The Darkness II

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 596 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 375 out of 596
  2. Mixed: 179 out of 596
  3. Negative: 42 out of 596
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  1. Klewer
    Sep 2, 2014
    6
    While the story is quite strong and action of the game is different and fun, I could never quite get in to this game due to the slightly repetitive fighting and poor check points.
  2. Llaerrick
    Sep 12, 2014
    6
    it's a decent game played the right way. playing it as a run and gun fps is not the way to go. the use of the demon-arm powers is innovative and makes for interesting game play. the graphic and art style is very film noir (think Max Payne/LA Noire crossed with borderlands). however, the levels are pretty linear and once the novelty of the various demon-arm combat moves wears off, theit's a decent game played the right way. playing it as a run and gun fps is not the way to go. the use of the demon-arm powers is innovative and makes for interesting game play. the graphic and art style is very film noir (think Max Payne/LA Noire crossed with borderlands). however, the levels are pretty linear and once the novelty of the various demon-arm combat moves wears off, the fighting isn't spectacular. the story-line is ok and the voice-acting decent. main gripe is that the game play is really way too short (completed on hitman difficulty in slightly less than 10 hours). not worth the full release/retail price but can be considered if on sale.… Expand
  3. LT_Gruber
    Dec 12, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Decent game, but not as good as the first one.

    I enjoyed The Darkness II as a standalone game.

    Its story follows the first game quite good, and many references are made throughout in the beginning of the game. I thought I was going to be in for a treat and at first, it looked that way.

    But when continuing this new story, our new villain and his buddies (The Dark Brotherhood) appeared and they felt very disappointing. It is just so cliché, unnecessary and lame that it broke some of the fun I had with the game. A Dark Brotherhood, hunting you to claim the Darkness powers, I mean come on. I really missed the personal feeling from the first game in which you hunt a person who did you wrong or taking revenge on mobsters, that kind of stuff. Not some old boomer which you have never met in your life who controls magical powers and tries to steal it from you and who can only blag about taking over the world and other arcane cryptic bull crap. I hated it.

    The combat mechanics have at least improved over the first game. The new kill moves, and the better use of your Darkness skills is a big plus from the stiffer combat in the first game. Hitting your enemies with the demon arm can now be done with the melee button, instead of selecting this skill from your darkness powers, like in the first game. Overall, the combat is more fluent and faster paced. The increased gore, in which you can slice your enemies in half is a nice bonus.

    But a big downside is that the fight system feels like Modern Warfare: The Darkness II Edition. You cannot pass an area without murdering everyone.

    Secondly, it has the "weak enemies", "stronger enemies", "strongest enemies", "mix of strongest enemies", "boss", mechanics. Gone is the open world from the first game in which you could go everywhere. Everything is blocked by invisible walls, until you killed all the bullet sponges and their mothers in the area.

    It is a shame that they changed the graphics from the dark, realistic, and grim style to cell shading, which makes everything much lighter and less atmospheric. You can still shoot the lights but no matter how low your brightness is, the graphics will always make it feel brighter. You do not feel "dark" when you step in the shadows. Also, all the levels and environments are very bright and the sky alone lights everything in your path. Compare this to the first game, where it was always night, and you see what I mean.

    The music is also a little disappointing. Gone are the brutal metal orchestra soundtracks from the first one and replaced with generic “spooky Scooby-Doo” tracks.

    Although one cannot expect this game to be a continued clone of the first game, it has things I found less entertaining and I enjoyed it as a standalone game, like I mentioned, instead of a sequel.

    It sure as hell is no worthy successor for The Darkness and hopefully, they learned from their mistakes if there is ever a The Darkness 3.    … Expand
  4. Dragonof
    Mar 16, 2012
    5
    It's a common gameplay that got me bored in the Demo, since it's predictable. Sounds like a good story, but like a lot of games (Deus EX, Assassin's Creed), it's just a repetition of the basics you learn in the beginning. When you learn the fastest way to earn most points, you will always do it.
  5. Vikn01776
    May 15, 2020
    5
    Major downgrade from the original. Advice to developers...if the first game has a somewhat realistic style and feel, don't pander to children or anime fans. Don't make a dark series ike this cartoony. Its just lame.
  6. Kotofon
    Jun 6, 2020
    5
    The Darkness 2 продолжает историю Джеки Эстакадо, избранного Тьмой в качестве своего носителя. Со времён первой игры прошло 2 года, Джеки стал доном семьи Франчетте и всё ещё горюет по своей погибшей возлюбленной. От Тьмы он отказался, но развернувшаяся на него и его подручных охота, ведомая неизвестным калекой, заставляет Джеки снова призвать на помощь силы Тьмы.The Darkness 2 продолжает историю Джеки Эстакадо, избранного Тьмой в качестве своего носителя. Со времён первой игры прошло 2 года, Джеки стал доном семьи Франчетте и всё ещё горюет по своей погибшей возлюбленной. От Тьмы он отказался, но развернувшаяся на него и его подручных охота, ведомая неизвестным калекой, заставляет Джеки снова призвать на помощь силы Тьмы.
  7. ReubenIsAGod
    Apr 16, 2020
    4
    I like a lot of the ideas in this game. I even think the execution of those ideas is pretty good. The graphics/gameplay is smoothly enjoyable....in all honestly the shooting is some of the best I've experienced within a game....but!!! OOOOHHHH BOOYYYY BUT! The games centre narrative is some of the EDGIEST (Taking itself waaay to seriously) **** that I cannot (personally) enjoy.

