The Darksiders 2® Catch-All

This box art is a little more interesting because of the character design, but it's really weird and sad that the vast majority of box art is a picture of a stern looking dude glaring at the player. It's too bad the more interesting box art is typically reserved for limited editions (Mass Effect 2 and 3 come to mind).

I enjoyed the first Darksiders and liked the art style, but it was a little to Zelda-like for my tastes. The sequel sounds way more interesting, and it seems like it could really make its own mark. Maybe this will help turn THQ around as well, though I'm not too optimistic about that.

beanman101283 wrote:

This box art is a little more interesting because of the character design, but it's really weird and sad that the vast majority of box art is a picture of a stern looking dude glaring at the player. It's too bad the more interesting box art is typically reserved for limited editions (Mass Effect 2 and 3 come to mind).

I enjoyed the first Darksiders and liked the art style, but it was a little to Zelda-like for my tastes. The sequel sounds way more interesting, and it seems like it could really make its own mark. Maybe this will help turn THQ around as well, though I'm not too optimistic about that.

SR3 didn't turn THQ around?

I don't recall D1 being zelda-like. Were there weapons and items to collect? I admit I played it in a daze and don't recall much except that it was a blast. I should buy it again.

ibdoomed wrote:

SR3 didn't turn THQ around?

I don't recall D1 being zelda-like. Were there weapons and items to collect? I admit I played it in a daze and don't recall much except that it was a blast. I should buy it again.

Seeing as they just cancelled a bunch of projects, turned their WH40k MMO into a single player game, and are in danger of being delisted from the stock market, I would say SR3 didn't do too much for them. :-/

I can't believe you were in that much of a daze that you don't remember how every area involved collecting a new item that let you explore it and could then be used to explore other areas further. There were also weapons and powers to buy, but the structure of the game was almost exactly like a typical 3D Zelda game.

beanman101283 wrote:
ibdoomed wrote:

SR3 didn't turn THQ around?

I don't recall D1 being zelda-like. Were there weapons and items to collect? I admit I played it in a daze and don't recall much except that it was a blast. I should buy it again.

Seeing as they just cancelled a bunch of projects, turned their WH40k MMO into a single player game, and are in danger of being delisted from the stock market, I would say SR3 didn't do too much for them. :-/

I can't believe you were in that much of a daze that you don't remember how every area involved collecting a new item that let you explore it and could then be used to explore other areas further. There were also weapons and powers to buy, but the structure of the game was almost exactly like a typical 3D Zelda game.

Ah, I wasn't following them close but thought SR3 was well received and assumed it would help.

I have vague memories of D1, like a slideshow of pictures, so I'll buy it again. That was immediately after a death in the family so all of that time of my life is mostly missing.

I'm pretty sure this debate has been beaten to death, but may as well join in.

The first dungeon or two most closely resemble the Zelda formula, but the third one starts to break things up a bit. In fact, after that I don't think it really feels like the same formula until the final dungeon. So it's very un-Zelda like in that manner.

Though it always confuses me how people can absolutely love Zelda, and then praise a game like Okami for "being like Zelda", but then Darksiders is condemned for using what is clearly a good game design model. Maybe it was imitated too precisely, but I don't remember people condemning Shadow Complex for biting off Super Metroid so hard.

I think that really comes as a matter of taste, truth told. Me, I love the "everything and the kitchen sink" model of game design through genre combination. By mixing a bunch of games that worked well together, you get one awesome game. Sure, Darksiders doesn't do "better" than Zelda or God of War in their respective strengths, but by combining the two you have a game that, well, I know I personally prefer over either.

I'd be afraid of Darksiders II trying to be way too open-world since that seems to be what sells now. We need more games imitating Zelda, the way I see it.

I didn't know there was a debate about it, so I apologize if i'm inadvertently beating a dead horse. I suppose the "find the object to explore the area" mechanic is what struck me as most Zelda-like, along with the way the boss fights required the use of those objects.

I actually love that style of gameplay, so I could easily be biased in that regard. I view it as the same style of gameplay you get out of Metroid as well. Resident Evil has it to an extent, but doesn't really have the same sort of item/weapon/inventory system.

http://venturebeat.com/2012/04/18/th...

THQ reported today that it will have higher revenue than previously expected for the fourth fiscal quarter ending March 31. The original expectations for the fourth quarter 2012 revenues was previously $130 million to $150 million. Today’s preliminary unaudited report from THQ shows a much higher $160 million to $170 million, an increase of $20 to $30 million.

The company has been written off as a casualty of the disruption in the video business, but it’s not at death’s door yet. Calabasas, Calif.-based THQ attributes its revised financials to stronger than anticipated sale of Saints Row: The Third. That title launched last fall has now shipped more than four million units. THQ also had better-than-expected digital sales, and stronger sales than expected for UFC Undisputed 3.

They're not in good shape yet, but hopefully D2 will pull them even more out of trouble.

I really like the art style of Darksiders 1 and 2. I wish more games were as vibrant and interesting in that regard.

ccesarano wrote:

I actually love that style of gameplay, so I could easily be biased in that regard. I view it as the same style of gameplay you get out of Metroid as well. Resident Evil has it to an extent, but doesn't really have the same sort of item/weapon/inventory system.

