Darksiders II Xbox 360
User Score
8.1 out of 10

Generally favorable reviews- based on 341 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 286 out of 341
  2. Mixed: 14 out of 341
  3. Negative: 41 out of 341

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  1. WyattTheAwesome
    May 29, 2013
    7
    Darksiders 2 didn't have the same appeal as Darksiders 1 did, in my opinion at least. What I loved about the first game was the only way to get past a certain scenario was to use your cunning and make a plan for the according situation. So, my problem with Darksiders 2 and the RPG system is when a challenging part of the game comes up, all I have to do is go grind for hours then wail on the enemies with ridiculously good equipment. Speaking of equipment, there are so many item drops that it makes me wonder what's the point of so many different weapons if I'm just going to get better blades in 2 minutes. This is not a bad game or a bad sequel, it's just not as good as it's previous game was.… Expand
  2. AwesomeGamer
    Oct 29, 2012
    10
    One of the best games i have played in awhile, people really need to stop trolling, i'm a PS3 fan, but this game is as good or even better than God of War 3, it's not a clone imo.
  3. gordofredito
    Sep 8, 2012
    5
    the first one was bad, mediocre and sloppy. This one fixes a few stuff, but to be honest, it's incredibly overrated, I won't say it's bad. But I'll go as far and say it's NOT good, I mean, when customizing your character, the textures NEVER appear, it looks horrible, the gameplay is solid, but there's just something about the game that doesn't feel right
  4. birdman3
    May 15, 2013
    9
    The game is on the longer end of satisfying, but there are tons of great things about it: the combat is fast, frantic, and dynamic. The RPG elements allow you to style yourself into your own weapon of death, and you upgrade your equipment often enough to make it an important part of the game. There's tons of loot as well, so that should be pleasing to RPG fans. The only downsides are the various bugs and repetitive nature of the puzzles- while the game is consistently challenging, at times I found myself thinking "I wish I were done with this temple already", mostly because I wanted to get back into fighting. I would recommend this game to any adventure RPG fan. Here's to hoping they make a third!… Expand
  5. huffnat890
    Jan 4, 2013
    6
    It's no secret that I found very little to be loved with the first Darksiders but after seeing all the hype surrounding the sequel I found myself getting excited about it more and more as time wore on. Unfortunately, I found myself to be pretty disappointed. The graphics are mediocre, the setting is very uninteresting, and the enemy design is a combination of both. Throughout the game you will fight the same enemies over and over again and the only enemies that are any different are the complete pushovers of bosses. The bosses are ridiculously easy and very uninspired with one being almost an exact rehash of a boss from the first game. The world is pretty big, but there is absolutely nothing to do in it. Not to mention hardly any enemies. The graphics are just bleh all over and is barely an improvement over the first one. You will consistently see the pixels on everything without even having to look that hard. You play as Death, the brother of War, who is trying to absolve War of his sins. Besides that i couldn't tell you anything else about the story which seemed nonsensical at best. None of the characters are very intriguing and most have the most annoying voices you could ever imagine. Eventually I just started skipping the cut scenes to get to the only saving grace of this game which is the gameplay. Darksiders 2 plays like any other hack and slash games, but has a Borderlands like loot system. This quickly becomes addicting especially once you start growing as a character and finding unique possessed weapons. These weapons devour other weapons and become a force to be reckoned with. Every level you gain a skill point that you can put towards abilities. The necromancer tree seemed cool at first but halfway through I started putting stuff into the Harbinger tree and just used teleport slash non stop. Ultimately, Darksiders II is better than its predecessor but tends to get incredibly dull with only a little bit of fun to be had.… Expand
  6. David_wayne
    Oct 5, 2012
    9
    Darksiders 2 is a great game.
    Vigil games did a great job this time around.everything seems much better than darksiders 1(which wasn't a bad game)but just didn't feel quite right.But Darksiders 2 hit all the right buttons, with a huge world and awesome weapons and gear that you get in the game.I love action/rpg games and This game is one Awesome ride, I will be playing for a long time.Now     there are some problems with glitches and bugs here and there and from what I've heard some game crashes(which I haven't experienced yet Knock on wood)and sometimes a stuttery frame-rate but I can over look those things because I'm sure Vigil will fix those problems quickly.a must buy title worth 60 bucks.… Expand
  7. Surg3on
    Oct 8, 2012
    5
    Simple fact of the matter is that it is just as mediocre as Darksiders 1. The camera problems have not been fixed, in fact it has been made worse by the fact Death is supposed to be so nimble in combat (standing still = defeat). Its not BAD by any means but there is a lot better out there. Art direction is good but let down by a mediocre (theres that word again) engine. PC version is OK but again it lacks much consideration that you might not be using the console version!… Expand
  8. JBo796
    Aug 17, 2012
    6
    I'm having a really hard time getting used to the art style (more specifically the character models). Everyone looks too big and clunky. The same goes for a lot of the secondary weapons. Also, when I'm attacking with X and want to quick switch to a Y attack, there is an annoying delay. And where is the double jump? Maybe you unlock it further in, but I feel like this ability should be present.

