Support NeoGAF

[Ceb]

Yay, I just got my copy. Btw, looks like most will agree that the online mode isn't anything to write home about. It probably was a good idea to include it anyway though, due to the mentality of game reviewers and their unofficial "check lists".

"No online?" Score - 1.
"Mediocre online, but it's there?" Unchanged.

 

[AgentOtaku]

can't.....stop....playin.....

 

[nofi]

can't.....stop....playin.....

Darkness one-handed confirmed?

 

[Sephon]

how? I walk up to TVs and its always on some news channel.

I guess you have to watch that report first and then it goes into regular broadcasting, where you can change the channels.

 

[polyh3dron]

Yay, I just got my copy. Btw, looks like most will agree that the online mode isn't anything to write home about. It probably was a good idea to include it anyway though, due to the mentality of game reviewers and their unofficial "check lists".

"No online?" Score - 1.
"Mediocre online, but it's there?" Unchanged.

I hate that kind of mentality... It's meant to be a single player experience and they have to tack on a half-hearted multiplayer segment just for the bullet point.

 

[rollingstart]

ugh, I just got to the

Spoiler

hell/World War part. I hate it, its walking around confused, boring color patterns everywhere, and just generally boring. The Darkness Guns you get also suck, the rapid fire gun is weak as hell and the other one is strong, but its not worth it, the Tail is too awesome to switch with.

 

[dark10x]

The biggest problem I see in all of this is that the devs and media led everyone to believe that the two games were the same except for the extra content. Hell, the reviews don't even point out the reduced AA and lack of MB. Pretty rediculous IMO.

Makes no difference to me since I got the X360 version, but this is something that should have been made known a long time ago.

I know. Reviewers seem to miss out of so many things these days. I almost feel as if I need to start my own website and properly review all aspects of these games for the few that actually give a shit. I understand that people are demanding reviews that mirror the film industry but video games are not films and more information is often helpful when deciding to spend 60 clams.

 

[MMaRsu]

I know. Reviewers seem to miss out of so many things these days. I almost feel as if I need to start my own website and properly review all aspects of these games for the few that actually give a shit. I understand that people are demanding reviews that mirror the film industry but video games are not films and more information is often helpful when deciding to spent 60 clams.

Why dont you? I'd read it

 

[urk]

Got a few more hours of playtime in last night. Still very impressed. It seems the more I play, the more I like it.

Powered up the Demon Arm and I've been impaling people, dumpsters, police cars, large metal bells, anything I can get my thorny, black finger on. I'm not sure why this mechanic has been noted as clunky in most reviews. It's very easy to use. Same goes for Creeping Dark. I've used it time and again to sneak up on an unsuspecting hit squad and turn them into worm food. So satisfying. The only time I have an issue is trying to climb walls.

Jackie looks like a dope in the mirror. Don't ask me why I'm hanging out in the bathroom, it's a long story, but the guy's hair swooshes back and forth and he holds his arms kinda funny. Don't know what that's all about. He's also got this Steven Seagal thing going.

Anywho. Had no major problems in the Hills besides getting turned around a few times. There were a few moments there where I pooped a little. If you've played it, you know what I'm talking about.

The extras are very cool. Scrolling through the comics and being able to zoom in on panels is a very nice touch as are the concept pieces and the speed paintings. Very cool touches.

No multiplayer yet.

 

[dammitmattt]

So I've been playing for a few hours and I STILL can't get the control to feel 100% right. What settings are people using? And seriously, devs, how hard is it to emulate Halo?!? Also, this game is just BEGGING for a cover mechanic and a run button.

Despite that, I'm really digging the game so far. Starbreeze put so much effort into every facet of the game's presentation and it really shows. The scene where you sit on the couch with your girlfriend and you slowly cuddle together while "To Kill a Mockingbird" comes on the TV is one of the most emotionally engaging scenes I've ever experienced in a game. Everything from her voice acting to her art design to her animation is just perfect, and it really gives me hope that one day, games can actually be emotionally engaging from beginning to end. It's just a small scene (and make sure you stick around

Spoiler

for the kiss and the achievement

), but it had a large impact on me.

