User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 275 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Negative: 27 out of 275
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
  1. Sep 3, 2023
    8
    Answer: 75 characters is between 10 words and 19 words with spaces included in the character count. If spaces are not included in the character count, then 75 characters is between 12 words and 25 words.
  2. Sep 13, 2022
    1
    Sorry, but positive feedback is not available in your region. At least until your leadership changes the two-faced policy in their actions and statements.
  3. Aug 3, 2022
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This was one of my childhood games that was due for a replay. Good story, soundtrack and feel to it. Sadly, it ended with a huge cliffhanger. Definitely gonna give the comics a shot. Love Jenny. Expand
  4. Mar 3, 2022
    10
    Similar to the first game, the combat arenas are spaced out nicely with a decent focus on dialogue and exposition scenes. These sections of the game really highlight Jackie’s voice actor Brian Bloom, the same guy who voices BJ Blazkowicz. I feel that he gives Jackie more of an emotional range compared to the previous game and it really helps add to Jackie’s already compelling character. AtSimilar to the first game, the combat arenas are spaced out nicely with a decent focus on dialogue and exposition scenes. These sections of the game really highlight Jackie’s voice actor Brian Bloom, the same guy who voices BJ Blazkowicz. I feel that he gives Jackie more of an emotional range compared to the previous game and it really helps add to Jackie’s already compelling character. At various points in the game, Jackie suffers from these visions where he see’s Jenny and it becomes clear that Jackie is still trying to cope with the violent death of his girlfriend. Instead of the World War 1 interludes in the first game, The Darkness 2 features these story pieces where Jackie is committed to an asylum with member of his family appearing as either patients or staff members. These parts of the story occur whenever Jackie is brutally injured and they really stood out to me because it actually sewed some doubt in the back of my mind as to what timeline was actually the real one. We’ve learned that the Darkness has the ability to make it’s host hallucinate. Couple that with all of the emotional trauma and injuries Jackie has suffered and it’s not unreasonable to assume that Jackie is in fact committed to a mental asylum and the crime family timeline is all in his head. While the story may not be some intricately woven, mind-melter of a story, it’s still a great one that’s easy to follow along and had me hooked the entire way through the game.

    The combat loop in this game is much improved over the previous one. The main attraction is going to be your Darkness powers. This time around, the game features a skill tree that you can sink “Essence” points into and ties into the game’s points system. It features a more arcade style FPS, where scores are popping up on screen for kills, headshots and various execution moves that you can pull off using your Darkness powers. These upgrades really emphasis the potential power you can wield with the Darkness, something that I feel the first game largely missed out on. You can acquire skills that you allow you to pull of various executions that can regenerate your health, ammo and a few other abilities. The executions are basically Jackie pulling off glory kills and they’re all well animated and incredibly gory and violent.

    The enemy variety has also seen a big improve movements and helps add more depth to the combat. Certain enemies will rush you with melee weapons, some shoot at you while behind cover, others will teleport around the arena and are a massive pain in the ass, some enemies carry shields that need to be broken down, stun locked or distracted using "Swarm" before being killed. You've got enemies with some sort of leash that can take your weapon away and you got some annoying bastard that shines a spot light on you, nullifying your Darkness powers. This all means that you have to be able to prioritize your targets depending on what gets thrown at you from one combat arena to another. I generally went after the spotlight enemies first so my Darkness powers could be used as often as possible. The leash enemies are better off being killed at longer range and I found myself using "Swarm" the most often on shielded enemies since they can also distract other nearby enemies, sometimes offering a brief reprieve from the combat.

    Graphically, I was surprised to see the game use the cell-shaded art style akin to the Borderlands and Telltale games. This is a noticeable departure from the previous game, where the art style felt more grounded in reality. I think the overall atmosphere is better in the first game, the but the art direction in The Darkness 2 still works really well and I think it helps future proof the game graphically.

    On a technical level, The Darkness 2 is fine. The loading times aren’t all that long and are disguised well enough using cinematic sequences. The framerate remains pretty steady, with no noticeable dips during combat. I had no crashes-to-dashboard or any soft locks. I did experience enemies clipping into a wall or through a floor once, but that was about it. On the whole, it’s good looking, polished game.

