Written by: PlayDevil.com Staff

 

 

 

"The Darkness 2" is set to continue the story of Jackie Estacado, a possessed member of the New York mob. With the story and voice acting the most interesting elements or the original, The Darkness 2 looks set to improve on the formula, continuing its dark narrative and introducing quad welding to spice up the combat.

 

The original Darkness was an interesting title. Telling the tale of betrayed Mafia hitman Jackie Estacado out to confront his treacherous uncle, who set him up and killed his innocent girlfriend.

 

Possessed on his 21st birthday by the Darkness, a demon that moves between the men of his family, Jackie gained the power necessary for his revenge. But the union was not altogether a happy one as the two struggled for control of their shared body.

 

Continuing The Darkness’s story some two years after the end of the first game The Darkness 2 seems ready to build on everything that made the first game unique. Hand drawn textures fill the world maintaining, and improving on the graphic novel style of the first game.

 

Demonic overtones are also still in full effect with the hydra like tendrils of the Darkness still snaking on to the screen, with their reptilian eyes glowing. These dark appendages powers have been increased however now being able to be used along side the games conventional weapons (that Jackie seems determined to duel wield) leaving players with up to four possible attacks readily available at any time.

 

This quad-wielding its to be a major focal point of The Darkness 2’s new refined combat system. Gunplay itself is actually far more refined, with the feel of the combat having far more punch during the playable part of the demo I had hands on with. A set piece saw Jackie dragged backward through a restaurant shootout, foot crushed and bleeding. Each of the two pistols he brandishes feel like they have a more satisfying weight and impact than was present in the last game. As Jackie’s mob enemies move in on his turf he is forced to once again embrace the Darkness, raising up and revealing the tendrils that provide his other weapons, one to slash and one to grab.

 

Perhaps the most interesting element of Jackie’s powers is its reliance on darkness. In the light the tendrils lose power. Where this was an element in the original game in The Darkness 2 it becomes a far more central element, playing in to the moment-to-moment of play rather than orchestrated set pieces. Entering bright light see Jackie loosing his powers and unable to regenerate health, while at the same time sound fills his ears distorting the sound and the screen washes of colour. It is a dynamic that places far more focus on planning attacks, ensuring lights are either destroyed or avoided before engaging.

 

Another slight alteration to the first Darkness sees the darklings of the first game compressed down into a single character, with considerably more personality. These small imps could originally be called on four at a time to help with a variety of weapons on hand as they followed Jackie around. Now as a single character with more gravitas the Darkling now has slightly more agency, making dark quips as he shadows Jackie, dressed in his bizarre mishmash of clothes and peeing on downed enemies.

 

With all the improvements to the game’s mechanics and the narrative shaping up to be as interesting as the first, my only worry is that The Darkness 2 will lose the hub world that gave the original’s narrative its sense of exploration. It would be a shame to lose this freedom, but with its cross of mafia supernatural fictions I am sure it will still prove a refreshing change when it releases for 360 and PS3 in February 2012.