    On a positive note. The overall art direction is good. The combat is fun. There is lots of loot to be had. I enjoy the platforming as well as the puzzles and the soundtrack is simply great. I may update my score after playing more, but I'm not seeing this as a 10 like so many others on here.    … Expand
  9. norse
    Dec 2, 2012
    10
    This is so far the only game this year that deserves a perfect 10. The graphics are breathtaking, the gameplay is incredibly well balanced and motivating, the story is deep, interesting, consistent and continuous. I really like the first darksiders, but having had little luck with sequels so far (think AC3, ME3, H4, ...) I was a bit weary. Instead, they upped the ante - longer gameplay, more interesting characters, better gfx, a great score etc. pp. Loved it to death, a bit scared that any sequel will have to fight hard to stay competitive. One other reviewer pointed out how this game managed to not become tedious like the other big rpgs of late (Skyrim - loved it, but it had a bit of the repetetive). I concur completely. If I ever meet people from Vigil who worked on DII, they won't need to worry about buying their own drinks. Seriously.… Expand
  10. conboydude
    Aug 15, 2012
    10
    This game was NOT what I expected! I **** LOVE IT, amazing story great breathe taking worlds and enviroments! The RPG elements are perfect from the armor to the leveling up and the open world just make this far superior to the first! There was a goose bump worthy epic fighting barely an hour into the game! I am loving it and know I will love it the rest of the way through GET THIS **** GAME
  11. killiana1a
    Aug 29, 2012
    5
    Bigger is not better. This game is basically a 3rd person Borderlands, minus the charm, if Borderlands consisted of nothing more than dungeon crawl after dungeon crawl with an arena and and an annoying amount of collectibles to keep the neurotic completionist gamers playing. Also, the camera issue has not been fixed. The issue being it zoomed in way too close in combat to the point you cannot tell which enemy is attacking you. Overall, I was expecting more and I find myself playing through more of my third run through of Skyrim than I do this game.… Expand
  12. JuicieJ
    Oct 19, 2012
    8
    Overall, a great game. The combat is intense and action-packed, the puzzle-solving is really good for the most part, the RPG elements are top-notch, and the art style is simply gorgeous. It's not perfect, though. The frame rate issues from the first Darksiders are back, the controls will occasionally glitch out, and the storytelling took a turn for the worst. Not much about the first game is truly explained, and the ending hardly results in a satisfying conclusion. Nevertheless, the game's problems aren't nearly enough to hold it back from being an enjoyable experience, and the game is without a doubt a vast improvement over its predecessor. Vigil still has a long way to go if they want this franchise to be elite, but if Darksiders II gets enough sales to allow Darksiders III to happen, I think there's a good chance elite status will be achieved. Whether or not that happens... only time will tell.… Expand
  13. xiaolinstyle
    Aug 29, 2012
    1
    Having played through the vast majority of the game and having liked the first one very much I must say Darksiders 2 is a MUST AVOID. It is in nearly every way worse than its predecessor. The platforming is extremely repetitive, combat is frequently unresponsive, and the game has a MASSIVE amount of GAME BREAKING bugs. If you liked the first one and wish to continue the story do yourself a favor and wait for the patch. If you are on the fence wait till it hits the bargain bin...cause it definitely will.… Expand
  14. TheDesertFox
    Sep 6, 2012
    9
    Eccovi finalemente la nostra recensione di Darksiders II, una delle poche uscite estive che meritano grande attenzione. Il gioco è un seguito un po' strano perchè, temporalmente, si svolge in parallelo alla storia narrata nel primo capitolo di quella che al momento è una saga (mancano ancora due cavalieri all'appello, bisognerà aspettare e sperare che THQ non spezzi il brand visti anche i suoi problemi finanziari) a metà. Il primo Darksiders fu una sorpresa per molti, "pubblicizzato" come action adventure che prendeva a piene mani dai mostri sacri del genere (Zelda e God of War su tutti) non ebbe il successo e la visibiltà sperata che arrivarono solo in tempi successivi, anche grazie all'annuncio di questo secondo capitolo in grado di migliorare esponenzialmente ogni aspetto del titolo originale.


