The Darkness II goes cel-shaded with a Hydra-style four-arm playstyle that turns executions into pure glee. Short campaign, fun Vendetta co-op, and the staging keeps the franchise's dark and twisted vibe intact.
Your verdict
Category
First-Person Shooter1 player18+
Description
First-person shooter by Digital Extremes and 2K Games, July 2012. Jackie Estacado, a gangster wielding the demonic Darkness power, battles the Illuminati in a corrupt city. Darkness powers summoning demon-arms and devouring enemies, cinematic narrative and online co-op mode. The Darkness sequel with richer power system.
Darkness II, The review
MAX
Art direction
★★★★★
"Iconic"
4/5
Music
★★★★★
"Excellent"
4/5
Story
★★★★★
"Captivating"
Cel-shading with bold outlines evoking the original comic, sharp chiaroscuro and stylised violence: the game transposes the comic book with audacity. The contrast between light and darkness directly serves the gameplay as much as the aesthetic. This visual direction, dark and graphic, asserts a strong identity.
A mob hitman possessed by a demonic entity, you devour your victims' hearts to feed your powers and press on through the shadows. The story speaks of revenge and lost love, but the mechanics mostly reward an appetite for the grisliest executions. Tragic romance on one side, macabre feast on the other: the contrast has something irresistible about it.
Is Darkness II, The still worth playing in 2026?
A first person shooter from Digital Extremes, The Darkness II follows mobster Jackie Estacado, possessed by a demonic entity that deploys two killer tentacles alongside his firearms. This four limbed combat, the stylised cel shaded gore and the dark writing adapted from the comic make it an original, brutal FPS. The short campaign and an anecdotal co-op mode temper the whole. An excellent game for fans of snappy shooting, visceral horror and bold comic adaptations on Xbox 360.
