The Darkness

 PlayStation 3
User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 150 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 97 out of 150
  2. Mixed: 39 out of 150
  3. Negative: 14 out of 150
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  1. DavidS.
    Aug 7, 2007
    8
    This game is really atmospheric and dark, it make for a nice first person shooter experience. The textures could use a bit of an upgrade and I don't think it plays in 1080p but the gameplay is fun. Also there is very little lag due to dedicated servers which the 360 doesn't have, contrary to a previous review.
  2. Guardian
    Jul 18, 2008
    7
    Well contrary to other peoples views, i really enjoyed this game alot. I guess its the fact im a bit of a fan also. The storyline is great and its good to see old jackie in a game busting a few ppl off some. Im not sure why so many people dont like it but each to their own. There are elements of comic humour and yeah the graphics are a little outdated but as mentioned it may not be forWell contrary to other peoples views, i really enjoyed this game alot. I guess its the fact im a bit of a fan also. The storyline is great and its good to see old jackie in a game busting a few ppl off some. Im not sure why so many people dont like it but each to their own. There are elements of comic humour and yeah the graphics are a little outdated but as mentioned it may not be for everyone---so rent it b4 you buy it and c what u think. A dark atmosphere, and a comic book come to life...im a fan. :)… Expand
  3. DTucker
    Feb 26, 2008
    7
    a fairly decent effort in making a 'different' FPS. The darkness powers are great fun, making up for the relativley boring peashooters this game displays. Another downfall for this game is ridiculously stupid AI. New York looks dirty and gritty as well it should and holds its own next to any other current gen game. This is not for everybody though as the slow pace and need toa fairly decent effort in making a 'different' FPS. The darkness powers are great fun, making up for the relativley boring peashooters this game displays. Another downfall for this game is ridiculously stupid AI. New York looks dirty and gritty as well it should and holds its own next to any other current gen game. This is not for everybody though as the slow pace and need to travel to differing locals may put some people off, as may the in-you0face language and over the top comic book violence. For me though, it one of the reasons to rate up, not down.… Expand
  4. EggManStudio
    Sep 21, 2016
    4
    This game has a great plot and some interesting gameplay mechanics, but essentially everything else was lacking. The HUD and map screen are both inexcusably lazily designed, the gameplay is decent but quickly gets repetitive and feels rather clunky, reloading makes you switch weapons for some reason, and the worst thing about it is that it's all too easy to get lost in theThis game has a great plot and some interesting gameplay mechanics, but essentially everything else was lacking. The HUD and map screen are both inexcusably lazily designed, the gameplay is decent but quickly gets repetitive and feels rather clunky, reloading makes you switch weapons for some reason, and the worst thing about it is that it's all too easy to get lost in the dubiously-designed levels, mainly due to the fact that there are no objective markers. In addition, the player character Jackie moves so slowly that exploring the levels is a slog and combat is just horrible. That and the graphics have not aged well at all and look pretty murky in comparison with other games from the same console, and not in a good, stylistic way. Give this one a miss if you're a FPS fan and move straight to the second game.… Expand
  5. Trip_Kiddo
    May 29, 2017
    5
    *This is a retrospective review of an old game and thus probably won't help anyone or really be necessary, but it gives me a creative outlet to write for. In the case that someone reads this and it helps them make a decision on the game, glad I could help.*

    Although I didn't score this game highly, I do hold a special place for it. I find it important however to admit that this game is    *This is a retrospective review of an old game and thus probably won't help anyone or really be necessary, but it gives me a creative outlet to write for. In the case that someone reads this and it helps them make a decision on the game, glad I could help.*

    Although I didn't score this game highly, I do hold a special place for it. I find it important however to admit that this game is barely above average if at all. Like other Starbreeze developed games it's extremely "rough" for lack of a better term.

    There are parts of this game that I enjoy, and concepts that I do like. Just in general, The Darkness (the character/entity) is extremely interesting and the voice acting done by Mike Patton is **** phenomenal. I thought the "open world" structure of the game was very fun, and I enjoyed taking the subway acting as separate hubs for multiple areas. However, I do wish there was at least one more subways station despite the fact that it can be surprisingly easy to get lost or turned around. Another issue with the structure is that there's little loading scenes that repeat to a grind and will absolutely piss you off after a while. Besides that, the atmosphere is intriguing but it will sometimes come off as cringe level edgy.