    Voice acting is well done, the lines feel well paced and delivered naturally. I like Brian Bloom as the voice of Jackie and Mike Patton returning as the voice of the Darkness is the standout performer here. He really nails the tone of the Darkness being this malevolent, kill hungry entity that dominates it's host.

    Overall, The Darkness 2 is a great game that was a pleasant surprise for me. The combat and movement is vastly improved and your Darkness abilities feel much more powerful and satisfying to use, offering plenty of cathartic, power fantasy moments. The story kept me hooked to the end and I really dig the different take on the game’s art direction. This is a game I wish I had played sooner, but I’m glad I eventually did get around to it.
    Expand
  5. Mar 22, 2021
    5
    A fine game but a disappointing sequel, The gamepaly is good but in the later part of the game it becomes unfun because of the enemies get to Bullet sponges and begin to use **** to fight you , Also the story is good for a first-time but I will promise you that if you played this game three times then you are gonna become annoyed by the story sections , But sadly the atmosphere the townA fine game but a disappointing sequel, The gamepaly is good but in the later part of the game it becomes unfun because of the enemies get to Bullet sponges and begin to use **** to fight you , Also the story is good for a first-time but I will promise you that if you played this game three times then you are gonna become annoyed by the story sections , But sadly the atmosphere the town the story All of it was better in the first game but the gameplay is good for what that is worth Expand
  6. Feb 4, 2021
    10
    It's perfect for what it is. Brutal, bloody, edgy, fun, short, linear.

    You will have A LOT of fun in the 6 hours this game lasts. Highly recommend playing on harder difficulty, adds some challenge and pads out the game time by a few hours. Don difficulty took my almost 10 hours which is more than enough. For me, this game supersedes the first game, and does so while being a better
    It's perfect for what it is. Brutal, bloody, edgy, fun, short, linear.

    You will have A LOT of fun in the 6 hours this game lasts. Highly recommend playing on harder difficulty, adds some challenge and pads out the game time by a few hours. Don difficulty took my almost 10 hours which is more than enough.

    For me, this game supersedes the first game, and does so while being a better game on almost every single level. Graphics are stylish and still hold up to this day, gun play is super fun, darkness powers NEVER get old. I will NEVER get sick of wish boning people or just lopping them in half with a single satisfying swipe from your allies.

    The gore is amazing in this game, balls to the wall in a way that we don't really see as much in video games nowadays. The shooting is perfectly good, with some nice feedback and punch, going hand in hand with the stylized violence and art style nicely. This all feeds in nicely to the surprisingly competent story which you will find yourself being satisfied with way more than you might expect. "Expect" is a really good word to use when describing The Darkness II, mainly because nobody had any expectations for it. The first game is extremely mediocre save for it's amazing premise and creative introduction to the "villains" of the series. If you can call them "villains". They're more like heroes of evil.

    I could go on and on about how much i love this game, but i'll finish with this: if you are in the mood right now to just play a good old balls to the wall gore fest with solid mechanics and heaps of fun, this is probably something you're going to enjoy. If you're also SICK of the alternative options, the military shooter, or the zombie shooter, y'know, pretty much EVERY shooter these days. If you're sick and tired of those, but you still want to play a violent shooter, just without those banal cliche over done themes, then The Darkness II is DEFINITELY going to be something you enjoy, You might even love it. I know i do.

    If that hasn't sold you, nothing will. To really finish up, i'm now going to list the only thing i "dislike" about the game. It's short. I would have loved for even 2 more hours of game here. It would've been the perfect 10/10 (It's still a 10 anyway, but it couldve been the 10.1/10 lol) and sure, a lot of people might find the length disappointing, but looking at it from another perspective, the game is short, sweet, doesnt ever drag to the point you're sick of it, leaves you wanting more. Those don't sound like negative things to me. So, the rest is up to you.

