Darksiders

[Marcin]

The only time I checked a FAQ was in the Tiamat fight. There is a point where you are just supposed to go toe to toe with her, but it's not apparent that that's what you're supposed to do and was a bit counter intuitive, at least for me.

How are you supposed to do that? 2 fireballs to the face and I'm down for the count.

I got the first part down, then I can evade the buttstomp (heh) and I know to hit O for the charge - is this where I'm supposed to just smack her? Urgh, if I get close I get a) swiped b) tailswiped, c) fireballed. I've been trying to use the glaive on her and it works but it seems to be doing damage at a very, very slow rate.

Do I just dig in and learn to block her swipes or something, 'cuz the glaive won't do it?

[Marcin]

Oh. Punch her in the face. Now why didn't anyone mention that's the right strategy? Sheesh. All this dancing about to no purpose! :)

[Pogo]

This is being released on the 23rd on Steam, and right now you can pre-purchase and get Titan's Quest Gold for free.

Anyone else picking this up? This thread seems to praise the console versions.

[maxle]

It's tempting, but I'm already getting Dead Rising 2, Civ V, and Lara Croft this month, followed by New Vegas next month, so it can wait.

[RobotPants]

I already have it on the 360, but I'm tempted to buy it on Steam just to get a higher res version of what's already a great-looking game. I should probably wait to see if they've screwed it up somehow in its journey from console to PC, though.

[Royal Fool]

I've already hit a brick wall in terms of difficulty, and I'm playing on normal. I feel like the particular fight I'm on is pretty darn cheap.

It's in the basement of the (pretty lengthy) first dungeon, the large circular room with the crystal sword needed for the three statues in the other circular room next to it.

The fight is in three parts: One of those big armored guys that you have to repeatedly hit to chop the armor pieces off and a bunch of easy little dudes, then one of those red poison guys and some small dudes and finally, once you've picked up the crystal sword, TWO ARMORED GUYS.

Their attacks are crazy wide, I receive damage even if I block them and I can't jump over them. Oh, and dodging usually doesn't get me out of their sweeping sword range anyway. Not to mention that hitting them with the crossblade doesn't even stop them from attacking. Oh, and they can easily lock me up into a corner between one of the gears and cut me up until I'm dead (which isn't hard as they only need like 5-6 unblocked hits).

God, I haven't even managed to find four pieces to get extra health yet. Thank goodness I didn't take one reviewer's advice and play this on hard.

[Strato]

I'm going to pick this up. It means I'll be forking over more money to maintain a higher cap on my internet, but damn, this thread alone has sold me.

Edit: Also, I'll probably have a copy of Titan Quest to gift to someone. Either that, or I have both a disc and steam copy.. Hmmm.

[Marcin]

The fight is in three parts: One of those big armored guys that you have to repeatedly hit to chop the armor pieces off and a bunch of easy little dudes, then one of those red poison guys and some small dudes and finally, once you've picked up the crystal sword, TWO ARMORED GUYS.


Yeah, this was pretty hard. I don't remember my strategy verbatim, but the first key is to not EVER get hit by that poison fucker. Stagger him with the star, smack him and run away, but do NOT get hit by him. You'll need everything for those two guys.

Now, as to them. I think the main thing was to not get greedy. Get a good whack in and get a piece of armor off if you can - oh, and use your ironskin at this point if you have it! - and then run the hell away. Repeat ad nauseam and make sure to target the same guy!

I think it took 6 tries to get this one. Don't worry though, the Tiamat fight took about 20! :P

[Lake]

This is being released on the 23rd on Steam, and right now you can pre-purchase and get Titan's Quest Gold for free.

Anyone else picking this up? This thread seems to praise the console versions.

I want to hear if it is a good port before buying it, and I already have Titan Quest so I am not in a hurry.

[Tranj]

It's a very good port, which is why it's taken so long.

[Gendal]

It's a very good port, which is why it's taken so long.
Proof? Or is this sarcasm?

On the edge myself, wanted to play it on console but was waiting for a price drop. Then I saw the PC version and decided to wait for that. Now I am thinking maybe I should wait for a price drop but the Steam+TQ Gold is tempting. I mean, I already own TQ but I hate having to hunt down the discs.

Proof of a good PC port would probably push me over the edge in to purchasing territory.

[Royal Fool]

Yeah, this was pretty hard. I don't remember my strategy verbatim, but the first key is to not EVER get hit by that poison fucker. Stagger him with the star, smack him and run away, but do NOT get hit by him. You'll need everything for those two guys.

Now, as to them. I think the main thing was to not get greedy. Get a good whack in and get a piece of armor off if you can - oh, and use your ironskin at this point if you have it! - and then run the hell away. Repeat ad nauseam and make sure to target the same guy!

I think it took 6 tries to get this one. Don't worry though, the Tiamat fight took about 20! :P

Yeah, I ended up running back outside and buying some upgrades, and on the way back I stumbled onto the last life shard I needed to get an extra container. Barely managed through the fight that way.

As for Tiamat... yeah, I was pretty close to turning the system off. The ending portion was especially confusing to do, as I always expected a QTE or something. But she just kept running at me for like 5 times before I realized I had to go up close and hit her.

I'm in the Griever's lair now, the angel gauntlet was sort of annoying too. It's too bad because the game otherwise has a lot going for it.

[mtkafka]

It's a very good port, which is why it's taken so long.

does this play better with kb/m or pad? interested in this game... reminds me alot of an 'old' fps game i really liked

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Requiem:_Avenging_Angel

aye, and DR2 is coming out for pc next week...

[RobotPants]

I think it would be pretty difficult with anything but a gamepad.

[rei]

It's a very good port, which is why it's taken so long.

really? (http://www.rage3d.com/board/showpost.php?p=1336375140&postcount=35) The readme's list of fixes make it look sloppy.

unfortunately fsaa doesn't seem to work.

[RobotPants]

Hrm. No FSAA means very little reason to get it since I already have the 360 version. Oh well.

[MrCoffee]

Not even forced antialiasing works?

[rei]

nope.

[rei]

not with any of the nhancer profiles or any other compatibility method.

[Pogo]

really? (http://www.rage3d.com/board/showpost.php?p=1336375140&postcount=35) The readme's list of fixes make it look sloppy.

unfortunately fsaa doesn't seem to work.

That list of bugs is horrendous. It boils down to "don't do anything you might normally do in a video game, or it will crash."

I'm gonna hold off until I see some support from the devs to fix the PC bugs.

[Falcon554]

That list of bugs is horrendous. It boils down to "don't do anything you might normally do in a video game, or it will crash."

I'm gonna hold off until I see some support from the devs to fix the PC bugs.

Humm not had 1 crash and I have played alot so far. Looks great and runs like a bat out of hell on my pc.

[Teiman]

I only have managed to crash Darksiders using a external tool to change speed.

It seems very stable, but is a game that is just repeating the God of War style of maps. confined spaces, levers, more levers, more levers, more levers, more levers, lava, and some scenary to look at. Pretty, sometimes really cool, but nothing crash-worthy.

Also, I am sad that this game has end as a total ripoff of God of War.

Stealing is good, copying is bad.

By the moment you start playing Darksiders, you know you will not see anything new you dont have see in God of War.

[razarok]

I only have managed to crash Darksiders using a external tool to change speed.

It seems very stable, but is a game that is just repeating the God of War style of maps. confined spaces, levers, more levers, more levers, more levers, more levers, lava, and some scenary to look at. Pretty, sometimes really cool, but nothing crash-worthy.

Also, I am sad that this game has end as a total ripoff of God of War.

Stealing is good, copying is bad.

By the moment you start playing Darksiders, you know you will not see anything new you dont have see in God of War.

Still, there are good copies (such as Darksiders), and bad copies (Dante's inferno (in my humble opinion)).

[Inactiviste]

Darksiders is more of a Zelda-like with a slice of God of War combat than a straight GoW clone to be exact. Some people compare it to Soul Raver, tough I can't comment on that as I haven't played that one.

Darksiders not perfect by any means, but it does some pretty interesting things with its dungeons and some scripted sequences. In fact it's quite refreshing because there hasn't been a lot of Zelda-like this generation.

[Royal Fool]

By the moment you start playing Darksiders, you know you will not see anything new you dont have see in God of War.

You mean aside from the horse riding, the boomerang mechanic, the shadow vision, the grappling hook, the portals, the slow-motion powerups, the characters and the setting? In that case, I guess you're right.

[Jon Rowe]

I really like this game. I got the 360 version a week ago, and I have been playing it.

While it isn't the most original with mechanics, the gameplay is really solid, and the story is pretty unique. I also really like the level design. The extremely post apocalyptic New York is very cool.

Also, you got Mark Hamill in here owning it up.

[Teiman]

You mean aside from the horse riding, the boomerang mechanic, the shadow vision, the grappling hook, the portals, the slow-motion powerups, the characters and the setting? In that case, I guess you're right.

That is a "bullet points" list you can make playing the whole game. I am 8 hours init, and I dont see anything new. And your list dont make me expect something really new. But maybe I am wrong. The grapple hooke let you grapple everywhere?, I doubt so, dont seems that type of game. Only on scripted locations, I suppose, exactly like God of War. I have still to see it, but I think will be like GoW.

[Inactiviste]

That is a "bullet points" list you can make playing the whole game. I am 8 hours init, and I dont see anything new. And your list dont make me expect something really new. But maybe I am wrong. The grapple hooke let you grapple everywhere?, I doubt so, dont seems that type of game. Only on scripted locations, I suppose, exactly like God of War. I have still to see it, but I think will be like GoW.

You're free to feel Darksiders doesn't bring much new, that it's a blank rip-off with an awful esthetic, whatever. However, if you want to convince anyone you know what you're talking about, you should try to be a little more precise with your criticisms. You just can't say that Darksiders is an exact God of War clone, because it isn't, it's a combat-heavy Zelda clone.

Or maybe you can point me to the part of the GoW series where you have to solve a lot of puzzles to progress in dungeons ?

Nah, I don't think so.

They aren't bullet points, they're central gameplay elements... And the dungeons aren't more scripted than in any 3D Zelda I can think off. Maybe they're not as good, but that's another point entirely.

[Teiman]

You're free to feel Darksiders doesn't bring much new, that it's a blank rip-off with an awful esthetic, whatever.


Talking about the esthetic:

The more evil, the more spikes and bigger soulderpads. The main character can fit in World of Warcraft.

This is descriptive, not criticism (negative or positive). There are people that will like something like that (WoW is really popular) and others not. And I will not tell you in what camp I am.




Or maybe you can point me to the part of the GoW series where you have to solve a lot of puzzles to progress in dungeons ?


The whole game is a long dungeon, and to progress you have to solve jump puzzles and levers puzzles. There are not levers, hidden chest, etc.. in your copy of God of War?



They are't bullet points, they're central gameplay elements..

Could you show a youtube video of the portals, please. Lets compare it to God of War.

I find really weird to found people fighting the notion that Darksiders is a God of War clone. And discussing it is hard, like discussing the Sun is hot. It sould be obvious, not something to discuss about.