    The biggest issues with this game come off from it's sluggish and slow movements that in no way help the godawful shooting/aiming. Sometimes your powers will not work the way you're trying to get them to (or how the should), and the AI is just dumb. The story is pretty standard , but there's a moment early on when you first get your powers that completely baffled me: Jackie (the main character) doesn't say anything about it. Not even a quick "What the **** just happened?", the game just keeps going on as if nothing happened until the Darkness gets mentioned as a character about half way through the story.

    Some other minor faults from this game are that I really don't think Kirk Acevedo was a good fit for the voice actor of Jackie. The graphics, because they went for this realistic looking aesthetic that just didn't look great in the first place anyways, have aged very poorly. And the multiplayer, which I remember playing back in the day, was pretty **** and a complete waste of resources.

    Again, I do like this game and if you can find it for cheap or rent it give it a try. But objectively, this is an average game, probably not even that to be honest.    … Expand
  6. DavisP.
    Jun 27, 2007
    10
    Amazing game! The best game to come out this year so far. The storyline is engaging, the atmosphere is wounderful, the voiceacting flawless and the graphics stunning. Starbreeze has done it again, The Darkness is a masterpice, so get ready to embrace the darkness!
  7. JasonH.
    Jul 8, 2007
    6
    THIS GAME IS NOT REALLY A SHOOTER. Bottom line, if you like games that give you a NEW STORYTELLING EXPERIENCE like Oblivion and you LIKE GAMES WITHOUT FUN GAMEPLAY, then buy The Darkness and Regret your decision, or Rent it and just be disappointed. Yes, The Darkness is in a first person perspective, but Jackie dies way too fast (ie it is trying to be realistic with its damage a la THIS GAME IS NOT REALLY A SHOOTER. Bottom line, if you like games that give you a NEW STORYTELLING EXPERIENCE like Oblivion and you LIKE GAMES WITHOUT FUN GAMEPLAY, then buy The Darkness and Regret your decision, or Rent it and just be disappointed. Yes, The Darkness is in a first person perspective, but Jackie dies way too fast (ie it is trying to be realistic with its damage a la Rainbow Six Vegas). I thought that having the Darkness meant that I could run up to enemies and use my awesome demon/ execution powers on them, but the majority of this game has to be played in the shadows and at a distance because if you are wide open to the enemy, you will be slaughtered and forced to watch a million death/re-birth video sequences that disguise the long loading times. I have to say that I like Shooters that are fun and arcady like Resistance, but I can tolerate and have fun with games that are tactical and slow like Rainbow Six Vegas; However I cannot tolerate games that appear to be arcady and fun like The Darkness, but then are hampered by the crappy tactical slow gameplay. This game is just not what I expected in a shooter, all the other people seem to love this game, but it really just isn't fun. Plus right in the middle of the storyline, the game really drops off because the story missions, which are the best part of the game because the story is so engaging and good, aren't there. Instead you have to do tons and tons of boring side quests that require lots of back tracking. The open ended environment sucks, because nothing is happening, there are a few hobos here and there, but you just end up walking around at a horribly slow pace around a still and dead New York City that is nice to look at, but then you realize it would be much better if you could run. The game would be only be half as long if you could run and didn't waste your time going back and forth between subway stations and sections of the city at a snail's pace. Plus the Playstation Online won't even work if you have NAT Type 3 because you have to go in and do port forwarding on your router to get it to work. I beat the game in about 3 nights, and I really was just forcing myself to beat it and see if the game ever got any better or more fun, but it didn't really until the last level which is only 30 minutes out of 10 hours of gameplay. Very low replay value as well. You unlock 2 videos, which are good but there could be way more, and comic books to read, but the zoom function on the comic books doesn't work and you can't even read the text. And to all game companies and future games, CONCEPT ART IS NOT A REWARD OR BONUS FOR PLAYING THE GAME. It is just a waste of space and no one cares. At all. Seriously I played the game and experienced all of the environments myself. I don't need to see what the concept art for those environments and the characters looked like before the game was made.… Expand
  8. DafyddE.
    Sep 10, 2007
    6
