The Darkness II

Blast from the past, combat still holds up, need a 3rd game

This port crashed my laptop to permanent blackscreen, very sad, didnt even get to play it

Great single story FPS, gory, good gunplay, interesting combat system and top notch voice acting plus a coop campaing, totally recommend!

After maybe 8 years of owning this game, i finally decided to play it to completion. And you can truly tell that this game was made in a way more edgy era. If gore and grit or filth isn't your thing, don't touch this game.
It's made with a sort of cell-shaded boarderlands kind of style, and it seemed pretty good for when it was released. Albeit the physics jank out and you gotta force the game down to 60hz/fps a least 4 times?! The rest works pretty well if you don't decide to jump out of bounds - These weren't issues to me, if they are to you then watch a letsplay instead.

The game looks pretty ok for it's time, it's the classical console 720p era of games. the 4-arm mechanic of the darkness that possess you was half the reason why i wanted to get the game. And MAN, it's pretty damn cool once you get the hang of it deeper into the game. The gunplay is mehh at best, but it serves a purpose and works fine for what it used to be.

What is a big minus for me, turned out to be the little british darkling that follows you. It's clearly just comedic relief from how grotesque the game can be at times. Personally, i really dislike this and it was outright childish at times. The camera is also zoomed WAY too far in on characters, it was awkward and didn't help the game in any good sense.

A thing that impressed me, was the attention to detail of the interior of the house after the large attack. You could tell that all aspects of the game was truly taken care of and was thought about. To me, that speaks to how they evidently had a certain style and setting they wanted to complete and they completed it by what i'd say as well. Good work, good immersion.

One of the 2 endings (spoilers) was probably the real reason why i got the game originally, the hell-path. It's not really a spoiler, because the ending turns into the same either way. The audio work of the darkness was just really cool, and that warped inbetween world is made with a great artistic choice in mind.

If you want to play a fairly trippy and kinda "out there" grim / dark game, you'll probably like this one for what it is. But expect it to be aged. It was a multi-platform release over a decade ago, notoriously such games hold up far worse than PC-releases from this era. Or single-platform games. For it's time, 7.5/10. For today, it's worth it to play. But 5.5/10 is more suitable today. Sad games aren't made with this much passion today.

Honorary Half-Life game with how it'll never see a true sequel. What a shame

Old School Hidden Gem.

Innovative Gameplay For A 2012 Games, Great Graphics And Decent Story
(They Even Have Comic Books For The Darkness' Lore)
Still Great To Play At 2025 If You Want To Try Something Different.

took me more than 10 years to play this game. never did play the first but that ending. ffffffff. when the darkenss 3? amazing game, great writing and storytelling. combat is meaty. 9/10

Yes, Embrace the DARKNESS

good

Gunna preface this with - turn on VSync when the game starts. Unless your running a 30FPS setup, you will encounter frame related issues with invisible walls late in the game not despawning, but also with any of the melee interactables (fuse boxes, wood panels, etc.) as there seems to be a sync issue on newer hardware.

That being said - the game is pretty neat; it plays like most Action Adventure FPS titles that came out around the same time, but with the schtick being you got Venom style tendrils that shout into your ears all the time and you actually eat people vs drain their fear (or whatever Venom did in that "Ultimate Spiderman" game).

They serve as your melee being whips you can use to slash enemies in half, or to rip some armor off them - but also can be used to grab/throw items, as well as a few other neat things like eating hearts to heal. The skill list may be a little smaller than expected from a newer player (like picking people up is mostly when their about to die vs whenever), and is a bit more FPS oriented (one tree is all about more ammo and aim-botting when you use a skill while dual-wielding), but there is a neat one that lets you summon blackholes which is neat though they replace the enemies health drop and got me killed a couple of times being there vs a heal. Oh - dual wielding is neat too; any side-arms (like 3 handguns and like 3 or 4 machine weapons) can be dual wielded just cause.

Story is pretty neat - little predictable, though I certainly appreciated the Matrix reference that was dropped as well. About 10-14 hours long if you played enough of these to just find everything in the first playthrough (I went right in at hard, and managed to only miss 2 collectibles). Achievements will see you play through at least one more time (like shooting 25 guys within the first 10 minutes without restarting checkpoints; you'll know when it starts).

Lastly - the bread and butter of this game is done well. Do not go into the light, as it will blind you indeed; nice blinding filter gets slowly burned in; though it truly pairs well with The Darkness also screaming at you to avoid lights (it's a yellow paint, but without feeling like it). It stops healing and even being able to use the powers which can easily devastate you later on with hordes of enemies using flash-bangs and stuff.


