Let's say you don't yet own Darksiders II, do own a Wii U, and are considering picking the game up for your new console. How's it shape up against the versions that have been out on the market on competing platforms for a few months now?

Like most other games, it's not really a clear-cut case of the new Wii U edition being any better or worse. Some parts, according to a report on Digital Foundry, feature better effects, while other parts are missing models or have lower-res textures.

The video above, compared the PS3 and Wii U versions, while DF's full report goes into great detail contrasting all four editions, and includes performance graphs tracking things like framerate.

Face-Off: Darksiders 2 on Wii U [Eurogamer]

Just when you think you know where this live-action short from Somewhat Awesome Films is going, it, uh, surprises you. Vigil Games added a deeper level of customization to Darksiders II and its central character apparently can't get enough of all the goodies he finds. Except for Resident Evil 6. Can't say I blame him on that one.

Joe Maduriera—comics artist and creative director on the Darksiders franchise—says he's leaving dev studio Vigil Games.

Good news: true to their word, Vigil has issued the first update for the PC version of Darksiders II, addressing a number of problems players have had with that version of the game. Among the fixes: easier key-mapping, in-game crashes, and crucially, the broken v-sync, which resulted in unfixable screen-tearing for some (but not all) players.

The full list of fixes:

• In this Update your key mappings will revert to defaults.
• Added Key Bindings option to the Pause Menu. (Previous location on the Moves List still there)
• The V-sync graphics option is now functional.
• Reaper Form now triggers correctly when using a Keyboard.
• Video Settings save to the Steam Cloud correctly.
• You can now sacrifice items below the 3rd row in the Possessed Weapon menu.
• Target Reticules align properly at all screen resolutions.
• Addressed crashes in Blackstone, including at the 2nd lever and during the Lilith cut-scene.
• Various gameplay progressions fixes.

• Vigil says that they are still working to address other problems they're hearing about, so if you've still got an issue with the game, let them know in the bug reporting section of their forums.

  
  

  As one who was affected by the v-syncing bug (And I should point out, since I saw several commenters suggest it: No, there was no way to fix it by forcing V-sync in the catalyst control center), I was happy to boot the game up and see it running in 1080p with no screen-tearing. A game this vibrant and loaded with art shouldn't be hamstrung by tearing, you know? I'm looking forward to finally playing it.

  
  

  DARKSIDERS II PC PATCH UPDATE #2 [Darksiders Forums]

  
  

In today's manic-action-packed installment of the TAY-powered Speak Up on Kotaku, our favorite OCD gamer, Daemon_Gildas, is on the verge of losing his shit over Darksiders II's collectible chaos.

So, I know I've complained about Mario games in the past for being absolutely atrocious for players with OCD, but it's time to spread the love to Darksiders II!

First off, you only get one save file. Said save-file is also automatic, which means you're in constant fear any time you want to turn off your console, because you have to dance through all the little hoops if you don't want to risk your save being corrupted.

Next, there are three collectibles in the game; Pages of the Dead, Relics, and Stones. All three of these are a massive pain in the ass, and there is absolutely no way you're going to locate all of them in a single play-through without some kind of online guide. If you beat the game and start New Game+, however, *ALL* of your progress is completely erased, even if you actually completed the quests.

Because they're such a pain in the ass, I decided for my first play-through, I would just focus on collecting the Pages and Relics, and leave the Stones (which are far more numerous and harder to acquire) for my second playthrough. So, I beat the game, I'm put into New Game+, and all my progress is wiped-clean. Being able to have a separate save-file would have been Godsend, but whatever, I'll just collect all my Stones this time... right?

FUCKING WRONG, because apparently, to acquire the very last Stone, it means I must also collect EVERY GODDAMN PAGE OF THE DEAD all over again. And this isn't some "Oh, I know where they're located, so it'll just take me an hour or so". No, collected the Pages once you've already played through the game is going to take about six-to-eight hours, and that's assuming it's not literally impossible to do, because about half-way through the game, you lose a very important ability which allows you to complete a certain dungeon. A dungeon with pages located there.

Oh, and it gets better. For some reason, you can only complete New Game+ a single time, and then that's it. I can't replay the game again, unless I just start a totally different file. And the best part is yet to come!

The quest "Sticks and Stones" has you gathering something like 90 Stones, hidden throughout the entire game. For every 3 Stones you acquire and return to the quest-giver, he allows you to raise one of your stats. However, you can't just *choose* what stat you want, but it's not random, either. Instead, it's based on which three Stones you turn-in to him. Also, because these stat-increases are both permanent and limited, it means that you also have to sit down and plan all of your stats out, based on what Stones you've acquire. Otherwise, you could wind up having put your stats into completely useless things, like being a Melee-centric character with points into Arcane (and contrary to what you might think, no, there is no way to play a "Jack of all trades" build).

Because this is also completable on New Game+, it means you're screwing yourself out of some serious stat-bonuses if you didn't also complete the quest on your first play-through. And, as we learned earlier, completing it on your first play-through would require a guide; not only for the Stones, but also for the Pages.