 

[dark10x]

Powered up the Demon Arm and I've been impaling people, dumpsters, police cars, large metal bells, anything I can get my thorny, black finger on. I'm not sure why this mechanic has been noted as clunky in most reviews. It's very easy to use. Same goes for Creeping Dark. I've used it time and again to sneak up on an unsuspecting hit squad and turn them into worm food. So satisfying. The only time I have an issue is trying to climb walls.

I completely agree. I've had no issues with any of the mechanics thus far. The Creeping Dark is picked on in nearly every review, yet I never once found it confusing or difficult to use. Perhaps the days of playing Alien VS Predator (as the Alien) have aided me?

 

[urk]

So I've been playing for a few hours and I STILL can't get the control to feel 100% right. What settings are people using?

I jacked the sensitivity and acceleration way up for both axis. You can also tweak auto-aim if you like and it will latch on from like a thousand feet away.

 

[Dev1lZ]

I got it yesterday for PS3 and it looks to me like motion blur is present in some scenes, so I don't know what all the whining is about. The graphics range from good to very good, and the sound is awesome. Over HDMI, I did notice a few jaggies here and there on edges, but not enough to register on my complaints list. What really impressed me is how good the gameplay feels. It reminds me of the way Riddick felt, which is a good thing, and the walking speed is just right, not too fast, not too slow, but believable. I do miss the rumble though, and the 360 controller feels more comfortable in my hands by proxy, but when I want to play a game and the system keeps having to be repaired, well, one has to go with the alternative that doesn't break on you. (PS3)

 

[urk]

...but when I want to play a game and the system keeps having to be repaired, well, one has to go with the alternative that doesn't break on you. (PS3)

Add to the intensity. Picture this:

You're walking through the Hills, a barren landscape where the ground is soaked with the blood of the perpetual, walking dead. The sky is scorched, bloodied. Mist coils around you like death. A flash! A shocktrooper is upon you, weapon drawn and pointed at your face. It's over. Darkness. He is gone. Was it an illusion? A fabrication of the anxious mind? How the hell are you going to get out of here? You clutch your worthless weapons with sweaty hands. Your feet sink into the moist ground.

Now imagine that same tension except throw in that you know - absolutely know - that at any second your 360 is going to go tits up. It's enough to send you reaching for a stiff drink. Calm your nerves, my lucid dreaming friend. It's okay. Everything is still green. Super green. The red lights are stalking you, yes, but your time has not come yet. I've put your head ball back together. This was only a test. You have passed.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

Add to the intensity. Picture this:

You're walking through the Hills, a barren landscape where the ground is soaked with the blood of the perpetual, walking dead. The sky is scorched, bloodied. Mist coils around you like death. A flash! A shocktrooper is upon you, weapon drawn and pointed at your face. It's over. Darkness. He is gone. Was it an illusion? A fabrication of the anxious mind? How the hell are you going to get out of here? You clutch your worthless weapons with sweaty hands. Your feet sink into the moist ground.

Now imagine that same tension except throw in that you know - absolutely know - that at any second your 360 is going to go tits up. It's enough to send you reaching for a stiff drink. Calm your nerves, my lucid dreaming friend. It's okay. Everything is still green. Super green. The red lights are stalking you, yes, but your time has not come yet. I've put your head ball back together. This was only a test. You have passed.

:lol

Another masterpiece.

 

[Shogmaster]

Pay particular attention to the thumb and the pager logo. If GameSpot haven't screwed up their captuing, that's not just a lack of MSAA, it's being upscaled from a lower resolution.

WAIWAIWAIWAITAMINIT. Hold up. You are telling me that the PS3 version is not only missing motion blur and AA, but is also rendered lower than 1280x720, then scaled up?!? @_0

 

[Guenther]

The biggest problem I see in all of this is that the devs and media led everyone to believe that the two games were the same except for the extra content.