Now, I have not voiced my opinion about if copying here make the game a bad game. Because for me the jury is still out, still have not a decent idea about the game. What I think is that by copying, the dev's have limited thenselves, and I think Darksiders could have been a better game. Anyway, at least is copying from the best, God of War, so has some solid base.

Where I say Darksiders is a God of War clone, feel free to translate "a Zelda clone". I have not played much Zelda, other than Ocarina of Time in a emulator on my PC. Maybe thats my error?

[rei]

Yes, it is your error when you steadfastedly claim it's "like GoW" when it is not. It more obviously lifts all of its influences (aside from combat, which comes freely from GoW/Devil May Cry) firstly from the Zelda series, which you have admitted to not playing. Try not to make arguments about your opinion being the correct one when when you lack experience with older/other games of the genre.

Also, Joe Mad's style predates WoW.

[Jon Rowe]

Don't forget the Panzer Dragoon flying sequence.

[Teiman]

Don't forget the Panzer Dragoon flying sequence.

Another bullet point!

I paste you a opinion from other forum, to help my point.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/24/raargh-darksiders-released-impressions/#comment-518975


The hordes of "Darksiders is NOTHING like God of War" amushes me.

[Ross Macpherson]

Another bullet point!

I paste you a opinion from other forum, to help my point.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2010/09/24/raargh-darksiders-released-impressions/#comment-518975


The hordes of "Darksiders is NOTHING like God of War" amushes me.

Really? What about the comment from Jim Rossignol in that same thread, who says: "Yes, it is actually much more like Zelda than GoW, despite the thematic similarities with the GoW game."

Nobody has claimed that "Darksiders is nothing like God of War". The combat is obviously heavily inspired by it, right down to the colour of the orbs enemies drop. The basic gameplay of Darksiders, however, is entering dungeons to gain tools, which are used to gain access to new areas of the over-world in which there are more dungeons and tools. Scattered throughout the dungeons and the over-world are collectibles that increase your health, magic or abilities. Each dungeon ends with a boss fight that involves the tool gained in the dungeon in some way, you eventually get a horse, you have a hint-dispensing side-kick that about three quarters of the player base will find irritating.

That last paragraph works equally well as a description of any Zelda game, including (perhaps especially) Ocarina of Time. The fact that you haven't played those games doesn't mean they weren't a heavy influence on Darksiders.

[Paulus]

Teiman,

It is ok to not like a game, but from reading your posts I get the impression that you have no idea what you are talking about. Either that, or you just can't express your reasons very well.

[Teiman]

The basic gameplay of Darksiders, however, is entering dungeons to gain tools, which are used to gain access to new areas of the over-world in which there are more dungeons and tools.

Thats... interesting. I suppose is the part of the game that I have yet to explore. I sould probably have avoided all dungeons, getting enough power on the "over-world".

Probably I have ben played the game in a linear way, but is much less linear than I trough. In the future I will try to avoid all dungeons.


Teiman,

It is ok to not like a game, but from reading your posts I get the impression that you have no idea what you are talking about. Either that, or you just can't express your reasons very well.

You are wrong.

Saying a game is a clone of other game is not saying such game is bad. These are separate things.

I have played both games, God of War and Darksiders, so I can compare then.

I don't think saying Darksiders is a carbon copy of God of War is something with merit that really need a good exposition. What you need, a table with a list of things like "Titan power in God of War is called Wrath in Darksiders". Do you need that table?

[Joe M.]

Fortunately I haven't played God of War so all your hand-wringing just strikes me as tedious.

[RobotPants]

This same discussion has already happened two or three times in this very thread. Yes, Darksiders borrows heavily from God of War and Zelda. Why the hell does that matter so long as you enjoy it? And if you don't enjoy it, are you playing just to complain about it?

[foogla]

since GoW isn't on steam and this is I can only say: screw GoW

[Strato]

since GoW isn't on steam and this is I can only say: screw GoW

This. I've never played God of War, so I don't know, or don't care what you are all talking about with the comparisons. Seems like I'm not missing anything then?

I finally managed to get my download finished last night. Fired it up as soon as I got out of bed this morning, to make sure that it did download ok and my day wouldn't be filled with disappointment. Sure enough, it ran like a charm, and I sunk in many hours already playing it. Only just showered a couple of hours ago. The beauty of living alone and away from friends, family, and thus unexpected visitors dropping in.

As far as it porting over to PC goes, I will say that playing with a gamepad is the way to go. I have no idea how it could be played using keyboard and mouse, but the people on the steam forums whinging about it do not have my sympathy. Otherwise, the game is running without a hitch, no crashing, v-sync enabled so no tearing, and playing on a laptop means I don't really need to worry too much about AA I guess.

I'm loving this game. Time has literally flown by. I was also impressed with the intro cinematic, and had to wonder just how much money was poured into the cutscenes. I hope it is a profitable game because these guys will get my ongoing support for their next game.

[MattKeil]

This. I've never played God of War, so I don't know, or don't care what you are all talking about with the comparisons. Seems like I'm not missing anything then?

You're missing one of the best series of the last ten years. That is irrelevant to this discussion, however, because Darksiders owes no debt to God of War whatsoever. This is a Zelda clone from top to bottom, and bears almost no resemblance to God of War from either a gameplay or an aesthetic perspective. This pops up sometimes in discussion of Darksiders, and I can only assume people like Teiman make the comparison because the main character is the Horseman War and Kratos eventually becomes the god of war, or maybe they've never played a Zelda game.

You want to see a God of War clone, look to Dante's Inferno and the new Castlevania game. Darksiders does not fit the bill.

[Teiman]

God of War is a great game. Is a must to play it, or watch some people playing it.
Maybe avoid the 3, since (to me) feels more formulaic than the others 2.

[MrCoffee]

Also believe or not, some people don't own consoles.

[rei]

No, GoW is not a "must-play." It's just a gratuitous gorefest with pretentions.

[RobotPants]

Nuh uh!

[Strato]

I have to say, even on easy this game is still managing to kick my butt around the place. The Tiamat boss fight? My goodness, I think I would have died about 12 times. It is straight forward enough, but I'm still trying to wrangle my hands with the X-Box controller after having spent years being strictly keyboard/mouse. The next few bosses weren't so bad, and alone I put about 10 hours into this game yesterday, it is pretty much all I played, and did.

The more I go through it, the more I see the Zelda similarities, with the items notably. Well, except I don't think Zelda ever had a scythe to play with. Nintendo should fix that one day. But even though it does have similarities to Zelda, it doesn't come across as a cheesy rip off, it is without a doubt an amazing game that can stand on its own two feet.

Also, part of the problem with me missing God of War is that I don't own a console :) Maybe one day when I stop the nomad lifestyle I'll pick it up. If combat in God of War plays like Darksiders, then I'm sold. Gore is gore, I work with blood and other bits and pieces of people everyday, and it has no real effect on me. What does affect me when I play the game though is War's Homerun style attack for instance, sitting there waiting for the enemy to charge in, then whacking them back to hell. Everything feels incredibly fluid so far with the controls, just a shame that the camera needs to be wrangled quite a bit.

Obviously, I am still in love with this game, it broke the series of new release games that I purchased which were disappointing. This will likely be my game of the year.

[RobotPants]

Yeah, the camera is certainly the worst part of the entire game. It's not terrible most of the time, but the times it is terrible it's terrible.

[Delta]

It's of the:

"There once was a girl
Who had a little curl
Right in the middle of her forehead.
And when she was good
She was very, very good,
But when she was bad she was horrid"

Approach to cameras.

[Inactiviste]

Also, part of the problem with me missing God of War is that I don't own a console :) Maybe one day when I stop the nomad lifestyle I'll pick it up. If combat in God of War plays like Darksiders, then I'm sold.

The fights in Darksiders are pretty much inspired by GoW, but GoW is much more focused on the fights and much less on environmental puzzles.

On PC you could try Devil May Cry 3 or 4, which are in the same genre than God of War, altough they're more technical. I don't know if the ports are very good, tough.

[MrCoffee]

The DMC4 port is a very good port best played with a gamepad tho, the DMC3 one not so much i think.

[Murbella]

Agree on dmc4 port, but i'll extend it to dmc 3 port too. I can't recall having any issues with either and overall liked them both. I'm not sure which i liked better, probably 3 since Dante is a better character than Nero.

Obviously any console style fighting game is best used with a gamepad (i think i used a 360 one, but i might have just used my old logitech).

[MrCoffee]

I recall DMC3 having problems with my 360 gamepad so but yeah i dont remember it being a bad port.

[RobotPants]

DMC3 only lets you use the right analog stick on the 360 controller and gives you no way of remapping it, which is just retarded. Maybe they've fixed it since I read all the reviews that mentioned it, though.

[rei]

For ATI/AMD owners, ATI Catalyst 10.10 beta + some updated application profiles (curiously marked 10.9a though) allows antialiasing in Darksiders.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1508821

[sinnick]

I got this for Christmas and at first it wasn't my cup of tea. I found the camera too annoying to control and fights were a little confusing and I wasn't sure why.

Then I got to the first dungeon, and things started to get more Zelda-y with the puzzles, and I hit a puzzle where you have to target three torches with your flying boomerang/krull blade thing. And I simply couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong, why I couldn't target things. I couldn't progress in the dungeon.

And suddenly I realized why I was having so much trouble with the combat: The left trigger on my controller wasn't working! I remember I had this same problem with Uncharted 2, but that game had allowed me to remap the controls and I had forgotten that I had the problem in the first place. And I hadn't played another PS3 game since then. I went out and bought a new controller.

Now, I can target enemies, handle the puzzles where you have to hit things with your boomerang, and suddenly the game seems much more fun. The combination of Zelda with God of War combat really works for me, even if the story and art is over-the-top ridiculous.

[Strato]

That left trigger will come in handy against the upcoming boss, if you haven't already passed her.

[sinnick]

I'm sure that, much like Zelda, the weapon found in a dungeon will prove instrumental in the boss fight.

[Pogue Mahone]

I must say, I picked this one up on a whim just because so many end-of-year lists had this as one of the best games of 2010, and I'm enjoying it thorougly. Everyone who says the game is derivative is dead on, but it doesn't even matter. Or rather, it just tickles me to play 'spot the inspiration.' I just beat the Stygian, and I was so amused at the Dune level of the Ashlands. I even had to find ways to distract the sandworms so that they wouldn't attack me while I crossed the sand! Couldn't figure out a way to walk without rhythm, though.

Anyway still a ways to go in this game but I'm really glad I picked it up. Definitely better late than never.

[Strato]

Wait, you can distract the sandworms?

[Pogue Mahone]

Well, not as such I guess. Mostly just waiting until they moved away from the platform I wanted to run to, and then hauling ass to get there before they could catch me.

[Strato]

Oh, yeah, that's how I did it too. I was thinking there was some easier way than having split second timing to get across that awful area.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy the next blatant rip off you'll come across.