TL:DR - It's like playing one of those spooky FPS games like "F.E.A.R.", but instead of being the random soldier deployed to stop the problem, your the spooky monster... and... might be the good guy.

Unfortunately we may never find out since cliff-hanger ending and why the individuals were found where they were.

Not as good as 1, but still quite fun - 6/10; characters and story are genuinely original and a breath of fresh air paired with some familiar controls on a wacky concept of controlling the literal darkness around you.

we NEED 3

i recommend the darkness II - here is why

pros:

- mature story with a heartwarming romantic twist
- no woke agenda due to the age of this game
- nice art direction
- gruesome, brutal and satisfying gore
- serviceable gunplay (shootgun is punchy)
- interesting darkness powers
- option to skip all cutscenes and conversations
- you can disable all HUD elements
- runs with high refresh rates - in this case with 144 fps
- runs out of the box on modern systems

cons:

- too short - without the story you can complete the main campaign in ~4h on hardest difficulty
- fov is bad even with the implemented slider
- ends on a cliff hanger and we will most likely never see a continuation

you should get it on a discount or get a key

I've always loved this game, the combat is super fun and the voice acting is top notch. my only problem is the cliffhanger ending especially since we never got the third game.

The Darkness 1 ? never heard of it

TLDR: Great combat shooter for 10-15$, but don't overpay. Good story but ends on a cliffhanger. Limited replay value.

Pros: Great 360-era shooter that plays like a prototype of Doom 2016 complete with optional collectibles, RPG mechanics, and glory kills. Dual-wielding feels great, and the enemies feel balanced, although the game does feel easier than it should. The storyline is simple, but compelling, and actually has some decent twists.

Cons: The game is extremely short by modern standards, and can be beaten in less than 5 hours. 100% completion will take you around 9, but that mainly involves achievements, repetitive multiplayer missions, and hunting collectibles.
The story is good, but most cutscenes are unskippable walking segments that lose all their charm on the second playthrough where you're forced to mash the skip button over and over to get to the next level. There's basically no variety in the enemies, bosses, or level design that present any challenge, so the entire game leans on the combat, which is extremely fun (especially with all Jackie's powers unlocked) but it's about 4.5 levels of combat with 3 bosses (two of which are identical)

Conclusion:
Whether you like the Darkness II or not depends entirely on whether you like the combat. Most of the game's flaws can be looked past if you find the combat as fun as I do. If you're shakey on shooters, or comic-booky violence, skip it. It's as close to us ever getting a really good Venom video game.

childhood favorite. thanks for still selling it.

.

ONE OF THE BEST GAMES I PLAYED IN YEARS!

And yes, just played it now, in 2025...

The game has issues. A main plot from a B-movie, some bugs (not serious), monotony of enemies… But you can handle that. This is a typical linear shooter with a plot from the 2000s and early 2010s.

The game is short and doesn't waste your time too much. Emotional swings, good music, dynamic shootouts, a little fiend… These things make the game enjoyable and memorable.

It's not a masterpiece, but it deserve a chance. And maybe it deseve a sequel…

Had my headset on and the fist time i boot up the game it blasted my ears, game has more cinematics than gameplay, bugs out when i go through the first vent section at the whore house.
Gameplay is fun tho

Worked fine when I had win10 but not now that I have win11.

This game helped me through some shit 10 years ago.

Pair this game with a broken heart, and the song "Jenny" by Nothing More.

10/10 would almost lose my mind again.

A surprisingly good gorific FPS shooter expirience. I wish I had expirienced the first "The Darkness" game as well (if it even exist at all). The combat is top notch and it becomes insane with the death animations, plus some of the upgrades are really strong. If it becomes too easy, then you can try out the DON difficulty, and if it gets too boring, then you can try the "vendettas" mode. A pretty solid expirience overall.

I got this in the sale for £1.99 and at that price I'd say I got my monies worth. Half the game felt like cut scenes and dialogue. The other half is repetitive missions where you just go from the start of the map to a objective marker whilst killing enemies. I remember playing the demo for this game a LONG time ago and thinking it could be really good. It doesn't live up to the hype. It always seems to be one of those games people reminisce about when older FPS titles are brought it. My advise, don't play it if you don't want to be disappointed, but then that's just my opinion.
As standard the controls are off, it's like a bad console port in that regards. E regens your health via consuming hearts of dead bodies on the floor, E also picks up weapons on the ground. . .So you try and regen your health by consuming hearts and end up swapping out a weapon you didn't want. It's one of those games where you can't carry many weapons. I think the max is 3 different types and 4 slot is reserved for duel wielding. Personally? I hate duel wielding, you waste ammo, your accuracy is worse, I don't want that but you can't remove it. There also auto aim with the throwing objects. So your little sock puppet demon friends can pick up objects in the world. Scaffold poles, chairs, those pesky gas canisters people just leave around then you can throw them at the enemies. Sounds cool but it isn't rewarding because the hit boxes are either huge or it just homes in on the enemies.

