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[tanod]

The hands-out-front and the corresponding animations totally bugged the shit out of me at first and I found them really distracting. I think that was mostly because I've never seen it before but I'm a few hours in and it seems normal now. There were a lot of little things like that that bugged me at first. Still enjoying it.

Spoiler

Just got the Darkness guns

How far am I percentage-wise?

 

[Guts Of Thor]

Does anyone know if there are plans to release the original soundtrack? The music in this game is superb.

 

[Spasm]

I'm LTTP so forgive me if this has been brought up before, but I'm having a problem with the PS3 version.

While in The Hills, every time the lightning flashes, my display freaks out like the signal was out of scan range or something. It'll come back about 5 seconds later, but some times, I'll wake up dead. This also happens when I try and read the scripts in the extras. I can read the first page fine, but as soon as I focus on the second page, the monitor dies until I go back to the first page.

I've tried adjusting all the system settings for video on the PS3, and nothing helps. This is a Dell 2405 connected via component, set to 1080i. I'll try 720p tonight.

 

[Bebpo]

So I finally got around to sinking some good time into this today and right now I'm pretty pissed at the game/developers.

For the first few hours of the game I thought it was really interesting and a great unique FPS game. I liked all the little stealth kill bits and RTS type elements with the spawns. I loved the Shenmue-ish "you are there" feel of walking around the city, taking subways and all, I like talking to various characters around the city.

But then I got to

Spoiler

hell, and the game went to complete shit. The level design was gone and became big open fields where you have no idea where you are going or generic sewer type places. You can't see shit, which makes it even more annoying trying to find the next area, and it just keeps going on and on and on.

This is the kind of section you throw into a game for 30 mins and then get back to the real thing, every minute I'm playing hell is negating every minute I enjoyed in the city.

And I hear there's another hell section later in the game...wtf!?

So disappointed at what is essentially a great game being torn down by a terrible element

>_<

 

[Truelize]

Bebpo: it's pretty easy to get around if you just follow the lights and where the enemies pop out. They do a fairly good job of keeping you on a path.

I got lost a bit my first time too. But on my second playthrough I noticed all the helpful stuff.

 

[Bebpo]

Bebpo: it's pretty easy to get around if you just follow the lights and where the enemies pop out. They do a fairly good job of keeping you on a path.

I got lost a bit my first time too. But on my second playthrough I noticed all the helpful stuff.

Yeah it actually picked up again once I got inside for the final section of that area. Enjoying the game once again now. I guess it wasn't really the location that was bothering me but rather the wide open outdoor gameplay, which I think doesn't suit the gameplay at all. Also visually, the game is all about great textures despite low geometry, so when you're outdoors and there are no buildings around the game looks fairly bland.

 

[ToyMachine228]

So what's the general opinion around GAF? I have like $125 at EB and I was considering buying The Darkness. I might save my credit for fall when there's an overload of games coming.

 

[Gattsu25]

I say get it

I'm REALLY enjoying the game so far

if you liked Riddick, then there really should be no doubt

Spoiler

I'm still early...just 'met' the cops

 

[urk]

So what's the general opinion around GAF? I have like $125 at EB and I was considering buying The Darkness. I might save my credit for fall when there's an overload of games coming.

If you enjoyed Riddick, it's worth it. If you expect the multiplayer to extend the value. Stay away.

The Darkness is a short, but excellent, single player experience. It's visceral and authentic and the story is very well crafted. The gameplay is inventive, but it has several flaws, in both mechanics and level design.

It's a difficult game to rank because your almost obligated to ding it for its odd hiccups, but it feels so good, and looks so good, and has so many jaw dropping moments, especially in the storytelling, that you can't help but turn the other way for some of them.

I'm not sorry I picked it up, but I don't know if I'll get around to playing it all the way through again given the ream of titles readying themselves for the Fall, even though that was the plan.

 

[Lonesome_Raod]

Despite the messy otherworld segments it was a good game.

 

[Dr Zhivago]

Just finished it, and I really enjoyed it. Not sure it's as good as Riddick, but then Riddick was just so far out in front of what everyone else was doing at the time.
AI & gunplay are a bit ropey, but ripping hearts out of bodies seemed to make up for it.
I'd also agree that

Spoiler

Paulie & Shrote's deaths were a bit unsatisfying, Shrote's particularly - there's all that setting up getting people to block the spot light so the Darkness can recharge, and then nothing.