    (JUST BUY IT)
    Expand
  7. Dec 13, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A very good second part from a masterpiece of videogame. I wont to have a third part. Because the end make me wish them so much. Expand
  8. Jun 27, 2020
    9
    It's a great game
    It's an addictive game
    It's really good
    I'm waiting for a remastered version
  9. May 13, 2020
    7
    The gameplay feels kinda weird and the story ends with a huge cliffhanger but other than that it's a decent FPS.
  10. May 5, 2020
    7
    The Darkness 2 is an improvement on the first one in every single possible way. I liked the Darkness 2 very much. The reason I would give it a 7/10 is only becauseee well... It's barely a 5 hour game. There's tons of well filler content, where you are purposefully ripped out of control probably ONLY to increase game length, and I mean.... It's a good shooter, but what it does a ton ofThe Darkness 2 is an improvement on the first one in every single possible way. I liked the Darkness 2 very much. The reason I would give it a 7/10 is only becauseee well... It's barely a 5 hour game. There's tons of well filler content, where you are purposefully ripped out of control probably ONLY to increase game length, and I mean.... It's a good shooter, but what it does a ton of shooters and action games around it do better?

    Like.... It feels like a lower budget sorta mod even you would get instead of getting the real game. it's a good flick for a bit, but what it does, I can get much more of in say... Prototype, or other superpower shooters. And it's 5 hours. If it was a 20 hour literal RPG, you could do much more about making Jackie your own character and improving stats and what not, you know real real RPG mechanics Fallout style, I could see Darkness 2 working perfectly. It feels exactly like it wants to be an RPG, even the first game sorta did that type of thing. But it falls short!

    It's just good, after playing it I don't feel a sudden urge to go back to it. It can even be very frustrating at times.
    Expand
  11. Jan 27, 2020
    2
    Такая чушь, терпел часа 3-4. Удалил. Жалко потраченного времени и денег.
  12. Nov 20, 2019
    6
    The gore is really good theirs no loot boxes no microtransactions however the game has way to many cutscenes takes ages to load an is just way to short
  13. Feb 16, 2017
    8
    I had the pleasure to play and finish the Darkness II and I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this game was.

    I have never played the first Darkness game, so I thought I would find myself lost; however, this game has a nice recap that puts you up to date from the get go. I found the story telling very interesting, intriguing, and captivating. I always wanted to know what would
    I had the pleasure to play and finish the Darkness II and I was pleasantly surprised by how entertaining this game was.

    I have never played the first Darkness game, so I thought I would find myself lost; however, this game has a nice recap that puts you up to date from the get go. I found the story telling very interesting, intriguing, and captivating. I always wanted to know what would happen to Jackie Estacado, his family, friends, and loved ones.

    The gameplay is a mixture between FPS and role playing game (Skyrimish when it comes to the Darkness skills). I think it's a great combination, and I hope that they would emphasize the role playing aspect more in future games. I strongly believe that this franchise has the potential to make way more money if they shift the balance from FPS with a little RPG elements, to RPG with FPS elements. Especially that the story telling is pretty good! Additional quests/subquests would make it more appealing to a larger audience in my humble opinion.

    I had a great time playing this game and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to explore the Darkness universe. Finally, I would like to thanks the developers for making this game, and I hope to see more coming from you guys! :)

