The end of days is upon us in Biomutant. The world lies in ruins as four monstrosities known as Worldeaters seek the destruction of the Tree of Life, an event that will see the destruction of the planet and the extinction of all living things that inhabit it.

Exploring the post-apocalyptic open world reveals diverse biomes that are each home to quirky characters and unique enemies. Perhaps the most important inhabitants are the Tribes that rule them, Tribes that can be united to face the Worldeaters together or mercilessly conquered. These decisions are just a few that will shape the fate of the world in Biomutant, an epic kung-fu fable RPG that puts players in control of their own destiny amidst a power struggle of light and darkness.

Mutation is more than a plot device in Biomutant, it is a core element of the gameplay and specifically the customisation. In a world ravaged by bio-contamination, the wildlife and sentient beings that inhabit it have been subject to mutations that have altered their genetic structure and therefore their appearances and physical capabilities.

Biomutant opens with character customisation that offers great depth and personalisation of the character that players will embark on their journey with. Six breeds are available to choose from, each offering unique base stats. This is also the introduction of the narrator who is ever-present throughout Biomutant and narrates events as they unfold, the world as it is explored and essentially translates the dialogue of every character as they only speak what is referred to in-game as “gibberish”.

From there the player is able to mutate their genetic structure, favouring agility, intellect, strength, vitality, charisma or a balance of all five. Genetic resilience in preference of heat or cold and biohazard or radioactivity allows the player to set their initial resilience to the genetic hazards that are found throughout the world with certain areas that will harm or ultimately kill the player if they are not genetically enhanced to survive it.

An assortment of fur styles and primary and secondary colours round out the cosmetic customisation of the character creation suite and are fun, varied and interesting enough that the whole customisation process feels fleshed out and genuinely difficult to settle on the perfect character.

Finally, the player is able to select one of five classes:

• Dead-Eye is a tricky, skillful rogue who’s chosen a life outside law and society values.
• Commando is trained as an operative of an elite special operations force. Commandos are used to working in smaller teams.
• Psi-Freaks are experimenting with psionic powers and mutations. They’re usually outcasts on the fringe of society.
• Saboteur is a cunning, skilled explorer trained to operate covertly in both suburbs and wilderness.
• Sentinels dedicate themselves to protect a house. Their dedication is for the organisation as a whole, including supreme belief in their dogma.

The class selection allows the player to pick their preferred play style and also influences their initial attire.

With the character creation complete the player is thrust into a tutorial and almost immediately presented with a crossroads, physically and morally. One path is paved on the course of darkness, strength and power while the other represents light, freedom and loyalty. This is merely the first of many decisions that will impact the player’s journey and the in-game moral compass of the Light and Dark Aura which in turn, dependent of their respective levels, opens access to specific abilities later on, as well as influences the world’s perception of the player.

With the path chosen the player is free to set out on their journey, able to make decisions that can influence their Dark and Light Aura in favour of one or a balance of both. Dialogue, actions and environmental interactions influence the Aura, immediately suggestive of replayability to explore both sides to the extreme or balancing them both in future playthroughs.

As an open world experience Biomutant doesn’t force the player to progress the narrative, instead allowing them to experience the world at their own pace. The main quest line essentially tasks the player with confronting the six Tribes that each have their own agenda, variants of uniting, separating, subduing or vanquishing the other Tribes and either defeating the Worldeaters or letting them destroy the Tree of Life, the latter serving as a death sentence to the entire planet.

Focusing solely on the main story itself will see it completed in less than 10 hours while completing the wealth of optional side quests and exploration of the diverse biomes can extend the runtime of a single playthrough immensely.

It is important to note that the completion of the story offers a New Game + mode that allows the player to replay the game with their upgrades and equipment intact, however there is a point of no return prior to the final mission that will require careful save file management to ensure additional activities can be completed without the need for a new save. The ability to save at any time makes this very simple and is an excellent feature that if used regularly can allow players to explore alternative outcomes of their decisions before settling on what they feel is best.

The story is grand in scope with world-ending consequences and tells a personal tale of tragedy that comes to a potentially satisfying or disastrous conclusion based on a number of key decisions available throughout Biomutant. Decisions can change the overall outcome in a number of ways, some more meaningful than others. Packed with heart, responsibility and consequences, Biomutant tells a charming story that, in my opinion, only falls flat in regard to the lack of actual dialogue from characters.

