For several years, Nintendo gamers haven't been treated to violent action-brawlers of the likes of Darksiders 2. For all its bloodied skulls, combos, and bosses that use their own spines as whips, however, this is a game that's veritably laced with Nintendo DNA. To all intents and purposes, this is Zelda in hell.
"When we heard about being on Wii U we were all high-fiving each other," laughs lead designer Haydn Dalton. "There's a lot of Nintendo fanboys here! See, everybody, no matter who they are or where they're from, can expect Nintendo to be all about the gameplay. That's what a lot of other publishers and developers forget."
Death won't be seen herding Cuccos, however. Or will he? "You're wrong actually," jokes Dalton. "There's demonic chickens this time around. Supernatural ones, all ten foot two with horns, spikes and chains."
Hell Of A Trip
Forget the green pastures of Hyrule though. This is Zelda: A Link To The Pit. The original Darksiders took place on a wrecked Earth, following the horseman War on a mission to clear his name after a workplace accident resulted in the annihilation of the entire human race.
Darksiders 2, meanwhile, sees Death leading a simultaneous sortie through the Underworld - he's not overly fussed about his brother's fate, but hellbent (as it were) on somehow reversing the unfortunate incident that saw humanity wiped out before he could get his own scythe to them. After all, what's Death meant to do if everyone's dead? Put his bony feet up and watch telly?
Death is a confident, arrogant and cynical sort, breezing through the afterlife like an unruly teenager in a stone skull mask. He shows scant regard for the authorities and, in many cases, duffs them up.
Darksiders' combat is combo-filled, seeing you knock skeletons, zombies and monsters of all shades into the air and then pummel them with dual-bladed scythes and giant hammers in a sweeping and dodging button-tap frenzy. What's more, Death has a hookshot to drag in his shambling foes, or sometimes to pull himself over to the lumbering Scarab Hulks and terrifying Bone Giants he's been tasked to take down.
Often, then, Death will be found lurking in the depths of dungeons, searching out new items and abilities that'll help him elsewhere, redirecting shafts of light or collecting horned gems that'll summon up something large and horrid when pressed firmly into a dusty altar. There are more dungeons in the sequel's first zone than in the entirety of War's previous outing, though that's not to say that there isn't a lot of (genuinely quite deranged) action top-side.
Game Of Thrones
The Eternal Throne is a town that houses the King Of The Dead, a chap with whom the Grim Reaper wants to have a quiet word. The problem is that it's also a ship - dragged through the nether-realms by two unspeakably vast, and blinded, Abyssal Serpents, each one staked through the neck and tied firmly to the King's floating fortress.
I am picking this game up as soon as i can. I am glad they love working on the wii u.
The first one was fantastic, a true under-appreciated gem. And I'm glad the second has been announced on the WiiU as well...
Not sure whether I WILL get it on WiiU, or keep the series on my PS3... But we shall see.
I'm definitely going to buy it no matter what.
Darksiders 3 better continue on from War's awesome climax though!
I know someone who has a Steam account, and during the Summer sales I got them to download Darksiders. It was brilliant, until a certain point in the Ashlands arena where everytime I get to it, it "encounters an error" and shuts down.
Hopefully, because of Darksiders 2 being on the Wii U, I'll be able to convince them to buy a Wii U or share the price.
I never expected they'd have the equivalent of cuccos.
There's even a hookshot? This gets better and better. (Possibly one of my favourite items)
Correct me if I'm wrong but, is there an instance in a Zelda game where you get attacked by the dungeon boss at the beginning of a dungeon? Minor spoiler- It happens in Darksiders at one point.
I believe all the footage and screenshots we have seen from Wii U games so far have been from the PS3 and Xbox360. I'm hoping when the specs of the Wii U are revealed, that it will be a lot more powerful and that they will start showing true Wii U screens/videos.
This is a game worth waiting for! it looks like a dark, gritty hardcore game that ive been waiting for, 2012 could not come any sooner!
That looks really pretty, glad to see people who own x boxes and stuff can no longer snipe nintendo because of graphics=]
This is a definate preorder for me
By the way, why was this article pulled for a time, then put back up!?
Other sites have been questioning this article because of it was pulled.
Something about saying it'll have Graphics that match the PC... Weird. Anywho, care to answer?
Are the screens from the Wii U version?
This looks awesome has anyone seen darksiders1 for the 360 in highstreet game stores? And no how much it would cost pre owned?
BOOM! Take that anyone who says that Nintendo can't do "hardcore" games. Not that I care, as long as Nintendo's first party stuff remains great, I'll always be buying their consoles.
Saving up for the wii u starting from after christmas (there's too many amazing games coming out to start any sooner) and i think i'll buy this game as soon as it's available in shops
Ok... This I can see happening. But Batman Arkham City? Arent the 360 and PS3 getting those fairly soon? If they come out for the Wii U. no one will care...
PS. I am aware that some cods are out for nintendo consoles but its not exclusive. also Darksiders wasn't amazing, it was good, its just that You n00bs will praise whatever "hardcore" game you can find on a Nintendo console like The Conduit.
most people say this series is a rip off of God Of War but, It's still a good game.
I probably will get this for ps3, And save money for..............PIKMIN 3!!!!!
i hope it doesnt get cancelled like project hammer was for the wii.