There is something charming about Death that makes you love the pale rider.
The game takes place some time before the start of the first game and ends right where the first finished. However this time around we are not on Earth and instead we are given a tour of the realms of existence.
Life, death, good and evil are the main focus of the game, which aims to point out the concept for the need of balance in all things. Without death there can not be new life and without evil good becomes unjust. There are many symbols used in the entire game from both norse and christian cosmology, like the Tree of life which is a portal to many realms, just like Yggdrasil in norse mythology. With he four elements fire, water, earth and air in the main focus they are all cleverly represented in the beautiful world of Darksiders 2 each with its own realm where: water is life, earth is were we all must go when we die, air is what allows the light of good to travel and fire fuels the deepest chambers of evil.
The world itself is vast, quite an improvement from the previous game. However it is also very empty at times and the creatures that inhabit it are all trying to get a bite out of you. That aside the realms are a colored marvel filled with vivid scenery ready to grab you by the hips. The areas and the dungeons are nicely crafted to the point where almost none are identical to one another. However backtracking to most of them is a chore, fastened with boredom because there is no renewed opposition. Also backtracking is entirely for self satisfaction of finding a few collectibles this time around, unlike in the first game where you had to backtrack and look for the broken pieces of a weapon in order to move on with the story, that gave each level an extra replay value, where here in the general case people wouldn't bother unless they are aiming to get completionist to match their name.
"And what about Death" ? Well our hero in the flesh is the ideal champion for a game like this, customizable, agile, easy to use, able to rip enemies apart in an executioner style with an option to be a sage or a warrior, a choice hard to phantom since most of the strong opponents require a warrior approach of things. The developers' choice to turn execution into a stat is a brilliant way to go around the problem of repetitive quick kills, which were often in Darksiders 1, but at least could flow from one another in grace. The amount of stats our champion has is admirable and yet simple, covering all the very basic needs of regular RPG games and providing the play with the option to choose what kind of a champion to be. The only problem that would prevent anyone be a full master of Death is the camera, its is quite honestly horrible, wandering off sometimes, too close to the player and in most cases hard to figure out how to dodge with. Also the key mapping is a disaster even on the PC in regards to the skills, most times you have no key space and one is forced to use the quick wheel, which for a combo based game like this is gameplay breaking. Of course they can be mapped by you but for the most part there are just too many.
In the character department Death is a quiet taskmaster warrior, just like War, but unlike him he bears a burden and a heart, this one twist of character makes him more interesting and easier to attach to. War is a killing machine, in his wake countless die, but Death is more human he does what he has to, when the time comes it is both casual and yet very personal with some. The conflict that burdens him is what the game is about, one mans' regret and his duty, which will he choose ?
As for the bulk of the game, the first part is full with content, the rouges gallery keeps you fresh on your toes and the addition of an arena makes playing Death all the sweeter. Of course there are some minor glitches regarding surface and mob bugs but they are unremarkable. The only beef one would have is that Boss fights are pretty ordinary, most if not all times they are the same enemies you face in the grasslands but with more damage, area of effect abilities and bigger health bar. The old trick dodge dodge slam his face with a scythe works just like on all the rest. There are a few exception of boss fights that require a strategy but most disapointing is the fact that the hyped bosses are a joke. That is the same problem with the second half of the game and at the end, the plot develops in a flash and unlike War you only fight a few demons at the end, unless you visit the arena, which as mentioned is a salvation point. The second half feels very short compared to the first with only a few areas and it leaves the player with empty hands expecting a great conclusion but instead the player gets a pie and a nice after credits video leaving the door open for a nother game to follow.
In short, a good game which has all it needs, the game is full of symbols if you look for them and the story is an interesting guide for the World of Darksiders. Death is perfect in his character and his finishers in his chaos form are satisfying for the eye, especially on the bigger rouges. I recommend the game to anyone looking for a action RPG with fantasy elements, which delivers great fun and in moments completely sucks you inside the realm.
The mental image of a rider with a scythe marching down the dead dunes of the Underworld of the dead is something to remmember.