Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition Reviews
Despite some minor issues, Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is a great PS4 re-release of an already fantastic action-adventure romp.
Darksiders 2 for the PlayStation 4 is a great re-release of the second entry into the series, but that's only because the core game is so good. Technical issues that really should have been resolved by now, and a weak concluding act inhibit it, but nonetheless there are few games that have been so effective in aping the Zelda formula than this one.
Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition is the best way to play the game, but offers little reason for veteran players to revisit Death's lengthy adventure.
Darksiders II has satisfying combat, a terrific variety of puzzles, and great, consistent art design. It starts to wear out its welcome deep into its lengthy runtime, and its story fails to deliver on the original game's promises, but it's still an exciting adventure well worth embarking on. Unfortunately, this edition on PC is full of minor technical issues that prevent it from realizing its full potential. Darksiders II is worth playing, but Deathinitive Edition is not worth the upgrade.
It's still very much Darksiders II as you remember it, just with a new skin, and that's completely okay.
At its core, Darksiders II is a great game. That is what makes Darksiders II: Deahtinitive Edition all the more frustrating. A horrendous frame rate negatively impacts every aspect. Combat feels clunky, and the graphically impressive game ends up looking bad in motion. At least Nordic Games didn't technically call this a definitive edition, as it's really anything but.
When Darksiders II sticks to the actual essentials of the main story and not its so-called Deathinitive features, it's a solid action-adventure-RPG hybrid.
Darksiders II sits on a rock-solid core that it continually builds upon throughout Death's epic quest. Massive overworlds are full of memorable dungeons with fun puzzles and traversal sections. The fast paced action combat is responsive and gives you a plethora of ways to go about each fight. As well as a fitting and well-designed dark aesthetic placed on environments and characters. All of these mechanics evolved as I progressed, ensuring that the game was always engaging and fresh. Even after three years this game still holds up, and there has never been a better time to join the Grim Reaper for an experience that is to die for.
Darksiders 2 is a good game, just not necessarily as good as your other options right now. One day, when you're desperate to play an adventure title and you've completed everything else this will be an enjoyable treat, but for now, I'd wait.
Shallow, but entertaining, this HD re-release is a passing distraction that will placate fans of the action platformer genre.
Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition works as a hybrid of multiple games, but if you've played the original Darksiders 2, playing this game won't be all that different.
Still, when the game works, it certainly works. Getting past the camera issues and annoying padding is a fun game that'll definitely keep you entertained. Plus, you can become a giant spectral reaper and pick apart enemies the size of a Transformer with a single swing. How can you say no to that?
Returning players need not pay any mind to the Deathinitive Edition, especially those that already consumed its additional add-on content. That said, those that have yet to step into the shoes of a Horseman of the Apocalypse and are seeking a solid action-adventure RPG need only to knock on Death's door.
Darksiders 2: Deathinitive Edition provides all the enjoyment of the original Darksiders 2 and then some. Some glitches and the fact that it does not add all that much to the base game hold it back a little but it is still a solid title
Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition is much like Dishonored: Definitive Edition released just a few months ago. Despite it being a few years old, it remains a very good representative of its genre and is even excellent in a few areas. With all of the included DLC, there's a good amount of gameplay and value, and the revamped way it applies the DLC to the game is novel enough to force everyone to experience the content as it was meant to be. The move to a more powerful console doesn't translate into extreme visual changes, though, and those expecting a frame rate bump will be disappointed. For those who have yet to experience the title on the PC or previous generation of consoles, this is still worth checking out.
'Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition' sits firmly in the camp of "probably didn't need a remake, but here it is and it's actually not bad". It takes care of some video issues from the original release while adding a few of its own, has no new content, and premieres at a relatively high price point fo a returning title. What it does offer is a very competent action adventure game from 2012. It has little to entice the diehard 'Darksiders' fans but if you're new to the series, this is a worthwhile outing.
Dead and Loving it
Darksiders II was not the blockbuster hit that many people - THQ included - expected it to be, and the primary reason is that something is just… off. As a result, its Deathinitive Edition had to work very hard to do better, but any chance for it succeeding was undermined by an inexcusable lack of stability in the final product.
While the Switch port does run into some issues in specific instances, the overall experience feels very smooth. Darksiders 2 is the best entry in the current Darksiders trilogy, and the Switch version, while not perfect, is a great way to experience it. Now we just need Darksiders 3 on Switch so I can take this entire excellent series everywhere I go.
It feels like it's been a long time coming and thankfully, any concerns fans may have had ahead of a Switch release can be laid to rest by Death himself. Darksiders II Deathinitive Edition is a visual feast, offering little to those who have already played through elsewhere but holding nothing back for the purists and new players alike. Age-old camera issues remain, but if you've been waiting to get on board with Death and his Horsemen, this late-to-the-party package is an easy recommendation.