    Holy    I like a lot of the ideas in this game. I even think the execution of those ideas is pretty good. The graphics/gameplay is smoothly enjoyable....in all honestly the shooting is some of the best I've experienced within a game....but!!! OOOOHHHH BOOYYYY BUT! The games centre narrative is some of the EDGIEST (Taking itself waaay to seriously) **** that I cannot (personally) enjoy.

    Holy HELL this game's plot is kinda dumb. The voice acting is great, the ideas in it are kinda great. But JESUS is this blaandd and 2smart4u game....jesus.

    I don't think ill play this game again.    … Expand
  8. WeatherEye
    Jan 28, 2013
    4
    Not a bad game in it's own right ; but as a sequel it suffers.
    This offering fails to build on what made the previous game great by trading away the grit and immersion in favor of a flashy but clunky combat mechanics and pushing a UI in your face. The story isn't too intelligent either as most people can pretty much call the "twists" from the get go. If you're reading this and    Not a bad game in it's own right ; but as a sequel it suffers.
    This offering fails to build on what made the previous game great by trading away the grit and immersion in favor of a flashy but clunky combat mechanics and pushing a UI in your face. The story isn't too intelligent either as most people can pretty much call the "twists" from the get go. If you're reading this and considering buying this I'd urge you to spend your money on the much better prequel.    … Expand
  9. mrwiffler
    Dec 11, 2013
    3
    OK, why was I so disappointed with this game? Three main points spoiled this game for me. I won't go on about graphics, they're fine. Decent engine, decent artists etc. Game mechanics were fine. The menu system was a little annoying but you get used to that. Music was typically horrible but thankfully you can turn it off unlike some games(yes Halo 4, I'm talking about you) So what didn't IOK, why was I so disappointed with this game? Three main points spoiled this game for me. I won't go on about graphics, they're fine. Decent engine, decent artists etc. Game mechanics were fine. The menu system was a little annoying but you get used to that. Music was typically horrible but thankfully you can turn it off unlike some games(yes Halo 4, I'm talking about you) So what didn't I like? Read on.

    Firstly, cinematics...lots and lots of cinematics. The annoying kind where you can't move and the characters talk seemingly forever when all they have to do is say, 'go out the door and shoot everyone you see.'. You can hardly travel 100 meters without being dragged into some scripted action sequence or some long boring dialogue. Judging by the amount of positive reviews this game receives I assume most people don't mind this. I don't understand. I find it very tedious. Don't get me wrong, I like storylines. I'm happy to sit and watch little cinematics every now and then. I just hate the game being interrupted every 5 minutes just so someone can tell you to walk down some stairs or whatever. OK, finished gripe no.1

    Second gripe; the demon, serpent, tentacle, penis things. I assumed they were something you could bring up to use when you needed them. Nope, they're there the whole time. Fine if you like that sort of thing, IE great big dangly appendages cluttering up the screen, and I understand that some people do like that sort of thing, just not me. Oh, and apart from their basic intrusiveness, they're just silly. A gangster with tentacles, spare me please.

    Thirdly, the sidekick. Again, some people obviously like annoying little halfwit sidekicks running around saying annoying half witted things. I just happen to not. The last half hour of my abortive attempt at playing this game was spent shooting it. The only joy I had in this game was discovering that you can shoot the sidekick, though regrettably he does regenerate.

