[This review will not include a score at its end. The Darkness II has been released for a little over two weeks now, and as such there are plenty of other websites that have already published reviews with the requisite numerical/score based content. Rather, the goal here will be to provide a more analytical and personal reception of the game for readers who want to know more about it, and whether on not they should actually play it. There are minor spoilers below.]

What is The Darkness II?

The Darkness II at its core is a deeply philosophical greek tragedy, ensconced in the trappings of a scorched-earth first person shooter. Jackie Estacado is the “host” of the Darkness, a parasitic ‘pre-creation’ entity that thrives on pain and destruction. Estacado, following the events of the first game, has now become the head of the Franchetti Family, but is still devastated by the loss of the love of his life, Jenny Romano.

Romano’s death, in the first game is quite possibly one of the most disturbing and heart-renching scenes in video game history that I have ever experienced, and it understandably continues to shape Jackie in ways (as well as the player in his shoes) that resonate throughout the entire series. Jenny’s death was not only untimely, brutal, and manipulative- it was conducted in a way that left the blame knocking on Jackie’s door. Her presence in the second game is handled in semi-psychological and preternatural ways that make Jackie’s pain tangible, and it facilitates one of the main themes of the game: a cathartic adventure into the life of a man who is losing his mind- in addition to losing his soul- in the face of the evil that surrounds him.

The narrative of the game itself is one of great complexity. The game is extremely linear, but it has a number of well-timed interesting tricks up its sleeve that will have the player questioning themselves as to what the hell is actually going on. This is a journey into the mind of a man who may or may not be sane, who is slowly being consumed by a monster that may or may not be real, all while trying to cope with the horrific events of a tragic life that was at many times beyond his control.

At the game’s conclusion I found myself questioning the plot at numerous key sequences. The story leaves you wondering if you “got it right?” This theme is carried throughout every fiber of The Darkness II, and it serves to create a first person shooter that is significantly smarter than anything in the genre has a right to be. Playing The Darkness II feels right, but it does not feel good, and nor is it really supposed to. Arguments can be made in many directions as to whether or not Estacado is a “good” human being, however I am of the opinion that this remains to be seen. Romano on the other hand of course was (is?), and as such her loss makes her convoluted presence immensely more powerful in contrast to Jackie’s suffering.

The Darkness II

Gameplay and Content?

Parents, do not buy this for your kids.

The gameplay of The Darkness II is absolutely ferocious. This is, through-and-through, a “mature” game in terms of graphic content. It’s pornographic, it’s sadistic, it’s masochistic, and it never once lets you forget these things. The Darkness itself does not give a rip about what Jackie wants, so long as it gets what its there for, and the gameplay reflects this well. If you played the first game, you may have reservations about the pacing of The Darkness II, or you may be worried that the controls are a little clunky….. have no fear, The Darkness II absolutely excels in this arena.

The Darkness itself, the parasite that seeks to consume Estacado, is the most powerful weapon in the game. The array of pistols, shotguns, and automatic weapons sound vicious, and are more than capable of leaving their mark on the game world, however they pale in comparison to the ravenous hunger for blood of the two Darkness arms that snake around the periphery of the screen. The game’s signature “quad-wielding” works well, and serves to reinforce the savagery of the Darkness. You regain health by feeding on the hearts of fallen enemies, and improvised items in the environment can be used for shields and projectiles via the darkness arms. Interestingly enough, Estacado is not a walking tank. A flash-bang grenade will reduce Jackie to just another blinded mortal with strange voices in his head.

The sound design of The Darkness II is impressive. Mike Patton (of Faith No More) reprises his role from the original game as the voice of the Darkness, and once again does a stellar job. The Darkness itself screams and wails with fury and deceit in a way that infests your sound system and raises gooseflesh on your arms if you have never heard it before. If you are wearing headphones, you can hear other sounds recede from the game world when the Darkness speaks, and a liquid sloshy background accompanies Patton’s voice as the Darkness screams for hearts to consume as if from inside the players mind. Alternatively, the intermixed anecdotes of Jackie’s life between levels, Johnny Powell’s academic analyses and lunatic ramblings of darkness history, and the few lines we hear from Jenny, all bring the other characters into a strong presence within the narrative. The Darkness II may be ridiculously linear, but it’s spoken dialogues make it very engaging.

One of The Darkness II's many gory executions....

Should You Play It?

The Darkness II is complicated game. The main attraction here is the single player campaign. There is a multiplayer element to be had, but it never attracted me in any great way, and it lacks the complex ethical and emotional elements of the single player story. Without these drives, the game sinks to another brainless gore-fest.

The Darkness II is also short. Interestingly enough though, when you play it, it does not feel short. The story is paced well for the most part, and it feels like it ends at the right time. The Darkness II also boasts a New Game+ mode where you can keep all of your upgrades, and crank up the difficulty for more of a challenge, meriting some replay value.

My biggest criticism of The Darkness II is it’s violence.

Hear me out….

A recent theme in conversations about videogames seems to be the argument: “Mature content does not make a mature game.” The Darkness II is in no shortage of “mature” content. The game oozes viscera and scenes of brutality from every corner. There is a level that takes place almost exclusively in a brothel, which is very pornographic. The content here, seems to be a little over-done at times. The impact of the Darkness does not entirely depend on its violence, which seems to be something that the developers loose sight of at points throughout the single player campaign. When this occurs, the game is reduced to a masturbatory and voyeuristic endeavor with little redeeming qualities. The game will desensitize you to a level not often seen. If you need proof of this, listen to what people are actually saying in their video reviews of this game. It’s creepy to say the least. i.e. Anthony Gallegos’ review over at IGN:

Oddly enough however, this is also sort of the point…. as in being desensitized we become Jackie, and his moral struggles becomes our own. This is where The Darkness II succeeds, as its predecessor did. However it makes for an experience that is not altogether enjoyable. But then again this is not necessarily the point. The Darkness II, in this way almost psychologically critiques itself, and invites the player to critique the game, and themselves as well by walking in Jackie’s shoes. This is where the game becomes cathartic and offers something valuable to the player, and it rings true when Jenny cries, “Jackie, this isn’t your fault.” The image shatters and the player sees themselves in the game, literally in the reflection of the black of their television screen. To these ends, The Darkness II is very effective.

In short, keep this one on your radar if you are at all interested. It’s worth a look. Make sure you stay until after the credits or you will miss something huge.

The Darkness