I enjoy it as well. I wasn't knocking it at all.

cyrax wrote:

They're not in good shape yet, but hopefully D2 will pull them even more out of trouble.

Awesome. I wondered why their stock jumped so high today. Hopefully you're right.

That's awesome news about THQ. I really hope they make it back from the brink. They're one of the few publishers that respects their customers as more than just money dispensing devices.

Of course, that is probably what got them into this position in the first place.

BadKen wrote:

That's awesome news about THQ. I really hope they make it back from the brink. They're one of the few publishers that respects their customers as more than just money dispensing devices.

Of course, that is probably what got them into this position in the first place. :(

Really holding out for some new software for my uDraw tablet... /sarcasm

I too hope they pull through this. They've had their fair share of crappy movie shovelware (Home Alone anyone?), but they've come good in recent years.

My money is down for the Limited Collectors, and that weighs in at AU$128 down here, and it's tied up with only one retailer, so there will be no further discounts, or competition. Sucks to be me.

I totally agree we need more zelda-like games. Specially since zelda itself has been lost to the motion control crap (I'm not coordinated enough for that) and replaying wind waker/ocarina/LTTP is getting old.

I'm going to pretend there's no Skyward Sword smacktalk happening in here, tip my hat and get back in my gamecop cruiser. Clean it up in here.

Would've been better if I could have just used my Classic Controller Pro.

F@#$ DA PO-LEES!

Blind_Evil wrote:

I'm going to pretend there's no Skyward Sword smacktalk happening in here, tip my hat and get back in my gamecop cruiser. Clean it up in here.

Skyward Sword is 'OK', but it owes a LOT to the first Darksiders that came before it...

E3 2012 trailer:

Add Shadow of the Colossus to that ever-growing list of inspirations.

I´m so in. Yeah, they rip off from various successful games. I don´t care. I love it. First one was a lot of fun. This one will probably be better.

gameplay demo:

Wow. @ 2:47, those wood handhold areas in the wall look reallllyyyy close to Prince of Persia (2008) wood handholds, and he's wall running just like the 2008 prince. Not complaining, just pointing out. I loved PoP '08, and I didn't even play it until mid 2010. So I guess that could be a good thing.

Yeah, that was EXCESSIVELY Prince of Persia like. It's been so long since the original game, which I know cribbed heavily from PoP and Zelda and the like, I couldn't remember if this was better or worse than before.

Preorder bonuses have been laid out, I will likely be preordering. More because I really loved Darksiders than anything else. They earned my $60.

Joystiq wrote:

The pre-order bonuses for Darksiders 2 have also been laid out: Putting down money ahead of time for the Limited Edition will earn you a Season Pass, with two pieces of DLC content for free, as well as a new set of in-game armor.

OnLive just announced they will be throwing in the OnLive console with any Darksiders 2 preorders through June 28.

They did that with the original Darksiders. I swear, if my living situation was better I'd go for it.

Not sure which pre-order bonus to get. The GameStop one sounds much better than Amazon's and Best Buy's but... but... it's GameStop

I really hate rewarding this exclusive pre-order content bullsh*t but a better pre-order bonus is better. If it was just armor or something like the others I wouldn't fret but it is actually extra areas which I am a huge sucker for even though they usually end up feeling like something that was cut and then re-purposed as half-assed pre-order bonus content

I've given up misguided notions of waiting for the Wii U version and preordered it for 360 from the THQ shop. That nets me all the DLC for free (other retail preorders are just getting the first DLC), and more importantly helps out THQ. They need it, and they make some really cool games. If you're planning to drop $6o on this regardless I'd suggest doing so as well.

This season pass thing has caused a bit of grousing around the internet, but I think we've learned enough from the generation to know that you have to plan ahead for DLC. If the developers start working on it the day after the game is finished you end up with some very untimely releases, well past the game's mindshare peak (Castlevania: LoS).

Blind_Evil wrote:

I've given up misguided notions of waiting for the Wii U version and preordered it for 360 from the THQ shop. That nets me all the DLC for free (other retail preorders are just getting the first DLC), and more importantly helps out THQ. They need it, and they make some really cool games. If you're planning to drop $6o on this regardless I'd suggest doing so as well.

This season pass thing has caused a bit of grousing around the internet, but I think we've learned enough from the generation to know that you have to plan ahead for DLC. If the developers start working on it the day after the game is finished you end up with some very untimely releases, well past the game's mindshare peak (Castlevania: LoS).

If I didn't have some (free) $25 gamestop giftcards, I'd probably have done the same thing. I'd like to see the Darksiders series come to its ultimate conclusion (4 games?), but that probably won't happen if THQ goes *kablooey*.

I actually still have it preordered at GS because I also had about $25 left in credit but decided I'd spend that on something else down the line.

Unbelievable!

Not only did they violate us with making a mobile app, they did us one further and tied it to facebook. This is the ultimate insult. The one great game of the summer and they've F'd it up. The day before my birthday no less. THANKS THQ, go rot in hell where you stole Death from.

This deserves the same snail mail hate letter that I had to send to arenanet and funcom.

The "ultimate insult" would be if Darksiders 2 was not a good game. An iOS app has nothing to do with that. It's totally optional, just ignore it. Or continue this weird crusade against whatever.