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[Darksiders] = Zelda + DMC + GoW + Panzer Dragoon + SotC + Portal.

ChanceChance Registered User regular
edited October 2010 in Games and Technology
DARKSIDERS 2 IS ON THE WAY
(see: 2012)



759954321_E7mFJ-L.jpg

"Darksiders is The Legend of Zelda...

if Hyrule were destroyed in the Apocalypse,

Link was given a chain gun,

and grew some balls."




darksiders-logo.png
Release date : January 5th 2010
360 & PS3
DS-2.jpg


Reviews. There were some early 9s and 10s that showed up in early December, but early reviews are often full of crap - so here's some that popped up the week prior to release.
9/10 - IGN Australia.
9/10 - IGN UK.
8.5/10 - Game Informer.
My fave so far is this review from AusGamer (9/10), which basically tells me everything I wanted to hear about the game.

If you don't trust those damned cynical professionals, and would prefer to hear the organized opinions of some fellow PAers, here's Professor Snugglesworth's review. And, why the hell not - here's mine.


Darksiders! What's the story? Who's the dev? Why should you care? I'm here to tell you, bucko.

The Developer
Vigil Games haven't made anything else, and Darksiders has been in development for years. In terms of pedigree, this game has nothing. Nothing, that is, unless you count comic book artist Joe Madureira. He formed Vigil Games with David Adams and some other talent from NCsoft.

Now, word is Joe "Mad" is a big deal in the world of comics - I can't vouch for that - but I can say that even with the traditional post-apocalyptic grey-and-brown world, I love this game's art style.

Screenshots! (Big, BIG screenshots.)
screen_03.jpg


screen_04.jpg


screen_05.jpg

...y'know, these shots don't quite sell the game for me. Perhaps it's better I point you towards this trailer. This is the one that made me sit up and take notice.



The Story
The basic premise is, you play as War - one of the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The first playable part of the game is you and your Mounted Apocalypse Posse ripping the Earth a new one to usher in the end of days, Book of Revelations-style.

What a twist! You were tricked into triggering the apocalypse early! Left in limbo for a hundred years, you are judged guilty by the overseers of the Balance - but you convince them to let you return to Earth to find the orchestrator of your betrayal.

Once you get back to the mortal plane, it's not all kittens and puppies. The world has been torn apart by a century of war between the angels and the demons - and they both want you dead. To make matters worse, your glove has been possessed by Mark Hamil.
the_watcher.jpg

This happy fellow is a malicious spirit that the overseers of the Balance stuck you with, to keep an eye on you while you're out of their presence. Described by the developers as an "evil Navi," The Watcher will point stuff out to you - but he's not necessarily there to help...




Why should you care?
I was once like you. When I first saw video of Darksiders, I was blown away that they were willing to show anything at all. A generic, chunky he-man slices up a generic-looking monster in a vast, empty waste that looked... well, you get the idea. It looked awful. But the more I see, the more I like it.

Combat
Once War whittles down his enemies, he can dispatch them with brutal finishers. So it's got a little God of War in there. I've also seen War blast an enemy into the air with his sword and keep him aloft with a hail of gunfire - so it's got a little Devil May Cry as well. If you're going to crib elements of combat, it doesn't hurt to start with the best.


Voice Talent
We all love Mark Hamil, but my personal favorite VO is Phil LaMarr. He's Hermes Conrad (and many others) on Futurama, he's Samurai Jack, he's Vamp in Metal Gear Solid, and he's Marvin - who gets his head blown off in the back seat - in Pulp Fiction. LaMarr plays Vulgrim - essentially, the demonic merchant War buys his gear from.

If you watched the video I liked above, you probably recognize War's voice from somewhere, but you can't pin it down. Well, that's Liam O'Brien , best known for his work in the English localizations of anime. He's quite a prolific talent. Anyway - all this stuff is nice, but here's the kicker. Here's the important bit:


It's like Zelda
The Watcher is an "evil Navi" and your horse is like "a bad-ass Epona." Seeing a trend here?

At media events, when discussing the game with devs, journalists are quick to compare it to combat-heavy games like God of War and Devil May Cry, but the developers shrug off these lables and straight-out say the game Darksiders is most like is Zelda.

You've got a giant open world. A lot of it, you can't access yet. You're not strong enough, or you don't have the right tool.

You find new powers and tools by entering dungeons. Each dungeon is unique, and each one houses a special artifact that - naturally - will be key to solving future puzzles and bringing down that dungeon's boss monster.

Once you leave the dungeon, you discover your new found power will grant you passage to previously inaccessible areas - and there, you will likely discover a new dungeon...
darksiderscomics.jpg

So that's it, that's my spiel. Dig on some trailers if you want more media, but it's this multi-part developer walkthrough that really sold me:

Part One
.
Part Two.
Part Three.