And if you thought it stopped with these Stones, you'd be wrong again; by collecting all of the Relics, you're granted additional Skill-points, which you normally only acquire one every time you level, up to Level 30 (which is the cap). So, you're doubly screwed if you don't collect all of THOSE motherfuckers, as well, on BOTH of your play-throughs.

Just.... goddammit! Is it really so much to ask that games have clean designs? Don't get me wrong, I love Darksiders II for the most part, but this shit just really gets under my skin.

Sad but true: The PC version of Darksiders II is bare-bones and has some serious graphical problems. Non-functional vertical-sync, strange controls, minimal options for graphical tweaking; it's a drag.

I've been cooling my heels after playing about an hour of the game, waiting on its developer, Vigil, to release some patches. I've been waiting for them to fix the terrible screen-tearing that results from the dysfunctional Vsync, but that's just me.

Today, a THQ representative sent Kotaku the following statement from Vigil:

Darksiders PC owners,

Your feedback is incredibly important to us, so we have been working around the clock to address issues that some of you have been having, as well as adding features you have requested. The team is prioritizing finding solutions to these issues.

We are working on fixes for a number of bugs which can potentially block progression that have come to our attention, while also exploring adding additional features you have been asking for. This work includes vsync updates, improved shadow map resolution, X-axis options and additional keyboard mapping options (amongst other community requests). We hope to roll out a number of patches to address these issues in the weeks to come.

Keep your eyes peeled on Darksiders.com for updates on patch timing and content.

The Vigil Team

It is indeed good to hear that Vigil is working on fixing the game, though I have to say that "exploring adding additional features" doesn't seem quite as urgent as "getting the damned V-sync to work on my graphics card" should. But okay, hopefully that exploration will end with the discovery of a way to make the PC version work better. I would love to play this game, after all.

We've given you the review, talked about some port problems, and shown you the art. But how does Darksiders II really look? And what's it all about?

Kotaku's own Chris Person has created this video overview for those of us who might not have caught the franchise's first entry. Just what is Death wandering through heaven and hell trying to accomplish, anyway? What's this all about? How does it work? And why do people keep mentioning The Legend of Zelda?

As to where the remix itself becomes a new piece of art? That's a discussion we can probably have until the end of time.

I played two PC ports of two big, exciting new games this week. One of them worked. One of them didn't.

The two big games in question were Square Enix and United Front's Hong Kong crime game Sleeping Dogs and THQ and Vigil's comic-booky fantasy game Darksiders II. Both games came out on Tuesday, both were released on Xbox 360, PS3 and, in an increasingly uncommon but welcome move, simultaneously on PC (hooray!).

But while Sleeping Dogs has a robust, customizable PC version, Darksiders II's PC port has more than its share of problems.

Let's start with the good. Sleeping Dogs is, as Tina raved in her review of the Xbox 360 version, a darned cool game. I've played four or five hours, and I'm enjoying myself quite a bit. I like the story, I like the characters, and I like busting heads and breaking legs in nightclubs.

While Sleeping Dogs isn't a graphical powerhouse like The Witcher 2 or Crysis 2, it's still a darned good-looking game. Its Hong Kong setting is colorful and sprawling, and it's the first time in a good long while that a game has given me that wonderful sense of disoriented tourism that the best open-world games can inspire.

I run a middle-of-the-road gaming PC these days, an i5 with 8GB of RAM centered around an AMD Radeon 6870 graphics card. I run Sleeping Dogs somewhere between its middle and high settings, and have got it dialed in to a near-perfect setting.

Sleeping Dogs hums along at a solid 60 frames per second, with its HD resolution and long draw-distance bringing Hong Kong to bright, colorful life on my PC. I haven't had time to put together a side-by-side comparison of how the PC version stacks up to consoles, but the friendly folks at Revision3 have made a video (off to the side here) that about sums it up. Everything on PC—the colors, the framerate, the textures (if you use the PC-exclusive HD texture pack), and the DirectX 11 features to enhance the shadows and anti-aliasing, make the game look and run well on PC. Best of all, it's got a built-in benchmark tool that lets you know how the game is handling your settings without your having to go in and see for yourself.

In fact, I used the word "port" in the headline here, but that word raises the ire of many PC gamers—a "port" is thought to be a shoddy rip of a console game straight to PC, with little thought to the extra horsepower and customization options afforded by modern DirectX 11 PCs. Sleeping Dogs would be more accurately called a PC version of the game. It's not without its bugs and weirdnessness—one time, adjusting the graphics caused my characters to "fall into the world" and tumble unendingly until I restarted the game—but by and large, Sleeping Dogs runs smoothly and looks great.

Darksiders II, however, is resolutely a port. And unfortunately, it's not a very good one.