What extra content?

 

[Mmmkay]

WAIWAIWAIWAITAMINIT. Hold up. You are telling me that the PS3 version is not only missing motion blur and AA, but is also rendered lower than 1280x720, then scaled up?!? @_0

If, and it's a big if, if they have captured it correctly then yeah. If that's supposed to be a 720p output from the PS3...

 

[supermackem]

Just got it on the ps3, loving it so far anyway to zoom in on the tv i would sit and watch this movie but the screen is so small it makes it impossible to be able to zoom in or make the tv full screen would rock serious ass.

 

[speculawyer]

This has probably been posted already, but there s a video head-to-head comparison of the two versions at IGN . . .you need to be a member though.

Edit: Can someone post a summary of the results?

 

[cicatriz]

WAIWAIWAIWAITAMINIT. Hold up. You are telling me that the PS3 version is not only missing motion blur and AA, but is also rendered lower than 1280x720, then scaled up?!? @_0

Unfortunately, the bit about AA and MB being completely absent from the PS3 build is untrue and completely blown out of proportion. While testing these theories last night it was impossible not to notice that there IS motion blur, and there IS anti-aliasing. Whether it's turned up as high as the 360 version though, I don't know (I've only spent limited time with The Darkness 360).

As pointed out yesterday, the quickest way to find motion blur in the PS3 version is to simply pause the game or access your inventory menu. The current scene sort of gets sucked away as the demon arms pull up the menu. The effect is present during this process and in many other cases. Conveniently, one aspect regarding the games "sharpness" was left completely untested in the Gamespot review. I'm referring to the way in which the PS3 upscales the title on 1080i native sets. On a 1080i native set I noticed a marginal difference in sharpness (possibly even framerate but I need to test this more) when I forced output to 720p. A similar issue has been reported in R6:Vegas, though the issue in The Darkness doesn't seem as severe.

Edit: Maybe someone could test the upscaling issue on a 1080p set?

 

[supermackem]

Unfortunately, the bit about AA and MB being completely absent from the PS3 build is untrue and completely blown out of proportion. While testing these theories last night it was impossible not to notice that there IS motion blur, and there IS anti-aliasing. Whether it's turned up as high as the 360 version though, I don't know (I've only spent limited time with The Darkness 360).

As pointed out yesterday, the quickest way to find motion blur in the PS3 version is to simply pause the game or access your inventory menu. The current scene sort of gets sucked away as the demon arms pull up the menu. The effect is present during this process and in many other cases. Conveniently, one aspect regarding the games "sharpness" was left completely untested in the Gamespot review. I'm referring to the way in which the PS3 upscales the title on 1080i native sets. On a 1080i native set I noticed a marginal difference in sharpness (possibly even framerate but I need to test this more) when I forced output to 720p. A similar issue has been reported in R6:Vegas, though the issue in The Darkness doesn't seem as severe.

Edit: Maybe someone could test the upscaling issue on a 1080p set?

Whats the issue mate im running it at 1080p.

 

[Shogmaster]

If, and it's a big if, if they have captured it correctly then yeah. If that's supposed to be a 720p output from the PS3...

It HAS to be a capture f*ckup on Gamespot's part. That's just too much a gap between the two versions...

 

[besada]

I bought (360 version, natch) and played through the opening scenes and through the subway out into Chinatown. My first impressions:

