Libra: Darksiders Genesis (Switch)

Libra is a series which provides first impressions of games before their full review. These are generally spoiler free, however, some base plot points – as well as some mechanic/system reveals – could lurk ahead.

Darksiders Genesis takes THQ’s iconic franchise and introduces a top down perspective with a new snarky-yet-charismatic horseman-Strife. I’m approximately 8 hours in and I’m having a blast. The introduction of Strife to Darksiders brings many welcome additions to an already stellar franchise. Strife’s comedic relief has some truly hilarious moments, and when combined with the newly incorporated gunplay and light RPG elements, Genesis sets off in a fun direction right from the beginning. Combat has always been a strong point in the Darksiders (games in my opinion) and Strife is immensely enjoyable control during your tear through Hell alongside fellow horseman War.

The Gist

Set years before the events of the original Darksiders, Strife and War- twp of the four horsemen of the Apocalypse- have been tasked by the council of the Underworld to investigate evidence that seems to allude to demon lord Samael colluding with Lucifer himself, therefore throwing off the delicate balance of good and evil of the underworld.

As Strife and War make their way to the Void to confront Samael, they learn that there is much more to these recent occurrences, as Samael’s realm has mysteriously fallen under siege. As you slash and shoot your way through hordes of Demons with Strife and cleave your way through by using War’s supernatural, heavy artillery, it is made apparent that the underworld’s resident troublemaker known as Moloch is the likely culprit…but who is helping him?

Darksiders Genesis is much deeper than your average hack and slash. Players can switch between Strife and War with a single press of a button. Each horseman brings a unique skill set to battle, and both have been a blast to play up to this point. Strife and War don’t level up themselves, rather their abilities do. The real treat comes from the games co-op experience- a friend can join in locally or via online functionality by interacting with “summoning stones.” These stones allow a fellow player to drop into your game from anywhere else in the world. The process is quick and seamless, but I’ve experienced a couple of instances of “ghosting,” which I assume were due to my connection being slower than my co-op partners.

I still have so much left to experience in Darksiders Genesis, but the game has its hellacious claws hooked in me. I can’t stress just how fun the co-op experience is. My only complaint up to this point is that some cutscenes are beautifully constructed moments of CGI storytelling, while others are a series of hand drawn, graphic novel style stills that simply don’t make the same impact in terms of advancing the story.

+

• Fun, new characters
• Exciting co-op gameplay on-line and/or in-person

–

• Inconsistent presentation
• Some moments of ghosting- your mileage may vary

I can’t wait to dive back in and learn more while pulverizing my way through the underworld. Check back soon to hear my full review!