They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, but what about a woman on the warpath? Meet Fury, the third and seemingly most powerful deity of THQ’s Four Horsemen. She’s ready to confront the Seven Deadly Sins and all of their wicked ways in Darksiders III, Gunfire’s long-anticipated continuation of the cult hack-and-slash series from Vigil Games.
It’s survived a high profile bankruptcy and years of false starts, but now, the third Darksiders title is teetering on the verge of release. It’s shaping up to be an intoxicating spin on the hack-and-slash formula. And so, in anticipation of release, we’ve scoured the four corners of the Internet (and the PSLS archives !) to present to you everything you could possibly need to know about Darksiders III prior to launch day.
Shall we?
Gunfire Games and THQ Nordic will summon Darksiders III up from the fiery depths of hell and onto PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC on Tuesday, November 27. Will you be taking the plunge?
Essential Reading:
Darksiders 3 info dump
Darksiders III – EYNTK
Let's get to it, shall we?
What is Darksiders III?
It's the third chapter in THQ's apocalyptic saga and one which switches the focus over to Fury, the most powerful Horsemen of them all .
Per Gunfire Games:
"Return to an apocalyptic Earth in Darksiders III , a hack-n-slash Action Adventure where players assume the role of Fury in her quest to hunt down and dispose of the Seven Deadly Sins. The most unpredictable and enigmatic of the Four Horsemen, Fury must succeed where many have failed – to bring balance to the forces that now ravage Earth. Darksiders III is the long-anticipated, third chapter in the critically-acclaimed Darksiders franchise."
What's the Story?
In Darksiders III , we follow Fury, who must rise up against the Seven Deadly Sins and reclaim Earth—or what's left of it.
Gunfire has already gone on record to say that the game will explore the deft balance between order and chaos, while the official synopsis reads as so:
"Earth is now overrun by the Seven Deadly Sins and the mystical creatures and degenerated beings that serve them. The Charred Council calls upon Fury to battle from the heights of heaven down through the depths of hell in a quest to restore the balance and prove that she is the most powerful of the Horsemen."
How Does it Play?
As with any video game sequel, Darksiders III straddles that all-important line between the old and the new, though Lars Wingefors, Co-Founder and Group CEO of THQ Nordic, has promised a pure Darksiders experience.
"As promised, we have taken our time to ensure that this next Darksiders will be everything action-adventure gamers and especially Darksiders loyalists could dream of and more."
Meet Fury
Voiced by industry veteran Cissy Jones (Firewatch ), Fury is seemingly the most fearsome Horsemen, and her incredible combat capabilities reveal why the Seven Deadly Sins will be quaking in their boots.
The Many Faces of Fury
Up until now, THQ Nordic and Gunfire Games have peeled back the curtain on three of Fury's forms . The Force Hollow, for instance, allows players to unleash concentrated blasts of energy.
It'll help add some diversity to the core gameplay, and below, you'll find a detailed description of the Force Hollow.
"The Force Hollow allows Fury the collection and precise focusing of energy into concentrated attacks. With Scorn taking on the appearance of a giant hammer, Fury can shatter her enemy’s defenses and inflict severe damage. Scorn can also act as a focal point for magnetic attraction—allowing Fury to draw in energy, rubble, and even enemies, before releasing it all in a single explosive burst. With great effort, Fury can even maintain this magnetic sphere to traverse walls and ceilings."
From the Ashes of THQ
For the longest time, it looked certain that any hope for a third Darksiders game would be snuffed out by the collapse of THQ. Not so .
The Seven Deadly Sins
Gunfire has rounded up a rogue's gallery of despicable creatures for Fury to confront, including Sloth, Envy and Wrath.
More details on the other four are expected over the coming days, but for now, here's a little tease of what to expect:
"His preference is to sit idle atop his throne, allowing his countless minions to defend him and even move him around inside his hollowed-out subway lair. Don’t let the bedsores fool you – Sloth is a mighty force when prodded into battle!
"Wrath feasts on the anger of others, stoking the fires of conflict in all living things to further his violent crusade. The strongest of the Seven Deadly Sins, he relishes the ferocity of battle, dispatching foes with a savage, relentless brutality. "A wretched and warped being dismissed even by her fellow Sins, Envy is the manifestation of jealousy and covetous desire. She assumes the form of a gnarled, bird-like creature, with tattered robes and an enchanted staff. Envy seeks to claim all that Earth has to offer as her own."
Progression Need Not Be Linear
Players won't be bound to a set path in Darksiders III , for Gunfire Games has allowed us to choose which sin to fight first.
A Meaty Campaign
Based on early estimates, the Darksiders III campaign will take around 15 hours to complete .
No Mini-Map to Speak Of
In order to boost immersion, Gunfire has done away with the standard mini-map in time for Darksiders III .
According to Senior Designer Richard Vorodi, it's a conscious decision: "We didn’t think players like them. We want players to get lost."
A Touch of Bloodborne
Your ears do not deceive you; the Darksiders III soundtrack is composed by the inimitable Cris Velasco , whose credits include Bloodborne , God of War III, and Resident Evil 7 .
Less Story, More Gameplay
According to Gunfire Games Co-Founder David Adams, the Darksiders III dev team has doubled down on gameplay over story.
Said he:
"Darksiders is and has always been a video game. There’s still cool cutscenes and we have scenes around all of the Sins, and cool key story moments, but you’re not being bombarded by story – you’re running around fighting stuff and solving puzzles. That was a purposeful decision."
The 411 on DLC
Post-launch DLC plans for Darksiders III begin with The Crucible, a hoard-esque mode that has Fury fending off waves upon waves of enemies. The second, entitled Keepers of the Void, ships Fury off to the Serpent Holes at the behest of demon merchant Vulgrim.
Neither add-on has a release date as of yet, while we understand Gunfire also has plans for a third and final content pack, the details of which are yet to be revealed.
Nostalgia, in 4K
If you missed out on the first two Darksiders games from Vigil Games, don't fret; both Darksiders: Warmastered Edition and Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition are to receive free, 4K updates in anticipation of the third game.
Gameplay Footage
Eager to see some buttery-smooth gameplay from Darksiders III ? We've got you covered.
A Little Help From Prima Games
For those wanting to ace every aspect of Darksiders III , look no further than this dedicated guide from Prima Games .
It's essentially tailor-made for the completionist, which brings us to...
Trophy List
If you're curious, the official Darksiders III trophy list has been published, and it's comprised of 50 accolades in total, Platinum included.
Fourth Game Already in the Pipeline
Not one to rest on their laurels, Gunfire seemingly has plans for a fourth (and final?) Darksiders game centred on Pestilence—or in Darksiders canon, Strife.
Apocalypse Edition
Priced at an eye-watering $400, the Darksiders III Apocalypse Edition is the ultimate package for Darksiders fans, and bundles together the following:
Premium Box (~117cm or 46″)
Wall Scroll – Fabric print with hanger (77x100cm or 30″x40″)
4 Figurines: Fury (29cm or 11″ “high”), Vulgrim, War & Death (each about 25cm or 10″ “high”)
Heavy weight amulet (5cm or 2″ with necklace)
Original Steelbook
Artbook
Soundtrack
Game
The Crucible DLC
Keepers of the Void DLC
Fury Exclusive Armor DLC – a completely original skin replacing
Fury’s base armor set (purely cosmetic, no gameplay impact)
Our Final Verdict
Our own Chandler Wood will be handling the review of Darksiders III for PSLS, so look for that one to drop very soon.