THE DARKNESS (PS3)
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Publisher: 2K Games.
Developer: Starbreeze Studios. Released: 2007. Genre: FPS. Other versions: X360; PC. Posted 4th March 2013. By Tom Clare © 2013 |
Whilst Resistance: Fall of Man acted as the PS3’s early FPS pace-setter, it was The Darkness that first hinted at the advancements gamers could look forward to from the burgeoning technology. Based on an obscure comic of the same name, The Darkness is an action game that’s as much driven by its story as its shooting. The player assumes control of 21 (going-on 35) year-old mafia hitman Jackie Estacado, who begins his tale embroiled in a police chase that culminates in a violent car crash. He is then set up, betrayed, and nearly blown to bits by his mad Uncle Paulie and to cap it all off, he finds that he has inherited the malevolent, soul-destroying power of the Darkness. All in all, major bummer.
The Darkness affords the player a little bit more freedom than similar titles, as the grimy urban locales you’ll explore are linked via a couple of subways, which in turn house a number of people who will request Jackie’s aid for a variety of quests. The unique selling-point was always going lie with its Darkness powers though, and here it doesn’t disappoint. Frequently the bane of so-called ‘superhero’ games, superhuman skills are so often used to gloss over a lack of imagination, with developers assigning humdrum tasks to remarkable abilities. In The Darkness however, many of the action sequences and puzzles are directly tailored towards getting the maximum out of Jackie’s abilities. As well as gifting him considerable strength and a pair of powerful, built-in melee weapons, Jackie’s curse has a range of perks, including the ‘creeping dark’ ability that allows you (as a miniature darkling tentacle thing) to slither up and over walls, through vents and otherwise-impassable areas, and is mighty useful for taking out enemies hidden by cover. The pick of the rest is the Black Hole; a devastating attack acquired late on, it sucks up all nearby enemies and scenery, sending them spiralling around a violent vortex, before dumping them back down to earth with such a satisfying clump that it’s hard not feel exhilarated.
In many ways though, it’s the frailties of the powers that make for the most interesting and distinguished gameplay moments. It’s a simple enough equation; strength is absorbed and retained whilst Jackie’s in the shade, whilst it drains away if he lingers too long in the light. Thus light sources within the environment need to be switched off, shot out or smashed. Well-constructed locations help intensify your awareness of the surroundings, as you seek to limit potential dangers in the event of an ambush. Claustrophobic tunnels and open streets make for a potent and disarming contrast; each harbours their own dangers, and therefore challenges the player to adapt their tactics and playing style.
Lots of dark bits. No one could accuse the game of false advertising
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The Darkness enjoys slaughter and mindless small talk
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There are some great set-pieces, notably a Church shoot-out whereby Jackie’s assailants use floodlights in an attempt to gain the upper hand. The noir-like streets and alleyways retain a creepy allure throughout thanks to the game’s fantastic attention-to-detail. Such locales are a pleasure to explore, thanks to the game’s superbly palpable atmosphere, which positively drips with seediness. The WWI trench sections are the only slight let-down, mainly because their presence is so thoroughly unoriginal in a game of this ilk. They’re still engaging, but feel out of place, with the dreary landscapes looking less distinguished than their modern-day equivalents.
Whilst the blasting is solid and enjoyable, it isn’t quite as polished as it could ultimately have been. It’s difficult to point the finger at one specific factor, more a culmination of several smaller ones; the increasingly-huge powers and superiority Jackie is afforded over his mortal enemies; speedy rejuvenation from bullet wounds and the slightly underwhelming armament of firearms are all contributing factors.
However, that paints a considerably poorer picture of The Darkness than it deserves. It’s a thinking-man’s FPS at heart where an unusual hard-boiled/gangster narrative is afforded great depth and superb, cinematic touches. The streets and subways were some of the most impressive around in the early days of the PS3, and not only does its large cast of characters look fantastic, every one you interact with is different – there are no cheap palette swaps here. Starbreeze were one of a very select bunch of developers to have taken advantage of 1080p resolution, but whether you play it in full HD or not, every inch of The Darkness looks mega-sharp and crisp.
Whilst the blasting is solid and enjoyable, it isn’t quite as polished as it could ultimately have been. It’s difficult to point the finger at one specific factor, more a culmination of several smaller ones; the increasingly-huge powers and superiority Jackie is afforded over his mortal enemies; speedy rejuvenation from bullet wounds and the slightly underwhelming armament of firearms are all contributing factors.
However, that paints a considerably poorer picture of The Darkness than it deserves. It’s a thinking-man’s FPS at heart where an unusual hard-boiled/gangster narrative is afforded great depth and superb, cinematic touches. The streets and subways were some of the most impressive around in the early days of the PS3, and not only does its large cast of characters look fantastic, every one you interact with is different – there are no cheap palette swaps here. Starbreeze were one of a very select bunch of developers to have taken advantage of 1080p resolution, but whether you play it in full HD or not, every inch of The Darkness looks mega-sharp and crisp.
