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Death comes for many bosses in Darksiders 2
Big and small, fat and skinny – it doesn't matter who you are, Death eventually comes for us all. Even if you're an 80-foot tall demon thing with a tentacle mouth and biceps that would put Hulk Hogan to shame, Death will soon come knocking in Darksiders 2.THQ sent out a bunch of videos showing just that, giving us a taste of a few of the boss encounters awaiting in Vigil's latest. Above is a quick primer on combat; after the break, five different videos providing a sneak peek at different boss battles.
Darksiders 2 review: Scythe quest
Darksiders 2 elicits forgiveness in its weakest moments. There's a lingering sting to every stumble, and a constant yearning for just a bit more polish here and there, but the game's tremendous vision and heartening sense of adventure give it an unbreakable foundation.The tone of Darksiders 2 is captured best in its opening shot, of a lone horseman carving through snow and inhospitable cliffs toward an immense fortress. His destination seems to teeter impossibly on a sliver of mountain, and the elegant score (care of Assassin's Creed composer Jesper Kyd) suggests this peak is but the beginning of a long, taxing ascent. Darksiders 2 is utterly devoted to the quest.Astride the horse is capital-D Death, depicted here as a pale bruiser rocking raven hair, a spooky mask, and other skull-based attire that should guarantee him a secondary career in someone's theatrical heavy metal band. Death vows to dabble in irony and resurrect humanity, thereby aiding brother (and fellow equine enthusiast) War, who is unjustly blamed for triggering the apocalypse just a wee bit early. And like War did in Darksiders, Death completes his task by invading dungeons, slaying beasts, solving puzzles and running epic errands.%Gallery-162548%
Darksiders 2 'The Crucible' mode footage is a test of courage
This video for Darksiders 2 shows off the game's flashy combat in its arena mode. Known as "The Crucible," the mode has players beating down waves of enemies until offered a random prize. Darksiders 2 arrives at retail, ready for battle on August 14 for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC.
Darksiders 2: Death for a Salesman
You're reading Reaction Time, a weekly column that claims to examine recent events, games and trends in the industry, but is really just looking for an excuse to use the word "zeitgeist." It debuts on Fridays in Engadget's digital magazine, Distro. As a mascot for what remains of THQ's 2012 lineup, there's no choice more awkward or more apt than Death. The stoic star of Darksiders 2, and one quarter of the world's scariest equine club, has become the de facto face for a troubled publisher. It's mean, clearly aligned with THQ's hardcore identity, and shows obvious signs of unkemptness and decay.The company has resorted to drastic measures to stay in business and rebuild its pipeline, which was once packed with hastily assembled licensed fare and colorful games meant to enthuse a younger demographic. In shifting fully to hardcore products like Darksiders 2, THQ shirks the playfulness implied by its name – derived from "Toy Head-Quarters" – and gets down to serious business. If not irreversible, the situation has at least begun to reek, no thanks to the bodies sacrificed on an altar of second chances. The studio closures, layoffs, executive shuffles, and major cancellations (like Insane, a horror game conceptualized with film director Guillermo del Toro) are beginning to pile up.We look to Darksiders 2 as a portent of THQ's recovery, though Death is not the single savior so much as an ironic proof of life. If the beleaguered corporation can effectively produce and market this important milestone – the kind of high-quality, traditional game that must sustain it from now on – it gives us reason not to write off the other THQ franchises that are on the cusp of widespread popularity. The "AAA" market is probably the worst place to make a last stand, considering the endangering expenditure required to make a big impact.
Darksiders 2 wants you to know Death
Getting to know Death, getting to know all about Death. Getting to like Death, getting to hope Death likes me.
Darksiders 2 New Game+ and arena mode 'The Crucible' revealed
"Continue your life after death," THQ has promised, with the reveal of an arena mode in Darksiders 2 from developer Vigil Games. Dubbed 'The Crucible' in the game, the mode pits the lovable goofball Death against wave after wave of incorrigible baddies.After wrapping up five waves, players can take a prize or continue to fight for an additional five. The greater the wave, the greater the prize until the mode reaches its 100-wave ceiling. "Only the most skilled players will have what it takes to conquer all 100 waves and claim the greatest prizes," a THQ press release says, challenging our video game skills.Your summer of Death-based fun doesn't end there, though, as Darksiders 2 will also feature a New Game+ mode, where players will retain all skills and equipment for subsequent playthroughs. See, death is a giver and a taker.%Gallery-161874%
Darksiders 2 comes a knockin' with TV ad
"Beyond Earth, beyond Hell, Death is our final salvation." What does that even mean? Can we get a theology professor in here to explain that?