'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
Chance on
«13456763

Posts

  • GraviijaGraviija Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    As a self-proclaimed ultra-mega-super-awesome Zelda fanboy, this game interests me. It looks pretty fun, gameplay-wise.

    However, much of my love for Zelda comes from the charm and fanasty atmosphere the game handles so well. Post-apocalypse dystopian futures where everything is dull and lifeless (by design, I know) are terribly uninteresting to me.

    Well, I'll be watching for more vids and eventually reviews. I'm sure I'll try it at some point. Anyway, I hadn't heard of the game before now - thanks for the heads up.

    Graviija on
  • freakish lightfreakish light butterdick jones and his heavenly asshole machineRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Is this another one of those PS3 exclusives that haunt me with tales of wonder that I'll never get to enjoy?

    freakish light on
  • RakaiRakai Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Is this another one of those PS3 exclusives that haunt me with tales of wonder that I'll never get to enjoy?

    No.

    Rakai on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]XBL: Rakayn | PS3: Rakayn | Steam ID
  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    What the fuck. Between this and Dante's Inferno it seems the horrors of the 90's are all coming back.

    OH FUCK YEAH! HE'S SO X-TREME! CHECK OUT HIS BADASS HORSE ON FIRE. ALSO CHAINS! AWWWW SHIT!

    Todd Mcfarlane has a lot to answer for.

    -SPI- on
  • TelMarineTelMarine Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    he needs a bigger sword, for sure.

    TelMarine on
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  • DelzhandDelzhand Hard to miss. Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    -SPI- wrote: »
    What the fuck. Between this and Dante's Inferno it seems the horrors of the 90's are all coming back.

    OH FUCK YEAH! HE'S SO X-TREME! CHECK OUT HIS BADASS HORSE ON FIRE. ALSO CHAINS! AWWWW SHIT!

    Todd Mcfarlane has a lot to answer for.

    I just can't get past the aesthetic, either. It looks like Gears of War + magic and swords. I guess it's not "for me", but if the Zelda comparison holds up, I may check it out.

    Delzhand on
  • TravanTravan Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I've actually been following this game for a bit. Not because of the game itself, mind you. Don't get me wrong, it seems interesting enough. But the main reason is, well...the developers, Vigil Games? They're making one other game besides this. That game? Warhammer 40000 Online. http://www.vigilgames.com/games_40k.php.

    While they may have taken a more comic-book approach to visuals, as some have pointed out, there are a lot of similarities between this and what you find in 40k that make me wonder if this isn't somehow practice.

    Travan on
    Gamertag- Travan7838


  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    "Grew some balls?" Link is all about Courage, he already has balls. :evil:

    Henroid on
  • slash000slash000 Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I think it looks blah aesthetically, but I'll keep my mind open should this Zelda-esque gameplay turn out to be well-implemented.

    slash000 on
  • ButtcleftButtcleft Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I.

    Want.

    This.

    NOW.

    I will devour the flesh and bone of any who get in my way of getting it.

    Buttcleft on
  • HappylilElfHappylilElf Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    -SPI- wrote: »
    What the fuck. Between this and Dante's Inferno it seems the horrors of the 90's are all coming back.

    OH FUCK YEAH! HE'S SO X-TREME! CHECK OUT HIS BADASS HORSE ON FIRE. ALSO CHAINS! AWWWW SHIT!

    Todd Mcfarlane has a lot to answer for.

    Well, umm, it's a game about one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

    You know, the four guys who show up to end the world?

    They were kind of the definition of "extreme" long before Mcfarlane's shit existed.

    Or if you prefer you could say they're the epitome of "metal". Perhaps even "fucking metal".

    HappylilElf on
  • ChanceChance Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    TelMarine wrote: »
    he needs a bigger sword, for sure.

    He's not compensating! No, not at all!


    Henroid wrote: »
    "Grew some balls?" Link is all about Courage, he already has balls. :evil:

    I totally agree - but it's still a funny quote from the devs.



    As to the whole "Todd McFarlane" thing - the game's creative lead is an ex-comic book artist. I never felt it was trying to be too extreme (War, Ruin - his horse - and the angels' armor are all pretty chunky-crazy though) - but even if it is, I'm blinded by the concept of a treasured game-style that's never been made expressly for an adult audience.

    Zelda and Okami are great - but they're also made with a different, younger, more-forgiving audience in mind. This is a Zelda-like made for us.

    Chance on
    'Chance, you are the best kind of whore.' -Henroid
  • Walrus PeteWalrus Pete Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I'm certainly intrigued. I'm betting there won't be a PC version though, which sucks since I currently lack a 360.

    Walrus Pete on
  • -SPI--SPI- Osaka, JapanRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    -SPI- wrote: »
    What the fuck. Between this and Dante's Inferno it seems the horrors of the 90's are all coming back.

