Summon those cheeky Darklings
In close-up combat there are a number of special moves, where you can show your enemy no mercy by putting a bullet through their head at point blank range and watching their blood splatter on the ground or the wall behind or sending a knee into their stomach and then shooting them in the back of the head. The violence isn't restricted to just enemies either, so you can walk up to the tramp who's playing the harmonica in the subway or the little old lady who's waiting patiently for the next train and put a bullet in the back of their head without any sign of remorse.
The weapons in the game and the mechanics of shooting are similar to many other games, but it's this tried and trusted gameplay in conjunction with the graphics, animations and atmosphere that enhances the experience and sets it apart from the many other shooters on the market.
The feature that most people will be gagging to try out is the power of 'The Darkness'. You can manifest into the darkness at almost any point in the game (providing you’re in the dark), giving you access to a range of evil powers. The whole game is played primarily from the first person perspective, although this does occasionally switch to third person during character interaction, and when you manifest 'The Darkness' it appears as two serpentine creatures which show up on the screen either side of your peripheral vision. You'll start off with a few darkness powers, including 'creeping dark' which allows you to creep through tight spaces, interact with the world and stealth kill enemies. This power takes the form of a user controlled snake-like appendage that slides along the ground, up the walls and through windows and small openings. You can use it effectively to scout ahead of you to see if there are any enemies lurking or use it solve a number of puzzle solving scenarios which you'll stumble across from time to time. For example: you'll use the snake to slide into a grate to turn off a fan so you can progress in the game. The 'creeping dark' power can also be used to great effect by sneaking up on enemies and savaging them! This power is extremely effective, although it's not easy to control and navigate through vent shafts and narrow openings. (I'm told they're still tweaking this power).
Click for larger imageLater on in the game you'll unlock further powers, such as the 'demon arm' which allows you to grab onto and smash objects that may be blocking your path, such as when you need to remove a large bell which is blocking a doorway. It acts like an extendable arm, is extremely easy to use and it can also pick up other objects, such as tables and chairs which can throw around.
The main power of the Darkness, and the one which you'll be using most frequently, is 'Darkness vision', which allows you to see darkling gateways from which you can then summon these beastly creatures. The Darklings have glowing eyes, sharp fangs and claws that can rip through human flesh and overall there are four Darkling types to experiment with: Berserkers, Kamikaze, Gunner and Light-killers. The Berserker Darklings for example will attack any enemy in the vicinity, he'll jump on them and bite them to bits leaving them for dead, and he'll also solve puzzles for you, such as clambering over a wall to unlock a gate to the next area. They can also be used to distract enemies so you can reach a certain position. Whenever you see a gateway, which are littered all across the environment and take the form of a small portal in the ground, you can choose the type of Darkling that you wish to summon. You can't play from the perspective of a Darkling, but you can tell them where to go by pressing the X button and they do become tactically important the further you progress in the game and there are times when you’ll need to use all of your Darklings in order to solve environmental puzzles.