The narrator adds an adventurous charm to the experience but strips away emotional depth, personalisation of the characters met along the way and removes a deeper sense of attachment to the player’s character. The narration frequency can actually be decreased in the settings, but the in-game pop-up occurred for me during the second last mission, something that would have greatly influenced my experience early on.

Tribes each have three outposts that must be conquered before the final confrontation with the Tribe’s leader can take place. The missions that lead to these outposts are unfortunately shallow and repetitive, tasking the player with defeating a beast, activating a mortar-like weapon or poisoning a water supply for instance. Once an outpost has been cleared vendors for clothing, melee and ranged weapon crafting components, consumables and a unique mount become available. In most cases the outposts of a single tribe are unfortunately all laid out exactly the same with characters in the exact same spots doing the exact same things and loot boxes in the exact same locations. Defeating or uniting with a Tribe grants access to their unique tribal weapon which brings with it unique Wung-Fu abilities to be unlocked.

Wung-Fu encompasses all aspects of combat in Biomutant. Melee combat revolves around single handed, double handed and dual wielded weapons and ranged combat comes in the forms of guns and weapons such as bows.

Combining melee and ranged combat with the psi abilities to pull off devastating but simple to execute combos is a lot of fun. Psi abilities include the likes of elemental attacks using fire, poison and teleportation, with some abilities gated by the Light and Dark Aura morality system.

All aspects of Wung-Fu from melee, ranged and psi abilities can be unlocked by spending various in-game points earned with progression. Combat is fun to experiment with and the integration of melee and ranged attacks with psi abilities affords enjoyable experimentation.

Stringing together successive special attacks will fill a single Wung-Fu icon and when three unique special attacks have been used the player can enter Super Wung-Fu mode which brings up a handful of button prompts to unleash maximum damage for a brief period of time.

Perks can also be unlocked and equipped that provide passive stat buffs with increases to damage and speed for example.

Accompanying the player at all times is the Automaton, a mechanical insect. It acts as a flashlight that activates automatically in darkness but can also be upgraded to provide further functions such as a health injector, glider, turret and damage boost.

The world is littered with signposts that can be interacted with that act as fast travel points. These can be accessed at any time and make for traversal of the generously vast map very simple. These signposts are unlocked by interacting with it which amusingly is done by urinating on them. It’s certainly a unique interaction and adds levity to a game that is otherwise shrouded in dire situations and consequences.

Traversing the map with mounts is an alternative option, with dozens of different types to either be bought at outposts or tamed in the wild by interacting with them while in possession of specific seeds. These seeds are found in bushes that need to be slid underneath to collect. The mounts are visually creative with some fun species to find. Colour variants of most can be bought and the preferred mount can be selected from the transport tab of the menu at any time and summoned with the D-Pad. They aren’t particularly fast, but are still faster than travelling on foot.

Later in the game with story progression special vehicles become available to access and summon in specific locations. These can be upgraded to be more effective too and open up the exploration possibilities immensely for players seeking to explore every nook and cranny that Biomutant has on offer.

The weapons of Biomutant are interesting to say the least, largely due to the diverse and creative weapon crafting and customisation available. Weapons, both melee and ranged, can be crafted by using found or purchased components and mods. Choosing a handle, blade and various mods for weapons results in a unique weapon being crafted with its own wild and whacky name based on the components used to create it. Elemental damage and other effects based on the components used allow for an incredibly diverse weapon system that truly allows the player to engage their enemies however they want.

All weapons, crafting components and clothing items have a rarity, quality and material value that influences their damage, effects and sale value at vendors. These can be upgraded, or greater value components can be added to the weapon to increase its overall value and stats.

The world of Biomutant is visually stunning. Its charming character design and environments are creative, unique and vibrant. Stumbling across broken highways, deserted towns and polluted power plants for instance are so striking and visually interesting, every aspect of the map feels genuinely unique. It’s a shame that Tribe outposts look the same because the rest of Biomutant’s world is so different and varied, with no two areas looking the same. It really feels like a world in ruins, once full of life and now nothing more than a burial ground to the world that once thrived.