    This game has its moments but can be rather frustrating. I think I just dont like checkpoints. It is yet another game with absolutely no antialiasing, almost every surface with jagged edges. If it weren't for this lack of AA it would look very nice. Is a little antialiasing too much to ask (this is supposed to be next-gen don't forget)? The controls are clunky. It was expensive This game has its moments but can be rather frustrating. I think I just dont like checkpoints. It is yet another game with absolutely no antialiasing, almost every surface with jagged edges. If it weren't for this lack of AA it would look very nice. Is a little antialiasing too much to ask (this is supposed to be next-gen don't forget)? The controls are clunky. It was expensive too, so I would expect better for the price.… Expand
  9. Vixremento
    Jun 7, 2011
    9
    I've just started re-playing this again after watching the review for the second game (it's been three years already...wowzers!) and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. I guess it's like a lot of things in life - it's an acquired taste that you have to have for it. It was one of the first games I bought for my PS3 and I was a little worried that I wouldn't enjoy it because of the FPS gameplayI've just started re-playing this again after watching the review for the second game (it's been three years already...wowzers!) and I forgot how much I enjoyed it. I guess it's like a lot of things in life - it's an acquired taste that you have to have for it. It was one of the first games I bought for my PS3 and I was a little worried that I wouldn't enjoy it because of the FPS gameplay but I was wrong (I actually can't stand FPS games on a console...especially games like COD - strange huh?). The graphics were seriously awesome and the exploration and side quests were fun too (sure a bit slow sometimes but I was enjoying it so who cares). I remember playing it initially and thinking "damn it's not over yet - YES!" and then when it ended I was upset and cursed at how short it was. Tonight through till Friday I'll be replaying this fantastic little gem that I'll never get rid of (unless the second one is better :p) so let's see if I can finish it again before inFamous 2 comes along.… Expand
  10. USMCTazz
    Jul 23, 2007
    2
    I agree with Jason H. I played this and the whole time I'm thinking will it get good. Walking around empty streets.....shooting out lights. Plus each major person you kill is void of excitement. I'm selling mine to buy Lair. No replay value-Demons you summon are usually blind and the enemy seem to carry machine guns that they pull out only to shoot your demons.........Plus I agree with Jason H. I played this and the whole time I'm thinking will it get good. Walking around empty streets.....shooting out lights. Plus each major person you kill is void of excitement. I'm selling mine to buy Lair. No replay value-Demons you summon are usually blind and the enemy seem to carry machine guns that they pull out only to shoot your demons.........Plus Jackie never seems surprised at his powers or even mentions them until late in the game!!! HE HAS TENTACLES!!!! I'm still trying to firgure out how it got such high ratings.......Read Jason H for the best review of this game and also rent it don't buy.… Expand
  11. GameDoc
    Jul 11, 2007
    7
    Online play is bad. Too many cut scenes take away from the game play. However, it is an enjoyable game with flaws.
  12. TuomasK.
    Jul 25, 2007
    9
    One of the best games in PS3 right now.It has extra content against it's XO counterpart and plays and looks tid bit better.Story is awesome and this first game that gives u the sense of being dominating over opponents,but don't worry this game isin't easy.One of the best I have played.There is also patch coming that will fix multiplayer issues and i think everryone should One of the best games in PS3 right now.It has extra content against it's XO counterpart and plays and looks tid bit better.Story is awesome and this first game that gives u the sense of being dominating over opponents,but don't worry this game isin't easy.One of the best I have played.There is also patch coming that will fix multiplayer issues and i think everryone should get this.Don't listen to those whiners,they own Xbox and just bitching because of that.… Expand
  13. GabrielM.
    Jun 27, 2007
    10
    An extraordinary storytelling masterpiece. Starbreeze studios has done it again, With references to Riddick (i.e. Ciggarette packs resembling the collectibles) this game deserves way more than an 85. P.S., IGN, this game's AI is remarkable and very challlenging, and the gameplay is magnificent.) The only real problem with this game is that it is so good, that it feels shorter than it An extraordinary storytelling masterpiece. Starbreeze studios has done it again, With references to Riddick (i.e. Ciggarette packs resembling the collectibles) this game deserves way more than an 85. P.S., IGN, this game's AI is remarkable and very challlenging, and the gameplay is magnificent.) The only real problem with this game is that it is so good, that it feels shorter than it really is. the open world city is a plus for me, exploring wherever you want is fun. one time someone tried to rob me (Jackie) and i laughed my ass off as i killed him with an execution, which never really do get old.… Expand
  14. vixvicco
    Jul 11, 2012
    6