Vigil: Darksiders 3 depends on Darksiders 2 sales, could be smaller in scope
Haydn Dalton, lead designer on Darksiders 2 at developer Vigil Games, has some interesting ideas for Darksiders 3 – if THQ decides to greenlight a sequel. If Darksiders 2 is successful, Dalton told VideoGamer, it's unlikely THQ would have Vigil shift development to another franchise.Specifically, if Darksiders 2 manages to sell "4 or 5 million units," he said, THQ president Jason Rubin would likely want a sequel, though he might expect Vigil to "reduce the scope so that we can make it even higher polished." Doing so would give the game more focus, said Dalton.Building a smaller open world with more detail isn't necessarily a bad thing – it worked wonders in Rocksteady's Batman games. A smaller world certainly wouldn't hurt THQ's unstable bottom line. It's also worth noting that 4 million units of any game is no small feat. To put things in perspective, Saints Row: The Third, one of THQ's most successful games, managed to ship 4.25 million units in roughly seven months.Darksiders 2 launches August 14.
Darksiders 2 rides in with two-minute in-engine trailer
Death's arrival is only a few weeks away on August 14. Putting live-action trailers aside, here's what the game will look like when it rides into retail.
Darksiders 2 presents Death's soundtrack, pre-order now
The Darksiders 2 soundtrack, a two-disc extravaganza featuring beats by Assassin's Creed composer Jesper Kyd, will be available the same day as the game, on August 14. The soundtrack is available now for pre-order and will hit retail and download sites via Sumthing Digital, Amazon MP3, iTunes and others.The entire track listing can be found beyond the break, which is a lot like the beyond, but with fewer horsemen of the Apocalypse and, you know, death in general.
Darksiders 2 iOS app lets you harvest souls for goods
A new location-based check-in app for Darksiders 2 has been launched on the App store. Once you install the oh-so-tasteful iOS app, you "harvest the souls" of others who have checked in at the same locations on Facebook. If it's a Best Buy, you get bonus points.The ultimate prize is a trip to the Yucatan Peninsula; lesser prizes include an in-game weapon, digital comic, wallpapers and trailers. Never mind that THQ is throwing money behind a promotion like this right now – at least you could possibly win a trip to an exotic location on the beleaguered publisher's dime, before we have to start using worse adjectives for THQ.
THQ shuttering Arizona QA facility, moving all QA to Montreal this year
Consolidation news now, as THQ has announced it plans to close its Phoenix, Arizona QA facility. "Montreal is a prime location for industry talent, has favorable economics, and is a big part of our future game development plans. With those considerations in mind, we have made the business decision to consolidate our two Quality Assurance operations into one location at THQ Montreal," a THQ statement issued to Game Informer reads.A total of 57 employees will be affected in Phoenix, some being outright dismissed while the others will be offered the chance to move to Montreal. "The transition will occur gradually throughout the remainder of 2012 while we continue to manage QA for our FY'13 release slate." The statement goes on to say that the decision was "driven by industry, market and economic trends."It's a smart move to consolidate to Montreal, which THQ's newly appointed president Jason Rubin told us is important to the future of the company. And with THQ needing all the help it can get right now, the tax breaks must be a godsend.
Go behind the scenes of that live action Darksiders 2 trailer
THQ has released a "making of" video for that live-action, James Cosmo-oriented Darksiders 2 trailer we posted last week, as well as an extended cut version of the trailer, just in case you needed more Scottish actors, bible quotes and Death in your daily routine.
