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Finally, I should also add that the multiplayer aspect has potential, but I’m not entirely sure it’s being realised. Adding minions and shape-shifting to the basic deathmatch and capture the flag modes is fun, but there seems to be an awful lot of lag and the maps are a little uninspired. I’m sure I’ll give it another try, but for the moment I’d sooner fill my time on Xbox Live with Shadowrun or Call of Duty 3.

Overall, I’ve been having an internal dialogue ever since I started playing The Darkness: is this ‘just’ a great game, or is it an absolute belter that anyone with a PS3 or 360 ought to own? My critic’s head says the former – the AI is too iffy, the world too limited and insubstantial to put The Darkness up there with a Half-Life 2 or a Resident Evil 4. But as a fan of games, and someone with an old interest if largely dormant interest in comic-books and horror, I’d have to say the latter. What it all comes down to is this: The Darkness has captured my imagination and made me more excited to see what happens next than any game I’ve played in, well, I don’t know when. Feel free to have your own opinion, even if it disagrees with mine. Go on. Get caught up in the dry feature comparisons and technical shortcomings if you must. Me? I’d rather stop talking, and get myself back to the game.

Verdict

Starbreeze proves that Riddick was no flash in the pan with the most tightly-paced, compelling and atmospheric FPS of the year so far. Niggle about dated elements if you must, but embrace The Darkness and you won’t want it to end.

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