[Zuwadza]

I am close to the end of this. Stuck on one of those damn robots and I'm having trouble dodging his attacks. They really save the best blatant rip off (a certain gun) for the end.

There are a couple things that bug me about this game though. They managed to squander a really great setting. The game takes place in a post-armageddon modern world, but 90% of the time it just looks like a generic fantasy world. Even some places that *should* look like the modern world, like all the sewers and the subway station, still look kind of medieval/steampunk.

Also the combat could have been a lot better, although I guess it's about on par with other Zelda-esque games. I would like to see the "parrying" fine tuned for any sequels. Right now the timing is way too difficult and it is easy to dash when you mean to block. Since everything else is ripped off from other games, why not steal the combat from a game like Bayonetta or Arkham Asylum?

[RobotPants]

Er, the combat timing is difficult?

[Pogue Mahone]

Anyway, I'm sure you'll enjoy the next blatant rip off you'll come across.

No doubt you're right, I do have very lowest common denominator tastes.

[Relayer71]

No doubt you're right, I do have very lowest common denominator tastes.

Picked up a copy early on but only put about 5 hours into it - still enjoyed it a lot even if reminded me of other games, just haven't had a chance to play it more.

I think the great thing about the game is that it doesn't just rip off ONE game but rather it rips off parts of various games and puts them together well enough - it's also pretty polished and has a unique look.

Also, people mention Zelda and God Of War, and even Panzer Dragoon but one thing no one's mentioned: the cemetery level gives a serious Maximo (PS2) vibe!!!

And it's even got The Joker!!!!!

[Zuwadza]

Er, the combat timing is difficult?

No, not in general, just the timing of parrying attacks. It is far easier to just dash away.

[Strato]

Or mistakenly dash away when meant to parry. They really needed a better way (I don't know how) of differentiating between the parry and the dash short of ensuring the analogue stick is dead centre and hitting the shoulder button. The parry-counter is my least used move sadly.

[RobotPants]

Oh, well that I agree with. Parrying was great if you could pull it off, but for me it wasn't even worth trying most of the time.

[Slainte Mhath]

Playing this now on the PC (bought it during the Steam Holiday Sale).

The setting and story are both interesting so far (only about an hour in, reaping souls for the first deamon guy), and the use of frequent short cutscenes using the game engine keeps me interested in playing along to see what happens next. Combat is a little frenetic though, half the time I'm just madly attacking without really knowing what I'm doing. I like that you can pick up tons of stuff and use it as ranged weaponry to soften up large groups, but it's still difficult to tell what's happening once you wade into melee, and forget about finishing moves, as they only allow the other enemies to pound you during your fancy animation.

The control scheme for the PC is pretty awful. I'm fine with the standard WASD, but holding CAPS Lock AND a number key to use abilities? Really? This playtested well? I need to look into remapping that stuff to the Function keys if possible, as CAPS and a number is too crazy a strech for my fingers when I'm already trying to control my guy with WASD and jumping and swinging away and hitting E to finish folks off...

Also not a fan of Left CTRL and WASD to move fast on the climbing/hanging bits. My pinky is just not that nimble.

[Matt Bowyer]

Okay, here's a weird question. How much blood/terrible dismemberment is in this game? The concept and design for it have interested both my wife and I, but she has problems with games that like to spread some arterial spray around. (Dragon Age was among the most nauseating things she's ever seen. "Why does the developer think people have water balloons full of blood inside them?") Assassin's Creed, on the other hand, she did just fine with (though she looked away at a few of the cutscene deaths).

Is Darksiders something I can play with her watching, or no?

[Zuwadza]

The control scheme for the PC is pretty awful. I'm fine with the standard WASD, but holding CAPS Lock AND a number key to use abilities? Really? This playtested well? I need to look into remapping that stuff to the Function keys if possible, as CAPS and a number is too crazy a strech for my fingers when I'm already trying to control my guy with WASD and jumping and swinging away and hitting E to finish folks off...

Also not a fan of Left CTRL and WASD to move fast on the climbing/hanging bits. My pinky is just not that nimble.

If you have a wired 360 controller then I would highly recommend using that.


Okay, here's a weird question. How much blood/terrible dismemberment is in this game? The concept and design for it have interested both my wife and I, but she has problems with games that like to spread some arterial spray around. (Dragon Age was among the most nauseating things she's ever seen. "Why does the developer think people have water balloons full of blood inside them?") Assassin's Creed, on the other hand, she did just fine with (though she looked away at a few of the cutscene deaths).

Is Darksiders something I can play with her watching, or no?

I would probably say "or no." Not quite as bad as Dragon Age, but there is still plenty of blood and dismemberment.

[Matt Bowyer]

I would probably say "or no." Not quite as bad as Dragon Age, but there is still plenty of blood and dismemberment.

Damn! No toggle/setting on gore, I'm assuming? I wish more games had that. I like the idea of playing a combat-heavy Zeldalike, but I don't really need to paint the world red.

[Relayer71]

The art style is very cartoonish though, and colorful (no surprise since it was designed by a comic book artist), so that although there is a lot of graphic violence it doesn't seem that gory. Or rather the gore doesn't look realistic enough to bother me much.

My wife also hates gore (she refuses to watch zombie or slasher films with me) but she's sat down by me a few times while I played Darksiders and hasn't commented or left the room.

[intruder]

Damn! No toggle/setting on gore, I'm assuming? I wish more games had that. I like the idea of playing a combat-heavy Zeldalike, but I don't really need to paint the world red.

Hm well the real gory over the top stuff comes from finishing moves.
If you avoid pressing the button (I think X) and continue to whack away instead you won't see them.
The monsters will simply vanish in light and add some souls / health to your stats (souls are the currency to buy upgrades etc.).
You lose a slight advantage though as the finishing move puts you in slow-mode and you are invunerable while performing it.
That way you can get rid of the small adds easily + replenish some health if you are lucky while ignoring the bigger guys as they can't hurt you.
If you don't do the finishers you have to dodge more / be more careful.

Now the boss fights work differently as you beat them by performing some QTEs and then he will rip their hearts out which is naturally a pretty messy thing.

Maybe you should watch some You Tube vids of gameplay and decide then.

[seventimessix]

Okay, here's a weird question. How much blood/terrible dismemberment is in this game? The concept and design for it have interested both my wife and I, but she has problems with games that like to spread some arterial spray around. (Dragon Age was among the most nauseating things she's ever seen. "Why does the developer think people have water balloons full of blood inside them?") Assassin's Creed, on the other hand, she did just fine with (though she looked away at a few of the cutscene deaths).

Is Darksiders something I can play with her watching, or no?

My wife watched me play about half the game and really enjoyed helping me solve the puzzles. The combat can be bloody but like intruder said if you skip the button prompted finishing moves you won't have fountains of blood shooting out of severed limbs. And really, if it's too much for her you can still play the game yourself, and it's an outstanding game.

[Matt Bowyer]

My wife watched me play about half the game and really enjoyed helping me solve the puzzles. The combat can be bloody but like intruder said if you skip the button prompted finishing moves you won't have fountains of blood shooting out of severed limbs. And really, if it's too much for her you can still play the game yourself, and it's an outstanding game.

Oh, yeah, I still plan on playing; this was just was she going to sit in the same room or not.

[BleedTheFreak]

Arise from your grave!

This hit $10 on steam this weekend and I'd heard so many great things about it that for this price I can't help but pick it up.

So is this just awful to play with a keyboard and mouse? I have a PS3 controller and have (in the past) successfully used the MotionJoy SIXAXIS PC drivers (to play emulated Final Fantasy XII) so should I try and get that to work (would it?) or just play with KYBD/MOUSE and not worry about it?

It looks like a wired 360 controller is $35+ and both mine are wireless. :( Who knew that would come back to bite me in the ass one day, having only wireless controllers!?

[MrCoffee]

You can buy a wireless reciever for your PC if you can find one.

[Marcin]

You can buy a wireless reciever for your PC if you can find one.

... which costs the same as a 360 USB controller. ;)

[BleedTheFreak]

... which costs the same as a 360 USB controller. ;)

Yeah, sort of the conclusion I came up with, plus I'd need to have it shipped here. At least a USB controller I can just run over to Target and pick up.

[Brad Grenz]

You could try the Xbox 360 Controller Emulator (http://code.google.com/p/x360ce/) that can make most gamepads look like a 360 controller to many games. Good for games that don't otherwise support gamepads, or even just to get on screen prompts that are easier to understand (who can remember what button 7 is?). I've been using it for many games with my PS2 Dual Shock using a USB adapter.

[Wolff]

I'm loving this game especially for 10 bucks. Why it gets knocks for being a "zelda" clone is beyond me. There are very very few games out there that can't be seen as a clone of an earlier game (FPS/RTS/TBS anyone?). Also a Zelda with Angels and Demons where instead of a silly fairy being my guide a Mark Hammil voiced demon is, Awesome-sauce. Combat feels great and is much easier/forgiving then DMC or Ninja Gaiden.

[RobotPants]

I really wish I could find a way to get FSAA on this thing.

[Wolff]

I think there is a way with Riva Tuner raiding right now so can't find the link but I had to use it for another game that had terrible screen tearing.

[MattKeil]

I'm loving this game especially for 10 bucks. Why it gets knocks for being a "zelda" clone is beyond me. There are very very few games out there that can't be seen as a clone of an earlier game (FPS/RTS/TBS anyone?).

And the games that are clones with nothing of their own to add to the mix get appropriately slammed for it, just as Darksiders does.


Also a Zelda with Angels and Demons where instead of a silly fairy being my guide a Mark Hammil voiced demon is, Awesome-sauce.

Too bad it's hosed down in '90s Image Comics juice with a sprinkling of WoW, because yes, that's a cool concept at heart.


Combat feels great and is much easier/forgiving then DMC or Ninja Gaiden.

Because it's incredibly simplistic combat that isn't in any way trying to be DMC or Ninja Gaiden. That's like saying checkers is much easier/forgiving than chess. It's absurd to compare them. Darksiders was just trying to add a little depth to the usual Zelda-style combat, which I appreciate even though it was only moderately successful at it.

[RobotPants]

Oh good, this discussion again.

[BleedTheFreak]

I got my PS3 controller to work just like a 360 controller with MotionJoy and it works fantastic. I'm about an hour in and it's excellent so far - like a gorgeous offspring between Metroid and God of War.

I would also like to try out FSAA - I wonder if I force it by appliction in the NVidia control panel...

[RobotPants]

Doing that doesn't work for me. I've seen a few suggestions for nVidia Inspector, which has worked very well for me on other UE3 games, but I haven't found the magic trick to get it work for Darksiders. It doesn't look terrible without FSAA, but I'd still love to get it to work.

edit: Ok, found a post that helped me get it working. In nVidia Inspector there was already a Darksiders profile, so all I had to do was edit the Antialiasing compatibility to 0x00003301, change Antialiasing-Mode to "override any application setting" and of course turn on Antialiasing. Woo! (http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/2874/2011031900001l.jpg)

[Strato]

Doing that doesn't work for me. I've seen a few suggestions for nVidia Inspector, which has worked very well for me on other UE3 games, but I haven't found the magic trick to get it work for Darksiders. It doesn't look terrible without FSAA, but I'd still love to get it to work.

edit: Ok, found a post that helped me get it working. In nVidia Inspector there was already a Darksiders profile, so all I had to do was edit the Antialiasing compatibility to 0x00003301, change Antialiasing-Mode to "override any application setting" and of course turn on Antialiasing. Woo! (http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/2874/2011031900001l.jpg)

Holy shit that looks good now.