When in the light, guns make an adequate substitute for tentacles
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The creeping dark is like meals-on-wheels for the darkness power
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Some of the smartest touches are those on the periphery. At one stage, Jackie gets to spend time with his girlfriend Jenny at her apartment, whilst To Kill A Mockingbird is playing on her TV set; not just a trailer, but the whole film! Elsewhere in the game, TVs are put to good use as you can catch bulletins directly relating to Jackie and the game’s storyline development, and the sets are even used on the odd occasion as a tension-building red herring, as you hear rock music cranking up to an ever-more frantic level, only to discover a TV blasting out a music channel.
There’s a fair bit of meat to the main story, though the lacklustre multiplayer is unlikely to coax FPS fans into playing far beyond the end of the one-player. It does at least deliver a respectable horde of extras, unearthed chiefly by finding numbers and then calling them on the game's payphones. Admittedly, the laughs they deliver quickly wear thin with the messages usually consisting of nonsensical rants in a variety of highly unconvincing mock-accents, though the game was never going to live and die on something so trivial. The trove of comics and concept art are really rather good.
The Darkness remains one of the stand-out first-person shoot ‘em ups of the seventh generation. Whilst it’s never going to win any awards for its shooting, the experience as a whole is more than redeemed through the yarn it spins, a decent cast of protagonists and smart articulation of special powers (and weaknesses) that keep things interesting right to the very end. All in all, a distinguished representative of the increasingly-saturated ‘troubled superhero’ niche, The Darkness is a great adventure.
There’s a fair bit of meat to the main story, though the lacklustre multiplayer is unlikely to coax FPS fans into playing far beyond the end of the one-player. It does at least deliver a respectable horde of extras, unearthed chiefly by finding numbers and then calling them on the game's payphones. Admittedly, the laughs they deliver quickly wear thin with the messages usually consisting of nonsensical rants in a variety of highly unconvincing mock-accents, though the game was never going to live and die on something so trivial. The trove of comics and concept art are really rather good.
The Darkness remains one of the stand-out first-person shoot ‘em ups of the seventh generation. Whilst it’s never going to win any awards for its shooting, the experience as a whole is more than redeemed through the yarn it spins, a decent cast of protagonists and smart articulation of special powers (and weaknesses) that keep things interesting right to the very end. All in all, a distinguished representative of the increasingly-saturated ‘troubled superhero’ niche, The Darkness is a great adventure.
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Visual: 9/10
Audio: 8/10 Gameplay: 8/10 Longevity: 8/10 OVERALL: 8/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: THE DARKNESS (X360)
As the Xbox 360 neared its second year of life, first-person shooters were becoming frequent as ever. And yet, The Darkness has always stood out to me as one of the finest on the console. Based on the Top Cow comic, this beauty comes from Starbreeze, the studio behind the critically-acclaimed Escape from Butcher Bay. The Darkness perhaps isn’t the finest when it comes to the shooting itself; while the powers of the Darkness are a sight to behold and a treat to use, the actual gunplay is pretty easy. But this isn’t what The Darkness is about: it’s not a shooter, but a story unfolding interactively. From the characters to the dialogue, everything is high calibre. So many people have their own tale, and it’s always enjoyable to listen. And this is bolstered by fantastic visuals which squeezed the hardware to the limits at the time. It wasn’t too short, and collectibles certainly extended the life, but the forgettable multiplayer meant that perhaps the game didn’t have the greatest longevity. Some would argue The Darkness falters because it isn’t so challenging, but the fact that the story and characters are so engrossing easily makes up for this. And did I mention the powers of The Darkness are bloody awesome? [9] – Shane Battams © 2013
As the Xbox 360 neared its second year of life, first-person shooters were becoming frequent as ever. And yet, The Darkness has always stood out to me as one of the finest on the console. Based on the Top Cow comic, this beauty comes from Starbreeze, the studio behind the critically-acclaimed Escape from Butcher Bay. The Darkness perhaps isn’t the finest when it comes to the shooting itself; while the powers of the Darkness are a sight to behold and a treat to use, the actual gunplay is pretty easy. But this isn’t what The Darkness is about: it’s not a shooter, but a story unfolding interactively. From the characters to the dialogue, everything is high calibre. So many people have their own tale, and it’s always enjoyable to listen. And this is bolstered by fantastic visuals which squeezed the hardware to the limits at the time. It wasn’t too short, and collectibles certainly extended the life, but the forgettable multiplayer meant that perhaps the game didn’t have the greatest longevity. Some would argue The Darkness falters because it isn’t so challenging, but the fact that the story and characters are so engrossing easily makes up for this. And did I mention the powers of The Darkness are bloody awesome? [9] – Shane Battams © 2013