@Dioxen: I enjoyed the Darkness plot/story a lot better than Bioshock. It may have been the modern day setting or the fact that it was like a comic book, but either way I loved playing it.

Rebel Without Applause

Hey the first one was fun, if they involve Angelus in the sequal I'll be stoked. No multiplayer this time though thanks.

@Strange Bedfellows: I'm sure they said Witchblade and Hunter/Killer are getting games too (may have been movies or both).

el_rezzo

Those two scenes were easily two of the greatest moments in gaming history, period. Especially the second one was one of those rare moments, in which such a story turn really shocks you and takes you for a spin.
I knew what would probably happen but the fact of it really happening was really shocking. There are not many moments which you go "oh no, you don't... You did id - you prick!" as most games seem to have the fourth wall placed firmly between the player and the game itself. The scene in the appartment broke down this wall and made the second scene so much powerful, even after playing games for the last 17 years and seeing many charakter's lifes go from bad to much worse.
With this said you can probably count me in for a second episode of The Darkness. If the storytelling's still as good as in the first one and some of the more annoying things get fixed this might be a game to lookforward to.

Al Bino

Spare us the mangled multiplayer this time.

Pinhead

Having never read the comics, I can't say for sure, but from what I read online the story DOES continue after the game ending, so they must have some material to work with?

The game did have it's glitches (for example, I only got to try the coin gathering mini-game once, she'd never throw them again), but overall it was pretty solid. I'd agree with everyone who said "Not a great game, but a GOOD game."

@Rebel Without Applause: I sat and watched the movie for like 10 minutes. I was thinking "it HAS to cut out sooner or later, there is a finite amount of disk space!" But it didn't end even by the time I got up and left, so for all I know the whole movie is on there....

NateN

@Strange Bedfellows:

Yes. A million times yes.

And not by a Japanese developer D: Then it would have to be based off the shitty anime.

AuraHACK

@Rabidsquirrel: In my opinion it has a better story than Bioshock, as it actually invokes proper emotion. I felt really sympathetic to Jackie's plight, there are times in the game that are incredibly jarring and others that take you the extreme opposite.

Paulie is a prick and they managed to convey that without him being the typical "evil overlord" character that others in his position are.

Dioxen

P.S. - Someone, please make a Witchblade game!!

Strange Bedfellows

Umm, I'm all for a Darkness sequel! Not only was the first game fun, so more of the same will be welcome, and if it's improved, even better. The online multiplayer could be improved, but the single player was just great! Anyway, it won't ruin the story to make a sequel. The comic book contains much much more story than what was in the first game. Plenty of room to keep going with the franchise.

Strange Bedfellows

I stopped playing darkness because it was scary @_@

Kamix

@FrigidAir44: Aside from the MP, what did you consider broken? It was a small game world and there was some backtracking but I thought it was a solid SP experience.

darkandlong

@Schoolimangooli: Here's more: Darth Vader is Luke Skywalkers father, Master Chief ends up fighting alongside the Covenant, and Chief Tyrol, Col. Tie, Starbucks Husband, and Laura's aide are all Cylons.

Garro

I'm glad there's a sequel. I really enjoyed the original, and I think a second one will add to it. I actually got into the comic from the game too.

I also wonder who the big boss is - rumors hint at someone powerful to match Jackie. Perhaps the Witchblade, or the Magdalena?

AndyboyH

Well I must admit. I never played thru the first one. So my question is, is this worth gameflying and beating? Now mind you, I'm asking this at a time period when GTA4 and Metal gear are coming out.

Should I go back to this one, or should I just move on and act like it never happened?

Rabidsquirrel

The Darkness reminded me of that old 70's Camaro seen in the yards of people.

Yeah it was a fast car... but it kept breaking down.

I loved the story... but some of the game was broken.

FrigidAir44

I'm excited. Perhaps this one will be closer to the comic? The game departed heavily, no battles with Angelus, Batman didn't show up (that would have been cool in the game), and quite a few other things. I have to say though; I much prefer how Jackie was portrayed in the game vs the comic. You could identify with his character and sympathize with him more.

