Darksiders is an action-adventure video game developed by Vigil Games and published by THQ. The game takes its inspiration from the apocalypse with the player taking the role of "War", The game was released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on January 5, 2010 in North America and January 8 in Europe
Darksiders is a single-player action adventure where that player takes control of the protagonist, "War" in a third-person perspective, engaging in combat, puzzles and exploration.[3] The world is divided into separate locations with many areas at first being inaccessible before War regains many of his lost weapons and abilities. The center of the world, the Crossroads, acts as a hub where War is given new objectives and paths to further unlock new areas. Each contains a series of linear and non-linear paths, many of which require large sections of platforming, climbing and swimming along environment-based puzzles that impair progress that require the use of newly-gained abilities and weapons.
Combat is initially limited to the use of War’s two-handed sword, Chaoseater, though other weapons are obtained throughout the course of gameplay. Each weapon has its own set of combination attacks, more of which that can be obtained throughout the game. Along with combos, players are also encouraged to use countering moves, blocks and swift dodging that help against different enemies. Projectile weapons such as a revolver and a boomerang-style throwing blade can also be used in both combat and puzzles. A number of objects littered throughout the environment can also be used as weapons and projectiles. At a later point in the game, War gains the ability to summon a fiery horse that provides faster movement and much more powerful attacks in open areas. Along with weapon-based attacks, War can use an array of magic-based attacks, known as Wrath, that are both offensive and defensive in nature, with the amount of Wrath available determined through a separate meter below the health bar. Another special attack is the ability to temporarily transform into War's Chaos Form: which makes him large and invulnerable and can cause heavy damage. This form is unlocked after sufficient progress in the game is made, and can be activated once War's Chaos meter is completely filled via combat with enemies.[4]
When enemies are close to defeat, War can perform an elaborate and violent finishing move at the press of the indicated button on screen, instantly killing the foe. Some of the larger foes can be briefly ridden and steered into other enemies before being finished off themselves. War eventually encounters large boss opponents that are both giant in size and deal heavy damage, and are themselves puzzle-based battles requiring certain methods and weapons to defeat, and in some cases quick time button events to dodge or deal attacks.
Upon defeat, different enemies expel energy that provide different benefits. There are three types of energy throughout the world of Darksiders: green energy that fills the health bar, yellow energy that fills the Wrath meter, and blue energy that are the game’s form of currency. These can be spent at certain checkpoints (run by the man, Vulgrim) on things such as powers and weapon upgrades, new combo attacks and health and Wrath potions. There are also artifacts scattered throughout the world that can be exchanged for more blue energy. Additionally, energy spheres can be obtained by opening chests found throughout the world. Other items that can be located include crest fragments, where upon collecting four, War's Wrath or Health gauges are permanently increased.
[edit] Story
[edit] Characters
The protagonist of which the player takes direct control is War, the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Along with the rest of the Horsemen, his sole duty is to be summoned to the Earth, once the battle begins on Earth. War is not aligned to either kingdom but instead serves to bring order by the rule of The Charred Council, whose purpose to maintain the balance between the two forces. He maintains a strict code of honor and will battle any obstacle in his way.
Throughout the story, War is bound to and accompanied by The Watcher, a warden sent by the Charred Council to watch over and guide War on his journey. Because of his assigned role, he is actually skeptical and cynical towards War’s actions, much to War’s anger. War later employs the guidance of Samael, once a mighty and feared man, now imprisoned who himself seeks vengeance against the Destroyer, leader of the victorious forces on Earth. Many other character become central to the overall plot, recurring at times. Among these is Uriel, leader of good after their first leader, Abaddon, was killed during a major battle; now stranded on Earth seeking vengeance against those she believes responsible. Another recurring character is Vulgrim: a demon merchant who provides gear and abilities for War in exchange for blue energy. Finally there is Ulthane, or the Black Hammer, who first appears as a enemy towards War but then the two quickly become friends; First after aiding War in getting into Griever's layer then remaking the Armageddon Blade for him.
[edit] Plot
This article's plot summary may be too long or overly detailed. Please help improve it by removing unnecessary details and making it more concise. (January 2010)
To preserve the balance between Heaven and Hell, a mediator group, The Charred Council, sends their chosen warriors, the Four Horsemen, to intervene and force a truce between the two rival kingdoms. Eons after the truce, The Charred Council foresees that Man will be a major factor in the battle. As such, a final war would take place.[5]
In the present day, hordes of monsters fill earth destroying everything in their wake. During the chaos, A horseman named War lands on Earth to bring order to the battle at hand. Upon his confrontation with Abaddon, the general of Heaven's army, the Horseman discovers that the other Horsemen have not arrived and the seal had not been broken.[5]
Straga, one of the Destroyer's Chosen, arises from the ground and kills Abaddon. War battles Straga, but in a weakened state, he is beaten. Upon his defeat, he is saved from death and sent to The Charred Council where he discovers that he is accused of bringing the Apocalypse prematurely. The Council sentences him to death but War requests to be sent back to Earth to find the one responsible for bringing on the Endwar early, and to restore the balance. The Council agrees, but on the condition that he is bound to one of their keepers, The Watcher, who has the power to kill War in the event that he strays away from his mission.[6]
Upon returning to Earth, War discovers that he has been gone for a century, and that all of the humans have died and become zombies, with Hell having taken over the Earth.[7]
War's main task is to get to the Black Tower to discover who was behind the fall of man, but before he can do this, he must regain his abilities. The Charred Council told War to seek out the demon merchant Vulgrim, who then instructs War to seek out Samael, a demon who had much power before rebelling and eventually falling to the Destroyer, and release him from his prison. War then passes into another part of the destroyed city in which Samael is imprisoned. After defeating the prison guardian, he frees Samael.