    OH FUCK YEAH! HE'S SO X-TREME! CHECK OUT HIS BADASS HORSE ON FIRE. ALSO CHAINS! AWWWW SHIT!

    Todd Mcfarlane has a lot to answer for.

    Well, umm, it's a game about one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse.

    You know, the four guys who show up to end of the world?

    They were kind of the definition of "extreme" long before Mcfarlane's shit existed.

    Or if you prefer you could say they're the epitome of "metal". Perhaps even "fucking metal".
    Yeah, the bible was chock full of shitty 90's comic book art. Same with all those Hieronymus Bosch paintings.

    Oh wait, no. It's a creatively bankrupt artstyle that was shit the first time round and is doubly shit upon being regurgitated several years later.

    Having that shitty artstyle and then having it be about the four horsemen of the apocalypse only serves to make things worse. AWW SHIT! YOU'RE MOTHERFUCKING WAR! COME TO END THE WORLD! OHHHHHHH! AND YOU WERE BETRAYED AND NOW SOMEONE'S GONNA PAY!

    Really? Really guys? Wrath of War? I just... *sigh*
    Chance wrote: »
    As to the whole "Todd McFarlane" thing - the game's creative lead is an ex-comic book artist. I never felt it was trying to be too extreme (War, Ruin - his horse - and the angels' armor are all pretty chunky-crazy though) - but even if it is, I'm blinded by the concept of a treasured game-style that's never been made expressly for an adult audience.
    Adult Audience? Hahahaha. Try "14 yr old boy" audience.

    -SPI- on
  • UnbreakableVowUnbreakableVow Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Not gonna lie, this looks pretty sweet.

    I want Zelda-type gameplay from more than just Zelda, dammit. Nintendo takes too fucking long making them.

    UnbreakableVow on
  • slash000slash000 Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Not gonna lie, this looks pretty sweet.

    I want Zelda-type gameplay from more than just Zelda, dammit. Nintendo takes too fucking long making them.

    Yeah I know. I don't really care much for what little I've seen of this, but it still begs the question as to why more games don't attempt the Zelda formula.

    slash000 on
  • UnbreakableVowUnbreakableVow Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    slash000 wrote: »
    Not gonna lie, this looks pretty sweet.

    I want Zelda-type gameplay from more than just Zelda, dammit. Nintendo takes too fucking long making them.

    Yeah I know. I don't really care much for what little I've seen of this, but it still begs the question as to why more games don't attempt the Zelda formula.

    Or Metroid.

    Though we just had two Metroid-styles in two weeks (Shadow Complex and Batman: Arkham Asylum), so maybe people are finally catching on after, you know, twenty years.

    UnbreakableVow on
  • TravanTravan Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    What the fuck. Between this and Dante's Inferno it seems the horrors of the 90's are all coming back.
    This strikes me as a completely differently quality of game from Dante's Inferno. Then again, it probably helps that its an original IP and not a bastardization of a classic. At the very least its marketing isn't nearly so ridiculous.
    -SPI- wrote: »
    Yeah, the bible was chock full of shitty 90's comic book art. Same with all those Hieronymus Bosch paintings.

    Oh wait, no. It's a creatively bankrupt artstyle that was shit the first time round and is doubly shit upon being regurgitated several years later.

    Having that shitty artstyle and then having it be about the four horsemen of the apocalypse only serves to make things worse. AWW SHIT! YOU'RE MOTHERFUCKING WAR! COME TO END THE WORLD! OHHHHHHH! AND YOU WERE BETRAYED BY AND NOW SOMEONE'S GONNA PAY!

    Really? Really guys? Wrath of War? I just... *sigh*
    Chance wrote: »
    As to the whole "Todd McFarlane" thing - the game's creative lead is an ex-comic book artist. I never felt it was trying to be too extreme (War, Ruin - his horse - and the angels' armor are all pretty chunky-crazy though) - but even if it is, I'm blinded by the concept of a treasured game-style that's never been made expressly for an adult audience.
    Adult Audience? Hahahaha. Try "14 yr old boy" audience.

    Gonna say it again: this game is being made by the people making the Warhammer 40k MMO. Don't know about you, but they seem pretty similar aesthetically. Maybe the plotting is a little weak, and I'll admit that I groaned at the subtitle(which I haven't seen all that publicized recently, so maybe they wised up).

    Travan on
    Gamertag- Travan7838


  • LeumasWhiteLeumasWhite New ZealandRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    40k is where GRIMDARK originated, so that's not much of an argument.

    I can take or leave the stylings, but Zelda gameplay is always good.

    LeumasWhite on
    QPPHj1J.jpg
  • RonaldoTheGypsyRonaldoTheGypsy Yes, yes Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    It's like Zelda my ass.