[BleedTheFreak]

Doing that doesn't work for me. I've seen a few suggestions for nVidia Inspector, which has worked very well for me on other UE3 games, but I haven't found the magic trick to get it work for Darksiders. It doesn't look terrible without FSAA, but I'd still love to get it to work.

edit: Ok, found a post that helped me get it working. In nVidia Inspector there was already a Darksiders profile, so all I had to do was edit the Antialiasing compatibility to 0x00003301, change Antialiasing-Mode to "override any application setting" and of course turn on Antialiasing. Woo! (http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/2874/2011031900001l.jpg)

I pulled down Nvidia Inspector assuming your instructions would then make more sense, but they didn't - could you expand a bit?

Where do I edit the AA compatibility to that address? In the .xml in Inspector's folder? The Inspector software I pulled down just seems to be a monitoring tool, and have nothing to do with AA settings. Did I get the wrong application?

[RobotPants]

Sorry, I guess I was a little vague. When you first open Inspector, in the middle where it lists the Driver Version, click on the little button on the right. That will take you to the Driver Profile Settings. On that window, click on the dropdown menu at the top under Profiles and select Darksiders. The antialiasing compatibility stuff is at the top. It starts off greyed-out, but just click in the setting field to edit it. The only settings you should have to fiddle with are Antialiasing Compatibility (not the DX10 one), Antialiasing - Mode and Antialiasing - Setting. If Darksiders isn't listed, you can just create a new profile and add the game's exe.

[BleedTheFreak]

Sorry, I guess I was a little vague. When you first open Inspector, in the middle where it lists the Driver Version, click on the little button on the right. That will take you to the Driver Profile Settings. On that window, click on the dropdown menu at the top under Profiles and select Darksiders. The antialiasing compatibility stuff is at the top. It starts off greyed-out, but just click in the setting field to edit it. The only settings you should have to fiddle with are Antialiasing Compatibility (not the DX10 one), Antialiasing - Mode and Antialiasing - Setting. If Darksiders isn't listed, you can just create a new profile and add the game's exe.

Thanks! Works like a charm!

[Pogo]

Console ports can get fucked, seriously. No amount of fiddling with my XBox 360 controller settings will get this game to recognize the correct buttons or to stop turning the fucking camera via the Left Trigger for some god damn reason.

[Nobody_Home]

Have you tried the 360 emulator software linked at the bottom of page eleven ?
I found it fixed the same problem I was having with a PS2 contoller .

x360ce.App-2.0.2.101.zip , looks like a more up to date version than I used .

[Pogo]

I have one of the other versions of that app.

[RobotPants]

That seems odd, Pogo, since it's designed to recognize it by default. It even displays the 360 buttons in the tutorial popup thingers. Maybe try it without the app?

[Strato]

I had a wired X360 controller which worked flawlessly. The big thing was the make sure it was plugged in before starting the game. I hope you get the problem sorted soon though.

[Pogo]

That seems odd, Pogo, since it's designed to recognize it by default. It even displays the 360 buttons in the tutorial popup thingers. Maybe try it without the app?

I don't even think that's possible anymore, XP doesn't want to install the basic drivers after uninstalling the XBCD stuff.

Sucks.

[Pogo]

I'm having a great time with this game regardless of having to use M/KB. The controls are tight and I never feel like I don't know what's going on.

I also love the theme/setting. I can't think of any other game that has tackled the actual Rapture on Earth type of style, and the artistic direction and level work here is top notch. I wish War were a little bit more nimble when doing platforming, but it's no big deal. Assassin's Creed kind of spoils that sort of stuff.

I ran into a game breaking savegame bug about 45 minutes in at Samael's Prison. The game only autosaves to one file and that screwed me into replaying the beginning, so now I'm saving to a couple of saved slots just in case it happens again.

Though I'm not too sure what doing combos actually gets you. I'd like to think I'm getting more wrath/souls/health for killing enemies during big combos but it doesn't really feel like it. I also should have started the game on Hard.

[RobotPants]

It's really easy early on, but gets quite a bit tougher further in. Once you start getting more abilities it becomes more necessary to use them, but blocking and dodging remain the most important moves you have.

I've been trying to use mainly the scythe in this playthrough, but so far it's not so much more difficult as it is just less fun. The scythe moves are pretty dull, really.

[Balasarius]

I just finished this on the 360 a week ago, and it was great.

I don't understand why SPOILER broke the 7th Seal, though.

[intruder]

It's really easy early on, but gets quite a bit tougher further in. Once you start getting more abilities it becomes more necessary to use them, but blocking and dodging remain the most important moves you have.

I've been trying to use mainly the scythe in this playthrough, but so far it's not so much more difficult as it is just less fun. The scythe moves are pretty dull, really.

Actually this one combo that turns you into a moving "sawblade" (with the sword) carried me through the later game on Hard.
You jump and then doing the combo makes him spin very fast down to Earth while hitting a mob 20-30 times.
2-3 of this combo will fell everything.

Also while you doing a finishing move you can't be hit!
So in later levels you want to use those moves on the small stuff when the bigger guys start their specials...

[Pogo]

I don't understand why SPOILER broke the 7th Seal, though.

Fuck, dude.

[Balasarius]

http://art.penny-arcade.com/photos/215535297_B2j5j-L-2.jpg

[sinnick]

Hey, I'm playing this too Pogo! After quitting WoW and turning to my backlog this was the first game I decided to finish.

I sort of agree about the art direction. On the one hand, the 90's Image Comic style is so over the top and ridiculous. But for what it is, it sure is implemented well. I particularly love how Chaos Form looks, and also the animation that plays when you mount and dismount from Ruin.

I'm more than half-way through the third world right now and so far it's the most fun yet.

My biggest complaint at the moment is the way the game pushes you along its linear path. I'd appreciate a little more exploration. I picked up an item in one of the dungeons that let me see where all the chests were, but I wasn't able to backtrack to grab them because various paths had been shut off to me, corralling me towards the boss. I suppose I could finish the dungeon and then go back into it from the start again, but that doesn't appeal to me. I want to clear the dungeon while I'm there.

By the way, I call them dungeons but the game has done a really good job of making them seem like organic parts of the same world.

[BleedTheFreak]

I has spoilz

Thanks for that.

[Pogo]

My biggest complaint at the moment is the way the game pushes you along its linear path. I'd appreciate a little more exploration. I picked up an item in one of the dungeons that let me see where all the chests were, but I wasn't able to backtrack to grab them because various paths had been shut off to me, corralling me towards the boss. I suppose I could finish the dungeon and then go back into it from the start again, but that doesn't appeal to me. I want to clear the dungeon while I'm there.

You said third world, are you talking about the Cathedral? It's after that that you can quick-travel to any location. None of the "Zelda-like" blocked paths seem to require all that much repeated exploration.

[sinnick]

You said third world, are you talking about the Cathedral? It's after that that you can quick-travel to any location. None of the "Zelda-like" blocked paths seem to require all that much repeated exploration.

No, I'm talking about the Sand world (which comes after the Cathedral and the Subway).

I guess my complaint is more about within a dungeon. Unlike in Zelda, you can't just run back to the entrance if you want to.

[Mysterio]

I don't understand why SPOILER broke the 7th Seal, though.

Last edited by Balasarius; 03-23-2011 at 04:35 PM.. Reason: Seriously, people? The game's been out for 14 months.

And up until your post, those who've yet to play the game (myself included) had successfully avoided spoilers for those 14 months. :-(

[BleedTheFreak]

And up until your post, those who've yet to play the game (myself included) had successfully avoided spoilers for those 14 months. :-(

Yeah its not like this game just went on sale for $10 and lots of new folks are playing it from this last weekend. *sigh*

Also, your casual spoiler drop (not you Mysterio - you know who I mean) didn't even serve a purpose at all, even if it WAS common knowledge, you didn't really add anything to the discussion. Don't get all offended when folks don't like to be spoiled by something that YOU knew already.

[RobotPants]

The funny part is that he said he just finished the game a week ago, too. So I guess the cut off for getting upset over spoilers is 14 months minus a week.

[CharlesC]

If I don't beat Tiamat in the next try I'm breaking the disc in half and putting it in the compost bin.

[Pogo]

I didn't have much trouble with that fight. There's only the one somewhat hard part where you have to throw the bomb at her.

[BleedTheFreak]

The funny part is that he said he just finished the game a week ago, too. So I guess the cut off for getting upset over spoilers is 14 months minus a week.

LOL - wow.

[Manresa]

If I don't beat Tiamat in the next try I'm breaking the disc in half and putting it in the compost bin.

You'll be perfectly justified in doing so. That fight was completely unfair.

[RobotPants]

I didn't think it was unfair, but it was fairly difficult just because of the aiming mode.

[Strato]

Just a few things to add.

Firstly the non spoiler ending. All is explained in the ending, it should make sense in the context of the climax of the story. Go to YouTube and watch it again if needed.

The Tiamat fight. Hold down the left trigger to keep the view/aim centred on Tiamat, it helps a lot with the latter part of the fight. I think War also has the dodge ability from the start, so make use of that.

With the combo multiplier, my only real use of it was to see how well I was chaining together attacks. I found also that the other weapon unlocked to War (besides the Scythe) which could have combo moves purchased was highly effective when used with the sword for crowd control.

As for not being able to backtrack the dungeons, especially in the Ashfields, I will say that it is best to go back anyway once that area is done just for how much easier it is. I think the main thing to keep in mind is that the items picked up as the game progresses will unlock new areas within each 'dungeon' as well. Again, one part of the Ashfields springs to mind which is impossible to get to until close to late in the game.

[sinnick]

Yeah, I kept dying on the Tiamat fight until I finally went to look for some tactics on Youtube. I was okay on the aiming part, but the trick once she gets down on the ground is to dart in, hit her only a few times, then dart out again. Once I started doing that, things progressed better.

[Pogo]

She does damage twice IIRC. Once when landing, and she does damage AGAIN when taking off, so you can't be close to her when she takes off. Just be patient.

[BleedTheFreak]

I had a hard time with her too but really the last time I fought her (and succeeded, obviously) I only got hit once.

Once you get the timing down, it's just a matter of patience.

That, and getting that damn bomb stuck to her and then using the boomerang (ha) to detonate it. Once you do that (twice) she stays on the ground the rest of the fight.

Just keep her targetted and stay away from her and let the fully charged 'rang do its thin over and over. If you keep the L2 down you can stay out of her way when she's charging or slamming into the ground pretty easy. It will take about 8 minutes of dancing with her to drop her with the boomerang but it's a safer way than wailing on her with your sword - though if you haven't taken much damage you could probably speed things up by doing that.