Samael explains that there are four Chosen demons that protect the Black Tower. War must defeat each of them and bring their hearts back to him to gain access to the Tower. War sets out on his mission, defeating each of the chosen in turn and bringing their hearts back to Samael, who consumes them and absorbs their power. Along the way, War meets an Old One also known as the Black Hammer, who aids him in his quest but seems to know more than he's willing to reveal.
After bringing the last heart to Samael, it's revealed that Samael deceived War: the Chosen were not protecting the Black Tower at all. Instead they simply possessed Samael's own powers that were stripped from him when he was imprisoned by the Destroyer, the being that now rules the Earth. Although Samael merely used War to regain his own powers, he remains true to his word and grants War access to the Tower upon consuming the final Heart, promising War that, "We will meet again."
Entering the Tower, War encounters The Angel of Death, Azrael, who has been imprisoned there. Azrael offers to aid War if he frees him from his prison. Thus, War sets off into the Tower to do so. In the pursuit of this, Azrael breaks down and confesses to War the part he played in the Apocalypse: in coalition with Abaddon, they conspired to bring about the Endwar before it was time by breaking the seals. They feared that evil was growing too powerful and to wait any longer would doom the forces of good. With the fall of Abaddon so early in the battle, the plan failed.
After hearing this, War decides that his bargain with the Charred Council is complete, and he is absolved of any guilt. The Watcher decides otherwise, and uses his power over War to force him to remain, telling him that the balance must be restored. This means eliminating the Destroyer and anyone else who was involved in the conspiracy, starting with Azrael. Once Azrael is freed, War encounters Straga a second time, this time successfully defeating the demon. Azrael asks War to spare his life, offering his help to defeat the Destroyer and taking War to the remains of the garden of Eden, long thought destroyed, but saved and hidden away by Azrael. There, he tells War that the Tree of Knowledge can reveal to him how he can defeat the Destroyer.
War visits the Tree of Knowledge which gives him a vision showing how Abaddon plotted the conspiracy. It goes on to show that after his death, he was met by a shadowy figure with a feminine voice. The angel was given a choice to serve in Heaven, or to rule in Hell. Knowing that he was doomed either way, he agreed to the latter and was transformed into the Destroyer, a gigantic dragon. He then found the Seventh Seal, which he now guards. The vision also predicts that Uriel will send the Hellguard against the Destroyer and be defeated. The Charred Council foresaw these events, and concluded that only the Horsemen could kill the conspirators, but knew that they would never diminish their honor by becoming assassins, so they let the conspirators start the apocalypse and summoned War so they could accuse him, knowing that he would return to Earth and do whatever was required to prove his innocence. War also sees a vision of himself being stabbed through the back with a sword as The Watcher says, "You always knew this was a one-way ticket." War tells Azrael of what he saw and is told that the sword he saw in the vision was the Armageddon Blade, which is the only way to break the Seven Seals and is now the only weapon capable of killing the Destroyer. It was shattered by the Destroyer to prevent the Horsemen from coming and stopping him.
Azrael then sends War to find the shattered pieces of the Blade and take them to Ulthane, the one who created it. As War ventures about the world and collects the fragments, he is confronted once more by Uriel, whom challenges him to Nex Sacramentum: a fight to the death. Though Uriel puts up a good fight, War emerges victorious and chooses not to kill Uriel, despite the urging of The Watcher. War promises Uriel that her death will be at a time of his choosing, and that the Death Oath will be fulfilled.
Once War collects all of the fragments, he returns them to Ulthane who reforges the Blade. Meanwhile, Uriel and the Hellguard attack the Destroyer, and as predicted, they fail. War meets Azrael one last time before being sent into the battle. Once there, War confronts the Destroyer who has defeated Uriel, and is given the option to join him, posing the same question: "Would you Serve in Heaven, or Rule in Hell?" War refuses and battles the Destroyer, who reverts back to his original form as Abaddon before being defeated and killed by War.
War retrieves the Seventh Seal, but is stopped by The Watcher who tortures War and steals the seal, knowing that War would turn against the council after all they've done. As he is about to kill War, Uriel takes the Armageddon Blade and stabs War through the back, mortally wounding him like in his vision, thereby fulfilling the Death Oath made in their earlier encounter. She then breaks the Seventh Seal (also cutting off The Watcher's arm), returning War to his full strength. Now free of The Watcher's control, War kills him.
Uriel tells War that because of his deeds, all debts have been repaid; but warns him that her duty will most likely require her to raise her blade against him, and she will not hesitate. She asks him what he will do, as the armies of both Heaven and Hell will still hunt him, as well as the Charred Council. Asking him if he will wage this new war alone, War turns holding the broken Seal in his hand answering, "No... Not alone."
In the distance, three comets plummet towards Earth showing the arrival of the other Horsemen.
Controversy
The game has been banned in United Arab Emirates. The game was deemed to "contradict with the UAE's customs and traditions" -- a standard phrase used to near-universally describe banned games in UAE.[8]
I'm surprised that no one has spoken about this yet, (I think, I did search). The game was extremely annoying and challenging and fun to play. The Visuals where brilliant during the cut-scenes and while you play. It took me and my uncle about a week to finish this. In the end, we were thinking about getting the abysall armor (we had seven pieces), but I said stuff it. Went to Vulgrim, stocked up on undyings and went to fight the Destroyer and Abaddon. I only had eight life stones and about 5 or six wrath bars. I had the Harvester, The Armageddon blade and every other wepon. I was lucky when I finished the game and killed Abaddon. I had already spoiled myself before and was spoiling it for my uncle. The only thing I hated about this game where the Voice Actors. War's Voice was crap. I would give this an eight out of ten. What do you think.
(sorry bout the prefix)