The sound design is beautifully executed with a score that knows when to up the ante with the on-screen action, shift to ominous and moody for the discovery of areas once full of life and dramatic for the story beats that depict the trauma the player’s character has been through in the narrative flashbacks for example. Playful sound effects and lively grunts and noises from the enemies and wildlife keep the world feeling alive and dangerous at all times.

Biomutant showcases mutation in all of its glory on a visual level with its environments and playful character design while embracing it in all aspects of character customisation. The story is personal yet grand in scope and stakes with choices that matter, particularly as the end of the world looms and the player’s decision to be its destroyer or its saviour. Fun combat, enjoyable and creative customisation and a plethora of optional objectives to tackle, as well as the New Game + mode encourage replayability.

Biomutant tells a story with experiencing, offers choices that matter and a world to explore that is beautiful, tragic and rich in its own lore that demand attention. There is so much mythology to discover and digest that is genuinely interesting and moreish.

The brevity of the main story is perfect around the 10-hour mark and allows developer Experiment 101 enough time to tell the story they want to tell without stretching it out unnecessarily and welcoming fatigue or disinterest. Dozens of side quests to complete, tons of secrets to discover and plenty of experimentation with gear and weapons allow players to explore the world of Biomutant with as much depth as they want. The inclusion of the Light and Dark Aura system, as well as how to handle the Tribes simply screams replayability and thorough exploration to get as most out of the world as possible. The fate of the world is in the players hands and the road to that decision is up to them every step of the way.

+ Incredible customisation

+ Fun and engaging gameplay

+ Stunning environments

+ Solid character design

+ Replay value

– Narration eliminates a lot of the emotion of the dramatic moments and scenes

– Tribe outpost asset repetition

– Slow traversal speed, even on mount

Developed by: Experiment 101

Published by: THQ Nordic

Release Date: May 26 2021

Platforms: Xbox One/Series X/S, PlayStation 4/5 and PC

* A digital code was provided as a team member of One More Game/Xbox Gamer Dad for the purpose of this review * 

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All digital photography was captured in-game on an Xbox Series X by Games of DAYNE

The post Biomutant Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

Chronos: Before the Ashes is a third person action adventure RPG that takes place shortly before the events of 2019’s Remnant: From the Ashes, also developed by Gunfire Games. Cleverly expanding upon the foundations established for this universe in Remnant, Chronos holds its own as a unique experience that has its own tale to tell.

The mechanic that sets Chronos apart from any other title is its use of ageing upon death. With each death the player’s character gets one year older. Starting out fresh faced and swift against otherworldly creatures will see the character’s mastery of Arcane magic increase with age while strength and agility will ultimately peak. It’s a fascinating and effective concept that really instils a sense of urgency when it comes to each and every encounter.

The beginning of the end

Chronos: Before the Ashes takes place shortly before the events of Remnant: From the Ashes and contains some exciting references and further expands upon the narrative of the latter by providing additional context and lore. At its core, Chronos tells the story of a hero fighting to protect their homeland against a dark and sinister evil. Beginning with the option to choose whether to play as a male or female, as well as selecting from a small assortment of starting weapons, the player is thrust into this world with a brief tutorial that serves to teach the player to survive.

Mastering the basics to combat will be about as much assistance as the player receives from the unforgiving labrynthian maze that follows. No waypoints, no clear objectives and no hints will challenge players to not only figure out where to go and what to do but to do so while dying as fewer times as possible.

Embarking on a quest to slay three monstrous guardians, each hidden behind a myriad of puzzles to solve, key items to find and deadly enemies to defeat, a heavy emphasis on solving environmental puzzles requires thorough exploration and backtracking. Slaying these mighty guardians will prepare the player for the ultimate showdown against a dragon with stakes that will impact the Ashes universe forever.

The story can be played on one of three difficulties, Casual favours story and lowers the combat difficulty, Adventure balances the combat difficulty and finally Heroic is unrelenting in regards to the combat. Depending which one is selected, the story can beaten in as little as 8-10 hours though playing on Heroic could easily see the playtime double due to the significantly increased damage. Chronos offers a very challenging experience in its hardest difficulty mode and will test the most hardcore fans of the genre.

Playing on Adventure mode, I ended my first playthrough at age 62. Considering the game is started at 18, I managed to be slaughtered by my superior foes a whopping 44 times, ageing me 44 years in the process. This age dynamic adds to the replayability as far as personal bests go and I for one look forward to the challenge of a more successful run.