    Quello che ci salta subito all'occhio è la mancanza di un filo conduttore, mi spiego meglio. La trama principale, è si ben congeniata e seguibile ma se purtroppo fate parte del pubblico che non ha giocato l'avventura di Guerra rimarrete con dei dubbi nel procedere del gioco che non verrano svelati. Non ci sono dei "re-cap" sui fatti della storia e sui personaggi già apparsi nel primo capitolo. Questo è anche attendibile in maniera "virtuale", anche perchè ripeto che le storie si svolgono parallelamente, ma come media "reale" si pone con debolezza proponendo ai giocatori solo cut-scene sbrigative e dialoghi (quasi) tagliati a metà. Il difetto non è da poco ma tendo a precisare che è l'unico.

    Il gioco grazie al level design ed al sistema di combattimento si pone come uno dei migliori del genere, almeno per questa generazione hardware. A differenza di Guerra, Morte, è molto veloce e dinamico nei combattimenti dandovi la sensazione di puntare quasi più sulla velocità che sulla forza bruta. Le armi saranno due: le vostre falci (arma principale) e come secondaria avrete la possibilità di scegliere tra manopole, lance, asce o martelli. Potrete personalizzare completamente il vostro protagonista con l'equipaggiamento che più vi aggrada, e sicuramente quello più performante. Si perchè sparsi nel mondo di gioco, oltre ai mercanti, ci saranno una miriade di forzieri da scovare ed aprire, per scovare l'arma o l'armatura sempre più forte.

    Oltre a questo, Morte, accumulerà esperienza dopo ogni uccisione ed ogni livello che guadagnerete vi premierà con un punto da donare ad uno dei rami di abilità del personaggio: potrete optare per una specializzazione nel combattimento oppure per una sorta di potere magico, starà a voi scegliere quello che più vi sembra utile. Il mondo da esplorare è molto vasto e grazie all' ottimo level design non vi annoierete mai anche se la tipica routine del genere (cut-scene/dungeon/Boss) farà da padrone nel gioco. Ogni dungeon che visiterete vi offrirà, in base alle vostre scelte, la possibilità di essere completato in fretta e furia o, in maniera opposta, in modo"esplorativo" tipicamente in stile RPG cercando, magari, i forzieri di cui parlavo poco fa o uno dei moltissimi collezionabili presenti nel gioco. Il tutto si presenterà davanti a voi come una sorta di puzzle-game ambientale: leve, meccanismi da attivare o chiavi da recuperare saranno l'unico modo per progredire nell'avventura. Grazie a questo fattore e anche alle svariate side-quests che accompagneranno la trama principale il gioco potrebbe arrivare a durarvi quasi ben 30 ore, una longevità immensa se paragonata ai canoni degli ultimi tempi.


    Dal punto di vista tecnico il titolo è una "semplice" evoluzione del predecessore: il motore di gioco è palesemente lo stesso upgradato nel corso dei due anni e mezzo che separano le due uscite, ma che sa farsi apprezzare. I modelli poligonali dei personaggi, almeno quelli principali, sono molto solidi e dettagliati, sono presenti ottimi effetti di luce e si possono notare ottime texture negli ambienti chiusi (il mondo esterno è si ben congeniato ma a voler essere pignoli scarseggia un po' nel dettaglio). Ogni tanto ho notato dei rallentamenti dovuti, secondo me, alla spremitura estrema di un hardware ormai datato (la prova è stata effettuata su 360) ma nel complesso il lavoro generale sul codice è di ottima fattura.


    Traendo le ultime conclusioni sono dell'idea che questo Darksiders II sia uno dei migliori titoli usciti nel corso di questa generazione grazie anche alle ottime basi lasciate dall'avventura di Guerra. La narrazione debole potrebbe risultare un grave difetto ma in un'ipotetica saga mancante di ancora due titoli (in teoria) è un aspetto che secondo me è analizzabile in modo lungimirante piuttosto che sul solo gioco in questione. Il sistema di crescita e combattimento rendono l'esplorazione estremamente divertente ed il mondo di gioco vi colpirà con ambienti sempre nuovi e mai scontati. Correte ad acquistarlo (insieme al primo se manca alla vostra collezione) e dateci sotto con Morte. Buon divertimento!

