Jackie Estacado is a hit man for the New York mob who, on his 21st birthday, receives an unusual gift as the ‘The Darkness’ reveals itself to him.

Things do not begin well for Jackie, as his uncle Paulie, the head of the mob, puts a hit out on him. And things go from bad to worse from here on in, with some genuinely shocking plot twists which – thanks to the brilliantly cinematic nature of the cut scenes and some sterling voice acting – pack a real emotional impact.

And it’s not just emotional clout that The Darkness possesses – it’s pretty damned exciting too. While you will pick up a range of weapons throughout the game, the real interest comes from the Darkness powers that you gradually learn to use; as these unfold, so does the story, and in the process this game is lifted well above the standard FPS it seems to be at the beginning.

Foremost amongst the game’s powers is the ability to summon ‘Darklings’ – little demons, each with a different ability and a penchant for scathing language. My personal favourite is the gunner; as the name suggests, this one is equipped with a huge Gatling gun and isn’t afraid to use it.
The other ability you’ll find yourself using repeatedly is the Demon Arm, a deadly tentacle that you can use to destroy scenery, impale enemies or smash lights. And smashing lights is something you’ll do a lot of. The power of Darkness needs an absence of light to function – so you’ll often find yourself skulking in corners and literally sucking in the essence of the Darkness before launching your next devastating attack on Paulie’s goons.

While the special powers are original, spectacular and a lot of fun to use, there’s more than this to the game. Firstly, there’s the storyline, written in collaboration with Paul Jenkins, the creator of the comic on which the game is based, and delivering a genuine narrative rather than a series of feeble excuses for gunplay. There aren’t many titles worth playing through to the end, but the final levels here are superb, with a real sense of momentum as the pace ratchets up towards the climax.

The other thing that you notice is, naturally, the graphics. And ‘naturally’ is the word, as I’ve yet to see a game so realistic in depth, colour and texture. As well as marvelling at the tones and subtleties of flesh, I found myself gazing in amazement at things as mundane as payphones and street signs.
My only real criticism would be of the linear feel to the main story missions. While you are given dialogue options during conversations, there is no real sense that picking the ‘wrong’ one will result in a different outcome. This is balanced though, by a raft of side missions (some of them reminiscent of the Grand Theft Auto series). These are a welcome and clever addition to the FPS genre.
This game is funny too, with a nice line in dark (ahem) humour. Most importantly though, it is really bloody scary, and this reviewer is not ashamed to admit he had to stop playing late at night on more than one occasion!
Overall, The Darkness is a must-have.