    Verdict: B+
    Expand
  14. Aug 15, 2016
    7
    The Darkness II is a good game, the first one is tremendous! It has changed a bit which is not reason for complaints, but the first one is epic, plot, sentimentalism, things that missed the second one which was more focused on action instead.
  15. Nov 10, 2015
    10
    Wow! Anazing game. If youre looking for your next first person shooter this is not it. This is more than customization and large maps. If you want a game with an intrguing story, great mob characters, lore galore, and artistic style similar to borderlands... please love this game. Oh and the gore is great! If you like that.
  16. Sep 30, 2015
    8
    My god, this game is absolutely fantastic. The Darkness is such a fun rewarding game: the atmosphere, the environment, the pacing and the overall story is just so fantastic that its a shame this games biggest weakness is the fact that its just to painfully short. Every about this game screams Comic Book, its just so sad that its way to short and for $60 dollars you are definitely notMy god, this game is absolutely fantastic. The Darkness is such a fun rewarding game: the atmosphere, the environment, the pacing and the overall story is just so fantastic that its a shame this games biggest weakness is the fact that its just to painfully short. Every about this game screams Comic Book, its just so sad that its way to short and for $60 dollars you are definitely not getting your moneys worth. If only the game was longer and you actually had more control of the darkness, it would definitely be a solid 10/10. But as it stands, a very short FPS with an incredible, heartbreaking, story with beautiful graphics and easily the most comic book feeling game since the Batman Arkham franchise, i definitely recommend checking out this game if it is one sale. Expand
  17. Jun 1, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For those who have played the first game it was sort of a free roaming through places and sort of quest like, in the darkness 2 you are basically put into a linear shooter. The fun bits is how upgraded the darkness powers becomes over the first game. The story is somewhat interesting, the graphics are a bit cell shaded like borderlands it just to make it look like a comic rather than a glorified graphic buffer. I think with searching for the hidden items the game is about 6-8 hours long of course the co-op might take you even more hours to complete. The game also has some fun and useful darkness powers. It was worth the $7.99 that i payed on it although there are some annoyances in the game, the game itself has some value if you prefer to do the additional stuff that the game provides. Expand
  18. Sep 24, 2014
    8
    This game is very good. Definitely worth a look. It's a first person shooter done in the style of a comic book and has the story telling to match. It has an almost perfect balance of story and action. While this game can be slightly offensive it does have a heart to it. You will very much enjoy yourself, playing as the main character Jackie, trying to control the force of evil that livesThis game is very good. Definitely worth a look. It's a first person shooter done in the style of a comic book and has the story telling to match. It has an almost perfect balance of story and action. While this game can be slightly offensive it does have a heart to it. You will very much enjoy yourself, playing as the main character Jackie, trying to control the force of evil that lives within you, and being head of a mafia. Expand
  19. Jul 21, 2014
    6
    Aside for a few flaws, it makes a really good game.
    It is somewhat innovative when it comes to game-play - and the story and cut scenes are enjoyable and leaves you thinking.
    However, it has a few glitches such as getting completely stuck in tight spaces. Graphically, it looks like Borderlands 1 - but less refined and more buggy. It is also somewhat grindy, and even though the game has
    Aside for a few flaws, it makes a really good game.
    It is somewhat innovative when it comes to game-play - and the story and cut scenes are enjoyable and leaves you thinking.

    However, it has a few glitches such as getting completely stuck in tight spaces. Graphically, it looks like Borderlands 1 - but less refined and more buggy. It is also somewhat grindy, and even though the game has a lot of options - it becomes somewhat boring though relived by the story.
    Expand
  20. Jun 8, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Condensed]

    While The Darkness II is in no way a complete failure or broken, it does not live up to its predecessor's name, and in that case may be seen as a failure to improve. It also does not live up to the mystique and graphical exploits of the comic series, or any other works generally produced in its stead. While this is a shame, it is true.

    Well, with that not-so-bright note on my mind, allow me to continue on to the final portion of this review, in order to bring you the most generous help in deciding whether or not to purchase this game. Here's the Game Informer version of the scale:

    Concept: Creating a living, breathing sequel to The Darkness, as well as an interesting moral quest for revenge and adventuring through the exploits of a saddened killer and mafia boss.

    Graphics: While the graphics are a step in a new direction from the previous game, and the cutscenes are generally rendered pretty well, the graphics are neither anything special nor new- and thus lack any real visual flair, instead sinking back into the anonymous reach of gaming space.

    Sound: The sounds aren't anything to marvel at, and the compositions are nothing special, however- it is always satisfying to hear the deranged ways your enemies meet their ends, as well as the occasional gripping and chilling tunes haunting the world of The Darkness II.

    Playability: The game suffers from some major flaws, but nothing truly potentially game-breaking aside from the occasional console glitch that is pretty much unpreventable.

    Entertainment: While entertaining for a few hours to begin with, the gameplay quickly becomes stale and overused, especially after dispatching hordes of the same enemies and mulling through too many uninteresting levels repetitively for five hours on end.

    Replay Value: Low

    While my final score for the game would by a 6.75, which is by no means great, I am sure there are a few people out there who might enjoy this game, and hopefully this review will help you, regardless of what choices you may make on a purchase or non-purchase of it. Hopefully this has been helpful.