A particular favourite bit was

Spoiler

the mugger. There I was with the forces of Hell at my command and this gimp appears with "Hand over your wallet, bitch!". Hmm, now which of my diabolic appendages shall I rip you asunder with?

 

[Maggot9]

Just beat it for my 2nd time yesterday, collecting some of the accomplishments. I really do love this game. Aside from Oblivion, it might be the best single player experience this year that I've played.

I agree with Beppo about the Hell levels. First time in those I got lost beyond belief, but you do only h ave to look for the signs. I wish the level design was more interestin gin Hell as well, maybe something more like Oblivion Planes in Oblivion? Either way, you can't argue that the concept of hell was cool as hell, what with the eternal WWII going on and where the soldiers are being tortured because they cannot die.

I'm working my way through Normal now, and after that, probably hard. Too bad the online is a total bust in this game.

AND YES. If anyone can get the soundtrack for me (and everyone else) somehow, PM me and let me know, PLEASE.

 

[Feindflug]

Ok...how the f*ck do I get the "kill 7 people in 15 sec" & "kill 5 people with a black hole" achievements? seriously I thought that in the last level of the game those would've been pretty easy but I just can't find a place with that many enemies especially for the hole achievement...anyone can help? :/

btw hard mode sucks...too frustrating, everyone planning playing it needs a lot of patience & luck.

 

[speculawyer]

So what's the general opinion around GAF? I have like $125 at EB and I was considering buying The Darkness. I might save my credit for fall when there's an overload of games coming.

Apparently it got gameinformer's game of the month with 8.75/10.

 

[Yoshichan]

God damn, just finished the game... awesome work Starbreeze. NG Sigma, next!

 

[MMaRsu]

A particular favourite bit was

Spoiler

the mugger. There I was with the forces of Hell at my command and this gimp appears with "Hand over your wallet, bitch!". Hmm, now which of my diabolic appendages shall I rip you asunder with?

Wait when and where does that happen? :|

 

[Buffy4ever]

Does the witchblade ever show up in the game??? I read on Newsarama a long time ago that she was suppose to be a boss.

 

[urk]

Does the witchblade ever show up in the game??? I read on Newsarama a long time ago that she was suppose to be a boss.

Nope.

 

[u_neek]

Does the witchblade ever show up in the game??? I read on Newsarama a long time ago that she was suppose to be a boss.

No, Starbreeze forgot to include bosses..

 

[Maggot9]

Wait when and where does that happen? :|

I believe it's when you have to go to the Olive Grove restaurant early in the game.

 

[VibratingDonkey]

I believe it's when you have to go to the Olive Grove restaurant early in the game.

I think the

Spoiler

mugger is random actually. I met him when I was going to Pier 19 I believe.
"Who's this then?" I thought when he walked up to me.
"Give me your wallet ****!" he said.
"Oh my god I'm being impaled by a demonic tentacle and thrown across the street into a brick wall!" he thought.

 

[Varshes]

Ok...how the f*ck do I get the "kill 7 people in 15 sec" & "kill 5 people with a black hole" achievements? seriously I thought that in the last level of the game those would've been pretty easy but I just can't find a place with that many enemies especially for the hole achievement...anyone can help? :/

btw hard mode sucks...too frustrating, everyone planning playing it needs a lot of patience & luck.

Just like you said, in the last level of the game, I got them on my first playthough, specifically

Spoiler

when you are in front of the mansion and they just keep coming, I must have fought 50 guys there, so it wasn't that hard to get those acheivements at that point.

 

[ToyMachine228]

So I went down to GameStop looking to buy something...Came home with The Darkness. Bought it used just to save a little bit. Got home, and it freezes during the opening sequence in the car every time. Awesome.

 

[gstaff]

Beat the game last night. Pretty satisfied with the overall gameplay, but I was expecting something a little grittier at the end

Spoiler

following the sequence where you're gunning that huge beast and the uber creepy show down with the Darkness

 

[gstaff]

Ok...how the f*ck do I get the "kill 7 people in 15 sec" & "kill 5 people with a black hole" achievements? seriously I thought that in the last level of the game those would've been pretty easy but I just can't find a place with that many enemies especially for the hole achievement...anyone can help? :/

btw hard mode sucks...too frustrating, everyone planning playing it needs a lot of patience & luck.