    Voto 9/10(www.videogiocare.org)    … Expand
  15. KannedFarU
    Dec 5, 2012
    3
    I loved the first Darksiders and is the only reason I spent too much money on this game. I think they did almost everything right with Darksiders 2 except for 3 things:
    1. The side quests are not very rewarding, all you do is unlock some slightly powerful item (probably not as good as your current)
    2. The weapons are upgraded via sacrificing items as opposed to overall use of the weapon     (less challenging, but gives me something to do with the mountains of junk I've collected).
    3. The story takes place during War's sleep period (between apocalypse and end of first game). I don't know about you guys, but I just couldn't care less. I really wanted the 2nd game to be about the 4 horsemen fighting the Charred Council, but it wasn't. Instead I'm running around doing mindless errands for a bunch of losers. The ending of the game is basically...you do what you set out to do. So you know the ending when you start playing, there's no exciting plot twists or wow moments.

    DS1 was a linear dungeon crawler and it has infinitely more replay value than this massive open world pile of dog #$%.    … Expand
  16. Reaper1990
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    Perfect game, played almost 8 hours and i am still in first realm of four ! Recommend to play Darksiders 1 before DS2 for better understanding of whole game/story and thus better game experience. And please don`t even look on "reviews" like that from "viverra4" he is imbecile and the puzzles which are in DS2 are too much for him.