Darksiders 2 gets pre-order bonuses and a live-action trailer
THQ sent us this Darksiders 2 live-action trailer, which does indeed feature Scottish actor James "Lord Mormont, Commander of the Night's Watch" Cosmo. He also plays a role in the game as Death's guide. The pre-order bonuses for Darksiders 2 have also been laid out: Putting down money ahead of time for the Limited Edition will earn you a Season Pass, with two pieces of DLC content for free, as well as a new set of in-game armor. The first piece of DLC is called "Argul's Tomb" and is scheduled to hit a month after the game's release on August 14, and both bits of DLC will include "significant new single player content" to play through. Anyone who preorders the game on THQ's official website will get one more armor and weapon set called the Maker's Armor.
Darksiders 2: Death in the shadow of the colossus
Darksiders 2's Death is apparently not good at the maths. A man runs at 10MPH. A horse can trot at 30MPH. A colossus lumbers along faster than both. Don't kill the colossus, Death! Put out a picnic near the back of one of its shoulders and casually relax to your destination.
Darksiders 2 rides into retail August 14
"We look forward to launching Darksiders [2] beginning on August 14 in North America," announced THQ CEO Brian Farrell during an investor conference call today. Farrell said that the delay from the previous June date was a "demonstration of our commitment to quality" – and that, after discussions with retailers, the publisher determined that "mid-August is a more favorable release window."Pre-orders for Darksiders 2 are more than five times what they were for the first game at the equivalent point before release, Farrell noted. THQ is accompanying this release with double the marketing spend of the first game as well – it needs a hit game, and badly.
Darksiders 2 fashions head to Xbox Avatars
Darksiders 2, which was recently delayed to August, has a collection of premium Avatar gear for the Xbox 360. We're not sure if "adorable" is a word we'd ever use to describe Death, but for 400 MSP ($5) the "Reaper Armor" is just about the cutest outfit (demonstrating demonic power) your Avatar could slip into.Prices on the items and props range from 80 to 400 MSP ($1-$5), but there's also a free T-shirt designed by Joe Madureira available if you "like" the Darksiders 2 page. The shirts are limited by codes, so if you're jonesing for some Avatar swag better click on through to the other side.
Darksiders 2 launch delayed until August
THQ announced this morning that Darksiders 2 has been officially delayed until August 2012. The financially troubled publisher said in February that Darksiders 2 would launch on June 26. According to Vigil, the additional time is meant for "polish and to ensure that all aspects of Darksiders 2 meet the high-quality bar the team is targeting."The word comes a week after THQ EVP Danny Bilson claimed in an interview that Darksiders didn't have an announced launch date and that "the team is working really, really hard." He added, "We're not going to ship it before it's done."
Darksiders 2 launch date in question following THQ remarks
THQ's conviction over Darksiders 2's June 26 launch date is wavering, according to a recent interview and in our follow-up with the publisher. In an interview between RipTen and THQ EVP Danny Bilson, a PR rep interrupts the interview following a question about the game's launch window to say the company "honestly" can't confirm the release date.Pushed further, Bilson responds, "We haven't announced anything... but the team is working really, really hard. We're not going to ship it before it's done."Attempting to clarify the statement, we got in contact with THQ, which told us: "No new announcements have been made at this time."Financially troubled publisher THQ revealed on Valentine's Day that Darksiders 2 would launch on June 26.
Darksiders 2 will be a 'day one' Wii U launch title
Darksiders 2 is set to launch on the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 on June 26. The Wii U is slated to launch sometime around the "year-end season." When Nintendo unleashes its newest system on the world, Darksiders 2 will be there.Word comes from Hayden Dalton, lead designer at Vigil Games, who revealed the info in an interview with Digital Spy. "That's been very interesting to see what those guys are doing, and they're making efforts to make sure we do use it in more than a slapdash way," Dalton said in regards to how Darksiders 2 will use the Wii U's unique controller. "It's basically the core game, but then with added abilities to do certain things that you can't do on the other consoles.""We're not basically heavily changing the core game to support the control system, but the control system will be an enhancement of the core game," Dalton said. One example he provided was possibly being able to switch equipment on the fly -- as the player is running, they can tap on the controller and instantly change equipment, rather than having to pause and navigate through a menu. "That's huge, it's not breaking up the game in a way, I'm not going into a menu and assigning it, I'm literally just tapping as I'm playing."
