the way. Great flick. Southern child actors are the cutest.
Dammit, sorry about the spoiler. I removed it like 2 minutes after posting, guess I wasn't fast enough.
ah I clicked YOUR spoiler thinking it was a spoiler about MY spoiler, but it wasnt, but fortunately it doesnt say anything except stuff I sort of already suspected based on his loading screen voiceovers.
Such a great scene in game.
Still watching, by the way. Great flick. Southern child actors are the cutest.
Dammit, sorry about the spoiler. I removed it like 2 minutes after posting, guess I wasn't fast enough.
No problem - like I said:
I saw how it started and closed it, and all I got from it is that SOMETHING will happen with Jenny later.
Which he's already said in his loading screens, he's talking to Jenny about everything. Something is gonna go down.
I have tried to leave the room like 3 times now and everytime Im like "But I wanna see this part."
This is brilliance. Pure brilliance. Talk about immersion in games, jesus. This is fantastic.
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ah I clicked YOUR spoiler thinking it was a spoiler about MY spoiler, but it wasnt, but fortunately it doesnt say anything except stuff I sort of already suspected based on his loading screen voiceovers.
Such a great scene in game.
Still watching, by the way. Great flick. Southern child actors are the cutest.
Dammit, sorry about the spoiler. I removed it like 2 minutes after posting, guess I wasn't fast enough.
No problem - like I said:
I saw how it started and closed it, and all I got from it is that SOMETHING will happen with Jenny later.
Which he's already said in his loading screens, he's talking to Jenny about everything. Something is gonna go down.
I have tried to leave the room like 3 times now and everytime Im like "But I wanna see this part."
This is brilliance. Pure brilliance. Talk about immersion in games, jesus. This is fantastic.
Immersion, atmosphere, and making you believe that these are real characters, is something The Darkness did extremely well for me. The shooting is not as solid as it could be, but it's still fun, and the story more than makes up for some of the gameplay deficiencies. I've been replaying it recently, and even now I'm still discovering little story details that I hadn't noticed before.
Yeah, I'm really unsure about whether some other developer is gonna be able to get what made The Darkness work. Their insistence on talking about all the cool powers and how you can totally tear a guy in half is understandable, I guess, but I'm not yet convinced they understand how the power of narrative and creating an emotional connection with the world was what we all took from the first one.
Especially since from everything I'm hearing, the game starts with an anonymous hot woman getting shot in the face. Ooo, so edgy. Remember the first one? Now THAT was some in media res shit.
I'm not yet convinced they understand how the power of narrative and creating an emotional connection with the world was what we all took from the first one.
I think someone said the same writers are doing the sequel though, so I'm hopeful.
And yeah, The Darkness definitely made the best use of televisions in a game, ever. (Not to mention they actually looked like CRT televisions and not a box with a video texture on it.
Yeah, I'm really unsure about whether some other developer is gonna be able to get what made The Darkness work. Their insistence on talking about all the cool powers and how you can totally tear a guy in half is understandable, I guess, but I'm not yet convinced they understand how the power of narrative and creating an emotional connection with the world was what we all took from the first one.
Especially since from everything I'm hearing, the game starts with an anonymous hot woman getting shot in the face. Ooo, so edgy. Remember the first one? Now THAT was some in media res shit.
I'm trying to remain optimistic, I mean, if you're are trying to advertise your game to a mass market, are you going to say "We have an extremely strong narrative that is well thought out and emotionally engaging" or are you going to say "Look at this guy being ripped in half, and this other guy being impaled through the head to a wall!" It would be great if they talked more about the story, but like you said, it's understandable why they haven't yet.
They have the original writer from the first game, so I'm hoping he'll keep the story, and characters strong.
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Psychotic OneThe Lord of No PantsParts UnknownRegistered Userregular
edited March 2011
I wonder if this game will tie in the Angelous at all. If Jacky is supposed to be completely bound to the Darkness then there is nothing left that goons could really do to him. Or at least give us the Darkness armor.
So I finally left the room after the Boo Radley stuff. Good times.
The game itself is kind of lacking - the shooting is really, really weird and I am dying a LOT.