Sir_Crocidile

I trust Starbreeze on doing a great job with the story, Tha Darkness had its issues, that's true, but the stry was just great and remember all those random lines from the Darklings, I used to spend lots of time just waiting for them to say the next line.

Prinnygeddon!

WHo cares, it is based on a comic book character, shit always happen so a sequal is warranted. Thats why men like Alan Moore are so loved in the comic book meduim, because they never pull this shit.

latinogamer

Darkness 2 - The flogging of the horse
Darkness 3 - The flogging of the dead horse

:|

Flawless101

@Garro: Some People haven't played this game yet.

Thanks!

Schoolimangooli

I really liked The Darkness with the exception of some bugs and glitches it had. Anyway, I loved the story and I hoped it would get a sequel.

Gamebrain87

It was pretty solid so a sequal has me pretty hyped. Of course I'm waiting until it goes down budget price just because of how broke I'll be this year to ???

goldwings

A sequal won't ruin the first game, especially since the same studio is doing it and they've been consistant with their quality. I mean, DMC 2 sucked out loud but that doesn't diminsh my love of the DMC series.

Furthermore, I think the game totally opened up room for a sequal: Jackie had just took in the power of the Darkness in full, and there are still other avenues to take from the comic books. Honestly, I don't think they can recapture the emotional drama, but that's only because Jen was THE drama for Jackie; she's gone and no one is going to fill those shoes. I mean, unless they have have a dramatic moment that doesn't involve Jackie exclusively, sure, but you can still have a kick ass story without trying to out do previous brilliance.

Garro

"I heard you were BACK and I feared the worst."

That's just begging to be turned into a meme...

fuchikoma

I really enjoyed that game. Yeah, it had a few problems, yeah yeah, but what game doesn't. But I do agree that the weight of the ending would be completely taken away by a sequel. I hope they can do something decent with it if they do make a sequel, though.

skullpanda

I agree that the sequel may only dilute the original experience but I have faith in Starbreeze. They know what they're doing and I think the second go around will just allow them the time they really need to create the experience we should have received the first time.

Absent Blue

C'mon Fahey, have faith. And why the hell am I the only person that thought the Darkness was pure awesomeness?

The story was great, and the ending was so incredibly sad (which isn't a bad thing, and personally I'd like a chance to see that get resolved somehow). Even the loading screens were innovative, I thought (even if they did get repetitive). The voice acting was on par with some of the best games I've played. So why all the hate?

Zombie_Crunch

I have this game but I have yet to play it. I got it for free with Bioshock around xmas time and it just keeps getting pushed aside. So its actually a decent game? Cool.

iameleveneight

I thought the Darkness was a superb game. Decent story, some fun and amusing moments, good voice acting and solid gameplay.

I also see no reason to not be optimistic for a good sequel.

IronsUK

The Darkness is a great 2K game, it was one of my favorite games for the 360 last summer.

I recall laughing my ass off when I got the "Romantic" achievement, just for sitting with the girlfriend and watching TV.

lol, "Real guys stick around for their ladies"

Rebel Without Applause

If this sequel happens, I just hope they pick some new level-to-level loading screens. Those monologues got pretty damn repetitive.

mphz

Hey if a 50cent sequel could happen then anything can happen. A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G

Schoolimangooli

I'm playing through it at the moment.

It's not bad. If a bit rough around the edges.

Woodwater

I liked the first one. It wasn't great. It started feeling kind of long towards the end, and when you were going from area to area... you walked too slowly, it took forever and I got bored. If the second one has at least a decent story, and better game play, then I don't see why I wouldn't put it on my Gamefly queue.

KingDavid73

The darkness comic sorta did go on and on and on...

Kyle81

The Darkness wasn't a bad game or a great game. I was just a good game. One of it's strongest points was the story, which I was genuinely interested in.
Oh, the weird things the darklings would say and do from time to time was a plus.

Noks415

As I first glanced, I thought this was about Eternal Darkness. Now I am sad.

MustyBuckets

I'm kinda psyched?

