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79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 28 Critic Reviews What's this?

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7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 151 Ratings

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  • Summary: Inspired by the comic book series, The Darkness II is a first-person shooter that thrusts you into the role of Jackie Estacado, don of a New York crime family and wielder of an ancient chaotic force known as The Darkness. It has been 2 years since Jackie used his power to kill the guysInspired by the comic book series, The Darkness II is a first-person shooter that thrusts you into the role of Jackie Estacado, don of a New York crime family and wielder of an ancient chaotic force known as The Darkness. It has been 2 years since Jackie used his power to kill the guys responsible for his girlfriend’s murder. He has been unable to free himself of the memory of Jenny’s death since bottling up The Darkness and now it wants out. A botched attempt to end Jackie’s life opens the door for The Darkness to reemerge and sets Jackie on a brutal journey as he unravels the mystery behind the attack and the motives of The Darkness. [2K Games] Expand
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 28
  2. Negative: 0 out of 28
  1. Feb 7, 2012
    91
    Going into The Darkness II, I wasn't really sure what to expect, especially considering the change of developers and the fact that the last game was released nearly 4 years ago. I'm glad to say that Digital Extremes has done a really nice job modernizing the series and following up where Starbreeze left off. So if you're looking for something a little different from your typical modern combat or science fiction-themed first person shooters, The Darkness II is a great alternative.
  2. There are esteemed shooters to draw loose comparisons with, but The Darkness II essentially exists in a field of one – no graphic novel has been bought to life in such a deliciously gory manner, with offing goons turned an art form. It's the game your inner darkness has waited years for.
  3. Feb 10, 2012
    85
    Jackie is back – with a new storyline, some new features and an all new graphic style. There are some major improvements on the controls front and more depth thanks to the skill system. Also, some gameplay changes help make The Darkness II exciting and entertaining.
  4. Feb 28, 2012
    80
    Jackie Estacado is back in a new mission of vengeance that manages to elevate itself from the majority of other FPS games thanks to a surprisingly well told story and extremely brutal gunplay.
  5. Feb 27, 2012
    75
    Still, a few minor flaws aren't enough to keep me from recommending The Darkness 2. The single-player portion is tightly structured, and the brutal combat is unbelievably satisfying while still, at its best, providing plenty of options. The well-told story helps this first-person shooter stand out from the crowd. While the co-op multiplayer should really be viewed as a bonus to the game's campaign rather than a major selling point on its own, it's a rather nice bonus to have, and it helps to round out an enjoyable title.
  6. Feb 7, 2012
    75
    I'm impressed by the effort on the part of Digital Extremes to deliver a satisfying sequel that builds on the ideas of the first game. Jackie's empowering abilities encourage players to experiment and try different tactics, and ultimately allow every player to discover combat techniques that they think work best. His world is realized through a remarkable graphic style and nuanced and meaningful character interactions.
  7. Feb 14, 2012
    68
    The Darkness II is a fun romp for the brief duration that it lasts. Multiplayer is clever, but not enough to make up for the short, mediocre campaign. Definitely worth a serious look if you played and enjoyed the first Darkness game but note that a weekend rental might be all you need out of it.

See all 28 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 34
  2. Negative: 1 out of 34
  1. Feb 11, 2012
    10
    THIS ISA GREAT GAME, NOT LIKE ANYTHING I'VE SEEN OR PLAYED FOR A WHILE, IT'S SO ENTERTAINING AND, THE STORYBOARD WAS SIMPLE BUT THE TWISTSTHIS ISA GREAT GAME, NOT LIKE ANYTHING I'VE SEEN OR PLAYED FOR A WHILE, IT'S SO ENTERTAINING AND, THE STORYBOARD WAS SIMPLE BUT THE TWISTS THEY PUT IN IT MADE IT OUTSTANDING.It's not long as the first one but it's also not short as they say,all i can say is that it's a great game,not a 7,but 8.5.story in the game is awesome and i enjoyed every minute of it. Expand
  2. Jun 15, 2012
    10
    this game was awesome, great graphics, gunplay is superb, headshots, demon arms, total action, big boss battle, co op, for some missions, verythis game was awesome, great graphics, gunplay is superb, headshots, demon arms, total action, big boss battle, co op, for some missions, very violent, fatality like gratification killing enemies, ripped a guys spine out their ass, alll different type of executions, all fast and quickly executed, i'd say this might be my fav of the year, def will never trade this in,
    10 out of 10 i can't say how awesome this game was
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  3. Dec 21, 2020
    9
    Really enjoyed this game, so it's not Patch on the original, yet not quite what I expected it to be either. Not a huge fan of cel shadedReally enjoyed this game, so it's not Patch on the original, yet not quite what I expected it to be either. Not a huge fan of cel shaded graphics, however it worked well here, the story is decent, yet a little on the short side, but moved onto the extra missions for awhile, allowing for some extra characters to be played. Expand
  4. Feb 9, 2012
    8
    This game definately doesnt reinvent the shooter genre for gaming but what it does bring is a lot of fun and a half way decent story line forThis game definately doesnt reinvent the shooter genre for gaming but what it does bring is a lot of fun and a half way decent story line for a first person shooter. I enjoyed using the darkness powers and leveling them up to unleash more carnage. the story managed to keep my attention through it and i wanted to find out what happens even if it was a little far fetched. The game is a little short, i think i beat it in like 6-7 hours or something like that, and besides the coop there's no multiplayer or anything to keep you once your done Expand
  5. Apr 29, 2020
    8
    This game is preatty dope. The graphic style is a bit ugly but overall not bad. The gameplay is hella fun and you really feel empowered whileThis game is preatty dope. The graphic style is a bit ugly but overall not bad. The gameplay is hella fun and you really feel empowered while you play this game. Expand
  6. Feb 18, 2014
    7
    LONG REVIEW, SINGLE PLAYER CAMPAIGN ONLY