I keep accidentally crouching, at which point he really does move like a dumptruck.
Biting people's faces off is fun.
The imps randomly killing passersby is amusing.
The controls feel a little sluggish, but I've been playing non-stop Shadowrun for the last month, so that may have an effect. I tweaked the sliders but still can't find any spot where it feels "just right".
The creeping shadow thing can be confusing. I got stuck more than once where I couldn't move forward or back, and it hadn't let me know yet how to retract the damn thing.
Some of the AI is pretty stupid.
Opening scene had my wife clutching her armrest.
So far the story is more interesting than most of what's out there. We'll see if it keeps up that way.
I accidentally scragged the old guy in the bathroom of the subway. Hope he wasn't important.
The gun kata moves are a blast, and the physics of the tumbling bodies make it worth doing. I got up behind a guy and unloaded both pistols directly into his spine, and he flew forward, flipped over a table and landed face down. Very nice.
Multiplayer is shit. Total shit. I played two games and not only was the lag horrific, but it took place in cramped boring cement tunnels, like it was still the Doom generation. They should have just left multiplayer out if they were going to do it this poorly.

 

[careksims]

I got it for the PS3 yesterday and I started playing around 10:30pm and when I said "okay it's time to sleep," it's like 3am! LOL! Oh man, I am loving this game! The music is soooo good @_@. I spend my time admiring the scenery and just listening to the music.

As for the controls. I'm fine with them. Yeah there is some auto-aim problems with it, but as others said, you get used to it.

For the graphics, I keep getting drawn into the game not to notice any lack of MB and I don't mind that.

Overall I'm really enjoying it.

 

[Arkham]

Add to the intensity. Picture this:

Your are in an open field west of a big white house with a boarded front door.

There is a small mailbox here.

> OPEN MAILBOX

You open the mailbox.

> LOOK MAILBOX

Inside the mailbox is a shipping carton.

Fixed.

 

[urk]

Fixed.

I will cut you with my Nasty Knife.

 

[darksquirrel]

Well I picked up the PS3 version, and I guess this is my 2 cents.

All in all the game for me, is a mixed bag. Mostly because although I thought the animations were something to worship, and some of the texture work was definitely notable. My main conflict with the game, was the navigation. Too many times did I find myself wandering through alleyways

Spoiler

, or war-torn hellish trenches, and pillboxes. Also the ever random seemingly immortal undead zombie soldiers do make ya a little flustered over time especially when you have to get to the "Darkness Guns," but you have no idea where the ever enigmatic crucified-trio reside who have procured them...........I mean come on

I guess a more trivial complication was the occasionally maddening targeting system, and the goons that would repeatedly persist even after two clean shotgun blasts to the chesticle region.

Don't get me wrong as far as the proliferation or progression of gaming goes I believe The Darkness is "required reading" simply because the precedence they set with,again, the animations and general feel of the characters, and not to forget the massive demon arm that you can manifest to dispatch enemies with such satisfaction it could be considered gluttonous. So overall The Darkness is O.K. in my book.

 

[cicatriz]

Whats the issue mate im running it at 1080p.

There seems to be a slight visual degradation when the game is upscaled to 1080i. When I turned 1080i off as a usable resolution and forced the PS3 to output at 720p, it looked a bit better. I was curious if the same was true for 1080p, or if there was no difference.

There's a similar issue with R6:Vegas. Apparently it's related to the debug kit and 1.80.

 

[chubigans]

This has probably been posted already, but there s a video head-to-head comparison of the two versions at IGN . . .you need to be a member though.

Edit: Can someone post a summary of the results?

I just downloaded it and...it's all footage of the 360 version.

Methinks IGN messed up big time. :lol

Edit: that's weird, the correct video is up now. Ignore this post.

 

[Diseased Yak]

This has probably been posted already, but there s a video head-to-head comparison of the two versions at IGN . . .you need to be a member though.

Edit: Can someone post a summary of the results?

Edit: ^^^^^^ The top video (the PS3 version) didn't display a lot more jagged edges to you? Watch when the truck backs through the wall, look at the edges of the wall as the camera pans back. Maybe I'm going crazy and seeing things, who knows. :lol

I just watched it. The guy from IGN basically outlines the differences while a spit-screen video plays both in basically the same spot in the game. He repeatedly lists the lack of AA in the PS3 version as the largest difference, and even in their video you can see what he means. Lots more jagged edges on things. He also claims the PS3 version has some framerate drops that aren't present in the 360 version, though from watching the video clips they show I couldn't see any.