I played the first one and while good, by the time you *spoilers* went back to hell for the 2nd time, it just got too much. I stopped there and felt I had played enough. It's a good game with great mechanics, just not all that in the later stages =/

However, I'm still curious to see what they'll do with the sequel.

AuraHACK

What's with everyone misspelling "sequel"? Is this some sort internet meme I'm missing out on?

I don't really understand the hesitation behind a "Darkness" sequel. I thought the first game pretty much said a sequel was intended and to expect one.

Jaded

Here's to hoping The Angelus makes an appearance.

Tale

Aw, a Darkness sequel wont be bad. The comic at least had 2 great arcs, and if they go with the one that happened right after the first volume I can see it being just as good.

Icilowan

@darkandlong:
One major way that The Darkness was/is broken is the game freezing glitch that can happen towards the end of the game at Pier 19. The game kept freezing up solid on me and after cruising several boards I found out I wasn't the only one it happened to. Apparently, the glitch was caused by the order you went thru killing people in a sidequest. I was so frustrated that I gave up and haven't gone back to the game since last year. All of my emails that I sent to Starbreeze went unanswered and it seems that the one option I had was to restart the game from the beginning which I was not in the mood to do back then. I don't know if subsequent patches fixed the glitch, but I'll eventually go back to the game and restart it from the beginning.

Except for that one game ending glitch, I really like The Darkness and would get a sequel unless it turned out to be complete and utter crap.

coalhalo

Playing the first one now - really liking it.

Any game that lets you watch "To Kill a Mockingbird," in its entirety, gets major points in my book.

Here's hoping the sequel has "Citizen Kane" in it.

kelptocratic

I was very skeptical when I rented this one, but I thought The Darkness was excellent in the end. I liked the story, which kept me engaged, and the twin demons mechanic was great as well.

Combat was fun, the achievements were cool to get and I played it all the way through. I also didn't mind the way they hid the load screens.

It was definitely an under-the-radar hit for me and I'm looking forward to the sequel. If the developers stay the same, it'll be great. I hope they don't hand it off to someone else.

Just look at Call of Duty -- great game series, only to be fucked up when Treyarch developed an instalment. Thank goodness Infinity Ward got it back for Modern Warfare.

DaPress

@darkandlong: The single player experience was really good... but the game didn't FEEL right. The controls weren't tight, the executions were off...

The game felt slapped together. The Darkness was one of my favorite comics, but the game is a B- at best.

Story and voicework? A+

Gameplay? C-

FrigidAir44

@Rebel Without Applause: I'm the same way. I actually bought The Darkness the week before BioShock came out to tide me over and give me something to play while I waited. I ended up enjoying The Darkness more and it sticks in my mind far more than BioShock.

beanman101283

@NateN: As far as I know the whole movie is in the game. I never sat down and watched the whole thing myself, but I read that it was, in fact, there in its entirety.

Aeralindor

@AuraHACK: Agreed. Definitely need it to be based off the original comic, not the anime or manga versions.

Strange Bedfellows

@Schoolimangooli: No point reading about the sequel if you haven't even played the first game. From Fahey's post people were commenting on whether or not The Darkness should deserve/get a sequel

el_rezzo

I'm really tempted to rent this game. I loved what Starbreeze did with Riddick.

ShaggE

The Darkness was a great game, but the ending was overtly cliffhangerish, i saw this coming a mile off

HikariOblivion

@IronsUK: i absolutely agree. me and my buddy from work think the game is one of the most underrated gems ever, and we were just talking about how they probably weren't going to make a sequel because it didn't sell that well. i, for one, am very excited.

vancealmighty

I'd rather play a WWII FPS than try out this.

foxwarrior88

The first one was ok I hope if they did another it will be a whole lot better.

ScOtTy

I'm pumped as long as they keep Mike Patton as the Darkness.

SenorCerebrum

@kelptocratic: It actually does stop playing after a while but goes on for a good ten or fifteen minutes. Enough to make me want to go out and rent it... which I still have yet to do.