[Manresa]

It will take about 8 minutes of dancing with her to drop her with the boomerang

This sums up everything I hate about boss fights.

[BleedTheFreak]

This sums up everything I hate about boss fights.

I couldn't agree more.

[intruder]

If I don't beat Tiamat in the next try I'm breaking the disc in half and putting it in the compost bin.

You will love the spider then...

[Balasarius]

The funny part is that he said he just finished the game a week ago, too. So I guess the cut off for getting upset over spoilers is 14 months minus a week.

Correct. And - like all the games I play - I avoided this thread until I was done with it.

You should expect a thread for a game that's 14 months old to have spoilers, especially when plot is threadbare and there isn't a spoiler thread for the game.

[BleedTheFreak]

You should expect a thread for a game that's 14 months old to have spoilers, especially when plot is threadbare and there isn't a spoiler thread for the game.

Then make one, and bring your spoilers there.

Worst of all, you didn't even contribute anything with your spoiler. It was just some off-hand comment, dropped like a turd at a dinner party. It was uncalled for and I haven't seen anyone here agree with you, so you can't possibly think it was "okay", however you want to justify it.

[Balasarius]

Have you finished the game? Do you realize how incredibly inconsequential that spoiler is?

And it was a valid question. I just re-watched the videos and Youtube and I still don't understand why soandso did what they did.

[Clanan]

Have you finished the game?

I think that's the point - many of us haven't!

[sinnick]

I'm only 2/3rds of the way through the game, so in theory I'm ticked off at Balasarius for his spoiler, but in practice the story in this game has been so shoddily conveyed that it's hard to get my nerd rage up.

I've gone back to watch the intro a few times and each time it makes almost no sense. The word "balance" is used as though no one understands what it means. So the horsemen are the arbiters of neutrality who brings "balance", and they forge a truce, which is held in place by seven seals (mystical floating rhombuses), and if you break the seven seals, people will start fighting ... which also brings "balance". What?

Then you're unceremoniously dumped into the world, and informed you've been framed. After that, every bit of exposition is a portentous one-liner delivered through gritted teeth.

It's the same sort of senseless merging of Eastern Zen, Yin-Yang philosophy with Western Good vs. Evil Christian morality that plagued the Star Wars prequels, but whatever. I'm not playing this game for its story. All I know is I'm trying to gather up the hearts of demons and give them to another demon who will then let me fight a different demon.

[BleedTheFreak]

I'm not playing this game for its story. All I know is I'm trying to gather up the hearts of demons and give them to another demon who will then let me fight a different demon.

Hey! Spoilers, dammnit!

[sinnick]

Hey! Spoilers, dammnit!

Isn't that revealed in like, the first 10 minutes of the game?

...or, you were kidding, weren't you.

[Pogo]

I've gone back to watch the intro a few times and each time it makes almost no sense. The word "balance" is used as though no one understands what it means. So the horsemen are the arbiters of neutrality who brings "balance", and they forge a truce, which is held in place by seven seals (mystical floating rhombuses), and if you break the seven seals, people will start fighting ... which also bring "balance". What?

Well when you put it that way, then yeah the game does hold up about as well as a season of Prison Break.

[Clanan]

I think they say in the intro that there isn't supposed to be a war until the kingdom of man is "ready". Then the final war will decide the final balance. So basically they're letting each faction get to an equal level of power or something, then they'll let em duke it out?

Yeah, not the strongest story by a long shot but it's still fun to go through it in-game, rather than through forum spoilers.

[BleedTheFreak]

Isn't that revealed in like, the first 10 minutes of the game?

...or, you were kidding, weren't you.

LOL - yeah, I was just messin' around. :)

[CharlesC]

I dropped Tiamat like a bad habit last night.

Key tips that helped:
1. Use the lock on.
I wasn't doing this before, I didn't expect it to zoom the camera so far back. Super helpful.

2. When the QTE B button thing pops up you have to mash the B button. Just pushing it once (like every other QTE in the game before this) does damage to you instead of you punching her in the face and doing damage to her.

[Pogo]

I don't recall having to mash the QTE. I thought the first couple of times were just you getting thrown back to earth until you finally got the kill animation. Maybe I should have tried mashing the button.

[BleedTheFreak]

I don't recall having to mash the QTE. I thought the first couple of times were just you getting thrown back to earth until you finally got the kill animation. Maybe I should have tried mashing the button.

That only happens if you flub the QTE - which I alos just mashed B after the first time failing it. Every time you successfully do it you punch Tiamat accross the arena doing some damage to her. She can do it several times in a row, so it's a nice and easy little extra damage to her.

[Strato]

Yeah, there are a few QTE's like that I thought where the B button has to be mashed. Either that or I just suck. Tiamat is one example, there are some mini-boss styled enemies with big swords who are another example. Basically, it is much like a tug of war, or rather, mash of war.

[Pogo]

Well I finished the spider. Took a moment to get a handle on when she teleported above me which meant dash and GTFO ASAP.

A quick tip for people on that level... press E to auto-kill the smaller spiders and get health from them. Killing them with a weapon only gives souls.

And for outside levels, use crossblade on crows to get a decent amount of health back.

And getting Ruin is absolutely awesome. I had a lot of fun with the worm fights and also in the open Ashlands afterward.

[Strato]

And getting Ruin is absolutely awesome. I had a lot of fun with the worm fights and also in the Ashlands proper jousting against other horse riders. Sweet.

I have to agree. Actually, I think the whole bit leading up to getting Ruin was awesome, to the point of having a save slot dedicated just to that moment in the arena. The bit before was a little tedious when the camera decided to be a pain in the arse, but still enjoyable. However, the constant barrage of fighting really helped to hone my own skills, and admittedly, I was all "awwwr" with the final cutscene.

With the item you get in the Spider's lair, it makes it far easier to kill the crows as well. All a matter of convenience of course.

[Marbas]

Okay, so I bought this game off Steam during the holiday sale and have finally gotten around to playing it.

I have quickly discovered a most irritating problem with the aiming. I didn't notice it during the first couple chapters, but now I'm in the Ashlands, and War is refusing to throw bombs where I point the aiming reticle.

I've done search after search and can't find any answers. Is anyone else playing this game on PC and encountered this issue? Please help!

[Pogo]

That's strange, I don't think I got that issue.

Where is he throwing it?

[Marbas]

That's strange, I don't think I got that issue.

Where is he throwing it?

Just straight ahead. I've been able to work my way around this apparent glitch so far, by compensating my aim. But now I have to throw the bomb high up, and War just refuses to obey me! The Aim Mode doesn't do a thing for throwing environmental items (yet works for the crossblade).

From the bits I've read online about this issue, it's only occurred for the PC version.

[Pogo]

Do you have a controller you can plug in and try?

Also, I may be wrong, but doesn't "attack" kinda throw it straight and there's a different button to hit for aiming environmental items and bombs?

[Marbas]

I don't have a controller unfortunately.

And yes, War does throw it straight ahead in attack mode, but he's doing the same thing when I enter aim mode (reticle appears mid-screen).

I'm wondering if this is a glitch with no solutions; I may just have to start the game over and hope it doesn't happen again. /headdesk

[Pogo]

So you're holding Q and pressing middle mouse to throw, and it was working before?

[Marbas]

I changed the throw button to F, as my middle mouse button is crap. It was working just fine in the early stages of the game, and started giving me issues during the chapter before Ashlands (can't remember the name).

But yes, I press Q to enter aim mode, hit throw, and he just lobs it straight ahead, nowhere NEAR what I'm aiming at.

[Pogo]

Delete an ini file or reset to defaults.

[Marbas]

Well I just ordered a controller receiver, so hopefully I won't have this problem anymore once I get it! But I will try that, thanks. :)

[krayzkrok]

I'm still playing Darksiders, some way into the Ashlands now, and I'm certainly not having the aiming issues you describe (PC, mouse/keyboard).

[Marbas]

Resetting the controls to default did the trick. Thanks a bunch, Pogo!

[Foxstab]

No aim problems with my Steam copy purchased through Impulse.

My only criticism on Darksiders is that it doesn't allow you to restart the game on a higher difficulty or something with the same character you've used the previous iteration.
Otherwise, this game was better even than DMC 4 and highly comparable to, if not downright reminiscent of, DMC 3.
Barring this feature, and a couple others (lack of STYLE for one) this could've very well been a DMC game (and probably a much better one than Emo-Studios are developing).
Also, the mini-games (nice salute to portal) and puzzles were very nice and challenging, albeit on the wit-side.

[Pogo]

Oh dear lord...

[MattKeil]

Wow...

[Jon Rowe]

Exclamatory statement with three dots.

[RobotPants]

Man, don't make posts like those. I'm so tempted to click "View Post" on whatever Foxstab just said, but I must remain strong!

[MattKeil]

By definition, an exclamatory statement ends with an exclamation point.

[Jon Rowe]

My statement in itself was not exclamatory, it was merely describing that an exclamatory statement was used.

[Athryn]

Except for the two posts preceding yours each ended with an elipsis, and not an exlamation point, making them declarative statements.

[Jon Rowe]

Touche!

[lordkosc]

So I am quite enjoying this game, but I've noticed I am missing a few achevements, like the one for beating the giant Bat Boss (Tiamat).

Anyone have any similar issues with steam not detecting achievements?

[OrfBC]

What was so nuts about Foxstabs post other than the weird Impulse thing? I opened the thread in Safari especially so I could read it because Tapatalk doesn't have the option to read ignored posts, but there was no payoff.

I've never played DMC, is it just that Darksiders is completely unlike it?

[MattKeil]

I've never played DMC, is it just that Darksiders is completely unlike it?

That's the gist of it, yes. They both have demons in them, but DMC is an action game entirely about its combat system, while Darksiders is a Zelda clone adventure game with a slightly-deeper-than-usual-for-the-genre combo system. DMC is a much, much, much more intricate and technical series (particularly DMC3), and comparing the two is sort of like comparing Final Fight to Street Fighter II. Yes, they're both about punching and kicking people, but they're not trying to do the same thing at all.

[Lake]

So I am quite enjoying this game, but I've noticed I am missing a few achevements, like the one for beating the giant Bat Boss (Tiamat).

Anyone have any similar issues with steam not detecting achievements?

Are you playing the PC version? I never had this problem but if you check the Steam forum, you will see it is not uncommon.

[lordkosc]

Yeah its the Steam version. Oh well, it does seem to be a common issue.

[RobotPants]

I tend to ignore Steam achievements almost entirely since they seem to stupidly reset if you ever have to uninstall a game.

[Chris Nahr]

Many hours after I got the scythe, I noticed that I never got the scythe achievement. Steam achievements do seem broken.

[Strato]

I never got the achievement for throwing a car at a helicopter.

That said, I never noticed any other problems with achievements.

