The Darkness is a good game, but the story is the true star, not the gameplay.
SO, why the 7.5 rating then? Yeah. You see, the problem is in the execution, and the length. The gameplay at first is awesome, although you notice the rather iffy hit detection every now and then, your mainly using the pistols, which are the most accurate weapons in the game, and pulling of those first few executions is pretty sweet. But, as the game goes on, especially when you get the shotgun and other weapons, you realize, that only the dual wielded pistols and sub-machine guns have more than a front and back execution. Some weapons don't have them at all. I was expecting the executions to be more like the "Gun Katas" In Equilibrium, a vital mechanic to surviving the intense multi-shooter gun battles that explode all around young Jackie Estacado. They sadly are not. They actually don't even work a good 25% percent of the time, and you'll either shoot the guy in the face like any other shooter, or do this crazy kinda circle strafe dance around him until you pull one off. The aiming can be everything from too helpful, literally pulling off headshots without even wanting to, to nearly broken, especially with the shotgun. I have literally been confronted by mobsters and police, or dead people, and at point blank range missed with a 12-gauge, aimed squarely at their chest. But I had fun watching the wall get riddled with buck-shot directly behind him. The AI can be kinda stupid, especially when you summon Darklings. Those things are stupid. Half the time they don't even do what their names imply they do. Numerous attempts to get the lightkiller to strike out lights were met with so much frustration that I just gave up and quit using them all together. The powers range from kinda cool, to nearly useless. The Demon arm is cool, especially for taking out lights and impaling people, but the Creeping Dark and Darkness guns are almost pointless, except for the few points where you have to use them. The game also is pretty short, even doing the side missions, which were completely pointless, I finished it my first time in little over 10 hours. Not much game for $60, considering that I can't play any multiplayer because of my crappy internet connection, although I heard that it was so laggy and tacked on that it was pretty much broken anyway.
There is some merit to this game, though, and that is in the fantasic way that the story is conveyed and played out over those 10 hours. A crazy twist of supra-natural(thats, like, a whole level above super-natural:D) events and an almost Sopranos like Mob-Drama are really well done. The motion capture and voice acting(particularly Mike Patton) are superb. This is one of the few games where you actually make an emotional connection with some of the characters. One point in the game really hammers this home in a way that I've never really experienced in a video game. I would say that it is definitely worth a rental, just because of the story. But once you finish it, your really not going to be given a reason to come back, unless you want some kinda lame collectibles. If you are a big Darkness fan, then you'll probably find a little more love for the game than I have. Its not that its a bad game, its just that it really doesn't seem to live up to its potential. Play it for the story, or some just really bloody action, but I'd be wary of paying the full retail price.