Absent Blue

@coalhalo: Ah, I never had that problem so I guess my experience was a lot better, heh.

@FrigidAir44: I dunno, the gameplay seemed fine to me, I've played a lot worse for sure.

BTW, what two emotionally charged moments is everyone talking about? Preferably without spoilers for those who haven't played it.

darkandlong

The title of this post made me laugh until milk shot out of my nose.

dirtybacon

@Flawless101: Darkness 4:Ressurecting that dead horse so you can flog it again ^_^

relic1980

They better no butcher this. If this is in fact true, I have HIGH hopes for it.

I agree **SPOILER ALERT**

When his GF died, that was a pretty heavy moment for a video game, it was impressive. I loved how well they did the first one, it felt dark, evil, and pulled you in.

TheOtis

Starbreeze is working on a game for EA (along with the Riddick remake), so I have a feeling they may not be involved with this...

DrWorm

First one was good. A surprising gem. Sure it had some shortcomings, but overall it was good.

Andy D.

I've been meaning to pick this one up after a price drop. I understand some of you say the game is quite good, but I don't want to dump $59.99 on the PS3 version to play it. I refuse to buy used as the stickers all over the cover bug the hell outta me, plus I'm not into renting.

Hopefully a price drop is due sometime soon.

ToastyBuffoon

I wonder what they will call it? "The Darkerness"

I hope if they come out with a sequel, they'll put a picture of Charlie Murphy on the cover. "Look everybody, the Darkness is here!"

DugDawg

Why are you guys attacking the darkness?

+ Watch video

lordargent

Loved the campaign in the first game, so I'd definitely be interested in a sequel.

DTJAAAAM

Could someone please explain what those two moments in the game were? There is no way i'd be playing this game anyway, but the article got me really curious. Thanks

flubbity

Could someone please explain what those two great moments were? There is no way I will be playing this game anyway, but the article made me really curious. Thanks

flubbity

Darkness was okay, but it should've been closer to the original comic. Jackie was a bum in the game, no style, bored with life. And the world got boring quickly.

Poison

@DragonSphere: Also perhaps:

---ROT13 for SUPER-DUPER spoilers---
Gb trg lbhe eriratr, lbh unir gb yrg gur qnexarff gnxr bire. Xvyyvat gur ynfg thl zrnaf gur qnexarff jvaf.
---end ROT13---

Text translation of above: [www.rot13.com] . If you haven't beaten the game, it's about the very end of the game, so you might want to avoid that link. :-P

@Kotaku tech folks: Could we get a spoiler tag someday? I know they are wicked abused at times, but they can be useful too.

NateN

@Ehardergardens: It was the first game I paid 60 dollars for I meant. Based on just the demo. Not sure if it was worth it, but I did enjoy it quite a lot.

Ehardergardens

I liked the darkness a lot. It culd use a bit more polish and a few more gameplay elements. Feels paired down.
It ws the first 60 game.
Starbreeze is an amazing dev team capable of making me enjoy games based on subjects I would never even normally consider. I had no interest in the comic and stil do not, even after playing the game, and Chronicles of Riddick was the first game that far surpassed the movie it was based on. I would trust these guys to handle almost anything, maybe even silent hill. maybe.

Ehardergardens

I recently got around to finishing the game about a week ago after having kept it for a month from Gamefly (kept putting it off in favor of other games), but I gotta agree with most here: the atmosphere of the game is
superb and actually draws you in to the characters with the
well-spoken dialogue and narrative.

While some of the sidequests were fun, I became too bored trekking back and forth the subways/city to finish them all.

@darkandlong:
I think they're impossible really (well at least the 2nd moment is) to describe without spoilers:

Those who haven't played: READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

***********SPOILER************
*******************************

1.) When you're alone with Jenny on Jackie's birthday in her new apartment: The way she asks you to sit down and watch some TV with her, while she slowly cuddles up to your character and eventually falls asleep, is a subtle set up for moment #2. The scene is very tranquil and affectionate - totally unnecessary as far as pure gameplay is concerned, but pivotal in immersing the player within the emotional attachment of the characters.