[marxeil]

Well, I just quit at Tiamat and am very glad to have waited for a 5euro sale before I got this. I mean I enjoyed the game until then, but this boss fight is more then I can stomach with this (IMHO) terrible aiming and throwing system.
Would it have killed them to let me assign RMB to 'lock target' and LMB to throw while I'm in aim mode and switch to full FPS controls while I'm at it?

I think I'll carry the lesson to Space Marine.

[Marcin]

That's where I quit on the 360 version - although I did get past her. Then I picked it up on Steam and have been pootlong along on Easy. I guess I like the overall gameplay except for bosses so Easy it is ...

It gets the dubious honor of being the first game I put on easy ...

[Chris Nahr]

I made my way to the spider boss before I quit, the last of the four guardian demons. All Darksiders bosses were annoying but that one was just impossible. I checked GameFAQs if I was missing something, but no, it's really just incredibly bad boss design.

[RobotPants]

That one's not so much bad boss design as it is hampered by the awful camera. I spent way more time on that boss than on any of the others.

[BleedTheFreak]

I had a tough time with Tiamat as well, but watching someone else beat it on YouTube helped quite a bit (seeing a tough part of a game get completed by someone else always seems to help me). Maybe give that a try before you quit? It's a pretty awesome game until the last dungeon, which is itself still interesting, just way too long.

[sinnick]

The highlight of the game is the fight with the sandworm, so if you've made it past that point and aren't a completionist like me, you can probably quit. If not, I recommend you push on.

I can imagine the Tiamat fight being really hard with a M&K. Maybe use a controller?

[lordkosc]

I am just about to enter the worm area, just got distracted by Deus Ex and SPAZ.

But I will try to get this game finished before the fall rush really kicks in.

[Teiman]

I have a copy of the game on Steam that I don't need .

If anyone want it, send me a PM on this forum with a link to his steam profile. First come, first serve.
---

UPDATE: I have already donate the game (I did yesterday but forgot to update the post).

[Foxstab]

Tiamat wasn't bad...and oddly enough I don't really recall using the bombs to topple it. Then again, I was cheating like a wild boar and bought all the skills and hp addons and what not available at that stage of the game, so it was probably a lot easier for me. Heh.

Now, the spider bitch...that was a piss. At first I didn't even know what to do, so I had to goto youtube and watch someone else do it to figure out the trick.
Next it was long-drawn annoying bore fest of repeating the same shtick over and over until the frigging whore ran outta hp. Now, if I could just get 20 seconds of straight melee I would've whooped her arachnoid ass easily in no time. Slayer form alone would destroy her.

All in all I really liked the game and my sole real complaint would be that it ends instead of wrapping around like DMC does, allowing you to re-use all your acquired might from the very beginning and unleash fun fury on the npc bums.

[marxeil]

I'm afraid I already rage-uninstalled. These days I don't like to struggle with badly designed games too much.

[Pogo]

I can imagine Tiamat being a bit easier on the smooth M+KB controls, which is what I played with (partially since the game didn't want to accurately interpret XBCD drivers)

Still a shame that you quit if you enjoyed the game until then... it just gets better.

[fuzzyslug]

I wonder if it's just more difficult on the PC, as the only boss I had a problem with was the sandworm, and that's because I didn't realize I just got the magic weapon you need to kill it.

Dodge, hit, dodge, and wait for the cheat (turn into a monster) button to be enabled.

[bandidoquest]

I bought this game on a Steam sale but never actually got around to playing it, but I'm planning on starting soon. Are M+K controls really good? It'd be great for me since I always prefer using M+K instead of a controller but judging from the videos I've seen, Darksiders looks pretty well suited to controllers.

[Foxstab]

I'm afraid I already rage-uninstalled. These days I don't like to struggle with badly designed games too much.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzyP-VfoqFA

[Pogo]

I wonder if it's just more difficult on the PC, as the only boss I had a problem with was the sandworm, and that's because I didn't realize I just got the magic weapon you need to kill it.

Dodge, hit, dodge, and wait for the cheat (turn into a monster) button to be enabled.

I recall the Sandworm fight being more about persistent riding and shooting until you got him into his attackable state.


I bought this game on a Steam sale but never actually got around to playing it, but I'm planning on starting soon. Are M+K controls really good? It'd be great for me since I always prefer using M+K instead of a controller but judging from the videos I've seen, Darksiders looks pretty well suited to controllers.

It's a fine M+KB game because the combat is nowhere near as complicated as something like DMC. Combos are simple mouse clicks and it's probably easier to aim the secondary weapons.

[Foxstab]

I wonder if it's just more difficult on the PC, as the only boss I had a problem with was the sandworm, and that's because I didn't realize I just got the magic weapon you need to kill it.

Dodge, hit, dodge, and wait for the cheat (turn into a monster) button to be enabled.

PC gamers degenerated since the FPS shitestorm and many of them are really consoleers in disguise. They like to whine a lot nowadays whenever something is not easy out of the box.
Now, if you want to talk about poorly designed games I'll give you X-MEN 2: Wolverine's Revenge, with a shite camera and poor PC KB port of xbox controls that, while bare no problem throughout the usual game, makes you cringe in pain and rage with insanity whenever you have a boss fight.


For my Sadist Special I'd like to take a bunch of consoleers and lock them in a room until they finish Into The Eagle's Nest (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjMq961Mc-c) or Infiltrator: The Next Day (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NczPnfEw3ag). That would be joy of joys.
Or Nebulus/Tower Toppler...or the original Inferno (the sequel to Elite).

[Pogo]

Trying to find some ambiguous connection from any topic straight into PC vs Console is really fucking pathetic trolling.

[sinnick]

PC gamers degenerated since the FPS shitestorm and many of them are really consoleers in disguise. They like to whine a lot nowadays whenever something is not easy out of the box.

http://i52.tinypic.com/nq1s2.jpg

[Foxstab]

http://i52.tinypic.com/nq1s2.jpg

I chuckled.
Right, so lets not let my console banter get in the way. Moving on, then...

Darksiders is a fun game. I suppose for some people it might seem hard on the PC. It has its flaws, it's not perfect and the camera could use a bit of work (IIRC you had different camera modes/controls to choose from), but it does feel like a somewhat technically advanced version of DMC minus some of the things that makes it uniquely DMC.

[marxeil]

PC gamers degenerated since the FPS shitestorm and many of them are really consoleers in disguise.

Yeah, I do feel I degenerated over the last 2 years since we got the Wii for Christmas.

[marxeil]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzyP-VfoqFA

Sorry, it went over my head. I have zero knowledge of anime, I don't speak Japanese and I don't read Spanish (well very little).

I blame the Wii.

[RobotPants]

Please stop quoting him. Thanks!

[MattKeil]

but it does feel like a somewhat technically advanced version of DMC minus some of the things that makes it uniquely DMC.

I have literally zero idea how anyone could justify Darksiders is more "technically advanced" than DMC3 in terms of gameplay mechanics or DMC4 in terms of engine mechanics. Plus, it feels absolutely nothing like DMC, and anyone who says it does makes me wonder if they've ever even played a DMC game.

[Teiman]

Both Demon May Cry and Darksiders are available on the PC. I have played both, and I like Darksiders more.

Demon May Cry feels like limited to smaller arenas, and his more japan-consoles-wtf. Darksiders feel more organized, so you can have nice battles... somewhat like a brawler.
In this thread there are some people describing Darksiders as "open", because seems you can choose what area to visit. By "leveleup" the weapons that are more playable with a mouse+keyboard, you can make Darksiders playable on the PC a 98%, while I can't see how you can do the same with DMC. In DMC looks like you are stuck with a game that is playable at the k+m about a 80% right.

Anyway I have not played DMC very far (not my tea cup).

[Strato]

Darksiders is definitely not open Teiman, at least not until the end. Basically a one way track.

Also going back a few posts to the Tiamat boss, I believe it was a bad move to have such a boss fight which is reliant on the camera and targeting so early in the game. At least give the player some time to really test it out. As a PC only person (for work related reasons only - based on my frequent moving) I never had much exposure using a controller. Tiamat made me give up a couple of times before I finally got it and everything clicked. She is a tough fight no doubt about it.

One of the final boss fights, Silitha the Spider-boss* was really shit, a boring repetitive button mash basically. The best way to approach it was to use the targeting trigger on the controller... uhh, Left trigger if I recall (or whatever the equivalent is on the mouse/keyboard) to keep the camera locked on her.

That said, I am holding out hope that Darksiders 2 is a much better game. I really enjoyed Darksiders though mostly because it is a game genre that I haven't had much exposure to, having never played the God of War or DMC games.



*Also, I'll add spoiler tags if anyone thinks this is a spoiler, but I can not think of any reason for it to be so.

[MattKeil]

Both Demon May Cry and Darksiders are available on the PC. I have played both, and I like Darksiders more.

Devil May Cry.


Demon May Cry feels like limited to smaller arenas, and his more japan-consoles-wtf. Darksiders feel more organized, so you can have nice battles... somewhat like a brawler.
In this thread there are some people describing Darksiders as "open", because seems you can choose what area to visit.

Darksiders is not open, you can only go where you can access given your current level of equipment, because it is a Zelda game. You open new places up by completing puzzle-oriented dungeons with some combat mixed in. It has larger open areas than the Devil May Cry games, because DMC is not about exploration or puzzle solving, it's about combat.


By "leveleup" the weapons that are more playable with a mouse+keyboard, you can make Darksiders playable on the PC a 98%, while I can't see how you can do the same with DMC. In DMC looks like you are stuck with a game that is playable at the k+m about a 80% right.

I have no idea where you're dragging these percentages out from, but the idea of playing DMC on a keyboard is absurd. It's closer to a fighting game than anything else, and most of its combos and combo systems would be near impossible to use a k/m for. The DMC games, particularly DMC3 (generally considered the best of the series), are rooted in deep combat systems that require precision, practice and high levels of skill to exploit properly. They are utterly unlike Darksiders. Pretty much the only things Darksiders and Devil May Cry have in common are demons and a giant sword strapped to the player character's back.



Also going back a few posts to the Tiamat boss, I believe it was a bad move to have such a boss fight which is reliant on the camera and targeting so early in the game. At least give the player some time to really test it out. As a PC only person (for work related reasons only - based on my frequent moving) I never had much exposure using a controller. Tiamat made me give up a couple of times before I finally got it and everything clicked. She is a tough fight no doubt about it.

As someone who plays a whole lot of console games, and is a fan of Zelda-type games in general, the Tiamat fight was a surprisingly tough one to figure out. Some of the boss battles in Darksiders are rather poor about giving you positive feedback to indicate you're doing the right thing, and my (admittedly hazy a year and a half on) memory of that boss fight pegs it as one of the primary offenders in this regard.

[marxeil]

I actually figured Tiamat pretty quickly (I think).
You need to stick a bomb to her face, target a torch, target the bomb and throw the boomerang thing. I managed to do it once and I assume you need to repeat this 3 times (3 is the number, no more, no less)

The problem is you need to do that while avoiding her attacks. Being the console degenerate that I am, I'm not able to manipulate the WASD keys, at the same time as the other 2 keys used for targeting and throwing. It doesn't help that the camera moves terrible slow while in aim mode.