    Written 2012
    Expand
  21. Apr 21, 2014
    8
    dark, gory, great story, awesome characters and beautiful art design. unfortuently it feels too short, and the enemies all look the same and there is no big change up in combat, which wouldn't be such a huge deal if the focus of the games wasn't on the combat. It is a great experience and for the experience alone it deserves a 10, but because of some issues in gameplay I can only give itdark, gory, great story, awesome characters and beautiful art design. unfortuently it feels too short, and the enemies all look the same and there is no big change up in combat, which wouldn't be such a huge deal if the focus of the games wasn't on the combat. It is a great experience and for the experience alone it deserves a 10, but because of some issues in gameplay I can only give it an 8 because I feel like Im just here for the story now and the gameplay feels second fiddle although that's where the focus is Expand
  22. Sep 22, 2013
    7
    4 armed combat has never been more fun. Along with a decent story this game is extremely fun and fresh. The story may be linear and short, but the experience is sweet and joyous I do wish that the combat tree was worked on more as the potential is really there and the game might feel repetitive after a while despite being short. However I do recommend this at a great discount price.
  23. Xon
    Aug 11, 2013
    10
    LET'S DO SOME RANDOM MISCHIEF!

    I love comics, I love games which inject humour and add a decent dollop of story combined with solid gameplay. And The Darkness 2 had it all. I'm a busy father who doesn't have 200 hours to invest in a game. The Darkness 2 kept me entertained, didn't overstay it's welcome and wrapped up the main story while opening the door to a sequel, which sadly we
    LET'S DO SOME RANDOM MISCHIEF!

    I love comics, I love games which inject humour and add a decent dollop of story combined with solid gameplay. And The Darkness 2 had it all.

    I'm a busy father who doesn't have 200 hours to invest in a game. The Darkness 2 kept me entertained, didn't overstay it's welcome and wrapped up the main story while opening the door to a sequel, which sadly we might not be seeing anytime soon.