I was able to lure a bunch of guys outside of the bldg where you got to use the radio. Got both achievements right there.

 

[jetjevons]

Has anyone been playing on Hard yet? I find it makes the game far more enjoyable. You really have to think about using your Darkness powers.

 

[Xirj]

Spent some more time with it, liking the game even more compared to when I just first played it.

Am I the only one who liked the game more after the Hell level? I loved the atmoshpere and the inventive setting for 'Hell'.

 

[ToyMachine228]

Well since I can't play the single-player either due to a crappy used disc I bought or my console dying I tried out a couple of multiplayer games. Fast, frantic, and pretty much meaningless. Since I've been playing Gears of War competitively non-stop the past two days it felt good just to spray bullets and kill. Now let's hope I get a new disc tomorrow and that solves my problem.

 

[Brandon F]

Playing through on Hard difficulty...which is pretty easy. The pistols, black hole, and creeping dark just make the game stupidly simple.

Darklings feel contrived and unnecessary. I never feel overwhelmed to the point that they become a viable tool to progress. In fact, the pathfinding is so unbelievably awful that I altogether stopped summoning them once I earned their achievements. Coming off of Overlord, it's even more apparent how wasted this mechanic feels.

Half of the dark powers suck. Dark pistols are weak and imprecise; the dark arm is good for taking out lights, but it is too unwieldly and awkward to handle more integral tasks such as tossing cars or actually impaling the dude shooting me in the face and not the chair laying down near him.

Graphics are overall quite good, but some of the faces look absolutely hideous.

Never really got lost, even in the 'open' levels. Game does a decent job trying to present the obvious path, managed to catch on to those hints really simply.

Sidequests are keeping me engaged, but I feel myself pushing for achievements moreso than unlocking game content rewards.

Still have a bit more left to finish in the game, but I wouldn't scoff at the 6.5-7 ish scores. The characterization is it's strongest feature, but the game is kinda meh.

 

[Bebpo]

Just finished it.

As a game...I thought it failed.

As an interactive comic book movie...I thought it mostly worked.


Everything that would make you think "gameplay" is a broken mess in this game. Pacing? Level design with difficulty progression and pacing in mind? (the last level for example which is just a random mess of sections with varying difficulty. Though pretty much the whole game is that), gameplay balance? (the game either has no difficulty with creeping dark and is a joke, or at times is extremely tough if you just rely on gunplay); the darklings and their RTS gameplay are completely pointless to the main game. If you took out The Darkness theme from the game and all the story it'd just be a really mess of a bad FPS (hell, even the gunplay is fairly poor)

But as an interactive shenmue/fps comic book experience...it works. The world looks amazing, lavished in detail, and because of it really gives the player the impression that they're there. The music is wonderful, all the little npcs at the station flesh out the world. The various life-like things such as the telephones, the mailboxes, the subways, etc... are done very well. The death sequence paintings were very, very awesome. The story is engaging and keeps you wanting to play, though the dialogue itself sounds like a jr. high kid wrote it while trying to sound mafia-ish meets "gangsta" and thought just throwing the word **** left and right makes good dialogue, lol. But it was still entertaining regardless.

I thought Riddick was a much better GAME and also a slightly better interactive comic book since Riddick was a fun character while Jackie is just a juvenile kid with a foul mouth. Also the ending for Riddick was a lot more satsifying.

Still, Starbreeze are good developers even if all the little gameplay quirks shows that they're still hanging at B-level and not up there with the greats yet. Their projects are interesting and creative, and hopefully they hire some gameplay designers and a better writer for their next outing

Probably about a 7.5ish in my book.

 

[Moeeed]

I just picked up the PS3 version. I am going through Ninja Gaiden SIGMA right now ... man I wish they had HARD MODE unlocked from the beginning in it.


Is the multi-player same in ps3 and xbox version ? both laggy or just the ps3 version ?

 

[nofi]

I just pre-ordered the PS3 version (it's out on Friday in the UK) - hope it's gonna be OK as reviews are missed and then there's the whole motion-blur fiasco...

 

[boutrosinit]

Played it. Not my bag, might be yours.