[Horrible Oscar]

I have literally zero idea how anyone could justify Darksiders is more "technically advanced" than DMC3 in terms of gameplay mechanics or DMC4 in terms of engine mechanics. Plus, it feels absolutely nothing like DMC, and anyone who says it does makes me wonder if they've ever even played a DMC game.
People make the comparison because the initial impression of the moveset colours the way they look at the rest of the game. It's been a while since I've actually played either game, but I remember the dashing stab and uppercut moves immediately making me think of DMC as well, in the same way a chargeable spinny attack might make you think of Zelda. I agree that the similarities are nothing but superficial, though.

But it is kinda fun to see Matt come out of the woodwork every time DMC and Darksiders are mentioned in the same post!

[Strato]

As someone who plays a whole lot of console games, and is a fan of Zelda-type games in general, the Tiamat fight was a surprisingly tough one to figure out. Some of the boss battles in Darksiders are rather poor about giving you positive feedback to indicate you're doing the right thing, and my (admittedly hazy a year and a half on) memory of that boss fight pegs it as one of the primary offenders in this regard.

Definitely agree. To add to the insult however, the final two bosses were much too easy. The difficulty spikes were all over the place in the game.

[Foxstab]

The problem is you need to do that while avoiding her attacks. Being the console degenerate that I am, I'm not able to manipulate the WASD keys, at the same time as the other 2 keys used for targeting and throwing. It doesn't help that the camera moves terrible slow while in aim mode.
IIRC, I changed the keys to something I was more accustomed to and you automatically tag things by mouse-overing around, so long you hold that one key. So I didn't have much trouble.


People make the comparison because the initial impression of the moveset colours the way they look at the rest of the game.

Uh, what?
No, this is not it at all.
Both are brawlers, essentially. Both use a system of XP that charges up your main weapons and 'coin' from defeating opponents that you use to upgrade your character's HP, unlock special combat moves and so on. Both are a railroad show. Both allow you to gain HP back during combat via drops from monsters you slay. Both have SUPER RAGE POW TRANSFORMATION mode. So on. The mechanics of how this shit works and progresses resemble very much my experience from DMC.
Except that Darksiders didn't have Style, just a lame combo counter (a major oversight, IMHO) and it lets you have some serious free-aiming compared to DMC's console lock-on/auto-aim and some very nice additional gadgets you can use to do some nifty shit (grapple hook FTW!) that DMC didn't have.
Also, while DMC4 had a better engine than DMC3, IMHO it felt like quite rather the inferior gameplay than 3. Can't really explain it. It just felt not quite well done.

[Horrible Oscar]

Uh, what?
No, this is not it at all.
Both are brawlers, essentially. Both use a system of XP that charges up your main weapons and 'coin' from defeating opponents that you use to upgrade your character's HP, unlock special combat moves and so on. Both are a railroad show. Both allow you to gain HP back during combat via drops from monsters you slay. Both have SUPER RAGE POW TRANSFORMATION mode. So on. The mechanics of how this shit works and progresses resemble very much my experience from DMC.
These are all super common gameplay elements which you can find in any game played in third person where you hit things, which needless to say is a wide field. Well, I guess I can understand taking DMC as a point of reference if you've never played a Zelda game or any of the dozens of third person brawlers on consoles.

Edit: A good recent example on PC is Space Marine. It has the chargeable super meter, the health back from enemies, the railroading, the two-button combo system, etc. It's still obviously quite different from Darksiders.

[Pogo]

Going from PC vs Console into an argument about comparing Darksiders vs DMC... not much better.

[Foxstab]

These are all super common gameplay elements which you can find in any game played in third person where you hit things, which needless to say is a wide field. Well, I guess I can understand taking DMC as a point of reference if you've never played a Zelda game or any of the dozens of third person brawlers on consoles.

Edit: A good recent example on PC is Space Marine. It has the chargeable super meter, the health back from enemies, the railroading, the two-button combo system, etc. It's still obviously quite different from Darksiders.

Yes, they're common, but do they all come in the same way, combined in the same fashion and basically look the same?
Even the UI arrangement for the player info and the store is practically the same, too.
How many more games like DMC have you out there? I really don't think that many.
And yes, Space Marine at first look does appear to follow the formula which is why I hope it'll end up as good too.

And the last I've seen of Zelda game it was a puny 2D sprite CRPG.


Two button combo system wait what?

[Horrible Oscar]

Yes, they're common, but do they all come in the same way, combined in the same fashion and basically look the same?
Even the UI arrangement for the player info and the store is practically the same, too.
How many more games like DMC have you out there? I really don't think that many.
And yes, Space Marine at first look does appear to follow the formula which is why I hope it'll end up as good too.

And the last I've seen of Zelda game it was a puny 2D sprite CRPG.

Two button combo system wait what?
There really are quite a lot. Take my word for it! Two button combo system as in having two buttons for melee attacks, usually light/heavy attack (as in God of War, Dante's Inferno, Ninja Gaiden, Space Marine, Prince of Persia etc. etc.) or primary/secondary weapon, usually with some delay timing mechanic for variation (Bayonetta, Darksiders, Devil May Cry, Okami, El Shaddai, though I'm admittedly cheating a bit with that last one). There's probably some better term for it that I'm forgetting.

Zelda made the jump to 3D in 1998, creating quite a few gameplay elements that Darksiders has cribbed as closely as they've carbon copied the Portal gun.

Anyway, Pogo is right. My inability to bring my point across doesn't mean that we really need to rehash what has been discussed in this thread about five times over now. If I'm not saying it right, somebody probably did ten pages back.

[Pogo]

Don't worry dude, you're not the one that said the game is a "technically advanced" form of DMC.

[Foxstab]

If I'm not saying it right, somebody probably did ten pages back.

Then stop being a lazy fuck (that's my job) and go find it!

Ah, yes the portal gun carry over was sweet, wasn't it?
Like I said, DMC evolved. Heh.

[Rock8man]

Matt Keil is like the anti-Champion for this game. I know that any time someone comes here and compliments the game, Matt always reliably shows up to dispute the compliments. It's amusing to see, since I don't have a dog in the fight (I haven't played the game yet). I know how he feels too, since I'm always tempted to weigh in every time someone compliments Baldur's Gate or Final Fantasy XII. It sets my teeth on edge, and I try to repress the urge to post.

[Horrible Oscar]

I have to say, after that last exchange I know precisely how he feels.

[Foxstab]

Matt Keil is like the anti-Champion for this game. I know that any time someone comes here and compliments the game, Matt always reliably shows up to dispute the compliments. It's amusing to see, since I don't have a dog in the fight (I haven't played the game yet). I know how he feels too, since I'm always tempted to weigh in every time someone compliments Baldur's Gate or Final Fantasy XII. It sets my teeth on edge, and I try to repress the urge to post.

I enjoyed playing Baldur's Gate. Still do now and then again. What's your beef with it now?
Never played Final Fantasy, it always seemed dull and shallow to me (also, retarded emo-driven characters that just scream for something like Cable&Deadpool or Alucard to pop out of a side door and frag them to bits).

And you can hog zelda all you want until Link (wtf is that name even!?) goes transgender and come to have sex with you. I've grinded DMC3 like a squirrel on a nut vault and Darksiders out of the very start couldn't feel more to me like DMC gone up a level.
You wanna talk about Boss fight puzzles? Sure, maybe. I wouldn't know. But it takes more than Boss fight or a puzzle on a level here and there for me to say that the game is frigging sword&shield or whatever Zelda green-wearing pansyboy elf-esque hobo.
I would say that perhaps the devs borrowed heavily from both Zelda and DMC. But, tell you what, I bet if I went and watched a thorough gameplay of Zelda and look at DMC I'll still see two different games.

DarkSiders really should've had a Style system instead of lame combos. Also, different combat styles (well, I guess that horsemen are like Vergil, only one DarkSlayer style. Heh).

[RobotPants]

What's wrong with your brain?

[Riztro]

Cable and Dracula backwards as anti emo characters. The hell?

[Bill Dungsroman]

Cable and Dracula backwards as anti emo characters. The hell?

http://images.wikia.com/hellsing/images/6/6f/Alucard_profile_1.jpg

Main character from Hellsing anime. Beyond that I have idea what he's on about.

[Riztro]

Ahh, thank you. Tall dark and vampire then I assume.

[Foxstab]

He doesn't Sparkle. Lets start with that. The sadism and violence only grows from there.
Put it simply, if you placed Alucard in this shiteass twilight emo vampire bullocks, there'll be much entertainment, and no more twilight.

And what's your beef with Cable? Guy's a practically SpaceMarine.

[BleedTheFreak]

That dudes arms creep me out.

[Riztro]

He doesn't Sparkle. Lets start with that. The sadism and violence only grows from there.
Put it simply, if you placed Alucard in this shiteass twilight emo vampire bullocks, there'll be much entertainment, and no more twilight.

And what's your beef with Cable? Guy's a practically SpaceMarine.

http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/5783/tyliefeld1.jpg
http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/6405/liefeldis1.jpg

Not just nineties dark emo, Liefeld nineties dark emo.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/37/tyliefeld1.jpg/

[Relayer71]

Matt Keil is like the anti-Champion for this game. I know that any time someone comes here and compliments the game, Matt always reliably shows up to dispute the compliments. It's amusing to see, since I don't have a dog in the fight (I haven't played the game yet). I know how he feels too, since I'm always tempted to weigh in every time someone compliments Baldur's Gate or Final Fantasy XII. It sets my teeth on edge, and I try to repress the urge to post.

Maybe we need to do an Anti-Champion thread!

But I see you're just joking since you mention BG or FF XII! You kidder!

[Relayer71]

Never played Final Fantasy, it always seemed dull and shallow to me (also, retarded emo-driven characters that just scream for something like Cable&Deadpool or Alucard to pop out of a side door and frag them to bits).

THAT is not FF XII at all (or a few other games in the series, for example 4 - 6 and 9). You're thinking of FF 8. I hate 8. A lot. I mean I really fucking hate it.

But you should really try FF XII - it's closer to a western RPG in story telling and mechanics than most JRPGs, has a good cast of characters with decent writing and great voice acting, and a wonderful sound track.

[Foxstab]

Not just nineties dark emo, Liefeld nineties dark emo.
http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/37/tyliefeld1.jpg/

Dark Emo? They come in moral conflicting colours now?
So, what's emo about either? They don't exactly sit and mope about their miserable lives, how they got to this predicament or how unfair it is. Or their daddy complex issues or whatever. Instead they go out and kill wannabe badass villains. They take their existence with a grain of salt and make hard choices and accept the consequences.
Maybe we have differing definitions of what is emo, IDK...


But, if you insist, then I shall present you with:
http://www.shh-mom.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/jcdenton.jpg

Now, you could go ahead and call him emo, too.
But you know what a shame that will be and then I'll need to wipe my shoes from the red.


THAT is not FF XII at all (or a few other games in the series, for example 4 - 6 and 9). You're thinking of FF 8. I hate 8. A lot. I mean I really fucking hate it.