Overall it's a 6 out of 10 for me. It's okay, it just doesn't do anything special or good.

TL:DR
too much dialogue (You can skip it), too many cutscenes (you can skip them) gun play is ruined by limited weapon to carry, running out of ammo is often click click, not much weight behind weapons, plenty of ways to kill enemies, levels are average in their design and it just feels like the game tries way to hard to be this deep story driven title. I wish they had spent more time and money on the game play.

Oh and is this a Prey copy? Main character looks very similar. Yes that's it. It's basically PREY 2006 but if you take away some gunplay from Prey, add in more cutscenes with worse level design you get Darkness ll.

a quick solid 8-10 hours gameplay with "fake ending" and true ending

Nostalgia - whilst an incredibly edgy game with an inferior story to the first in the series the art direction and gameplay out performs allowing for an interesting shooter. The Darkness arms allow for diverse combat options for slashing, throwing objects, grabbing car doors as shields and allowing for gory execution finishers they are truly what stands out.
If you want simple fun that is reminiscent of that edgy Xbox 360 era of games its worth trying
RIP piss boy

a blast from the beginning till the credits kinda short but still fun with an great story that sadly ends with a cliffhanger

10/10 for the game startup scenes blowing my ears out and surprising the sh./p;t out of me every time i play because I forget that happens

Come to THE darknessssssss

The Darkness II – A Stylish Yet Flawed Sequel

Overview:

The Darkness II takes a bold artistic leap from its predecessor, opting for a cel-shaded, comic-book-inspired visual style that sets it apart from the original's gritty realism. While the game starts off strong with an engaging story and fast-paced combat, its repetitive gameplay loop and frustrating design choices prevent it from reaching its full potential.

Story and Narrative:

The game continues the journey of Jackie Estacado, the mob boss cursed with the demonic power known as The Darkness. Haunted by the memory of his lost love Jenny, Jackie is forced into a violent war with a mysterious cult known as the Brotherhood, who seek to control The Darkness for their own twisted purposes. The story is one of The Darkness II’s strongest aspects, filled with supernatural intrigue, brutal revenge, and psychological torment. However, the way it unfolds feels somewhat disjointed due to the game's reliance on NPC conversations to advance the plot. This approach often slows down the pacing and doesn’t align well with the game’s chaotic and violent nature.

Gameplay and Combat:

At first, The Darkness II feels exhilarating. The quad-wielding combat system, where Jackie can fire guns while simultaneously using his demonic arms to slash, grab, and throw objects, is an exciting concept that makes for some intense encounters. However, as the game progresses, the combat starts to feel repetitive. Even with skill upgrades, there’s little variation in gameplay. The lack of impactful weapon feedback and a noticeable absence of satisfying hit reactions make combat feel weightless at times.

Another major flaw is enemy placement. The game frequently spawns enemies in frustratingly chaotic patterns, forcing players into constant crossfire situations that feel cheap rather than challenging. Instead of rewarding tactical play, this design choice often leads to unnecessary difficulty spikes that can become irritating over time.

Level Design and Flow:

One of the most jarring aspects of The Darkness II is its level progression. The first game allowed for a semi-open world with exploration, but the sequel opts for a linear mission structure. The problem is that many of these missions rely on a formulaic approach—talk to an NPC, move to the next combat section, repeat. While this structure isn’t inherently bad, it clashes with the dark, immersive tone of the story and makes the world feel less dynamic.

Audio and Dialogue:

The game’s sound design is a mixed bag. While the general audio effects feel somewhat artificial and lacking in depth, the voice acting carries much of the narrative weight. Jackie’s internal struggles and interactions with his demonic minions (particularly the Darklings) provide some great moments of dark humor and personality. The exchanges between Jackie and The Darkness itself remain compelling, but outside of those highlights, the rest of the sound design fails to leave a lasting impression.

Final Verdict:

The Darkness II is a game of contrasts. Its unique art style, intriguing story, and quad-wielding combat system make for an enjoyable experience—at least in the beginning. However, its repetitive gameplay, uninspired level progression, and frustrating enemy design hold it back from greatness. While it offers some moments of brilliance, it ultimately falls short of being a truly satisfying sequel.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆☆☆☆ (6/10) - Fair 🤔👌

Works surprisingly well. Turn Vsync on to avoid the invisible wall glitch.