Wisdom in death

Death is only the beginning in Chronos: Before the Ashes. As mentioned above, the player begins the journey at age 18 and every death that follows ages the hero by one year. This is reflected in the avatar of the protagonist. Wrinkles decorate their face and greys infiltrate the dark default hair colouring, highlighting the toll this great war is taking on them should they succumb to their enemies. It’s such a unique and fascinating concept that is fun to see visually represented through the trial and error combat mastery.

By defeating enemies the player is award experience which increases their level when the experience bar is filled. Each time the level increases the player is awarded two attribute points to allocate into the following categories which increase specific stats:

Strength – increases damage and block stats

Agility – increases damage and evade stats

Arcane – increases arcane damage and arcane defence stats

Vitality – increases health stats

Upgrading any of those attributes also increases defence stats. As the player advances in age, eventually the cost consumes additional attribute points. At significantly advanced ages the Strength and Agility attributes eventually close off and can not be upgraded further while Arcane becomes cheaper, highlighting the magic strength of the hero as their worldly experiences wisen them to the magical forces at play.

Traits are unlocked every 10 years starting at 20, becoming unlockable again at age 30 and 40 and so on up until the final one at 80. The player is presented with one of three unique choices at the turn of each decade that are not available again later. They offer various stat increases that can be pivotal to the play style preference of the player. It’s fun to see this concept as a reward for death, providing bonuses that can still allow the tides to be turned in the favour of the player despite their advanced age.

Tools of the trade

The combat in Chronos: Before the Ashes is melee based with a heavy focus on parrying and blocking in order to survive. Equipped with a shield, with alternate variants to be discovered throughout the world, a great defence will be just as important, if not more, than a direct offence.

Melee items come in a handful of varieties such as an axe, hammer and sword with variants to discover as well as the likes of maces and scythes. Each weapon type has their own advantages stat wise and it’s fun to experiment with the different types to see what works best for your play style. Each weapon can be upgraded with Dragon Shards and later upgrades require Rare Dragon Shards, both can be dropped randomly from defeated enemies or found within the environment and the latter can eventually be crafted by combining specific items from the inventory.

Light and chargeable heavy attacks compose the melee combat with the latter consuming a stamina bar. Upon depletion of the stamina bar the player will be unable to sprint or use the evade dodge which plays a critical part of successful combat. This leaves the player open to damage should they fail to successfully execute a parry or block on time.

Dragon Stones round out the combat offering with 4 unique types to be discovered that each have their own strengths. The Fire Stone inflicts additional damage while the Lightning Stone can stun foes, the Sun Stone can temporarily protect the player from damage and my personal favourite, the Shadow Stone which drains the enemies health and heals the player in the process.

These special abilities can be activated by filling a meter under the health bar by defeating enemies. When full, these effects can be activated and when mastered can be the difference between life and death, particularly in multiple enemy encounters. These can be seamlessly switched between with the D-Pad.

With a limited yet deadly variety of enemies that attack with melee or ranged attacks, with some specialising in both, combat is consistently engaging and when it combines multiple different enemy types it can be genuinely strategic in nature. Hacking and slashing through the enemies is not an option as a lot of enemies are also equipped with shields.

Health is replenished in only one way, by activating a Dragon Heart. These can be found throughout the game and fully replenish the player’s health upon use. Once used, the Dragon Hearts can not be used again until the player dies. So while these are useful to survive, sometimes death may not be all bad if it means the restoration of these Dragon Hearts to slow the player to push further into the labrynthian maze.

Upon death players are returned to the nearest large orange crystal which serve as the games only checkpoint system, referred to as World Stones. A handful of these are littered throughout the world that will be activated upon approach. Once activated, these can be interacted with and used to fast travel between other previously unlocked World Stones.

Navigating a fractured world

The diverse range of explorable locations in Chronos: Before the Ashes are strikingly different. From gloomy caverns, an abandoned village and a puzzle filled castle, each setting is tonally distinct and provides the sense of a larger scale than is actually present. Each room of these dungeon-like areas is rife with danger, rewards or environmental puzzles to solve or key items to discover.

Backtracking is heavily required, particularly in regards to the puzzle solving as progression is often halted until specific items have been found in order to solve them. The fast travel feature alleviates the tedium and is a very quick solution to retreading steps to find any missed secrets.