2.) Later in the game, when Paulie and that one crooked cop who I can't remember right now, kidnap Jenny and takes her to the orphanage - the place where Jackie and Jenny first met as kids. Once Jackie finds them, the Darkness suddenly takes control from the player, and literally forces him to watch through the glass door as his girl friend is pushed around and violently beaten.

All the while Jackie is trying to fight his way in, but to no avail: the coup de grace of the scene is when her face is pushed against the glass, and then BLAM - the bullet piercing her head.

It was some powerful shit.

DragonSphere

Does anybody read the comic book? I liked the first game and the sequel would be the perfect time to introduce the Angelus.

For people who don't know who that is is the darkness sword enemy which happens to be warriors of light.

WolfGod

Love the Darkness! Totally under-rated - the best voice acting i have heard in a game. Great story, pretty great graphics. made me cry. Made me love my girfriend (and I'm gay!). Hey the Darkness is a cure for gayness! Just wait til the Christians get ahold of that!

I think the sequel should be third person though.

trigger2

NO!
NOT ANOTHER FPS.

Kayeliminal Antithesis

SPOILERS!!!!

The scene where his Jenny dies will mindfuck you and tear at your heart. Especially when the Darkness keeps toying with you by calling out her name throughout the rest of the game.

I loved this game, $60 well spent. Played through it 3 times. Too bad the multi-player was a lag-fest, because transforming from demon to man was awesome when it worked.

I_Hate_This_Place

Mike, I don't get your reasoning man. Why shouldn't a great game, based off of a comic book that likely has a wealth of story to mine, get a sequel by the same awesome developer?

I really dug the game mechanics, they could very much be expanded to great effect, and hopefully the mechanics will also get even more polish. As far as story, how isn;t there more than enough to mine?

If this was a diluted game, made by a second rate developer, by all means you have a point, but I don't beleive it will be.

theALLseeingEYE

Hopefully Starbreeze is going to do a superb job as always, but as of now they're currently caught up in EFBB remake right?... I hope they don't get another developer for it.

Kaizuden

I don't see why a tale of redemption isn't doable. One where years later an inhuman monster, that once called itself Jackie Estacado, finds it/himself amidst a conspiracy of circumstances that MAY allow for him to rediscover his own humanity. (a choice this time would be nice)
Why wouldn't that work? Redemption can be a powerful theme if handled properly.
Leaving Jackie aside, the Darkness is ancient. You could find past, or future wielders (wielded?) of the Darkness.
Chin up Mark. They can definitely do a good job. Now will they?

nomadder

I would LOVE a sequel to The Darkness.

GamerGuyX

@theALLseeingEYE: Because some stories are better left alone. Part of what made The Darkness so good is how the character progressively got darker and darker.

Who could they kill, what could they do to him from now on?

How much darker can he become now?

Guizzy

Why shouldn't there be a sequel? The game ended on a cliffhanger, and we still got alot of ground to cover.

I hope the Angelus shows her face on this one.

Ashurahori

Im looking forward to it. I enjoyed the first one quite alot.

luxusa

You know, everyone talked about how games need well developed stories that emotionally connect with the player. I agreed with them.

The Darkness came out. Incredibly well written, characters that were actually believable, interesting story, and emotional scenes that even warmed my stone-cold Republican heart. And what happens? People largely ignore it. Play it for a week, then sell it back to Gamestop.

Then Bioshock comes out, and everyone humps it like a dog on a leg. Its characters were largely cliche, its models looked like wax sculptures, it gave a whole new meaning to linearity (yes, I know the spoiler, but it was specifically marketed as a non-linear game in the publications), and its story dragged on far past where it should have ended (at aforementioned spoiler). I was never, ever more disappointed with a game in my entire life. I wanted to love Bioshock. Really, I did. But I still don't know what people think is so great about that game.

I really don't care about "games as art" anymore, because I'm convinced that the gaming community couldn't see art if it slapped them in the face.