    I also agree with JasonH. If it were not for that gameplay-because the story is quite interesting, this could have gotten a higher rating from me. Only played it to play sequel, now not sure anymore.
  15. Inryoku
    Jan 8, 2014
    6
    I have no idea what to think about this game; the story and the characters are the only things that will make you go on. Both are pretty nice and immersing, you`re going to find yourself keep going on only to find out how everything will play out. And that would be all the pros I can think of: the gameplay is slow as hell, the level design is confusing and stretched at times and the usageI have no idea what to think about this game; the story and the characters are the only things that will make you go on. Both are pretty nice and immersing, you`re going to find yourself keep going on only to find out how everything will play out. And that would be all the pros I can think of: the gameplay is slow as hell, the level design is confusing and stretched at times and the usage of the Darkness is very limited and disappointing. The graphics aged terribly and are on par with Killzone 1 at best. Even though I enjoyed the experience overall I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone who can't appreciate a good story and is unable to ignore the terrible gameplay.… Expand
  16. Vamp
    Sep 17, 2008
    7
    Ang F. it sounds to me like you just suck at gaming...The controls, while slightly clunky weren't "That" awful. Granted i did play this before CoD4 came out, and when i tried to go back to the darkness for a 2nd play through the controls seemed too slow-paced. But still. the game has an interesting story, a very sad and lonely feeling about the city, which is very fitting imo. TheAng F. it sounds to me like you just suck at gaming...The controls, while slightly clunky weren't "That" awful. Granted i did play this before CoD4 came out, and when i tried to go back to the darkness for a 2nd play through the controls seemed too slow-paced. But still. the game has an interesting story, a very sad and lonely feeling about the city, which is very fitting imo. The game has personality and isn't bad.… Expand
  17. AngF.
    Sep 12, 2007
    1
    Ok, how can anyone rate this game good in any aspect. First and foremost, the controls are so bad. You cant even get a far away head shot and the worst part about the game was those annoying snakes you have to unlesh. Try to go up a pole with those snakes and then down, its almost impossible to control. I was trying so hard to like the game, I wanted to love it but I had to return the Ok, how can anyone rate this game good in any aspect. First and foremost, the controls are so bad. You cant even get a far away head shot and the worst part about the game was those annoying snakes you have to unlesh. Try to go up a pole with those snakes and then down, its almost impossible to control. I was trying so hard to like the game, I wanted to love it but I had to return the game the same day, it was one if not the worst game I have played for the ps3 yet. You have critics rating this game over 7 out of 10, WTF? How much were they paid to review this game or did they play a different game then I did. I would of rather played pong for atari.… Expand
  18. RayW.
    Jul 22, 2007
    0
    Once you have seen the opening sequence you may as well trade the game if you bought it or return it if you rented it. There is nothing compelling beyond this point. The game is plain boring and Jackie shoots the way he walks, slowly and awkwardly. The Darkness tries to do too much and does nothing right. Bargain bin at best.
  19. JG.
    Jun 28, 2007
    3
    Online pretty laggy...maybe it's just because it is on PS3 though.
  20. Alan
    Jul 14, 2007
    9
    If you like fps games(which i don't) you won't like this. It is really more of a 3rd person shooter from the 1st person view if that makes any sense. instead of running in and shooting everything you have to think a little first about what you are going to do. really an 8 overall, but i give a 9 for the demon that says 'i like penguins'.
  21. JeffA.
    Jun 26, 2007
    10
    From the opening sequence to the action to the gripping storyline, The Darkness is a heart pounding thrillride that grabs you from beginning to end. Embrace the darkness with it's twisted humor, lifelike characters, gore, adventure and truly next gen graphics. A smash hit that could easily be a blockbuster movie.
  22. BhaS
    Jul 4, 2007
    5
    The similarity of the three previous user reviews (Gabriel, Davis, Jeff, all rating this a 10) leads me to wonder if perhaps these gentlemen are under the employ of Starbreeze.
    Gabriel: "Starbreeze studios has done it again"
    Davis: "Starbreeze has done it again, The Darkness is a masterpice, so get ready to embrace the darkness!" Jeff: "Embrace the darkness" Either that or    The similarity of the three previous user reviews (Gabriel, Davis, Jeff, all rating this a 10) leads me to wonder if perhaps these gentlemen are under the employ of Starbreeze.
    Gabriel: "Starbreeze studios has done it again"
    Davis: "Starbreeze has done it again, The Darkness is a masterpice, so get ready to embrace the darkness!"
    Jeff: "Embrace the darkness"

