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Exterminate...

If not for those superpowers, there wouldn't be half the carnage. It's little more than a corridor shooter at heart, with unremarkable weaponry and AI, but its superpowers elevate pedestrian gunplay into distinctive and challenging combat.

The Darkness II

Beats me

A clever Bulletstorm-style combo point system encourages experimentation, rewarding stylish executions with more Essence to upgrade powers, in turn rewarding even more ludicrously visceral ways to dispatch enemies.

For all the bloody on-screen frenzy, gameplay proves surprisingly measured. At higher difficulty settings ammo is scarce and Jackie no bullet-sponge, and it's here the game really shines. Upgrades which allow you to harvest health or ammo during executions become indispensable, dramatically altering the pace of gameplay and transforming an otherwise predictable blast-fest into a frenetic mix of combat and resource management.

The Darkness II

Carrying a torch for the darkside

Ultimately, however, The Darkness II is over too quickly. It's a perfectly contained experience, with no flaccid sections detracting from the taut scripting and scintillating gunplay, but at just 8-hours long, you can't help feeling a little short-changed. And although serviceable enough, the co-operative Vendetta mode – in which you play as other Darkness-infected characters in hitman vignettes – in reality offers too little depth to extend the experience.

Verdict

A violent game with a poignant tale of redemption. A narrative riddled with clichés and stereotypes, but grittier and truer than most other 'adult' games. And mechanics that smack of throwaway novelty yet contain real hidden depth. The Darkness II is full of contradictions, but just one eternal truism – you should never judge a game by its cover. ®

The Darkness II

What a choke

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The Darkness II

The Darkness II

2K Games proves the way to hell is indeed paved with good intentions. Available on Xbox 360 (tested), PS3 and PC.
Price: £40 RRP More Info: 2K's official The Darkness II website

I read the title and thought this was about the reunion of Justin Hawkins so-called Glam Rock band.

I was mistaken.

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Yes it's horrible...

The plain truth is that as horrible as it is if it's like the first one I'll end up really happy when I get to rip out and devour the still beating heart of some scumbag. The first game was massively flawed and too short but FUN!

Those of us grown up enough to have jobs, families and an outlook on life that doesn't involve hiding from bogey men do enjoy an occaisional bout of controlled terror, even if we're dishing it out :-)

So slap a tracking device on me so you'll know when I'm on my way round to yours to eat your heart and rip your spine out yer bum!

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Re: Horrible horrible game

Thanks, you just did a nice job of making me go out and get the game. Oh how I long for violence that makes me puke at my TV.

1
1

Re: Horrible horrible game

lol, IIRC in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, sacrifices are dropped into lava pits and their hearts are ripped out to the calls of Kali Maa!

So no, it's doesn't sound particularly gruesome or horrible.

Now Manhunt on the PS2... that was disturbing.

Whilst an involuntary participant in a "Snuff Movie" (having been secretly rescued from a death row execution), you get the director (excellently played by Brian Cox) whispering in your ear (if you had the PS2 headset mic) about what excellent material you were providing him with in your quest to escape. Utilising things like plastic bags, crowbars, baseball bats etc it was quite a cinematic experience.

All 18 rated of course!

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Anonymous Coward

Horrible horrible game

Downloaded the demo thinking it will be some silly zombie game. But turned to be quite a shock. This is a first person torture fest. Your character get realistically tortured and maimed then you have the opportunity to maim and torture others. After killing your victim, you rip open their chest to eat their hearts. Very charming.

Then you have incessant f bombs in the game. Every minute someone f's you up. Didn't know people even make psychotic games like this. This is the most violent game I have played.

BTW the graphics are really lame, maybe making it anywhere close to the current best will make people puke at their TV. A game for wannabe psychopaths. A tracking device should be implanted on anyone buying games like this.

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