The Darkness

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 247 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 188 out of 247
  2. Mixed: 35 out of 247
  3. Negative: 24 out of 247
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  1. KevinM.
    Jul 1, 2007
    6
    I liked this game a lot, but i felt the atmosphere of New York City was dead. Even though most of the game took place at night, there would be more than 2 people walking in a whole neighborhood. Though I loved the gameplay, you can really play the whole game without using one darkness power. After waiting for this game(especially since Riddick was awesome), I felt underwhelmed.Though the I liked this game a lot, but i felt the atmosphere of New York City was dead. Even though most of the game took place at night, there would be more than 2 people walking in a whole neighborhood. Though I loved the gameplay, you can really play the whole game without using one darkness power. After waiting for this game(especially since Riddick was awesome), I felt underwhelmed.Though the fast paced guns blazing tactic was fun, it does get old. The best part of this game was the story and the close combat kills. Though the close combat kills sometimes got repetitive, the gore and violence can put a smile on anyones face. Overall this was an ok game, with a fantastic story, and moments that would make you yell HOLY SHIT. But overall an underwhelming follow-up to Riddick.… Expand
  2. Higher_Standard
    Sep 21, 2010
    7
    The story has made it a personal favorite of mine, however the game is so unrefined and could have been so much more. Though I cut Starbreeze some slack because I think they operate on a low budget.
  3. Wellbag
    Dec 12, 2011
    5
    Graphics 3 STARS: This game is supposed to be played in the dark. Not that you're going to turn off your own light but you are going to flick every light switch in the game or just shoot the hell out of the lightbulbs. Even though you don't shoot out the lights the game is still being to dark even if you're playing with the gamma and light at max. If you're playing with gamma on the maxGraphics 3 STARS: This game is supposed to be played in the dark. Not that you're going to turn off your own light but you are going to flick every light switch in the game or just shoot the hell out of the lightbulbs. Even though you don't shoot out the lights the game is still being to dark even if you're playing with the gamma and light at max. If you're playing with gamma on the max it's to dark in i.e Alleys or behind dumpsters but when you are then going down into the subway station it's too bright so you may need to lower the light settings or gamma settings. For being such an old release for this generation The Darkness has a lot of good spots here and there in the graphics. Lightning when you don't have total darkness is okay for it's time being but when you are in too dark areas you spot pixelated shadows and low res textures. It haves animation worth the price. Awesome animations. The game world is based in New york but it doesn't seem like the big apple since the environment is just boring houses and the city that never sleeps ..... SLEEPS!

    Story 1 STAR: It don't want to spoil the main plot(what i know about it) for you guys but for me this plot aint that attractive. The story is being told to you in such a way that it doesn't matter. I've played this game for more then 5 hours and so far i haven't really got it. To me it's just a game of hide and seek. I take the train to every subway station and just go up to the surface and ding here is a part of the story. You're being attacked by people with what seems to be too pale faces. All the sudden you're in "WW2" and shooting what seems to be nazis... i'm just confused. For me this is the biggest problem of it all. I don't get it.