    THANKS MONKEY!
    Expand
  24. Jul 4, 2013
    8
    Thought the game was amazing!!! Really liked the voice acting and characters in the game and the gameplay was especially great as well. The use of dual guns and the darkness as weapons makes for a good fun time. With the use of re-gaining health by eating enemies hearts along with the brutal ways you can kill with the darkness to obtain more health and more ammo adds to what makes thisThought the game was amazing!!! Really liked the voice acting and characters in the game and the gameplay was especially great as well. The use of dual guns and the darkness as weapons makes for a good fun time. With the use of re-gaining health by eating enemies hearts along with the brutal ways you can kill with the darkness to obtain more health and more ammo adds to what makes this game great and just flat out just fun to play. So if you want to play a game that's cheap and is fun too play definitely get this game. It's only $12 used at Gamestop now so great price and worth it. Expand
  25. Jun 9, 2013
    10
    A TRULY FUN ATMOSPHERIC GAME OOZING WITH 90's NOSTALGIA AND NYC STYLE. This game carves out its own interesting mythology that is very fascinating with the darkness and the angelus. The atmosphere is engrossing and dark and anyone who experienced the 90's for real will love the what 90's nyc has to offer from dialogue to Jane's addiction playing on the radio in the backround. More so thanA TRULY FUN ATMOSPHERIC GAME OOZING WITH 90's NOSTALGIA AND NYC STYLE. This game carves out its own interesting mythology that is very fascinating with the darkness and the angelus. The atmosphere is engrossing and dark and anyone who experienced the 90's for real will love the what 90's nyc has to offer from dialogue to Jane's addiction playing on the radio in the backround. More so than that this game tells a great story that will have you questioning your (Jackie Estacado)'s sanity more than once. It has great plot twists and leaves room for a sequel (fingers crossed) though i doubt it as it under sold due to people playing truly unique story driven shooters instead like Call of Doody (because the difference from modern warfare2 to modernwarfare 3 is so immense that admittedly they use the same exact game engine year to year hence the graphics neeever improving, where as look at how beautifully battlefield's graphics improve,frostbite1-gorgeous frostbite2 )so anyway back to FPS's that are actually fun, the Darkness 2 has the most fun and unique combat i have ever played in a FPS more so than bioshock. To what turns out to be a kind of quad wielding with regular satisfying dual wielding guns and two beautifully hideous snake like demon arms with demon heads on them growing out of your back in the dark (which is most of the game). The demon arms can flatout destroy and they steal the show with a multitude of capabilities from slashing a man in two to lacerating to eating a man's head to pick up objects like barrels and men and throwing them to grabbing car doors and using them as a shield they are simply amazing. They have a variety of finishing moves and they can even be used to throw your monkey like(even though he calls you monkey) demon pet at enemies and watch him rip them apart. Granted it is linear and it is rather short, it should be played on hard otherwise it is too easy. Jackie has multiple skill trees as well with unique upgradable powers and new abilities. The short single player campaign is more than tolerable considering there is a plethora of story advancing play to be had after the regular campaign. They have a vendetta campaign with 4 other playable characters which you can play alone or in coop. Either way it is very enjoyable playing and advancing other unique darkness empowered characters and further advancing the story. These are fully fleshed out characters with large skill trees, unique weapons, and distinct personalities. This mode extends the main story and is about half the length of the main story but with 4 different characters to try out. If that wasn't enough the game has a hitlist mode where you are placed in large semi levels tasked with ultimately taking out a boss like target after dispatching his henchmen. They have many of these hitlist missions and they can be played with friends as well and as any of the 4 new characters. All together there is MORE than enough content and Vendetta campaign and hitlists are not tacked on they are fully fleshed out and fun. Overall this is a very enjoyable FPS and it deserved more in sales and more from the reviewers i.e. game informer giving it a 7. something this game deserves better and it is Not a seven. I played the 360 version and experience ZERO bugs, stylish cell shaded graphics (after all it is a comic book) (see top cow) and an overall great time. 9.25/10 the Darkness 2 Expand
  26. May 11, 2013
    9
    Improved demonic controlls, improved gunplay, improved visual style, iproved AI, and improved story: the Darkness 2 is everything a good sequel has to be with an ejoyable campaign. The only flaw is the low replayability and the lack ofcontect (singleplayer and multiplayer, that's about it).
  27. Feb 25, 2013
    8
    I haven't played the first one, but now I really want to. I've to say my opinion is just based on the campaign.
    The game is quite enjoyable, with a very nice gameplay that makes you feel unstoppable, and actually you are. After all, the darkness is a really serious and you are its herald.
    Just a few hours, about 4-5 hours, to complete a nice, gory and dark campaign that it really make
    I haven't played the first one, but now I really want to. I've to say my opinion is just based on the campaign.
    The game is quite enjoyable, with a very nice gameplay that makes you feel unstoppable, and actually you are. After all, the darkness is a really serious and you are its herald.
    Just a few hours, about 4-5 hours, to complete a nice, gory and dark campaign that it really make me want to read the comic.
    Expand
  28. Nov 25, 2012
    7
    Surprisingly good shooter with a twist! I am not a big fan of FPS, but The Darkness definitely is one of the more interesting one around, with a good story, unique mechanics albeit a relatively short campaign. It's violent and gory, with a great art style evoking its graphic novel roots.
  29. Oct 13, 2012
    5
    I really liked the first one (it was much deeper than I suspected). This one, however, is missing a lot of what made the first game stand out. D2 takes the run and gun approach and the story takes a back seat this time around. Props to the improved controls but overall the campaign was pretty short and forgettable. Not $60 worth of game by a long shot.
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 71 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 60 out of 71
  2. Negative: 0 out of 71
  1. Apr 24, 2012
    84
    An average shooter wrapped in an entertaining story.
  2. Apr 11, 2012
    78
    I haven't played a game to completion twice in a single sitting since Portal 2, which should roughly hint at the quality of experience that awaits: It's short and sweet, with a decent cooperative multiplayer side-story for added value. And by "sweet," I mean you can hang a thug upside-down and rip their intestines out through their ass.
  3. Games Master UK
    Mar 13, 2012
    83
    Drastically improved combat means entry two is far from the disappointment many predicted. [Apr 2012, p.70]