We caught only a glimpse of the other Horsemen of the Apocalypse before the credits rolled on the original Darksiders, but what were War’s three brothers in arms doing while he was battling the armies of Heaven and Hell? Darksiders II aims to answer at least some of that question, following Death on an adventure that parallels the events of the first game, rather than continuing on from its fantastically rousing finale.

Much like its predecessor, Darksiders II is an immaculately styled adventure that blends hack-and-slash combat with dungeons that’ll test your wits. Vigil Games hasn’t lost its knack for delivering dynamic action that seems ripped from the pages of a comic book: the game boasts stunning art design and attention to visual detail throughout. Death’s quest to clear his brother’s name after War falsely triggered the Apocalypse takes him through new locations ranging from the lush green fields of the Forge Lands to the abandoned urban streets of Earth.

The conversation options are more for show and don’t affect the campaign’s path.

Darksiders took strong inspiration from titles as varied as Devil May Cry, The Legend of Zelda, and Portal, and while this sequel maintains that mix, it also loops in other mechanics both fresh and familiar. Much like a proper dungeon crawler, Darksiders II makes loot a primary concern, with all manner of weapons, armor pieces, and gold spewing from fallen monsters and bashed-up crates. Naturally, Death’s arsenal reflects this newfound focus, and everything from his twin scythes to a secondary weapon (axe, hammer, glaive) and protective gear can be swapped out, sold, and in some cases enhanced by feeding one piece to another.

It’s a good addition that lets you customize Death’s abilities and appearance somewhat; moreover, it’s paired with a new leveling and skill-point system that puts a variety of powerful, upgradable combat abilities at your disposal. Using your Wrath power to summon allied Ghouls is great, but then being able to bulk up their health, increase their ranks, imbue them with fire damage, and even have them detonate upon death helps you feel even more like the mighty biblical doom-bringer you’re supposed to be. And that’s one of several Wrath skills you can employ in vicious hack-and-slash skirmishes; others include spinning scythe attacks or calling in a swarm of crows.

One series of stages lets Death wield hulking firearms for Gears-esque blasting.

We just wish it was easier to use Death’s many weapons, abilities, and Wrath skills without headaches. Unfortunately, with just four fast-swap shortcuts available for everything from special moves to Death’s firearm and his portal-launching ability, the game lacks an elegant way to quickly access more than a few moves without halting the action. Also spotty is the new focus on platforming, which introduces Prince of Persia–esque wall running and elaborate layouts of ledges to scale. As cool as these dashes look, the controls are oddly finicky, with leaps not always going in the intended direction, plus dismounting that’s often unresponsive.

Control issues aside, Death’s adventure satisfies on many levels, whether it’s gloriously frenzied battles, riding his ghostly steed through a grim wasteland, or fine-tuning your arsenal. And its many dungeons use the wealth of play mechanics to deliver smart, engaging puzzles. But Darksiders II is poorly paced, and though it packs a few more hours of story content than the first game — making for a lengthy 20-hour-plus campaign — the extra time isn’t well spent.

Gargantuan beasts are in fact not big fans of Death.

It starts strongly and the initial hours entertain, but then Darksiders II shifts to a long slog through the Kingdom of the Dead, where nearly half of the game is spent with minimal story development as you complete a string of fetch quests disguised as dungeon runs. Snagging three souls to help find three lost warriors — after previously scrounging up three energy stones — feels as repetitive and trite as it sounds, and it makes the middle of the game feel unnecessarily padded. Ultimately, the plot speeds toward an abrupt conclusion that’s hardly worth the wait; sadly, the game spends much less time with the more interesting stages and missions introduced in its later hours.

While it succeeds in many respects as a standalone game, Darksiders II disappoints as a sequel. Death’s side story proves less eventful than War’s mainline quest, with fewer interesting sights and scenarios, plus boss showdowns that are generally less memorable than Darksiders’. It also does little to advance the franchise’s narrative. By eschewing a proper sequel for a new hero’s quest, the developers seem to have missed a great opportunity to capitalize on their excellent first offering.

In some dungeons, you’ll command a stone golem to help solve puzzles.

PUBLISHER: THQ  •  DEVELOPER: Vigil Games  •  ESRB: Mature  •  MULTIPLAYER: None  •  ACHIEVEMENTS: Diverse  •  COST: $60  •  RELEASE DATE: August 14, 2012

On Xbox 360

+ Compelling universe with fantastic art design.

+ Entertaining action, smart puzzles, and stellar customization.

– Poorly paced and weaker story/scenario than Darksiders.

? Will we finally see all Four Horsemen in action next time?

7.5