    Audio 4 STARS: Something that Starbreeze never fails with is the audio. The audio is awesome and with surround headphones it's incredible. Unfortunately the game have some corny voice acting except the voice acting on the darkness. People in the subway have "dead" sounding voices and sometimes the voices from the darkness sound different than before. Gun sounds are as good as they can be. Gameplay 3 STARS:
    The gameplay is okay for an 2007 shooter but it has some flaws(Control issues both when you play as jackie and as the darkness.) Sometimes the darkness get stuck between wall and ground if your trying to smash a lightbulb. The gun play is close to the second resistance game or for 360 owners Perfect Dark Zero. It's kind of stiff but you will get used to it. The game has alot of cool animations when you're in close combat, unfortunately these are animated and you can't do anything with them so you can't basically die in a close combat situation. When you have your'e time lapse back to ww2 the control issues come forward but that is corrected with excellent gun play. I paid 5$ for this game and it's worth that but i wouldn't pay 59,99 for it. That's for sure. btw. i'm swedish and it's 3am so don't complain about the language.    … Expand
  4. MarkT.
    Jul 4, 2007
    7
    This game is really fun. Its possibly one of the nicest 360 games to date, the graphics are stunning. Game play and shooting enemies has never been so fun. The action is very tense and ai is pretty unpredictable. Its a short game which will keep you occupied for around 12 hours. But it is one thrill ride, and up their as one of the top games this year.
  5. HWNDarkside
    Jul 11, 2007
    7
    It's a good game and worth playing through once. One of the more innovative FPS I've played for a while. Darkness powers are cool. The story is a little confusing and doesn't make much sense but doesn't dectract from the gameplay. You will get sick of seeing subway stations though!! Multiplayer is appallingly bad - as shame as it could have offered something different It's a good game and worth playing through once. One of the more innovative FPS I've played for a while. Darkness powers are cool. The story is a little confusing and doesn't make much sense but doesn't dectract from the gameplay. You will get sick of seeing subway stations though!! Multiplayer is appallingly bad - as shame as it could have offered something different to other FPS currently available… Expand
  6. TaylorM-G
    Jul 19, 2007
    7
    Nothing made me happier to hear Mike Patton's voice as the darkness. And I'm delighted to say that the writing in this first-person shooter is the highlight of the game. The story is compelling, the characters unique and the gameplay engrossing. What's not to like when you take Tony Montana and possess him with the devil. Unfortunately, the game play becomes repetitive and Nothing made me happier to hear Mike Patton's voice as the darkness. And I'm delighted to say that the writing in this first-person shooter is the highlight of the game. The story is compelling, the characters unique and the gameplay engrossing. What's not to like when you take Tony Montana and possess him with the devil. Unfortunately, the game play becomes repetitive and boring. Yeah, it's cool that you can use your demon snake-like creatures to eat hearts, sneak attacks mobsters and create mini black holes with which to suck crooked cops into. But that gets old after ten minutes of monotonous results. It has a decent shooter mechanism with a small-town weapon diversity. Though, you end up never using them once you receive the "demon gun." It's a decent release with great attention to detail and wity banter. But the game developers shot themselves in the foot when they set it in NYC. I live here, and let me reassure you. At no time during the night will there be less than fifty people in any given chinatown.canal street area. It's as if NYC is a ghost town. Darkness has sweet graphics and a cool idea for demonic abilities, but it's story soon becomes the only reason to play. And, truthfully, I'd rather go rent King of New York, Goodfellas or the Exorcist.… Expand
  7. AdamReid
    Aug 4, 2011
    7
    The story line in this game is really amazing, but the gameplay is a little bit strange, Jakie walks as if he has 2 broken legs, and the accuracy on the guns are retarded, but still, this is almost the best game ive played in a long while, mostly becuase of the epic storyline, another bad thing about this game was the terrible multiplayer it was by far the worst, i liked the idea of theThe story line in this game is really amazing, but the gameplay is a little bit strange, Jakie walks as if he has 2 broken legs, and the accuracy on the guns are retarded, but still, this is almost the best game ive played in a long while, mostly becuase of the epic storyline, another bad thing about this game was the terrible multiplayer it was by far the worst, i liked the idea of the game modes, but hated the fact that the multiplayer was an utter lagg fest. In the end, i really enjoyed this game and cant actually wait until the second game.… Expand
  8. eva3si0n
    Feb 15, 2022
    7
    Darkness is the last worthy project from Starbreeze Studios. In 2007, the game really looked great, but it did not survive the influence of time. Having launched it for the first time in 2022, I faced many gameplay problems, primarily here the terrible interface, combined with the complexity of level design, turns into suffering. I don't go to Darkness extra quests, I Google how to findDarkness is the last worthy project from Starbreeze Studios. In 2007, the game really looked great, but it did not survive the influence of time. Having launched it for the first time in 2022, I faced many gameplay problems, primarily here the terrible interface, combined with the complexity of level design, turns into suffering. I don't go to Darkness extra quests, I Google how to find them and where to go. The story of Darkness itself is very quickly blown away and turns into a farce, the mission in hell is the most terrible gameplay solution in general, they look like games of the early 2000s. In 2022, it is very difficult to play such a game, although the game is unique, but the gameplay did not allow it to go completely. I could only go until the second return to Hell.… Expand
  9. Dperks
    Jun 3, 2022
    7
    The Darkness is a very atmospheric game with an at times emotionally gripping tale about love and lost. And the game has some fairly interesting gameplay mechanics surrounding the Darkness itself. Like how you need to stay in the dark to recharge your powers or that you can stab dudes with a tentacle or open up a black whole to suck up enemies. These aspects of the game are a lot of funThe Darkness is a very atmospheric game with an at times emotionally gripping tale about love and lost. And the game has some fairly interesting gameplay mechanics surrounding the Darkness itself. Like how you need to stay in the dark to recharge your powers or that you can stab dudes with a tentacle or open up a black whole to suck up enemies. These aspects of the game are a lot of fun but the game is held back with a whole lot of jank. Its hard to describe but the movement and gunplay is really quiet rough and can be hard for people to get used to. Enemy AI is also really basic and lacks variety. The game is kinda open world in a very linear sense with small areas connected together by streets and the subway but the world by the end of the game can feel really dead and boring when you have to walk awhile through empty streets and subways tunnels. And the side mission aren't that much better most are boring and all lack interesting rewards for your time. If you play this game your definitely playing for the story and not the gameplay not that its awful its just really dated by this point.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

24
#24 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2007
14
#14 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2007
31
#31 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 63 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 63
  3. Negative: 1 out of 63
  1. DailyGame
    65
    The back-and-forth structure is tedious, and the narrative needed to be much more fleshed-out. Too bad great loading-screen treatments can't make up for overall shortcomings.
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  2. The New York Times
    86
    Part of The Darkness’s charm is its wealth of extravagant, often irrelevant detail.
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  3. ZTGD
    85
    A fantastic game with an engaging story that only manages to slip up towards the end. The unforgiving amounts of violence are enjoyable and the demonic powers more than make up for its lack of innovation in the gunplay department.
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