War has changed.
The original Darksiders games are some of my favorite memories from last generation. The recent remaster of the second outing really reminded me just how much I wanted that series to continue. While Darksiders 2 is still a great game, it lasted far too long, and attempted too much at once, which is why when they finally announced War was returning, my excitement was much higher. The original game was a true homage to the Zelda formula, albeit a much more mature tone.
War is back now, and for anyone that missed out on this series when it debuted on 360/PS3, there is really no reason to pass it up now. Not everyone gets a second chance.
MSRP: $19.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
The Warmastered (I really love their remaster titles) Edition brings back the original game, now with full 60fps game play and 1080p visuals on Xbox One and PS4, while PC and PS4Pro will support up to 4K resolutions. The game also features new textures and even little graphical tweaks for the console versions including chromatic aberration, which won’t mean anything to a lot of people, but still cool to see for those that care.
The game holds up extremely well thanks to the amazing art direction of the original game. Based on the designs by Joe Madureira, the characters and the world are simply intoxicating. This is further enforced by the stellar voice work for nearly every character. Mark Hamill and Troy Baker are certainly the household names, but Phil Lamarr and Liam O’Brien also deliver spot-on performances.
The characters and the world are just one of the stars though…
Game play in Darksiders is a mix of action-based combat and dungeon exploration. The gated area mentality of games is nothing new, but few do it as well as Darksiders. The game doesn’t divulge its Zelda inspirations until the Twilight Cathedral, which then opens up all sorts of new ideas. It even has its own puzzle-solving jingle that sent chills as soon as I heard it again. The game is clever, and makes great use environmental puzzle-solving. Outside of a late game dungeon I will not speak of here, it is a brilliantly paced experience I cannot recommend enough.
Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is one of the best remasters this generation. Not only is this game fantastic, but it is also one of several hidden gems a lot of gamers may have missed its first time around. Also at the super cheap price of $19.99 it is impossible for me not to recommend. Go get this game now, and hope with me that the third game finally comes. It is time for the next Horseman to appear.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