He mentions the lighting effects around the darklings are a bit different, due to motion blur being absent on the PS3 version I'm sure. He also says that the PS3 version has more video clips on the various tv's and such throughout the game, which leads to a bit more immersion (according to him).

That's basically it. To me, the only noticeable difference was the lack of AA on the PS3 version. Otherwise they looked the same and moved the same, but again that's just imo.

 

[cicatriz]

I just downloaded it and...it's all footage of the 360 version.

Methinks IGN messed up big time. :lol

Did they really? I'm still downloading it. Are you seeing 360 button dialogs in both vids or something?

Edit:The WMV comparison I downloaded has the 360 and PS3 versions. There are clearly PS3 button dialogs. So far the only noticeable difference is that the 360 version does have better AA. I'm still curious whether AA is completely lacking from the PS3 version, or if it's just running at 2x.

 

[Imperial Hot]

I just beat the game.

WOW!

I never felt such a rush playing any game in my life! The game brought me on such a crazy, and wild ride! I LOVED IT!


Definitely one of the best games I have ever played.


Excellent job, Starbreeze!

 

[plagiarize]

I just downloaded it and...it's all footage of the 360 version.

Methinks IGN messed up big time. :lol

erm. no.

it's two versions running simultaneously and you can see the difference they're talking about clearly.

there is no motion blur when the character turns on the ps3 version (even if there is a motion blur effect when you pause still, motion blur doesn't appear to be on all the time) and there are many more jaggies espescially when the orange highlights are showing up.

you clearly see the PS3 buttons in the ps3 bit, and the 360 buttons in the 360 bit.

if you can't see the motion blur they're talking about, just compare any time the character turns on both versions. the ps3 one is *very* 'framey' where as the 360 one looks a lot smoother.

pause it during those moments and you'll see the blur on the 360 and the lack of it on the PS3.

compare the 360 version at 2:27 to the PS3 version at 2:06

 

[dralla]

What happened to the darkling's that carried the saws and would decapitate people they showed in the early videos?

 

[tanod]

What happened to the darkling's that carried the saws and would decapitate people they showed in the early videos?

Berserkers will pick up whatever is nearby but they don't spawn with anything.

 

[Francias Castiglione]

Berserkers will pick up whatever is nearby but they don't spawn with anything.

They do if you have found darkling outfits for them. Lumberjack has the saw, Fireman has an axe, Potato Sack has a knife and the 2K Sports one has a baseball bat. Those are the ones I've seen so far.

 

[cicatriz]

if you can't see the motion blur they're talking about, just compare any time the character turns on both versions. the ps3 one is *very* 'framey' where as the 360 one looks a lot smoother.

pause it during those moments and you'll see the blur on the 360 and the lack of it on the PS3.

compare the 360 version at 2:27 to the PS3 version at 2:06

The very first scene after the loading screen, both versions blur when they turn.

Same exact room, same exact position.

 

[chubigans]

erm. no.

it's two versions running simultaneously and you can see the difference they're talking about clearly.

I swear the version I just downloaded was just gameplay of the 360. It wasn't a head to head at all; most likely a mislabeled vid.

The QT version works fine though, and the motion blur isn't really too bad. The framerate is much more fluid on the 360 though...much, much more.

 

[plagiarize]

The very first scene after the loading screen, both versions blur when they turn.

Same exact room, same exact position.

...

are you pausing the video and comparing still frames? i am. and i see no blur in the frames of the PS3 version when i pause the video... but there it is in the 360 version.

in motion the 360 version looks smoother.

no offence, but do you know what you should be looking for?

 

[cicatriz]

...no offence, but do you know what you should be looking for?

I was going to ask you the same question.

The 360 version shouldn't look "smoother" with motion blur, it should look blurrier while the PS3 version should remain "smoother/sharper" when paused (if it's lacking motion blur).