    The Darkness II is, simply put, a balls-out action game. A good balls-out action game, mind you,
    LONG REVIEW, SINGLE PLAYER CAMPAIGN ONLY

    The Darkness II is, simply put, a balls-out action game. A good balls-out action game, mind you, yet if not for its finely crafted narrative, it would be a mindless one. The only reason I bring this up is because this facet of the game appears in stark contrast to the deliberately slow moving, intelligent prequel.

    The first game had you exploring a quasi-open world in attempt to exact revenge on those who wronged you. You could simply meander around grim feeling subway stations, converse with the interesting cast of characters, or just watch entire movies on television if you felt like it. Along with this open world came intelligently designed puzzles, that if left unsolved, would hinder your progress through the game's narrative. None of this is in The Darness II.

    This is a striking change to this franchise, and one I don't particularly care for. That being said, I do believe The Darkness II, in context of itself, works perfectly fine for what it's trying to achieve. It's just not the groundbreaking, artistically sound game the original is.

    As you take the role of Jackie Estacado, throughout the game you'll pass through surprisingly linear levels, shooting your enemies with weapons that handle beautifully, and using your Darkness tendrils to eviscerate your enemies. In between these linear, set-piece stages are down moments, where you spend time at Jackie's mansion, talking to the one note, often stereotypical characters. The shooting mechanics and Darkness powers are sound, but it won't be long into the game before you realize that's all the game has to offer.

    That isn't to say there isn't depth, however. There is a surprisingly large skill tree that Jackie can use to level his powers up. Through gaining "Dark Essence" (the game's version of experience points), Jackie can invest perks into gun handling, Darkness execution moves, or throwing your Darkling sidekick around to pounce on enemies, which will inevitably lead to the Darkling pissing on their corpses. The small moments like this, such as impaling your enemies with parking meters, are what makes the game's combat fun and interesting. It also doesn't hurt that you can dual-wield most weapons, and the gunplay here is extremely solid, if a tad too auto-aimey and sticky. Thankfully, you can turn the aim assist off in the options menu.

    Without spoiling anything, the narrative The Darkness II presents is a strong one. It's just a shame it wasn't implemented into the actual gameplay in a more efficient manner. You'll hear characters endlessly spout exposition on your post-level trips to your mansion, and while the voice acting presented is certainly top-notch, particularly Mike Patton reprising his role as the titular Darkness, most of the characters are all way too one-dimensional. They won't have much of anything to say aside from critical narrative points or stereotypical mob chatter. It's a shame, as the characters in the original were all well fleshed out, interesting, and didn't come off as parodies of themselves. Though the narrative is strong, and will ultimately be the driving force of what sees you through this action-fest, the characters can sometimes do their best to make sure you won't want to care. Luckily the story here is as enjoyable as it is, presentation gripes aside, and is absolutely worth seeing through to the end.

    Graphically, the game opts for a cel-shaded style, and most of the time, it looks gorgeous. Framerate drops are minimal, and the textures (when they decide to pop-in after an occasional hiccup) are sharp and artistically beautiful. Light and shadows are used to great extent, which is a good thing, as a gameplay mechanic revolves around shooting lights out to make sure Jackie can regenerate health when he's actually in the shadows. The screen effects used for when Jackie is exposed to light are aptly disorienting and do their job wonderfully. All in all, it's a great looking game, but it's missing the dreary tone the first game was praised for. It's still a great looking game, it's just not atmospheric, and the linear levels and stereotypical mob guy characters really enforce this notion.

    All this being said, I would still recommend The Darkness II. If you're into modern FPS games. The game does play smoothly, and The Darkness powers implemented are interesting enough as a gameplay mechanic to keep you playing. Ultimately, though, the strong story here is what will keep you invested, even if it doesn't quite reach the level of greatness as the original. It's a good game, but its shockingly short length clocking in at a measly 6 hours, and overall shortcomings when compared to the original hold it back from being great.
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  7. Mar 11, 2012
    3
    This game, imho, sucks.
    The mechanics are not fun, it doesn't feel right. The graphics are ugly, and the story is so boring I can't stand to
    This game, imho, sucks.
    The mechanics are not fun, it doesn't feel right. The graphics are ugly, and the story is so boring I can't stand to watch it. It is sort of a little bit like that kianu movie where he's an angel, constantine, except this character isn't kianu and whoever made that movie had a lot more talent than these devs.

    The game is an egg.
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See all 34 User Reviews