Summary
Since its debut in 2010, theDarksidersfranchise has been a consistent, yet somewhat overlooked, fixture in gaming. The one exception to its trademark consistency lies with a critical component of the series' identity: the genre of each game changes from title-to-title. Beginning withDarksiders 2in 2012, the series moved on from its obviousGod of Warinfluence to become a full-blownLegend of Zelda-style action-adventure game, and the third entry in the series tried its hand as a Soulslike. The latest entry,Darksiders: Genesis, takes the games' connected narrative back to its roots while adopting gameplay and a perspective that make it more in-line withDiabloand similar action-RPGs.
Notably, development duties on each of theDarksidersgames have shifted from entry-to-entry as well. While the first two games in the series were developed by Vigil Games,Darksiders IIIfeatures the development talents of none other than Gunfire Games (developers ofRemnant: From the AshesandRemnant 2), andDarksiders: Genesis' developmentwas handled by Airship Syndicate. Airship Syndicate has proven itself adept at developing classically-styled turn-based RPGs with bothBattle Chasers: NightwarandRuined King: A League of Legends Story, and it might be the perfect time for the studio to get a second crack at theDarksidersfranchise within the framework of a pure RPG.
RELATED:The Timeline of All Darksiders Games Explained
How Darksiders Could Work as a Classic Style RPG
TheDarksidersseries has always flirted with RPG mechanics. Even within the context of the first game’s nods toGod of Warwere subtle mechanics involving character progression, gear upgrades, and stat allocation that changed how players approached combat encounters or traversed dungeons. Each game in the series has subsequently pushed the franchise closer and closer into genuine RPG territory, helping to make the case fora definitiveDarksiders 4that concludes the series' overarching narrative while making good on the promise of each of its predecessors.
And of course, the party of heroes for this RPG is already readymade within the context of the series' lore. Getting to control all four of the horsemen, finally reunited and concluding the tale that began back in 2010, would be a perfect fit for an RPG in the style of one of Airship Syndicate’s other games. In each of their respective games, the four horsemen control differently from one another and have different suites of abilities, making them the perfect candidates for a party of four heroes akin to the Warriors of Light fromFinal Fantasy.And the icing on the cake is that Airship Syndicate has already delivered an RPG thatskillfully translates Joe Madureira’s artinto digital render withBattle Chasers: Nightwar.
Regardless of Genre, a New Darksiders May Hit the Quality ‘Sweet Spot’
TheDarksidersfranchise has proven that a series can bounce around from genre to genre, switching things up with each new entry while still maintaining a similar standard of quality across each title.Darksiderscontinues to beone of the rare franchises that doesn’t necessarily blow critics away, but still maintains solid aggregate scores in the 70s and 80s. After 2023, there’s a strong case for AA and even AAA games that don’t swing for the fences but instead try to provide gamers with concise, focused experiences that deliver a solid amount of playtime and entertainment value.
Regardless of whatever genrethe next potentialDarksidersgame tackles, it’s safe to say that it will at least meet the standard of quality established by the other games in the series. In the age of live-service, always-online, and massively open-world games that can take upwards of 100 hours to beat, there’s an appeal to a linear, single-player experience that provides bite-sized thrills and plenty of fun. TheDarksidersfranchise has always fit that bill, and the time is nigh for a conclusion to the saga that began 13 years ago.
Darksiders: Genesisis available now for PC, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