A stylised visual design is both simplistic and striking, offering a cartoonish aesthetic that takes nothing away from the mature concept or themes. It allows for some playful environmental and enemy designs.

Outside of boss battles, music is sparingly used throughout the entire adventure, leaving a silence that can be either effective or deafening. The lack of a more active score limits the emotional resonance, tension and depth of some sequences that could otherwise pack more of a punch.

Victory in defeat

Chronos: Before the Ashes introduces such a unique feature in its ageing mechanic that manages to balance the sourness of defeat with the wisdom of age. The inclusion of Traits that unlock only upon ageing, and therefore death, in an interesting concept of rewarding defeat and failure.

The mythology and world building this Ashes universe has established here and previously with Remnant is excellent. Combining puzzle solving, deep combat and interesting mechanics keep the series fresh, engaging and most importantly fun.

Intertwining the overarching narrative across this pair of solid titles paints a bright future for the franchise with Chronos: Before the Ashes proof that that Gunfire Games aren’t afraid to experiment.

+ Excellent ageing mechanic

+ Fun and deep combat system

+ Interesting world and lore

+ Failure is rewarding

– A little short for such excellent depth

Games of DAYNE Rating

* A review code was provided by the Developer/Publisher for the purpose of this review, courtesy of BG4G. *

Developed by: Gunfire Games

Published by: THQ Nordic

Release Date: December 1 2020

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC

– Additional links –

For more of my reviews, click HERE.

To see this review and other content from my associates at BG4G, click HERE.

The post Chronos: Before the Ashes Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

*Disclaimer: This review was originally written as a member for One More Game and Xbox Gamer Dad, edited by co-founder Adam Potts and/or founder Matt Brook. A review code for this title was provided by OMG/XBGD. This review was written from my perspective with editor input. Click HERE to read this review as originally published on onemoregame.com.au*

It’s hard to believe that it has been 15 long years since the original Destroy All Humans! first graced our PlayStation 2 and original Xbox consoles. This 2020 instalment blurs the lines between remake and remaster but delivers Furon clone Crypto 137’s first adventure in all of his over the top glory. By putting the player in the shoes of an alien with an arsenal of high tech weaponry and flying saucer, it has never been more fun to destroy all humans! 

This third person action-adventure takes place in 1950’s America and events kick off with player character Crypto being sent to find out what happened to his fellow clone Crypto-136 after he crash landed on Earth. Having to protect his alien identity from not just the public, Crypto must deal with the military and a secret organisation knows as Majestic, similar to what we know as the Men in Black. The premise is kind of silly and so too is the gameplay but that’s what makes Destroy All Humans! so much fun to play if the player is looking for a casual experience that definitely does not take itself too seriously. 

Crypto has an array of abilities at his his disposal, such as the Cortex Scan, which is needed to read civilians minds for humorous dialogues or clues to progress one of the 22 missions. Command, that can be used in specific scenarios to implant an idea in an unsuspecting humans mind to lead Crypto towards an objective. Telekinesis used to lift and throw humans and objects. And the ability to explode peoples brains, which grants DNA to spend on upgrades for Crypto or his saucer in between missions. These are only a few of the ways the player can inflict mayhem upon the “monkey” humans as he calls them. His weaponry is just as diverse and fun to experiment with, including the Zap-O-Matic laser that zaps enemies and can explode objects and also the Disintegration Ray, which vaporises anything in its path in a fiery blaze. Speaking of experimenting, and aliens for that matter, one of the most amusing weapons is the infamously feared Anal Probe. Shooting this will send a green probe from the gun straight up the rear end of an enemy and killing them after they run around in a panic with both hands clenching their violated butt. This silly strand of mayhem certainly lacks complexity but more than makes up for it with some cheap laughs and entertainment. 

Equipped with a jet-pack and the ability to slider around with propulsion energy that simulates skating, manoeuvrability as Crypto is fun, simple and adds a layer of verticality to the combat to provide tactical advantages from above. The jet-pack requires a brief cool down after it overheats but the player is able to get just over five seconds of airtime before this occurs. It may seem brief but in the heat of battle Crypto needs to be constantly on the move and a brief boost up to rooftop may be all that is needed to regather composure before diving back into the fray. The boost function on the ground allows Crypto to slide around quickly when not in the air, serving to move to cover in combat or circle enemies or to get from A to B quicker than running. 

