Darksiders: Wrath of War Review

Stuart takes a walk on the Darkside with an Xbox 360 copy of Vigil’s post-Apocalyptic horseman.

By Stuart McAndrew, January 8, 2010


War doesn't take kindly to street activists.

War doesn't take kindly to street activists.

Like Link in Nintendo’s series, War finds various tools and companions to aid him throughout his quest. The fine cast of characters and voice acting really add to Darksiders charm. Ulthaine is a troll-like blacksmith, while Samuel is a fearsome fallen angel imprisoned by the Destroyer. Both must be enlisted to help War in his quest. The demon Vulgrim is a merchant who trades in the souls War collects, offering new combos and special moves, as well as weapons and expendable items. Not only do these items have their own uses (mainly tearing demons to shreds) but they also allow access to new areas in the game.


Darksiders teases us with abilities, placing treasure chests tantalisingly out of reach until the appropriate items are found. Luckily, later in the game Vulgrim allows access to his tunnel network to make travel around the open world much faster: a gloomily realised worm hole which leads you through a mysterious limbo dimension to your destination. War’s steed Ruin makes short work of traversing the world on flaming-hoofed horseback.


A couple of thousand gallons at least.

A couple of thousand gallons at least.

Many items, and by extension the puzzles, which War encounters are tried and tested staples of action adventure games, and a lack of originality is without doubt Darksiders’ greatest failing. That, and the rubbish title. Nothing in Darksiders comes as a surprise; everything has been seen before. Some of the puzzles haven’t been seen in a hack ’n’ slash adventure, so credit can be given for marrying different game types together so well.


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3 Responses to “Darksiders: Wrath of War Review”

  1. Brush says:

    Sounds good…

    lack of new game + is a bit of a shame, you’d want to start the harder difficulties all levelled up.

    when time permits shall give it a look.

  2. Edwin says:

    Between this, Bayonetta and Dante’s Inferno, it’s like the year of hack and slash or something.

  3. Norm says:

    After beating this myself, I have to say I enjoyed it, cross between DMC and Zelda. The one thing that DOES carry over to new game is if you collected all the Abyssal Armor Fragments, you can start your next game with the armor set (increased damage done, decreased damage taken) if I remember correctly, and you look badass too :P

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