But it is very different from the first game. More linear (although not by a lot. Although the first game had free roam it was largely empty and had little to do). It is a lot more violent but lacks any real stealth options. While there are some VERY brief stealth sections, they're barely stealth and you'll breeze through those sections regardless of difficulty.

But the action and story are very good. Definitely a lot of fun.

Having come straight from a replay of the original game, the sequel is a little jarring. Aside from the change of voice actor, returning writer Paul Jenkins has written a story with a very different feel, embracing more of the supernatural elements from the comics and featuring a much more angry protagonist, one who feels more like he could be a cold-blooded hitman than the original Jackie Estacado. Exploration has gone out of the window in favour of straight-forward running, gunning and, err, slicing.

Compared to the original game the whole thing is a lot more free-flowing and the controls make it much easier to combine sharp shooting and darkness powers together, while the canned executions are gruesome but satisfying. The game also does quite a good job of initially hiding the fact that its structure has shifted to walking into a room and massacring everything in sight, though the back half does turn into a shooting gallery. The asylum subplot works as a change of pace (though not as disturbing a foil as the Darkness' nightmare WWI) and persistent darkling Knobby is a good addition from both a narrative and gameplay perspective. It also doesn't outstay its welcome, having a lifespan appropriate the amount of gameplay on offer. It's getting on a bit, but i'd say its still worthy of your time. Though the original isn't available on Steam, this works more or less as a stand alone title and explains pretty much everything you need to know.

So keeping to my Modus Operandi, I'm reviewing a game made over 10 years ago (13 years actually). I am recommending this game, for sure, but there is a but and it's kinda a big one. Shout out to Sir Mix Alot. I just looked and the game is at $30. For this game? I'm sure I didn't pay that for it. Would I though? At this point? Probably not $30 but maybe $20. Actually, definitely $20. I've definitely got $20 of fun out of this game.
With all that being said, this game isn't for everyone. If you were born before 2000 and you are looking at the reviews then you would probably like it. It's not your run-of-the-mill FPS but that is a lot of what you will be doing. I think it has a solid story and it's done in a very comic-esque style both visually and conceptually. It made me laugh a few times. It's like Goodfellas goes to Hell. If you can find it on sale for $20 or cheaper then check it out.

A fun shooter with a decent story and cool comic book style visuals

This game was a Big part of my childhood Along with dishwasher. If you liked the first one It has More Shoot-em-up mechanics but if you like gore games play dishwasher

Give me the sequel and I am going to save Jenny again

SCARY FUN WITH THE RIGHT LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY WAS A VERY ENJOYABLE GAME

probably the loudest game ive ever played. controls are also very wonky

core childhood game for me. started it on the 360 over a decade ago and have now 100% it on steam a decade later. this game is better than some current day games and would highly recommend EMBRACING THE DARKNESS. 10/10 would lose sanity again.

Story goes nowhere and there is no payoff. Game feels like it only exists to set up for a sequel that doesnt exist

Short and sweet, story wise. There's also a co-op mode, but I have no one to try that with.

Although on the shorter side even when taking the co-op into account, this game is a lot of fun. Fingers crossed on Nightdive bringing the first game to PC.

This game was great when it was released ,its still fantastic and plays so well on the deck ,

Very atmospheric and very short.

Honestly expected something better as I heard so many positive opinions on this game and while it's definitely not bad it's not that great either.
Story's ok - it often feels rushed, gets better in the end, but was quite boring for most of the time. Felt very generic, which may work for a comic book, but not so much for a game.
Most characters are bland and I couldn't really care less for them, but voice acting - on the other hand - is really good.
Good variety of guns and upgrades, fun mechanics, good levels - overall a very decent, yet average experience.

Buy only on big discounts.

This is one of my all time favorite games, it breaks my heart they never made a third game and the first is restricted to console only. In my opinion this is a must play game.

It was nice to play thig game again after so long (I played it first in my Xbox 360)

I haven't played the first but I loved the recap you could be gievn in the beginning of the game! I love the movement of it all, the story, the graphics and the mechanics!!!

main character is a spineless hypocritic idiot that makes my blood boil... Other than that - a great game xD

upd: the main character doesn't redeem himself he is a pathetic loser. a main villain breaks character in his last moments too... game would be great if they got some good writers since idea and design is superb....

Very good game, though i wish there was a sequel... It'd be about time.

Also, wish that the game had a steam points shop, just the banner it has in your library is awesome.

Was a good game when i played it and probably still is but it just feels clunky now. but thats just me i guess.

Basically cod on a budget with fantasy elements plus you get to imagine yourself what its like to loose a girlfriend.
Definetly recommended =)