    Either that or they're not very original...    … Expand
  23. wesker2012
    Oct 20, 2012
    5
    Decent game.
  24. LewisDanny
    Jul 2, 2018
    6
    A game with a lot of potential, and that pulls off world-building properly. However, this doesn't make up for the clunky, punishing combat (Jackie isn't exactly a bullet-sponge, and sitting through a lengthy respawn animation - for the xth amount of time - is frustrating when you've only taken a couple of bullets). The voice acting is solid, but so much of the game is backtracking and itA game with a lot of potential, and that pulls off world-building properly. However, this doesn't make up for the clunky, punishing combat (Jackie isn't exactly a bullet-sponge, and sitting through a lengthy respawn animation - for the xth amount of time - is frustrating when you've only taken a couple of bullets). The voice acting is solid, but so much of the game is backtracking and it is far too easy to get lost in the streets. The AI is fairly daft.… Expand
  25. Mindkiller7522
    Jan 15, 2022
    1
    Real, real bad! The controls and shooting are terrible, even on the easiest difficulty I kept dying because despite the crosshair being on the enemy every bullet flew past them. The darkness powers are a great idea, but ultimately very useless. Jackie Estacado is supposed to be 21, but looks and sounds like a 40 year old Cher in a trench coat.

    The story did have potential and includes    Real, real bad! The controls and shooting are terrible, even on the easiest difficulty I kept dying because despite the crosshair being on the enemy every bullet flew past them. The darkness powers are a great idea, but ultimately very useless. Jackie Estacado is supposed to be 21, but looks and sounds like a 40 year old Cher in a trench coat.

    The story did have potential and includes some neat time travel (?) sections, but ultimately never really runs smoothly enough to ramp up.

    Ultimately, not worth anyone's time.    … Expand
  26. NikoL
    Jan 3, 2009
    8
    I don
  27. GlenV.
    Oct 10, 2007
    8
    Great graphics and gameplay...a little slow at some points but a worth addition to my limited PS3 library.
  28. BrianH.
    Jun 30, 2007
    9
    Stellar game. The joy of pulling of execution moves, eating enemies hearts, and hurling their dead bodies 70ft into the night's sky is unmatched by anything I've played. Trying to juggle dead enemies with the demon claw kept me busy for hours! Unfortunately, I've been experiencing lag on both my PS3 version and my mate's 360 version during on-line play.
  29. fouSieva
    Sep 6, 2010
    9
    Great Game with one of my favorite moments in Videogame History.
    Gameplay and Graphics arent perfect but pendling between good/average and awesome!
    But the Story, is the reason for this game, to make it a must have (and the grad mike patton syncrho).
  30. the_blueprint
    Dec 17, 2013
    8
    Very good game. Great storytelling and good gameplay. Although it can get repetitive: the gameplay but especially the lines the main character and his darklings say keeps repeating. Even worse: during the loading screens you see Jackie talking but the seens keep repeating and repeating and repeating through the whole game. Besides that, I really can't recommend this game enough.
  31. nerrstyBthirsty
    Feb 15, 2014
    10
    LONG REVIEW

    The Darkness is quite possibly the best example of immersion in video games ever seen. Once you're sucked in, it won't pull its tendrils out of you, and I wouldn't want it any other way. From exploring the beautifully rendered New York, to taking the subways, to just watching entire movies on televisions simply because that's your prerogative, The Darkness does a lot to    LONG REVIEW

    The Darkness is quite possibly the best example of immersion in video games ever seen. Once you're sucked in, it won't pull its tendrils out of you, and I wouldn't want it any other way. From exploring the beautifully rendered New York, to taking the subways, to just watching entire movies on televisions simply because that's your prerogative, The Darkness does a lot to bring you into its world with astounding success.

    Outstanding immersion isn't all that's here, though. The Darkness is a video game, after all, and it's a damn good one. You take the role of Jackie Estacado; a tough guy mobster, with a sense of humor, and by the game's end, some serious issues. On the night of his 21st birthday, his mob boss uncle Paulie decides the world would be a better place without him in it, and attempts to assassinate Jackie. Things don't go according to plan, however, and that's where this game's narrative picks up. After an ancient being awakens to possess him and give him powers, of course.

    Enter The titular Darkness. A being as old as time that takes hold of Jackie and refuses to let go. It's initially unknown to Jackie why this being has decided to use him as its host, but spending time through the lengthy campaign will reveal the truth to Jackie, parallel to his attempts at exacting his justifiable revenge.

    The character of The Darkness is a wonderfully eerie one, and a sight to behold. I've never seen anything quite like it achieved in an FPS game, and the mechanics working around it are implemented wonderfully. With The Darkness as your possessor, you gain powers to aid you in battle and exploration, along with the interesting gun-play. Jackie moves slowly across the screen in comparison to other action games, but this was done for the sake of realism. He doesn't sprint across the screen at 200mph, ala Doom or Vice City, and for what the game is trying to achieve, it works out well, though it can sometimes make exploration feel as if it's dragging on a tad bit too long. The gun-play is also heavily aim assisted, to the point where headshots are more commonplace than anything else you'll achieve by shooting the relatively small arsenal of weapons, but Call of Duty this game is not, and it never aimed to be. The Darkness isn't about its shooting mechanics. It's about its narrative and the adventure you partake in.