    A.K.A puzzles are pretty fun too.
  17. Nanometro
    Aug 17, 2012
    9
    I was skeptical about Darksiders II. Really, the first game wasn't amusing at all, and then all those fake accounts doing such positives reviews, I couldn't believe that this game is as great as they say. But Darksiders II is the great 2012 surprise to me, really - this game is amazing ! First of all, the new character - Death is way more charismatic and badass than his brother - War ; the gameplay is a mix of Legacy of Kain (Soul Reaver) / GOW combat style, plus KOA (Amalur) RPG and Prince of Persia movement (like climbing walls and jumping from ledges) , though this game doesn't feel original as it could be, Virgil made this game comfortable to play - with solid graphics, fluid combat and a new -and interesting- inventory/loot system and a whole new skill tree (just like Borderlands). I really want a Darksiders III - with four horsemen (War-Death-Strife and Fury) fighting together. It will take some time - probably a lot - but I can wait. Death **** lives.… Expand
  18. kaldric30
    Aug 28, 2012
    9
    This game is fantastic. Great loot system, with different appearances on armor and weapons. Great secondary weapons, each with different charge attacks. The boss fights are amazing. The voice acting, especially Death, is awesome. Great graphics (for a console game), and the quests fit well into the amazing story. Only reason I don't give it a ten is because I haven't beat it yet to see the ending. This is a must buy for anyone who enjoyed the first one, and for the Story of the Horsemen.… Expand
  19. chad12420
    Aug 15, 2012
    10
    Fantastic. They improved the combat system, added a skill tree, loot, and much more content. No game is perfect, but this game has all of my teeth sunk in. Good story, great voices, and a ton of fun.
  20. aazru
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    A sequel to Darksiders that is at the same time continuation and evolution. It is a very well crafted RPG with a stunning esthetic. Darksiders 2 pleased that Legacy of Kain itch I had while being something of its own.
  21. t0nytzu
    Oct 27, 2012
    10
    I always tried to avoid rpg style games...honestly why should I do the same thing over and over again just to gain some cool looking powers..well...this is not the case of DARKSIDERS II which has an unique story,great gameplay,relaxing music,tricky puzzles and boss battles which are pretty cool.Feel free to try this game out.It amazed and will definitely amaze you too!.
  22. Gilgamesh
    Oct 31, 2012
    8
    More Darksiders goodness. While it's very similar in some ways to the first iteration there is enough to make it interesting and a true sequel to a great game. That being said I still found War to be more interesting to play than Death and felt this one to be a smidge more repetitive than the first though I can't think of any solid reason to not rate it an 8 along side it's brother. Two rock solid games for your collection...… Expand
  23. subsided
    Jan 29, 2013
    9
    RIP DARKSIDERS 3. This game is great and has become a vast improvement of the first (which was also pretty awesome) with its implementation of various rpg mechanics such as weapon and armor drops and skills. Unfortunately this is gonna be the last Darksiders with the bankruptcy of THQ as no doubt it would've been even better.
  24. eccentricgamer
    Oct 8, 2012
    6
    Darksiders as a franchise is still very much in its infancy the original has to be one of the greatest dungeon crawlers/action adventure/slash-em-up games ever made right after its inspiration Zelda and of course diablo and that in theory should have made the foundation of Darksiders II even more stable but the reality of it is the simple fact that the game
  25. HausmanPrime
    Aug 16, 2012
    9
    It is a sequel but it is not a direct follow up to the first game as far as gameplay is concerned. Sure it is still an Action RPG but Vigil has added so much more than what is in the first including skill trees, loot, side quests and so much more. If you couldnt wait to see the story play out after the "No, not alone" ending of Darksiders 1 well unfortunately you will have to a little longer(hopefully). But Deaths story alone is still a great one. Death is a more agile combatant than war he can dodge much more effectively than his brother but doesnt do as much damage it seems, which is fine because you can let your summoned ghouls and murder of crows pick up the slack :)… Expand
  26. Cogzwell
    Aug 14, 2012
    9
    Wonderful combat, the most satisfying platforming I've ever played, and in depth and intriguing story, lovable and ever changing characters, and boss fights up the arse! It's a shame a few technical issues keep it from being perfect, but still well worth the price.
  27. DarkDjango
    Sep 4, 2012
    6
    I initially gave this game a 4 after being forced to restart twice due to game-breaking glitches but now that I've managed to actually finish the game and have had time to reflect on my experience I've raised my score....a bit. Darksiders 2 is a fun great-looking game but is ultimately bland and overly-inflated and does not do justice to the story of Darksiders. The game's story is lackluster, poorly delivered, and barely keeps you motivated to continue your journey. The first game created a great world full of great characters with depth (relative to the genre) but even the reoccurring characters are merely shallow representations of themselves. The larger scope of the game is mostly bland filler, long empty corridors connecting dungeon areas. The first Darksiders game left me with a genuine feeling of excitement and a clear motivation for a sequel whereas Darksiders 2 just left me feeling letdown and slightly confused with no real connection to the first game and no real direction or feeling of motivation for a possible sequel. If there is a future for the franchise I hope they come to the realization that story is just as important, if not more, than improved game mechanics and increased scale.… Expand
  28. 0phidi4n
    Oct 3, 2012
    9
    Yes this game is good. The ambient lighting effects, graphics and framerate alone make this game worth playing. I found myself sitting in the first dungeon just admiring the ambiant effects. I'd say this game is a great platform/adventure/RPG. I was skeptical at first but it progressively got better. It is well balanced and fluid. The menus can be slow to navigate and load times could be better as well as camera controls. Other than those minor flaws it shines. Animation and art direction of characters reminds me a lot of Warcraft.… Expand
  29. Raynes
    Sep 19, 2012
    8
    Darksiders 2 is an excellent game, but doesn't hold a candle to the first. There are some improvements here. In particular, the two skill trees are more interesting. The harbinger skill tree has some powerful moves, but is mighty boring. I spent the whole game waiting to unlock the big tornado skill only to find out that it is almost entirely worthless. You take more damage during its animation than you deal out. Needless to say, I was sad. I haven't played through with the other tree, but it looks a lot more interesting. Another issue is that the moves just don't feel very powerful and the variety is sorely lacking. In Darksiders 1, every single time you swing your blade, you feel like God himself. As Death, I felt relatively weak even with the most powerful weapons. If you play this game, I encourage you to use secondary weapons that are marked slow. They do feel powerful and are usually quite a bit more damaging than any scythes you find. And yet another issue are that some of the puzzles are downright painful. Soul Splitter made me want to gouge my eyes out. Some of the puzzles were great though, and it was fairly hit or miss. Almost all of the quests in the game are along the lines of "Do these 3 similar things to advance.", which got boring at times.The best part of the game for me was collecting various weapons and upgrading the possessed ones. The story was excellent and the game was fun in general. I don't think it was an improvement over the original Darksiders, but I recommend it as an excellent prequel and game in and of itself.… Expand
  30. Beast979
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    Awesome Game, fluid combat, nice graphics, good story, nice length...I like just about everything about this game. Well worth the cost, and something you will definately want to add to your library!
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
83 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 56 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 63
  3. Negative: 0 out of 63
  1. GameCritics
    Nov 28, 2012
    60
    While trying to revitalize the Zelda formula with modern developments is an admirable goal, Darksiders II's developers just can't seem to get a handle on how to make such a thing work. For two games now they've tried adding hi-octane combat, a Western-style story, and ability trees, but it's never managed to gel. The things that made games like Zelda, God of War, Prince of Persia, and even Shadow of the Colossus great are all on display here, but the Darksiders series still hasn't figured out how to use them effectively enough to stand on its own.
    Read full review
  2. Armchair Empire
    Oct 4, 2012
    90
    Darksiders II is full of enormous environments and dungeons to traverse to and explore, even more fantastical enemies and large-scale bosses to battle, and plenty of challenging hacking, slashing and loot collecting.
    Read full review
  3. Hyper Magazine
    Sep 18, 2012
    90
    A stunning achievement in creative larceny that improves on its predecessor in pretty much every way that matters. A pity about the lacklustre endgame though. [Oct 2012, p.49]
See all critic reviews »