Darksiders 2 Review
Some bugs and porting issues don't stop Death's adventure from surpassing War's in both quality and scope
The enemy variety is decent enough, with a good mix of small, big, fast and slow-attacking baddies which keep the combat scenarios interesting. Many levels are peppered with bosses, both big and small, and these vary in quality significantly. The better bosses usually require the use of Death's special abilities and some light puzzle solving to beat, with some of these fights being exciting and really enjoyable. Other fights, including sadly the final boss, simply involve dodging attacks and dealing damage when you can get close enough. Sadly a few of the boss fights are hampered with camera issues. The game has a tendency to force you to look forward, so some boss fights that require you to aim up and sideways can be unnecessarily frustrating, especially when you need to be moving and looking off to the side at the same time. Fortunately these problematic boss fights are few and far between.
Some bosses such as this sunny fellow are essentially damage sponges
Whenever you attack an enemy you accumulate Wrath. Wrath is spent on special attacks, and you are given a bit of choice as to what these attacks are. As you play the game you level up Death, increasing his health and strength, but also allowing you to spend skill points on ability trees. There are two main trees, one with offensive powers such as a teleport-slash or a powerful spinning attack. You can upgrade these attacks to give Death more wrath, health, or to deal more damage. Alternatively, you can put points into a tree which lets you summon minions who will attack enemies and distract them from Death. You can pull up a radial menu to choose one of these attacks, although on the PC you can assign each attack to a hotkey, improving the fluidity of the combat even further.
The Diablo-esque loot system also helps make Darksiders II feel even more like an RPG. Some enemies will drop loot, and you will find loot-chests scattered around the world, often hidden in places that require a bit of platforming to get to. The game lets you easily compare the stats of dropped loot with current weapons and armour, and often you must choose between weapons and armour that increase Death's damage, or bolster his defenses. You might come across a rare possessed weapon; these can be upgraded by sacrificing lesser weapons, making them even more powerful. You will also find money throughout your travels which you can use to spend on weapons or potions from traders located in the hubs mentioned earlier. On your first playthrough you stop levelling up at 20, but the new game+ option lets you continue past this, creating decent incentive to play through the game a second time.
If Darksiders II is anything to go by, you should definitely fear the Reaper
The main story mode in Darksiders II is very substantial, with a quick run that avoids most optional content likely taking in excess of 15 hours, while a more completionist run would likely bring that number well over 20. There is a sort of non-story mode in the form of the crucible, an arena that lets you pit your character, gear intact, against increasingly difficult waves of enemies for cash rewards. This mode doesn't add much to the game, but if you enjoy the combat you might have fun trying to get to the end, especially if you have your eye on an expensive piece of loot on offer by one of the traders.
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