The gameplay does not solely rely on over the top action but in some parts in also requires stealth and this largely occurs via the HOLOBOB system. Crypto is able to scan any human and assume their form. In order to sustain this façade, Crypto must regularly scan the minds of the humans to restore the amount of time he can maintain his human appearance. While in disguise, Crypto is unable to use any of his abilities or attacks. Doing so will break the HOLOBOB and expose Crypto as the Furon war–bringer that he truly is. Majestic have also set up scanners around each of the six explorable locations in the game that will rapidly deplete the HOLOBOB when within close proximity. 

Sprinkled throughout the story are sections where player get to take the helm of Crypto’s saucer which is appropriately armed with a Death Ray, Pulse shots and the ability to abduct people, vehicles and even cows. While abducting something it can be harvested for health or ammo which is nice to see, a practical reason for doing something that is otherwise just mindless fun. 

Each mission has between one and three optional objectives, such as completing a section undetected or to drown X amount of enemies. Taking the extra time to complete these will contribute to unlocking a small handful of alternate costumes for Crypto to use. Once a mission has been completed, its location can be returned to for completionists to hunt out the hidden droids or to complete a series of challenges as Crypto as well as some saucer exclusive ones. For instance, Armageddon requires X amount of dollars in damage to be caused while Abduction asks the player to launch as many of the specified target, such as cows, into the saucers abduction beam within a time limit. Each challenge has three stars to achieve and the more stars earned equals a higher DNA reward to be spent on customisation. 

Visually, Destroy All Humans! looks great with this updated coat of paint however it is still a little outdated and shows its age. The character designs are fun and the environments look authentically 50’s inspired. The sound design is on point and the satisfying alien noises that come from Crypto’s arsenal and saucer are a case of smaller details that increase the overall presentation. 

Destroy All Humans! can be paused at any time and a generous auto save system eases the decision to put it down for a while or to take care off some parental missions. It can be enjoyed by adults and teenagers alike though it is in every parents best interests to avoid younger children playing it and having to explain what an anal probe is. 

The gameplay and overall presentation isn’t raising any bars but rather does what Destroy All Humans! does best. It entertains. Black Forest Games have delivered a faithful experience for those of us who grew up with the original and one that is sure to captivate new players to the franchise. It’s fun, it’s humorous, and its 8-10 hour run time prevents Crypto from overstaying his welcome. 

Final Verdict: 

+ Simple and accessible gameplay 

+ Entertaining dialogue and cinematics 

+ Doesn’t take itself too seriously 

– Saucer isn’t quite as fun to play as it should be 

– Little replay value for new players 

Games of DAYNE Rating

Developed by: Black Forest Games

Published by: THQ Nordic

Release Date: July 28 2020

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC

The post Destroy All Humans! Review first appeared on Games of DAYNE.

*Disclaimer: This review was originally written as a member for One More Game and Xbox Gamer Dad, edited by co-founder Adam Potts and/or founder Matt Brook. A review code for this title was provided by OMG/XBGD. This review was written from my perspective with editor input. Click HERE to read this review as originally published on onemoregame.com.au*

Darksiders: Genesis has a trilogy worth of mythology and journeys exploring the stories of three of the four horsemen of the apocalypse. War, Death and Fury have each received solo outings in third person hack and slash action-adventures and in this prequel, we are finally introduced to Strife. Unlike the previous trio’s adventures, Strife’s journey is not alone and is instead being accompanied by fan favourite War from the first entry of the series. Also unlike the rest of the franchise, Darksiders: Genesis genre is a top-down hack and slash, adding a unique approach to the formula that had many worried it would not work. For fans of the series and newcomers alike, Airship Syndicate’s first foray into developing a Darksiders title succeeds on many levels. 

The change of perspective does not take anything away from the legitimacy Genesis brings to the franchise, instead it creates a new lens of which its lore rich world is experienced. This new dimension feels more free and open and it is a refreshing feeling to have something so different feel so familiar. One recurring minor issue is when the environment such as cliffs, walls and bridges instructs the view of the character. Highlighted as a blue silhouette, the player can at least see where the character is and any enemies also out of sight will be highlighted red. The over the top attacks feel as fun and vicious as the third person games and with a simple control layout, it feels more accessible than ever.