    RonaldoTheGypsy on
  • Forever ZefiroForever Zefiro cloaked in the midnight glory of an event horizonRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Everytime I see something about this game, I just want to read Good Omens again.

    Forever Zefiro on
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  • OlivawOlivaw good name, isn't it? the foot of mt fujiRegistered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I was sold once I heard Mark Hamill was voicing your sidekick

    I seriously don't even give a shit how fucking 90's it is, I'll play any game for Luke Skywalker

    Olivaw on
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  • DartboyDartboy Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    This and Dante's Inferno were both playable at PAX, and personally, between the two this one seemed a lot more fun. It controlled way better, and the moves and everything felt like it flowed better. I'm not really seeing the Zelda comparison though, as it was more God of War than anything, but still could be interesting.

    Dartboy on
  • FaffelFaffel Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Call me crazy, but the fantasy genre is the only thing that can pull of ridiculous XTREME SUPERMANLY MAN warfare off properly. I always felt the Gears of War ultra-testosterone feel really fit the fantasy genre way more. 300 pound men in 500 suits of obsidian platemail slaying thousands of men with nothing but his bare hands and a warhammer sheathed in lightning can be seen as proper heroes, despite the fact they have no pity for their human foes. This entire game looks like one epic metal song.

    But then again, I guess video games are a serious artistic genre where letting your hair down and slaying thousands of foes while drinking virgin blood and carrying a dozen maidens across your shoulders is forbidden.

    Faffel on
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
  • HenroidHenroid Mexican kicked from Immigration Thread Centrism is Racism :3Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    When they say "It's like Zelda" it implies, "You'll go through dungeons finding one special item at a time, either to advance the game or to give you another weapon." I haven't watched the trailer yet. So let's see if this is hinted at.

    Edit - Okay not sure if it's there; might be. But holy crap you play as one of the Four Horsemen (that would explain the name) yesssss.
    Edit - And Mark Hammil is a yesplz.

    Henroid on
  • DavoidDavoid Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    So it's like Zelda without any of the charm?

    ...but with a ton more pseudo-badass attitude?

    Davoid on
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  • UnbreakableVowUnbreakableVow Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Davoid wrote: »
    So it's like Zelda without any of the charm?

    ...but with a ton more badass attitude?

    Fuck yeah it is.

    UnbreakableVow on
  • Walrus PeteWalrus Pete Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Sometimes, you just gotta chop up some motherfuckers. This looks like a good game for scratching that itch.

    Walrus Pete on
  • Jam WarriorJam Warrior Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    If the gameplay is good then the over the top art style could be fun. The Zelda clone aims of the devs are a noble enough endevour if they do it right. Cautious interest gained but hardly salivating with demand.

    Jam Warrior on
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  • Giga GopherGiga Gopher Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    This game looks incredible!

    Giga Gopher on
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  • PeewiPeewi Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I hope it'll come out for PC. There's way too many awesome games that are multiplatform, but still doesn't have a PC version.

    Peewi on
  • KlykaKlyka DO you have any SPARE BATTERIES?Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I wanted this game ever since they first announced it.

    I also want to have Mark Hamill follow me around and comment on everything I do.
    In real life.

    Klyka on
    SC2 EU ID Klyka.110
    lTDyp.jpg
  • JohnDoeJohnDoe Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    After seeing this, my quota of looking at terrible things has been met for the day.

    JohnDoe on
  • XagarathXagarath Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I am very much in favour of more Zelda-types, but this really does look horribly generic.

    Xagarath on
  • RichardTauberRichardTauber Kvlt Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    What a story ...

    RichardTauber on
  • KlykaKlyka DO you have any SPARE BATTERIES?Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Yeah this is totally generic, I am so fed up with all those Zelda like games where you play one of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse and fight against techno angels and crazy huge demons while riding a burning horse.

    GOD DAMN IT EA, STOP MILKING THOSE CLICHÉS!

    Klyka on
    SC2 EU ID Klyka.110
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  • AntihippyAntihippy Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    EA has nothing to do with this. o_O

    Antihippy on
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  • KlykaKlyka DO you have any SPARE BATTERIES?Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    That's the joke.

    Klyka on
    SC2 EU ID Klyka.110
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  • UncleSporkyUncleSporky Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    I am slightly annoyed by the fact that everywhere they go the devs are all "Zelda, Zelda, Zelda." I guess you might want to get the word out to a target audience, but geez, have some originality. You didn't hear publicity for God of War going "it's like Jak and Daxter...only ultraviolent!"

    Don't claim your game is like any other game because it will seem like you set out to duplicate it and, more often than not, failed to do so. Perhaps not failed at making a decent game, but failed to make a Zelda game.

    UncleSporky on
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  • AntihippyAntihippy Registered User regular
    edited September 2009
    Klyka wrote: »
    That's the joke.

    It does look pretty generic/boring in a sort of gothic RAWR BRUTAL kind of way.

    Antihippy on
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