    The Darkness powers lend themselves well to different strategies you can implement throughout the 12 to 16 hour campaign. You can creep around as Darkness manifested tendrils from a third person view to get the element of surprise on your enemies to achieve stealth kills, or to solve intelligently designed puzzles. After any kill you achieve, it's strongly advised that you (brace yourself for this one) press a button to eat your enemy's hearts. This. Is. Awesome. It also has a couple of useful benefits, such as increasing how long you can use certain Darkness powers, or even gaining new ones.

    You also have the ability to rip through space/time to summon black holes, that swallow enemies at the cost of a lot of the Darkness' power. It's a great dynamic, as it's strongly advised to always keep your Darkness tendrils out during combat, as they not only give you the ability to use these powers, but act as a shield, effectively giving you the ability to sustain much more damage than you normally would.

    Along with these black holes, creeping around, and other Darkness powers come amazing visual effects for the time. From screen distortion, to an almost cel-shaded lighting effect when you're enveloped in Darkness (something that's also strongly advised, so be prepared to obsessively shoot out every last light you see in the game) the game is certainly no visual slouch. The motion captured actors and rag-doll physics certainly don't hurt either. This is one of the single best looking games that came from the mighty 2007 gaming year, and the atmosphere shines through these visuals.

    The game constantly feels dark and cold. Quite appropriate, given the subject matter. Cold color tones were used to great effect, people move realistically with convincing weight distribution and animation, their faces can appear worn and worrisome. It's a dreary game, and this tone never lets up. Rather than questioning this design choice, it absolutely ended up immersing me even more into this game's world.

    The sound design isn't lacking either. You'll hear everything from a range of hardcore metal tracks to melodic, mood setting, ambient tracks. The sound effects are appropriately gruesome, and the voice acting is top-notch. In fact, the voice work in this game, at least for its time, was probably the best around, as the actors used play their parts perfectly.

    The Darkness is a dreary FPS adventure, with a strong focus on narrative and atmosphere. It succeeds in most everything it tries to do, and I would recommend this title to anyone. It's a shame it's as overlooked as it is. I consider it perfect.    … Expand
  32. Allyptic
    Dec 21, 2020
    9
    This game is really atmospheric and dark, it make for a nice first person shooter experience. The textures could use a bit of an upgrade and I don't think it plays in 1080p but the gameplay is fun. Also there is very little lag due to dedicated servers which the 360 doesn't have, contrary to a previous review.
  33. Downcore
    May 22, 2016
    10
    At first hour I just want to pass the game but I resist to continue because of positive reviews and thanks to good reviewers because it's unbelievably being amazing after that, the story and game-play is truly awesome 10/10
  34. Vzhik
    Aug 16, 2018
    5
    Да игра стильная, да очень отлично сделана (разные ролики при загрузке и все такое), да, персонажи проработаны отлично и история нетривиальная. НО! сюжет и геймплей просто невероятно скучен. Я год проходил эту игры с мыслью "ну когда же она кончиться". Некоторая безысходность в связи с особенностями ГГ, но как-то вторым слоем, фоново и могли бы сделать это как-то ярче что-ли..
    Рассуждения    Да игра стильная, да очень отлично сделана (разные ролики при загрузке и все такое), да, персонажи проработаны отлично и история нетривиальная. НО! сюжет и геймплей просто невероятно скучен. Я год проходил эту игры с мыслью "ну когда же она кончиться". Некоторая безысходность в связи с особенностями ГГ, но как-то вторым слоем, фоново и могли бы сделать это как-то ярче что-ли..
    Рассуждения ГГ о жизни в заставках это конечно они классно сделали. Как там было? Кажется так:
    "Когда кто-то говорит мне о страхе.. Вы просто никогда не ездили по встречной полосе по туннелю со скорость 80 миль в час на заднем сиденье такси, когда за рулем мой друг Гари"

    В итоге отличное исполнение но назвать её шедевром хорошей как-то язык не поворачивается. Добротная, средняя.    … Expand
  35. Za_Uvek
    Oct 18, 2021
    6
    It was nice to revisit The Darkness as it comes from an age of FPS that were experimenting with the formula. But geez, the cracks sure do show and not because of it's age.

    The visuals are pretty standard, but still well below what the PS3 is capable of. In saying that, there were no frame rate issues and ran pretty smooth. As for the sound, from the music and ambient noise to the guns    It was nice to revisit The Darkness as it comes from an age of FPS that were experimenting with the formula. But geez, the cracks sure do show and not because of it's age.