    So there you have it. I wanted to like this game. I loved Sandman and Hellblazer and other stuff back in the day. I knew it would be silly. It's graphic novel/comic book type horror, of course it's going to be silly. Unfortunately excessive cinematics, non-retractable tentacles and a sidekick modelled on a brain damaged teenage metal head made this game unplayable for me. Sorry Digital Extremes. I tried.    … Expand
  10. Webern
    Aug 21, 2014
    3
    You'll enjoy this only if you like splatter and gross scenes. Not that I dislike both (gross scenes and splatter) but I would like a bit more original product.
    It's very predictable, borige, and SHORT! It looks like a cheap product.
  11. TrueMachine
    Sep 21, 2022
    3
    Первая часть была потрясающей, грустный сюжет, отличный саундтрек, геймплей за щупалец ощущался отлично, харизматичный главный герой и всё это было просто просрано во второй части...унылейший сюжет, геймплей стал через чур экшоновый... за щупальцу в стелсе не поиграть, дарклинг теперь один, вместо четырех. Сразу видно что игру делали уже другие. Старбриз справились отлично с задачей, чегоПервая часть была потрясающей, грустный сюжет, отличный саундтрек, геймплей за щупалец ощущался отлично, харизматичный главный герой и всё это было просто просрано во второй части...унылейший сюжет, геймплей стал через чур экшоновый... за щупальцу в стелсе не поиграть, дарклинг теперь один, вместо четырех. Сразу видно что игру делали уже другие. Старбриз справились отлично с задачей, чего нескажешь про вторую часть, полный провал, просто дно. Лучше играйте в первую часть, порт отвратительный играть лучше на геймпаде.… Expand
  12. SynthAesthetics
    Mar 22, 2012
    2
    Graphics aside (horrible models as for a previous generation game while the textures... even the gamecube has seen better), i like the general atmosphere but that's all the game has. The gameplay's extremely fun in the first half hour then it's just plain repetitive, you do the same thing, and even the levels seem identical (there are about 2 enemy models recycled again and again, andGraphics aside (horrible models as for a previous generation game while the textures... even the gamecube has seen better), i like the general atmosphere but that's all the game has. The gameplay's extremely fun in the first half hour then it's just plain repetitive, you do the same thing, and even the levels seem identical (there are about 2 enemy models recycled again and again, and their interaction patterns are extremely predictable). It lacks the least degree variation (in level design and battles) provided by what's called (for a good reason) a blockbuster.

    The story's very diluted for a game whose gameplay isn't that engaging, sadly i rarely give up on a game without finishing it but after 4 hours i was plagued with boredom (the story up until that point could have been summed up in a few lines) and i'd rather spend the rest of the time i had left to finish it playing a point and click adventure. The Darkness and Witchblade have great potential and if they'd reimagine the gameplay the next Darkness could be great but i haven't seen much progress since the first one.

    I felt as if Dead Space's story had more consistence and let's be honest, you could sum up Dark Space 1 and 2 in a 20 minutes animation, and still capture the whole "depth" of the characters and lore (at least the gameplay's engaging in Dead Space and you don't feel the lack of story).    … Expand
  13. nitai007
    Jul 23, 2013
    0
    the darkness 2 is a great shooter which brings new ideas. the games gameplay is just awesome and unique!!! theres total chaos and its just super fun. the darkness (your powers) are also just awesome. the story is great and interesting, and serves a great motive, but both of the endings are just annoying. the skill trees are also pretty good, and the illusions are great. voice acting isthe darkness 2 is a great shooter which brings new ideas. the games gameplay is just awesome and unique!!! theres total chaos and its just super fun. the darkness (your powers) are also just awesome. the story is great and interesting, and serves a great motive, but both of the endings are just annoying. the skill trees are also pretty good, and the illusions are great. voice acting is also great. the game does have few problems. its a bit buggy, and theres texture pop-in. i also found the artstyle good, but it just doesnt fit the seriousness of the game. the game is also a bit short, clocking in 5.5 hours (theres also co-op but still this is pretty short).
    overall a great game!!!!!! if your looking for story and gameplay you should buy this!!! if your looking for a different kind of shooter you should definetly buy this!!!!!! just beware that the game is short and that the endings are disappointing. buy this its awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Best PC Game of 2012
49
#49 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
32
#32 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. CPUGamer
    Apr 22, 2012
    80
    The Darkness II is a decent shooter, but there is nothing in it that is amazing; it's respectable but mostly predictable.
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  2. Computer Games Online RO
    Apr 12, 2012
    75
    The Darkness II is indeed short, but it does achieve part of its goals: a few fun hours for a rainy spring afternoon, with some interesting characters, a dark story and, most of all, two demonic arms always hungry for beating hearts.
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  3. Absolute Games
    Mar 13, 2012
    60
    Exhilarating in its opening sequence, The Darkness 2 quickly loses steam and turns into a 5-hour run through a long corridor.
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