 

[plagiarize]

I was going to ask you the same question.

The 360 version shouldn't look "smoother" with motion blur, it should look blurrier.

yep you don't know what you're talking about.

motion, strafing, turning, etc should look 'smoother' and less like a series of frames one after another with motion blur.

same way that film running at 24 frames per second looks a lot smoother than a game running at 24 fps without motion blur.

no matter where i pause the ps3 video, i get a sharp image that if i hadn't paused it myself i'd have no idea wasn't taken when the character was standing still. any time i pause the 360 video when the character is turning or strafing quickly, there's the blur just as it should be.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

I was going to ask you the same question.

The 360 version shouldn't look "smoother" with motion blur, it should look blurrier while the PS3 version should remain "smoother/sharper" when paused (if it's lacking motion blur).

Its the combination of AA and motion blur that makes the game looks smoother in motion.

 

[Jirotrom]

Has anyone in here done all the submissions as Im down by one....its really annoying as I cant find the last one...Im stuck at 93 percent for th Heart of Gold Achievement.

 

[Francias Castiglione]

Has anyone in here done all the submissions as Im down by one....its really annoying as I cant find the last one...Im stuck at 93 percent for th Heart of Gold Achievement.

Have you done the one where you need to get the guys insulin? It will only be available after your second trip to the "otherworld"

 

[cicatriz]

yep you don't know what you're talking about.

motion, strafing, turning, etc should look 'smoother' and less like a series of frames one after another with motion blur.

same way that film running at 24 frames per second looks a lot smoother than a game running at 24 fps without motion blur.

no matter where i pause the ps3 video, i get a sharp image that if i hadn't paused it myself i'd have no idea wasn't taken when the character was standing still. any time i pause the 360 video when the character is turning or strafing quickly, there's the blur just as it should be.

I know exactly what you're talking about and "smoother" isn't the best word to describe the function in this example. The frames are blended, not "smoothed". WMP on my work machine isn't letting me pinpoint the exact locations too accurately but I am able to see the blur effect present in both versions in the very first scene. It's more noticeable when still/paused in the 360 version, but impossible to see when both games are in motion.

 

[rollingstart]

This has probably been posted already, but there s a video head-to-head comparison of the two versions at IGN . . .you need to be a member though.

Edit: Can someone post a summary of the results?

PS3 version seems to be more jittery in the frame rate, I cant notice the jaggies the guy was talking about because its hard to see on such a small screen.

 

[nofi]

I know exactly what you're talking about and "smoother" isn't the best word to describe the function in this example. The frames are blended, not "smoothed". WMP on my work machine isn't letting me pinpoint the exact locations too accurately but I am able to see the blur effect present in both versions in the very first scene. It's more noticeable when still/paused in the 360 version, but impossible to see when both games are in motion.

The video will have motion blur by default, though, due to the way it's compressed and differences in frame rate.

I have neither version, so I can't comment on the game itself, but both the videos do have some blurring artifacts but not ones intended by the developers - only the 360 version has the software tweening going on.

 

[plagiarize]

I know exactly what you're talking about and "smoother" isn't the best word to describe the function in this example. The frames are blended, not "smoothed". WMP on my work machine isn't letting me pinpoint the exact locations too accurately but I am able to see the blur effect present in both versions in the very first scene. It's more noticeable when still/paused in the 360 version, but impossible to see when both games are in motion.

i'm not saying the frames are smoothed or blended. i've only ever said that motion blurring makes the motion smoother. that's an accurate description of it that you'll find used by a lot more people than just me.

i can see the difference in motion. it's apparent to varying degrees all over the place throughout the game... and its lacking from the PS3 version.

i'm glad that you can't see it and that its ommission doesn't bother you... but i'm not exactly sure what you think you're seeing.

if you can't see it in a still frame, then there is no motion blurring going on.

 

[urk]

If you play drunk, there's motion blur on both consoles. And it doesn't take any cycles or whatever.