But you should really try FF XII - it's closer to a western RPG in story telling and mechanics than most JRPGs, has a good cast of characters with decent writing and great voice acting, and a wonderful sound track.
Did a two-minutes looked-it-up.
Characters still look like emo leather-jacket disco-reject punks. If I dared to let the cutscenes load I'd probably have to bear their fuckton of whinery too, I wager.
Battle System is still menu junk. Real time or sparkly 3D gfx in the very spot of the map you got stopped in still doesn't change my distaste of it.
Yes, I know it's just a GUI presentation and all in all in a sense Baldur's Gate or any TBS isn't that far different and could easily be replaced by a menu GUI...but know what, those simply aren't and this one is and that kinda thing isn't doing it for me in the least.

[Riztro]

Dark Emo? They come in moral conflicting colours now?
So, what's emo about either? They don't exactly sit and mope about their miserable lives, how they got to this predicament or how unfair it is. Or their daddy complex issues or whatever. Instead they go out and kill wannabe badass villains. They take their existence with a grain of salt and make hard choices and accept the consequences.
Maybe we have differing definitions of what is emo, IDK...


Ahh, I see. So I the defining characteristic of an anti-emo character is a lack of still sitting mopishness and an abundance of hurting wannabe badass villains. Because barring Deadpool (Who is awesome) I'd say playing Achilles in his tent is a pretty common thing among the grimdark nineties action characters, Cable even has a big ass floating pacifist tent to mope in before his noble suicide attempt.

Or maybe I should just end this pointless exercise. Downloading Darksiders now, I do hope I enjoy it.

[Relayer71]

Did a two-minutes looked-it-up.
Characters still look like emo leather-jacket disco-reject punks. If I dared to let the cutscenes load I'd probably have to bear their fuckton of whinery too, I wager.
Battle System is still menu junk. Real time or sparkly 3D gfx in the very spot of the map you got stopped in still doesn't change my distaste of it.
Yes, I know it's just a GUI presentation and all in all in a sense Baldur's Gate or any TBS isn't that far different and could easily be replaced by a menu GUI...but know what, those simply aren't and this one is and that kinda thing isn't doing it for me in the least.

Matt Bowyer, where are you?

[Matt Bowyer]

Matt Bowyer, where are you?

I will bring light to the darkness. I cannot make a blind man see, I cannot make a mute man sing, and I cannot make an uncultured horse play the best of Brahms. He is beyond hope.

More seriously, I've never had any luck arguing with someone who approaches anything he doesn't like like Foxstab does. That's not a battle worth fighting.

[Foxstab]

I'm patriotic with my disdain/dislikes/hatred.
But you can always try to convince me otherwise. Still, when it comes to matter of taste, different strokes. So, personally, I don't see how you could succeed. I doubt I could convince someone who is a counter strike *cough* kid *cough* die-hard that System Shock was a great FPS that progressed the medium beyond its brainless dumb frag-fest genre root, since that's probably the kind of entertainment that he enjoys precisely.
I'm the kind that'll more-or-less try anything once. But if it's not to my taste I'll discard it faster than superman can fly for all of eternity.
Heck, I'll be willing to give an axe murderer a second chance, but failing that we'll have to punish him with something far stronger than the death penalty or life-long incarceration. I mean, we're talking both breaking him physically as well as shattering his very soul psychologically. Hmm, yes, I'm quite the sadist. But only to bad people, see!

[marxeil]

I'm patriotic with my disdain/dislikes/hatred.
But you can always try to convince me otherwise. Still, when it comes to matter of taste, different strokes. So, personally, I don't see how you could succeed. I doubt I could convince someone who is a counter strike *cough* kid *cough* die-hard that System Shock was a great FPS that progressed the medium beyond its brainless dumb frag-fest genre root, since that's probably the kind of entertainment that he enjoys precisely.
I'm the kind that'll more-or-less try anything once. But if it's not to my taste I'll discard it faster than superman can fly for all of eternity.
Heck, I'll be willing to give an axe murderer a second chance, but failing that we'll have to punish him with something far stronger than the death penalty or life-long incarceration. I mean, we're talking both breaking him physically as well as shattering his very soul psychologically. Hmm, yes, I'm quite the sadist. But only to bad people, see!

Edit some more.

[Foxstab]

Edit.

[Rock8man]

I've been playing this over the last month or so. I'm now at the final boss and will hopefully beat it today. Overall, I really enjoyed the game. Each mechanic that they introduced slowly throughout the game was enjoyable. My favorite was the Portals, but I also enjoyed the grappling hook.

One of the first things I bought from the vendor was all the moves for the default sword, which really helped with the combat. Someone in another thread (bargain thread maybe) mentioned that the game was great until they kept repeating combat and throwing too much at you. I didn't get that. The game was well paced, and they kept changing the combat and the puzzles and kept them in balance with each other throughout the game.

A really solid game that was enjoyable to get through. Way more enjoyable than the last Zelda, I should add. As someone said upthread, Darksiders was much better paced than Twilight Princess, which had over 10 hours of really boring stuff out of 30, whereas Darksiders condensed it down to about 20 hours of good stuff.

[Matt Bowyer]

This is next on my plate, as I picked it up cheap recently. Will Rock8Man and I have another game we both like? Stay tuned!

I'm heartened by your specific enjoyments, though -- Twilight Princess did have some filler, so if this is more of a cohesive, consistent experience, I'm excited.

[Tman]

I played the first 30 minutes or so - until you get to some huge boss who is in a cleft in the pavement throwing cars at you. I think I was supposed to throw the cars back at his head, but I could never get the cars to go more than a few feet off the pavement & quit in frustration.

I'm playing with Mouse/Keyboard. What should I be doing?

[kerzain]

I played the first 30 minutes or so - until you get to some huge boss who is in a cleft in the pavement throwing cars at you. I think I was supposed to throw the cars back at his head, but I could never get the cars to go more than a few feet off the pavement & quit in frustration.

I'm playing with Mouse/Keyboard. What should I be doing?
You throw with the "Use Gear" command. I think the default is the middle mouse button, not the same one you pick up the car with. I use a 360 controller, so I could be remembering the default KB control wrong.

[Strato]

One of the first things I bought from the vendor was all the moves for the default sword, which really helped with the combat. Someone in another thread (bargain thread maybe) mentioned that the game was great until they kept repeating combat and throwing too much at you. I didn't get that. The game was well paced, and they kept changing the combat and the puzzles and kept them in balance with each other throughout the game.


I agree. I always thought the combat was good. It does require an element of skill I thought - less button mashing and using more of the moves available and at War's disposal. Not just with the sword, but all the weapons available (though I rarely used the crossblade).

[DeepT]

I liked the game, but I played it with an online guide I used. If I hadn't I would have missed so many of the secret items you could find and I would have never gotten the armor upgrade (the one you need to find all 10 pieces of).

The biggest flaw with this game seemed to be that it started off the most challenging and then got easier as you got farther into the game. If you found every single green skull piece, you could start the first boss fight (not to mention the cathedral fight with the two armor dudes) with 2 skulls. Even that was tough. In later boss fights you might have 4 or 5 skulls which gave you a lot more breathing room not to mention you had more tools and relative power then you did in the beginning.

Aside from the inverted power curve problem, I didn't like how hidden things were and how you might get a new way to unlock paths (like the ability to smash blue crystals) and then you needed to remember all the places you saw blue crystals in the entire world in order to collect things like wrath cores and green skulls. There is no way I would remember most of that without some guide telling me to go to such and such zone and look here for the blue crystals that passed by long ago.

[Pogo]

Getting the last armor upgrade (actually, it's so close to the beginning it's amazing) is a pretty tough affair. You can't do it without the gliding wings power or whatever, and it's extremely easy to miss.

The thing is, the game really doesn't need you to go back and collect all the stuff that unlocks. In some cases it's very helpful, but if you miss a couple things (and you WILL), then it's not really a problem.

[olaf]

Arise!

So I got this after picking up the second one. I played it a bit, liked it and decided to shelve it while I played the first one.

I am generally not a 3rd person action fan. Last one I played in earnest was probably the first God of War, quit on some irritating puzzle. Before that Ninja Gaiden, I think I finished it, but maybe not, on the original Xbox.

Anyway, this is great fun for me and in some ways I like it better than the sequel. It seems less Prince of Persia-y. The combat is well paced and the merchant is pretty easily accessible if you want to spend some souls so its got a little bit of that RPG mechanic that the sequel takes and runs with.

I really like this IP, I hope the sequel does well, I would love to see a 3rd and 4th game featuring the other two horseman, one of which looks like a woman to me, and likely a hot one. My guess is she is the pick for the 3rd game.

[olaf]

I think I am a little over half way done. Still liking this game a lot. Too puzzly for me in places but I just hit google and move on.

I really like the pacing, you are always getting something new, new item, new ability, new moves, etc. I love the cut scenes, tremendous voice acting and great cinematic impact on all of the big boss death scenes.

War reuniting with Ruin was awesome.

More people should be playing this.

[Brian Rubin]

I just got it in the Amazon sale my own self, so there'll be one more soon. ;-)

[Alex Hopkinson]

I think I am a little over half way done. Still liking this game a lot. Too puzzly for me in places but I just hit google and move on.

I really like the pacing, you are always getting something new, new item, new ability, new moves, etc. I love the cut scenes, tremendous voice acting and great cinematic impact on all of the big boss death scenes.

War reuniting with Ruin was awesome.

More people should be playing this.

The only section of the game that I struggled to push through was the voidwalker level. It's long and features lots of opportunity to curse the jumping. I actually shelved the game for over a year before coming back to it a couple of weeks ago. I decided GameFAQs would get me through the rest of that section with slightly less cursing, which it did. The rest of the game after that is back to the fun stuff.

I finished it just the other day so I'm really looking forward to playing the sequel in a few months time.

[olaf]

The only section of the game that I struggled to push through was the voidwalker level. It's long and features lots of opportunity to curse the jumping. I actually shelved the game for over a year before coming back to it a couple of weeks ago. I decided GameFAQs would get me through the rest of that section with slightly less cursing, which it did. The rest of the game after that is back to the fun stuff.

I finished it just the other day so I'm really looking forward to playing the sequel in a few months time.

Man you are not kidding. I did this level today, with 2 internet walkthroughs, ign and mycheats...and I about smashed my controller. Seriously. I punched a piece of solid wood furniture and almost broke my hand and really wanted to smash my controller.

What a fucking punch in the nuts. Puzzles just are not my thing...but on top of that the level design was just way too ambitious for the engine. The situations where you had to create a portal using a portal were the most frustrating for me. I probably fell 50 times in the 4-5 hours it took me to get through it. Also, the goddamn 3rd guardian. That's where I hurt my hand.

Now I am trying to figure out which Champion Artifact I missed...

[olaf]

So I finished late last night. Liked the ending, especially the closing dialogue "No. Not alone...".

Bring on Darksiders 2, starting that up again tonight!

[Alex Hopkinson]

Well I'm glad it wasn't just me that raged over the voidwalker section!