Hey gang, Valkor here. I remember the first time I popped open the first “God of War” on the Playstation 2; I was so amped when I sat down the controller that I wanted to start punching people in the face! Okay, maybe not to that extreme, but I was still pretty pumped! How does that relate to this next review on deck here at GameView? Well, I’ve never played the “Darksiders” duology, but now that I’ve played “Darksiders: Warmaster Edition”, I got that same feeling I get when I played “God of War”. But is it worth playing through again if you’ve already played it? Maybe. Read on!
"Darksiders: Warmaster Edition" is a visual upgrade from its original release back in 2010, which was also to be a quadrilogy that centered on each of the four horsemen of Apocalypse. The first game of the series centers on War, who is called to earth prematurely during what is essentially Armageddon. Midway from the beginning, he faces off against a giant demon that quickly dispatches him and he's sent to hell where he is met with a council that accuses him of causing all the mess up on earth. To clear his name, War asks to be sent back to earth to find out what really went down. However, the council won't make things easy for him; first, he'll have to regain all of his abilities that have been stripped from him, leaving War to start with just his sword “Chaoseater”. Next, he’s tied to the hip with a Watcher, who makes sure he sticks to his objective as well as gives War clues in certain scenarios. As you play through the title, you’ll not only battle to get War back to his original form but also discover what truly caused all the chaos that has suddenly plagued Earth.
Darksiders is a 3rd-person action title that blends together exploration, "hack and slash" and puzzle solving into one brutal title that doesn’t pull any punches. While War will face off against a plethora of baddies, he dispatches each one with a different effect (mostly he’ll just rip them apart). You'll start out with one weapon, but as you continue to play through, you’ll discover or purchase new weapons, items, and abilities; some of these items or abilities will allow War to access new areas to explore that may have initially been out of his reach. Defeating foes will reward you with souls. And you can find a demon named Vulgrim, who'll allow you to exchange those souls that will expand your repertoire.
Though the game is given the subtitle “Warmaster Edition”, from what I’ve read of the title, nothing new has been added and you’re only given a bump in graphics and a smoother frame-rate – there are no new stages, monsters, boss characters, or even extras such as behind the scenes, or mini-games to play. I’d back this play if THQ Nordic is going to release the second Darksiders game and continue from there. Otherwise, if you’ve already played this title then there really isn’t much to see here unless you want to travel down that road again (and I wouldn’t blame ya if you did). But for us newcomers, you’re in for one heck of a ride!
The Good:
Even though “Darksiders: Warmaster Edition” isn’t giving us much in terms of new content, the game is still so much fun to play. It’s brutal, it’s loud, and it’s all kinds of awesome from start to finish! Gameplay is spot on as you can pull off any of War's moves with ease. And War's combos, while they delve into the realm of "God of War" or "Devil May Cry", feel useful and less flashy than those in the aforementioned titles. The puzzle solving isn’t too complicated and there’s plenty to explore. But it’s the action that’ll keep you coming back for more. And there isn’t a shortage of baddies to bust up. In terms of graphics, I found some older video of Darksiders to compare the new enhancements, and I have to say it does the game justice as the graphical bump really brings out plenty of the game's details, giving it a sharper, cleaner presentation. Plus the boost in the frame-rate helps the game run smoother. Audio wise, all of the original sounds are there and with a nifty pair of headphones such as the HyperX Cloud Revolver, you’ll seriously be in for an audio treat. I wish there was more to the title, but I did I have a whole lot of fun with “Darksiders: Warmaster Edition” and I look forward to more from THQ Nordic down the line.
The Bad:
I wish there was more content other than the polishing of the graphics. The game is still fun to play, but some new content would make this a worthwhile purchase for gamers who have already played this one.
The Ugly:
N/A
“Darksiders: Warmaster Edition” is available now and while some of you may have already run through this one, I think it’s worth revisiting as the graphical polish really shines. And for newcomers to the franchise, myself included, I say you won’t be disappointed. And out of TOV 5 stars, I’m giving “Darksiders: Warmaster Edition” a solid 4.