    The visuals are pretty standard, but still well below what the PS3 is capable of. In saying that, there were no frame rate issues and ran pretty smooth. As for the sound, from the music and ambient noise to the guns and voice acting, all of it comes together nicely.

    In regards to the game-play, it's what you would expect from this era of shooters. There are some nice little gimmicks centred around The Darkness abilities, but ultimately don't add too much. The semi-open world is a nice touch though, along with intractable characters and environment.

    Lastly, the story. Yes, this title sure stands out for it's original concept drawn straight from the comic books. Unfortunately, it is told in a very disjointed way in which a lot of the critical events happen so abruptly. Because of this, I found it hard to get immersed in the world as the flow of the narrative didn't really make sense.

    I do love what the developers where trying to achieve here. A supernatural FPS that contains adventure game elements that encourages the player to explore and experiment. It's hard to recommend though. Unless you are a fan of the source material, you can skip this one as there are many games released around this era that do it better.    … Expand
  36. SewAwOw
    Feb 8, 2022
    7
    Неплохой шутер с мрачном и по-хорошему дурном сеттинге, где сплетены реальность и вымысел, мафия и ад, тьма и свет. Интересно выглядит концепция использования тьмы в комбинации с обычным огнестрелом, а также вызов прислужников. Стрелять понравилось, стволы ощущается по-разному, способности полезны, но только в темноте, постоянно приходилось разбивать лампочки, да и скиллов всего четыреНеплохой шутер с мрачном и по-хорошему дурном сеттинге, где сплетены реальность и вымысел, мафия и ад, тьма и свет. Интересно выглядит концепция использования тьмы в комбинации с обычным огнестрелом, а также вызов прислужников. Стрелять понравилось, стволы ощущается по-разному, способности полезны, но только в темноте, постоянно приходилось разбивать лампочки, да и скиллов всего четыре штуки, не то чтобы много, самая имбовая это черная дыра, юзал её чаще всего. Сам мир поделен на зоны, хабом выступает подземка, где мы получаем квесты, в т.ч. и побочные, а также встречаем разных интересных и не очень персонажей. Локации не слишком большие, быстро запоминаются, в них можно шариться и находить секреты, но, к сожалению, совершенно пустые за рамками миссий. Наградами за выполнения квестов являются бонусы в виде материалов к игре, их интересно рассматривать. Сюжет странный, поначалу малопонятный, особенно в аду, но в целом сойдет, хорошая идея показывать монологи гг в загрузках, так мы узнаем постепенно детали лора и мысли Джеки, правда, вскоре заставки начинают повторяться. И в целом-то, игра была бы еще лучше если бы не три дико раздражающие, а временами прямо выводящие из себя вещи:
    1. Производительность на пс3. Она плохая, по ощущениям, 80% времени фпс держится на уровне 23-25, в некоторых сценах опускается ниже 20, вкупе с несколько желейным управлением это прям бесит. Враги шустрые, неглупые, постоянно прячутся, перебегают, и порой за ними просто трудно поспеть именно изза низкого фпс.
    2. Чекпоинты злесь расставлены в хрен пойми каким местах, их мало.
    3. Индикатор попаданий, он дезориентирует. Вот в тебя попали, экран стал на миг красным, потому отпустило, попали еще раз, тоже самое, затем попаадют еще раз и экран становится красным на секунд десять, извещая о предсмертном состоянии. Проблема в том, что переход от нормального состояния в критическое внезапный и ты просто порой не успеваешь среагировать и найти укрытие. В других играх степень состояния персонажа показывается гораздо понятнее. Крч, неуд.
    В целом же, игра норм, но косяки есть, и критичные (лично для меня).    … Expand
  37. Richard_dias
    Aug 15, 2023
    6
    I played the second game before this one and I thought it was so good that I thought I should make an effort to play the first one, even though it's a first person game that I would have to play with a controller (I usually only play FPS with a mouse and keyboard). The game is kind of clunky and I don't think it does enough to make me want to play it again. The strong point, definitely, isI played the second game before this one and I thought it was so good that I thought I should make an effort to play the first one, even though it's a first person game that I would have to play with a controller (I usually only play FPS with a mouse and keyboard). The game is kind of clunky and I don't think it does enough to make me want to play it again. The strong point, definitely, is the narrative.… Expand
  38. TeaFan556
    Aug 1, 2022
    6
    [RU]
    Это одна из игр, которую я хотел забросить, но благодаря небольшой продолжительность все же решил ее допройти. Понравилось ли мне? Да, было неплохо. Мне понравился стиль игры. Сюжет здесь не очень, ибо он начинается с рандомной ситуации, которая не заставляет сказать: "ВОТ ЭТО Я ПОНИМАЮ НАЧАЛО", а скорее приводит в недоумение. Ну, ничего. Зато геймплей какой! По правде говоря сначала    [RU]
    Это одна из игр, которую я хотел забросить, но благодаря небольшой продолжительность все же решил ее допройти. Понравилось ли мне? Да, было неплохо. Мне понравился стиль игры. Сюжет здесь не очень, ибо он начинается с рандомной ситуации, которая не заставляет сказать: "ВОТ ЭТО Я ПОНИМАЮ НАЧАЛО", а скорее приводит в недоумение. Ну, ничего. Зато геймплей какой! По правде говоря сначала он мне не понравился, но как только я приобрел ТеМнЫЕ способности, то игра расцвела. Могу ли я ее посоветовать? Скорее нет, только если вам нечем заняться. А я пойду покупать вторую часть, чтобы оценить развитие серии.    … Expand
  39. LT_Gruber
    Dec 11, 2022
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Absolute Masterpiece of a game.

