The Darkness 2
Producer: 2K Games
Release Date: February 2, 2012
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Rating: Mature
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Embrace the Darkness
Written by Heather Spears
The Darkness II has made its way into player’s homes this month and has not failed to impress. This game forces the player to clinch the havoc of a dark force bestowed upon protagonist Jackie Estacado and if someone has played the first installment of 2K Game’s darkest title, they learned to adore the hidden yet mysterious power of this ancient force of darkness. From a storyline that is nothing less than amazing to the immense range of weapons available; anything a first-person shooter fan could ask for is offered in The Darkness II.
The player takes control of Jackie Estacado, the don of a crime family centered in New York. If there is anything that matters to Jackie, it is those he keeps close to him. After a hit was called on Mr. Estacado and his family at a local diner, Jackie made it his mission to track down those responsible for the murderous attempt. Little did Jackie know that a near death experience was going to bring back an ancient power that allowed him to control two dark beasts. This dark force is the only thing that allowed Jackie to survive.
The gameplay in The Darkness II is some of the most unique I have seen in a first-person shooter game. The darkness is a force in which the player is allowed to control. You have two dark creatures that act as weapons as well as the ability to carry two guns. Almost every weapon on this game can be duel wielded as well as having the capability of controlling the dark beasts. The ability of shooting a pistol and sub machine gun at the same time was something I had never had at my disposal before The Darkness II. Being able to cause chaos in four different ways in the blink of an eye makes the player feel unstoppable!
Aside from an amazing story mode, The Darkness II offers a four player co-op mode. This cooperative mode gives the player the capability of playing with their friends online in two different ways. The player can take part in a separate campaign that lightly follows the single player narrative or they can choose to play through quick sessions of individual levels. This mode adds a lot more play time to The Darkness II. The only thing that I did not love about this game is that it did not offer split-screen co-op. As an alternative, players can run through this campaign as well as some of the separate missions by themselves; however in all honesty it would have been nice to play cooperatively from the comfort of your own home as well as playing with friends online.
In conclusion, The Darkness II was much better than I had expected it to be. It is not your average first-person shooter and is sure to house enjoyment for fans of all types of games. However, the game could get a bit violent I would advise keeping the game away from small children. All in all, this game was very impressive and something at first glance I wouldn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did.