New DARKSIDERS GENESIS Trailer Features A Shit-Ton Of Dead Demons
When developing a top-down dungeon crawler, it’s important to give the player a wide variety of ways to turn monsters into experience points. In fact, it’s pretty much the only thing that matters. Unless you’re one of those nerds that plays games for the plot (psh, nerds), the biggest draw of this genre is packing as many enemies on screen as you can and watching them melt. If the melting isn’t satisfyingly flashy, it’s a wash. If it becomes tedious, then it’s a slog. So ideally, you want to have as many different colors of flashing lights cycled as rapidly as possible without inducing a seizure. That is the sweet spot that makes gamers cough up money like a lonely mom at a multi-level marketing presentation. And oh boy, does Darksiders Genesis have some pretty lights.
To be fair, there’s a lot more to Darksiders Genesis than just murdering demons with exploding lights. I got to see the game at E3, and there’s a far heavier focus on exploration than you’d expect. Bossfights also looked far more intricate than your standard “click until it’s dead” Diablo affair. But that’s not what this trailer is about. This trailer is about popping demons like piñatas and harvesting their souls. Darksiders Genesis will feature a “Creature Core” system, where enemies will drop souls that can be used to power and augment your abilities. This encourages you to treat your foes like Pokémon, except this time their power is literally inside and you have to break them open to get it out.
More from the Official Press Release:
In a new gameplay trailer, developer Airship Syndicate and THQ Nordic present the so-called “Creature Core”-system which allows players to upgrade and customize their horseman’s battle skills. Both fighters begin with a variety of different attacks but will gain access to more devastating and fascinating ways to smash demons on their journey through hell. “Creature Cores” can be picked up afters slaying enemies and bosses and are also available for purchase at Vulgrim’s store in exchange for souls.
The “Creature Core”-system allows the player to shift the balance between the different playstyles of WAR and STRIFE. Would you like to increase your attack power or add a lava trail to your dashes? Would you like a chance to spawn a hellhound whenever you attack or do you want to increase the amount of health & ammunition your enemies will drop?
Tailor your characters abilities to match your personal playstyle with the “Creature Core”-system.
Darksiders Genesis features the debut of the fourth and final horsemen – STRIFE – who battles alongside his brother and fellow horsemen WAR in the first ever Darksiders two-player co-op mode. Solo players will be able to alternate between STRIFE and WAR on the fly, taking advantage of STRIFE’s ranged and WAR’s melee style attacks. Both characters can build up a special attack meter that, when activated, temporarily turns them into a colossal creature that leaves epic destruction in its wake.
Darksiders Genesis will be available December 5th for the PC/Stadia, and on Xbox One, PS4, and Switch February 14th. Pick it up and play it with a buddy, and compare the size of your death lasers. And nothing else.