    I bought this game for 5 euros in a local game shop back in 2010 because it had a cool cover, and I did not know what to expect.

    When I put it in my PlayStation 3, my mind was blown. This game is amazing. It has a nice, dark atmosphere, a solid story, looks amazing, has the best soundtracks in a game that I have experienced so far and is overall just really well done.

    The story is solid, it is the ultimate revenge killing tale of a mobster who wants to avenge the assault on his life and the murder of his girlfriend later in the game by his fat uncle Paulie, while being aided, but also controlled, by a darker power that controls Jackie as a puppet. This is one of the few games where the story is so excellent, I could not stop playing because I wanted to see what would happen next.

    When you progress, you expect to reach your goal, but just when you think you are there, the game takes a turn on you and your revenge will have to wait a little longer. This kind of tension build up is excellent and makes you mad but hungry for more at the same time.

    The ending is legendary, it gives the ultimate feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. The animations, emotions and overall feeling of the last battle and the end is a piece of art. The mobsters defending your arch nemesis Paulie acknowledge that they are screwed and beg you for their life, but you show no mercy. Just Perfect!

    The graphics look very nice, even today, it is dark, polished and very grim. Just the way it should be.

    And the music, the music is still the best I have heard in a game today. Many games have good tracks that I really liked, but nothing beats the metal/orchestra tracks of this game. A special note must be made for the last track at the decisive battle: “Massacre on the Lighthouse.” This was so epic; I got an adrenaline rush when completing it.

    The AI in this game is also well designed. They take cover, react to your movements and when you let out the twins (the darkness snakes coming out of your back), you can hear them cry and shiver in fear.

    The mechanics of the game are well done. The light hurt you and drain your powers, you can shoot or smash the lights for more darkness (and a really badass feeling when you walk down a hallway while doing it) and leave your enemies in the dark, left in fear. The darkness powers are really cool and gives you the feeling of ultimate control and feeling like a dark lord of sorts . The controls are fluent and because you have two freaking darkness snake things on your back, the left and right triggers for controlling them feel very natural while your own arms control the various guns you collect with the shoulder buttons.

    I have to say that I did not like the WW1 themed trench levels (where you go three times) that much because they were very confusing to navigate and the psychic undead WW1 soldiers that appeared out of nowhere and disappeared (while hurting you) messed with my mind a little.

    The Darkness is one of those games in my personal favorite top 10 games I have ever played, and I would recommend it to everyone.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

30
#30 Best PS3 Game of 2007
14
#14 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2007
26
#26 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 35
  3. Negative: 1 out of 35
  1. Play UK
    91
    The Darkness combines the best bits of mafia and war films, producing one complete, intriguing experience...Few licensed games go beyond the realms of their source material, but The Darkness does it in a fun, gritty and engaging way. [Issue#154, p.62]
  2. 1UP
    90
    It also feels like a more polished game, and the base mechanics work extremely well by the time you reach the end of the single-player campaign. It doesn't quite have "Riddick's" pacing, due to the open city that asks you to find your own way through, but it presents a better feeling of accomplishment and familiarity by the end.
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  3. Game Informer
    88
    Interactive storytelling is rarely this good, and there are few game endings that make you sit back and think, “Man, what if I did this instead?” like this one does. For its amazing narrative and believability of characters, and the twisted joys that come from being a slave of a demon, The Darkness will keep you enthralled, even when the gameplay lags a little behind.
    Read full review
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