 

[boutrosinit]

Has anyone been playing on Hard yet? I find it makes the game far more enjoyable. You really have to think about using your Darkness powers.

Barely.

"Oh look. A load of enemies. I'll use the vortex".

"Oh look, I keep getting the crap shot out of me. I'll go hide back here and use the cheesy darkling worm thing"

That's pretty much it.

 

[Brandon F]

Awesome! I finished the game on hard mode but didn't get the hard mode achievement thanks to some glitch. Not even the achievement for beating normal difficulty showed up. What a great way to cap off a gloriously average game!

 

[boutrosinit]

Awesome! I finished the game on hard mode but didn't get the hard mode achievement thanks to some glitch. Not even the achievement for beating normal difficulty showed up. What a great way to cap off a gloriously average game!

LOL! Owned.

Also, if you didn't phone in your found notes before the final stage, you can't go back and do it.

You have to play through the whole damn game again.

LAME.

I'll play multiplayer till I'm fed up then HELLO THAR EB.

 

[Nozi]

Got this for the PS3 last week.. been playing for a while and overall I'm really impressed, especially from a technical perspective, but the tentacle stuff just feel gimmicky.. I'd have been quite happy to just walk around and shoot stuff, max payne style.

 

[Brandon F]

LOL! Owned.

Also, if you didn't phone in your found notes before the final stage, you can't go back and do it.

You have to play through the whole damn game again.

LAME.

I'll play multiplayer till I'm fed up then HELLO THAR EB.

Yea, I forgot to backtrack to the subway to phone in the final couple unlocks, and as soon as I got on the little speedboat to the lighthouse I realized I am fukked.

Fortunately you can just restart the chapter as the game keeps track of all the unlocks regardless of when you earn them, the moment youy call them in, the game does a hard save of that individual unlock. You just have to burn through the annoying backtracking and loading segments again in the first half of chapter 5 to get the tanker to appear for the two collectibles it has. No need to restart the entire game at all.

 

[Red Blaster]

Yeah I stopped right after the 2nd hell sequence. Disgustingly average and overrated, can't believe I was duped into buying this.

Pawning this dud on CAG.

 

[Feindflug]

I'm in the second chapter in Hard and I still think that's pretty hard...wtf? I suck at this game I guess as I usually like challenging games...btw is it me or the darkness weakens faster in hard mode when you're in the light? still playing though, I love the atmosphere and gore in this game. ^__^

Hopefully a patch for the online will come soon as I find the mp alot of fun. Come on Starbreeze!

 

[the chris]

Great game as a rental, probably wait for a sequel to but it. Would have loved it more if it had multiple endings.

 

[jetjevons]

Geez. What's up with all the hate?!

 

[Bebpo]

Geez. What's up with all the hate?!

Game's got issues. Sorry

Have the guys from Starbreeze collaborate with the guys from Insomniac for the sequel and everyone will be happy ;P

 

[Kittonwy]

sorry double post.

 

[Kittonwy]

I tried playing the PS3 version of Teh Darkness after Resistance night on sunday, man it makes me dizzy just moving around, the controls feels so damn weird to me, especially the aiming and shooting. Like jeebus. I'm not sure I like looking for those papers lying on the ground, I don't get the whole phone dialing thing, when I got to the subway I was kind of lost, I don't want to talk to all these random people just so I can get missions.

 

[Feindflug]

I tried playing the PS3 version after Resistance night on sunday, man it makes me dizzy just moving around, the controls feels so damn weird to me, especially the aiming and shooting. Like jeebus.

Yeah the controls feel a little clunky at first but if you play for half an hour or so you'll get used to them - also be sure to check out the sensitivity and auto-aim settings.

It's a very good game, give it a chance.

 

[Kittonwy]

Yeah the controls feel a little clunky at first but if you play for half an hour or so you'll get used to them - also be sure to check out the sensitivity and auto-aim settings.

It's a very good game, give it a chance.

I guess I will keep playing it since I bought it, I'm still really early in the game, hopefully it will get more interesting.

 

[boutrosinit]

Weren't the Angelus supposed to be in the game btw? Or am I remembering things I simply imagined (it tends to happen from time to time)

 

[SpudBud]

Whats this remind you of......

 

[TheChewyWaffles]

This game was average at best and suckage at worst. Boring, boring, boring! So glad I gamefly'd it.