But the story is really good. One quick, very early question as it all happened kind of fast:
So I just went to find Dutch Oven so and so, and as I found him people started yelling BLOW UP THE ORPHANAGE! And then he fell onto some train tracks and died. Now that Ive called Jenny and shes upset, Im assuming that Paulie knew I was coming and had the orphanage rigged so that when I showed up, he could blow it up?
I called Paulie and he admitted to it and stuff - just unsure why Dutch Oven whoever had anything to do with it when I was going to him based off a tip from that guy who doesnt pick sides - Butcher
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The gameplay is honestly a bit wonky, and feels kind of like a tech demo more than a game, if that makes sense. There's just something....not right about it. It's not BAD, it just doesn't have that certain something that other games do.
So I finally left the room after the Boo Radley stuff. Good times.
The game itself is kind of lacking - the shooting is really, really weird and I am dying a LOT.
But the story is really good. One quick, very early question as it all happened kind of fast:
So I just went to find Dutch Oven so and so, and as I found him people started yelling BLOW UP THE ORPHANAGE! And then he fell onto some train tracks and died. Now that Ive called Jenny and shes upset, Im assuming that Paulie knew I was coming and had the orphanage rigged so that when I showed up, he could blow it up?
I called Paulie and he admitted to it and stuff - just unsure why Dutch Oven whoever had anything to do with it when I was going to him based off a tip from that guy who doesnt pick sides - Butcher
Okay, here's how I think that part went down, I think.
After Jackie survived the first bombing, Paulie got Dutch Oven Harry and his boys to procure some explosives, and rig the orphanage with them, I'm assuming they did this as a deterrence, in case Jackie decided to go after Paulie's operations, which he did.
However, Jackie got to Dutch oven Harry a lot quicker than Paulie ever suspected, by the time Harry could contact Paulie, Jackie had wiped out just about everyone in Harry's lair, at that point deterrence goes out the window, and it's time for retaliation. So when Jackie get's to Harry, Harry is frantically telling Paulie to blow it up, either because he thinks it'll give Jackie pause, or just as a last act of revenge before he is killed.
I'm just hoping they keep the same kind of sublime "immersive" feel for the city as a whole that Starbreeze managed to pull off in the original. Simply wandering the streets and subways with the ambient music in the background, admiring all the little details (like the businesses and phone numbers you could actually call up for an achievement side-mission), and interacting with the people was a joy. The least Digital Extremes could do is get the same composer; The Darkeness' soundtrack was one of the best parts of the whole game. Just take a listen to my two favorite tracks:
Also anyone who didn't get the romantic achievement didn't play it right.
Made what happened later so much more painful
It was just a game, they were imaginary characters...
But seeing how that went tore me up a little inside. That BASTARD.
I took my time in ending him, just for her.
Hands-down, the biggest emotional gut-punch I've ever felt in my decades of gaming.
Agreed. After the cutscene that implied what was going to happen/already happened I sprinted all the way to her house not stopping to explore like I usually do.
The Darkness is definitely top 3 in games that have grabbed me emotionally. Castlevania:LOS just got added to the list.
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Which probably puts me in the same boat as man of shorn scrotes.
Mike Patton returning in The Darkness II
Damn I need to play it again, didn't get around to finishing it. How long is it, roughly?
Hands-down, the biggest emotional gut-punch I've ever felt in my decades of gaming.
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If they can keep all that and make combat more fun somehow, I'd be onboard. I'd probably need to finish the first for continuation purposes though (ugh)
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I also must echo the sadness of
Hoping they incorporate the Darkness's comic look at least a little bit in this one, that was one of my only disappointments with the original.
Ive said a billion times on here how I got this free with BioShock, tried to play it first, but all the BioShock hype sucked me in and I switched over, and never swicthed back.
Now after reading how this game has the most emotional ending (especially after finishing NIER recently) I have to give it a shot again.
Also, i had no idea the main guy was Charlie from Fringe. That alone just makes me excited as hell.
Also, World War I German soldiers =/= Nazis.
Edit: I wouldn't say the ending is all that emotional. It just sort of...happens. The 'emotional' moment everyone seems to be talking about happens about two-thirds of the way through the game.
That's one of the things that kinda concerned me too, when I read the preview. I really hope they don't turn Jackie into a one dimensional, asshole, anti-hero, who we root for only because all the other guys are even worse.
But, they do have the writer from the first game, so maybe I don't need too worry to much.
