'Darksiders 2'

THQ

Microsoft Xbox 360 (PC, PS3)

$59.99

ESRB rating: Mature

Review rating: 5.0 stars

Many gamers were pleasantly surprised by how much they enjoyed playing the original "Darksiders." While it may not introduce many new game play elements, the title does combine several gaming styles and features into a fun and exciting package. Now "Darksiders 2" has been unleashed upon the gaming masses, and dealing death as a horseman of the apocalypse has never been more fun!

Players took on the role of War in the first game, and the sequel casts them as his cursed brother, Death. When War is punished for doing his job too well, it's up to The Grim Reaper to save his brother by resurrecting humanity (ironic, don't you think?). To accomplish this, Death must first visit the World Tree. But to do that, he must rekindle a great forge's cauldron, ask the help of a mighty golem, destroy an even mightier golem, collect numerous items here and there, etc. ... you know ... typical fantasy hero work.

This awesome surrealistic adventure begins with linear game play that opens up into a vast world that players are free to explore on the back of the mighty warhorse, Despair. There are worn down castles and dungeons to pillage, mighty enemies to destroy and hidden areas to discover. In addition, it's really fun to explore new areas and find chests full of loot using the sweet platforming and climbing skills at Death's fingertips.

I really love how discovering the right path requires much more than simply finding a key. Guiding Death through some areas requires riding atop a mobile golem and using its abilities while other areas require the use of explosive orbs or a cool ability called Deathgrip. Sometimes the path is obvious but requires skills like using handholds and wall-running, while other times players must find hidden paths that could be underwater or behind debris.

This sweet game would still be great if it only had exploration, puzzle elements and platforming, but it becomes another beast entirely when the awesome combat elements are added. Not surprisingly, Death's main weapon is a pair of razor-sharp scythes that he whirls around with lethal ferocity, and he can also wield secondary weapons. Death has access to numerous stylish yet deadly moves and learns new ones from trainers as well as through leveling up.

Two skill trees offer Death two distinctly different ways to unleash hell upon his enemies. The Harbinger tree features more offensive moves that can be augmented with fire damage or the ability to generate wrath while the Necromancer tree lets Death summon minions to do his dirty work. It's cool how some abilities from one tree can still be used in another, such as choosing the Necromancer shield ability even when following the Harbinger skill tree.

As mentioned before, players can now pick up loot from enemies and chests as well as purchasing and selling loot from vendors. This welcome new feature lets players customize their character much more than before. For instance, players specializing in offense will want gear that adds strength and critical hit damage, while defensive players will want gear and weapons that add hit points and resistance. It's entirely up to the players to decide if they want bonuses like lightening damage and increased execution chance.

Another favorite new addition is a set of weapons that can be upgraded with other armor and weapons from the player's inventory to make them much more powerful! Not only that, but the same attributes found in the gear used to upgrade these weapons is usually transferred to the upgraded weapon. Each weapon can only be upgraded five times, but they usually end up being the most powerful weapon available in their category!

"Darksiders 2" may be dark and dreary, but it's one helluva game!