The control list can be toggled on or off to display on the right hand side of the screen, which is helpful to get familiar with the controls while not intruding on the screen space. Players can summon their fiendish horses in open areas that are great for quickly crossing a location whilst maintaining the ability to attack. Both characters have unique weapons, abilities and gear that can be cycled through to vanquish the demonic forces and for light puzzle solving to progress or discovering hidden areas littered with collectibles. 

Opening chests, smashing boxes and barrels reward the player with health, Wrath, ammo orbs and Souls. When defeating enemies, they too drop souls but there is a chance they well also drop a Creature Core. Souls are used as one of the in-game currencies to purchase upgrades for abilities, stats and weapons. Creature Cores provide various stat boosts and are allocated via a skill tree system accessed by the Options button. Each Creature Core is either a Minor or Major, with their stat boost appropriately increased as by their defined category. There are three different classes; Health, Attack and Wrath and the tree displays an associating icon to depict these. Placing these into the designated spots provides an additional boost while also opening up the next spot in the tree for allocation of Cores. It is not a complicated system and the benefit of taking a moment to understand it will bear significant advantages in battle. They can also be leveled up by collecting certain amounts, which can be easily harvested by replaying levels and arenas. 

As this title features local and online co-op for a second player, once another player signs in, the main player will need to find a Summon Stone in the environment to interact with. This brings the other player into the game to control whatever character is not being played, splitting the screen vertically in the process. The inclusion of not just online co-op but local co-op in particular is an excellent feature that certainly earns Genesis a few bonus points. The Arena mode, which is essentially a wave based survival situation, can also be played in co-op which is a lot of fun. 

If playing solo, the player is able to switch characters at any time, allowing for the gun toting attack style of Strife to the more heavy hitting power strikes of War. Outside of combat, switching characters will be required to utilise their specific gear to solve puzzles, typically to open gates and activate objects in the environment. Alternating between the two characters and experimenting with their play styles keeps the combat fresh and the dialogue they each randomly express in the heat of battle is often amusing. War is stern and the serious one of the two, while Strife is sarcastic and mischievous. The dynamic allows for some entertaining banter but also offers room for their relationship to eventually grow and evolve throughout their journey together. 

The story itself further expands on some of the narrative points mentioned in the three previous games as well introducing new threads that delve into Strife’s past. The cinematics are presented in a visual style similar to comic books with narration over the top and complements the visual direction of the main game nicely. Some familiar faces make an appearance while introducing new ones, both playing a part in a number of uneasy alliances the two horseman must forge for the sake of the greater good. It’s a clever story that never really gets out of first gear but the gameplay itself consistently ups the ante and fluctuates in pace accordingly. 

The world is so excellently detailed, featuring appropriately hellish and divine locations throughout the approximately 15 to 20 hour story, although this could be significantly longer on the punishing Apocalyptic difficulty. The stage design is relatively more of the same as it moves along but the visual distinction between them is enough to set them apart. The sound design is excellent too, with the wide variety of enemies having their own defiantly imposing sound effects and death groans. The arsenal at the disposal of the horseman have satisfying cracks and snaps of the guns and swords, adding to the immersion of the divine war they wage in the fiendish sand covered, snow capped and lava flowing wastelands. 

The entire presentation of Darksiders: Genesis is different in every way to the style the franchise has become known for and while this was a potential cause for concern, it exceeds and ultimately positions itself as the best Darksiders to date in the THQ Nordic published series. With local and online co-operative options to revisit the story or play through the arena missions, there is enough to keep players returning for more. It’s fun and action packed gameplay is excellent which is steadily paced from start to finish, making it a truly satisfying fourth chapter in this saga of the four horseman of the apocalypse. Now that all four have finally had a game focused on their exploits, the stage is set for an explosive reunion for Fury, Death, War and Strife, and that is certainly something Darksiders fans can look forward to if Genesis’ revitalised experience is anything to go by. 

Final Verdict: 

+ Fun and accessible combat 

+ The dynamic between War and Strife 

+ Visually impressive 

– Story doesn’t match the pace of the gameplay 

– The levels feel similar despite their unique visual distinctions 

Games of DAYNE Rating

Developed by: Airship Syndicate

Published by: THQ Nordic

Release Date: 14 February 2020

Platforms: Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and PC

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