The Darksiders franchise is a series I have been fond of for some time now. I was instantly drawn to the world and its lore from the second I played the first game. Darksiders Genesis, however, both made me curious and a little apprehensive. At first, it looked as though they were changing the formula in a large way, making it an isometric action game. After some time with it, however, I can see the wisdom behind what the developers were going for.

Darksiders Genesis puts you in the shoes of Strife, the fourth horseman of the apocalypse, who has not appeared in the series previously. Genesis is a prequel of the first game, in which Strife and War are sent to investigate claims that Lucifer is planning to upset the balance. For the first time in the series, you can actually play Darksiders Genesis in Co-Op, either online or locally through a split-screen.

Before we get into the mechanics, I should mention that not only is the voice acting well done for this one, but the visual design is absolutely gorgeous. Cutscenes, aside from the first one when you open the game, have a graphic novel-esque style to them. It is striking, gorgeous, and visually distinct from the rest of the series.

There are also some really great accessibility options in terms of subtitles for the visually impaired. For example, you can not only change the subtitle font size, but you can also put a background behind them to make the text easier to read. The addition of Co-Op also changes things up in a really refreshing way, both in single and multiplayer.

In single-player, you can switch between Strife and War at any time. This is vital for certain sections of the game because each character has different abilities and tools. Strife has different types of ammo, and there are different types of enhancements as well. As you progress through the game, you’ll need to swap back and forth, utilizing their skillsets to defeat your enemies.

Strife is a faster combatant, using both melee and gunplay to take down enemies. I would compare him to a Demon Hunter in Diablo 3. War, on the other hand, is a stronger, slower combatant who uses a sword and various other tools. They each have a different playstyle and learning to use them effectively is important. They also have Wrath abilities, which require the Wrath resource. Over time you can collect items that increase your Wrath meter, as well as your maximum health for War and Strife.

There are lots of things to collect, such as Boatman coins which are used as a currency along with Souls. You also can get Creature cores from enemies, which are a part of the skill tree system that allows you to upgrade Strife and War. There are other collectibles too, making Genesis feel somewhere between the Darksiders games you know and love, and looting games like Diablo.

My biggest complaint with the game (aside from its inconsistent difficulty) is the map. The map is very hard to read, mostly because there is no arrow to mark where you are in relation to other things. This becomes frustrating very quickly when you are trying to get all the collectibles on the map or explore the entire area.

Another complaint I have comes to Multiplayer. There are no difficulty settings really, so the game makes Multiplayer more difficult so that it balances the challenge. However, in my opinion, the difficulty spikes to a degree that is a bit unfair. On top of that, in Split-Screen Co-op, it can sometimes be difficult to do certain platforming challenges because of your limited viewing window.

The screen is split down the middle vertically, not horizontally, so you have a tall window, not a wide one. Other than those complaints, the controls are solid, the combat is fun, and the story is interesting. This is a fine entry in the Darksiders franchise, and you can play it at home with friends, or on the go.

If you are fond of games like Diablo 3, Torchlight, or other action-RPGs of their ilk, then Darksiders Genesis is a game you should play. I also find that it is a great entry in the series to play with friends or just to play solo if you want to learn more about the Darksiders world.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Darksiders Genesis was provided by THQ Nordic for this review.

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Darksiders Genesis

$39.99 USD

8.5

Score

8.5/10

Pros

• Great Accessibility Options
• Fun Action RPG Gameplay
• Gorgeous Graphic Novel Cutscenes
• Controls Are Easy to Use
• Interesting Puzzles and Combat

Cons

• Split Screen Co-Op Can Make Platforming Difficult
• Difficulty Spikes Unfairly