/endrant

thenino85

The Darkness annoyed me from beginning to end. Average FPS gameplay, irritatingly simplistic maps and a mind-numbing high school goth-boy plot. Synopsis: hi, I'm Jackie, I'm so miserable, I've got long hair which means I'm dangerous, life is hell, my uncle is a major prick, I've got a horrible secret inside me, whoops, my tentacles just ripped your face off.

Anyway, I'm a little surprised to hear so much praise for this steaming heap. Maybe I was just in a bad mood when I played it. Pretty sure it put me in that mood though.

k-factor

Whoops. Just got done reading one of Marks posts as well.
Sorry Mike. (of course if Mark is as down on this as you then... Chin up both of ya)

nomadder

True...The Darkness had some of the best storyline elements, voice acting, and writing in any game I've ever played. That said, the ending was so...err...heartbreaking that I'd love the chance to play a sequel. Just to see what actually happened to Jackie.

Goodthymes

I'd love to have a sequel to The Darkness. It's one game that actually had a story, and there is much more that can be done. You acquire all of these great powers, but by the time you can use some of them the game is almost over. They'll have to work hard on making enemies and situations that force you to utilize specific powers rather than just using certain abilities to just walk right through the game, but I think they can do it. This was one of the most underrated games last year along w/Crackdown. I'd like a Crackdown sequel, but this will be good too.

Spartan1308

The Darkness could easily go from an ok game to great with sime attention and resources devoted to it.

1. If you're basing a gane in New York city, then make it feel like New York instead of hamfistedly compressing a 2 x 2 section into a box. If Far Cry (PC)could provide you with an island to explore, then making a New York more than a 2 city block square ins't impossible.

2. Multi-player. The game a has tons of potential. Imagine if Bioshock had multi-player yet didn't allow you to use any of the cool powers? Well that's what the Darkness did. I think using the Darkness powers in MP would have been great. Also, a more where you could summon Darklings to help you (kind like droids in Ratchet & Clank) battle. Your squad of Darklings vs everyone elses. I even found the human vs darkling mode fun but it didn't feel polished. There's potential there, they just have to think outside the CTF box everyone seems to be trapped in. If you include CTF/DM chances are its not going to match up to DM/CTF from the Call of Duty, Halo, Counterstrike etc. so why not do something thing different to make people want to try it out.

/RANT

dnez

It seems like there is a lot of love here for The Darkness.
I thought it was an awesome play.. a bit frustrating at times but adding the element of an rpg with the side quests and a solid storyline had me glued. I hope they go all out for the sequel, iron out the aspects which turn the "hardcore gamers" off and maybe it'll become another worthwhile title.

hotcrossnuns

wow, the darkness is even more underrated than psychonauts :(
i for one, loved the darkness. the story was great. the only bad thing was online :P

sjheiss

@Guizzy: You're forgetting that The Darkness is originally a comic, with a much wider story.

I'm hoping for some Angelus lovin' this time 'round.

Ashurahori

this game rocked!
some truelly disturbing points in it that made my skin crawl.
i played it and sold it back and regretted it so much that i bought it used several months later. and it was so underrated hat i actually bought my copy back, cheaper than what i traded it in for

sickboy1138

The best sequence in the darkness is the final battle through the mansion. Awesome seeing the darkness "now you will see MY power!" then it grabs the helicopter with a tentacle and smashes it into a bunch of bad guys. Just made me say out loud "why can't the whole game be like this!?" If the sequel has the full powers, sign me up.

Scipher

I was genuinely disturbed by the game. Atmosphere wise it could really suck you in if you let it.

The 2nd moment definitely would rank highly in my 'OMGWTF just happened?' moments in any kind of media.

TeaBean

Sorry to disappoint, but Starbreeze won't be developing this game, they're finishing Riddick and work on "Project Redlime" with EA.
If sequel there is, that will be without the swedes :)

dkmfr

The only problem with the first was the abysmal shooting, as far as I could see. The rest was fine.

Bergerac

If games with lackluster sales like The Darkness can get sequels, why isn't Ubisoft all over making a Beyond Good & Evil 2?

Americo