My Backloggery
And I got to Jenny's apartment.
Please tell me Im not alone in this:
I sat down to watch TV, and saw it was To Kill a Mockingbird. And I was like, wow, that's pretty neat. Bet its a loop of the intro.
Then I hung on the couch for the most genuine relationship scene, ever. Ever. It was honestly heartwarming. Then I got an achievement, so I figured they must end this soon.
And lo and behold, I sat and just felt like watching the movie. It was great. Her head in the screen kind of just soothed me and I felt like staying. Then I noticed a HALF HOUR had gone by, so I got up and made the phonecall to progress the story.
...and now Im crouched in front of Jenny's TV, because dammit I just want to watch this movie. I am shocked it appears to actually be the full movie. I feel like "this is a game, go play the game. Go do what the guy on the phone said!" But I just really want to watch this now.
Someone tell me Im not alone in this. I think I may stay for the duration.
You are not alone my friend, you are not alone. I too was amazed that they had the full movie in the game, and it's not just "To kill a mocking bird" I think they have a few other full length movies that you can watch.
And the scene with Jenny on the couch, that one scene, beats any other video game portrayal of romance that I have experienced. It's not grandiose, it's not two polygonal characters having sex, it's just a quiet heartfelt moment, in a game-world filled with corruption and brutality.
Such a great scene in game.
Still watching, by the way. Great flick. Southern child actors are the cutest.
Its Saturday, my videogame night. C'Mon, go play the game. Progress.
But...but...such a good flick!
Dammit, sorry about the spoiler. I removed it like 2 minutes after posting, guess I wasn't fast enough.
No problem - like I said:
Which he's already said in his loading screens, he's talking to Jenny about everything. Something is gonna go down.
I have tried to leave the room like 3 times now and everytime Im like "But I wanna see this part."
This is brilliance. Pure brilliance. Talk about immersion in games, jesus. This is fantastic.
Immersion, atmosphere, and making you believe that these are real characters, is something The Darkness did extremely well for me. The shooting is not as solid as it could be, but it's still fun, and the story more than makes up for some of the gameplay deficiencies. I've been replaying it recently, and even now I'm still discovering little story details that I hadn't noticed before.
EDIT: Also, I just found a [url="http://www.gamesradar.com/xbox360/the-darkness-ii/preview/the-darkness-ii-hands-on-preview/a-2011031212220204003/g-20110208101253325051]a hands-on previvew of The Darkness 2[/URL]
Especially since from everything I'm hearing, the game starts with an anonymous hot woman getting shot in the face. Ooo, so edgy. Remember the first one? Now THAT was some in media res shit.
And yeah, The Darkness definitely made the best use of televisions in a game, ever. (Not to mention they actually looked like CRT televisions and not a box with a video texture on it.
I'm trying to remain optimistic, I mean, if you're are trying to advertise your game to a mass market, are you going to say "We have an extremely strong narrative that is well thought out and emotionally engaging" or are you going to say "Look at this guy being ripped in half, and this other guy being impaled through the head to a wall!" It would be great if they talked more about the story, but like you said, it's understandable why they haven't yet.
They have the original writer from the first game, so I'm hoping he'll keep the story, and characters strong.
The game itself is kind of lacking - the shooting is really, really weird and I am dying a LOT.
But the story is really good. One quick, very early question as it all happened kind of fast:
I called Paulie and he admitted to it and stuff - just unsure why Dutch Oven whoever had anything to do with it when I was going to him based off a tip from that guy who doesnt pick sides - Butcher
The story is absolutely top notch, though.
Okay, here's how I think that part went down, I think.
However, Jackie got to Dutch oven Harry a lot quicker than Paulie ever suspected, by the time Harry could contact Paulie, Jackie had wiped out just about everyone in Harry's lair, at that point deterrence goes out the window, and it's time for retaliation. So when Jackie get's to Harry, Harry is frantically telling Paulie to blow it up, either because he thinks it'll give Jackie pause, or just as a last act of revenge before he is killed.
From one of the subways
Jenny's Theme
Seriously, I want this to be so good.
Agreed. After the cutscene that implied what was going to happen/already happened I sprinted all the way to her house not stopping to explore like I usually do.
The Darkness is definitely top 3 in games that have grabbed me emotionally. Castlevania:LOS just got added to the list.