I'll start out by saying that I actually don't mind straight-up PC ports of console games. I play most of those kinds of games with a plugged in Xbox controller, and I frequently play them on my big TV. Really, I like when a PC game feels like a console game played in true 1080p. Arkham Asylum on PC, for example, ran so smoothly and cleanly that it almost felt like a different thing than its console sibling, even though it was basically a direct port of the game.

So, I was ready for Darksiders II to be a port, but when I booted it up, I was surprised at just how bare-bones the PC version was. (Really, things didn't get off to a good start when the game made me create an account and sign into THQ's proprietary gaming network, blerg, but that's a story for another day.) The in-game menus are essentially indistinguishable from an Xbox 360 game—I couldn't even get into the settings until I'd played through the opening cinematic, and when I did, I was surprised at what I found. No detail settings, not even a high-medium-low graphics dial. Just one setting for screen resolution and a checkbox for V-sync.

I'd seen a lot of screen-tearing in the intro cinematic, so I thought "Well, better turn on V-sync." So I did. I also bumped the resolution up to 1920x1080, since it had defaulted to something much lower. The settings menu stated that I'd need to quit the game and restart it for the changes to take effect (grumble), so I did that, and before long was back in the introductory segment. Despite the fact that I'd turned on V-sync, at 1080p screen tearing had become rampant.

Huh.

I went into the settings again and checked the v-sync box. Yup, it was checked. Double-huh. It would appear that the v-sync option in Darksiders II does not work, at least for me.

I started playing the game, but the tearing was so intense that I couldn't get into it. Every time I'd pan the camera around my character's head, the screen would roll and clip onto itself, a spastic dance of graphical jitters that were distracting and disorienting.

Eventually, I found something of a solution—I bumped the resolution all the way down to 1280x720, where the tearing became much less noticeable. You might notice that's 720p, or, the same resolution at which most console games run. And even then, the tearing is minimized, but still present.

It's a shame that the only way to make the PC version of Darksiders II run okay on my machine is to effectively turn it into the Xbox 360 version. I don't ask for much in a PC port! But I do ask to be able to run the game in my monitor's native resolution without a fuss. Reader Andy Pavolillo wrote in with this involved but theoretically feasable workaround for the V-sync and stutter issues, but it requires an Nvidia graphics card, so I haven't been able to try it. Regardless, that kind of involved solution shouldn't be necessary for something as basic as V-sync!

Some perusal of both the Steam forums and the official Darksiders II forums have turned up a lot of gamers having problems similar to mine—the nonfunctional V-sync option, in particular. Other PC owners, however, report that while the game may be lacking customization options, it is at least running smoothly and without graphical issues. It sounds as though AMD cards have the V-sync problem while on some Nvidia graphics cards, V-sync works as it should.

But the overarching vibe among PC gamers is one of discontent. Mouse and keyboard control customization is lackluster, and perhaps even worse, the camera auto-centers on to Death (the protagonist)'s back. There's no "free-look" option when using a mouse, resulting in a vertiginous flying camera that players must fight in order to look around while moving.

A large part of the anger is that some PC gamers feel they were mislead—people working on the game had ensured PC owners that the .config file that would allow them to tinker and tweak the game to their liking would be available, but now that the game has launched, it's nowhere to be found. In a post to the game's official forums, community manager Matthew Everett (to his and Vigil/THQ's credit) apologized for giving gamers bad information:

During the Community Summit both Jay Fitzloff and I (Mathew Everett) were under the impression that full .config files and final keyboard/mouse and controller hookups were going to work as promised when the PC version of the game launched. That was the plan at the time from a specifications perspective.

Unfortunately, especially at the end of the development cycle, sometimes things change at the last minute, and this was one of them. This puts us in an uncomfortable spot as we were acting on the best information we had at the time, and it has turned out not to be in the final game (at this point).

Since it was always the intention to implement these features, as I type this, the development team is checking to see what items can get added into the game. While I can't promise what can be done, I can promise we are working with the proper teams and have expressed the importance of including them in a patch.

When I asked THQ about the problems with the PC version, a spokesperson told me that "Vigil is tracking these issues closely and is keeping their collective ear close to the forums." And to their credit, a first patch has already been released for the PC version, addressing a number of game-crashing bugs more serious than anything I've encountered.

This is all a real shame, since Darksiders II is a fun game. Most reviews, including Kate's review for Kotaku, report it to be a fun and generally successful mashup of Prince of Persia, Zelda and Diablo. Everything I've played so far backs that up. But even when reviewing the PlayStation 3 version, Kate advised that players not buy the game just yet, as a number of significant bugs detract enough that it'd be worth waiting until they get patched. I asked Kate about screen-tearing issues in the console version, and she said that the display was fine on her version—the bugs she ran into were mostly functional.

Of course, this tale of woe is nothing new for PC gamers—it's common for this sort of thing to happen. But the contrast between the two games feels like a great example of how to do a PC version right, and how to get it wrong. Furthermore, there's a chance that you'll get Darksiders II to run perfectly fine on your system. But it also might be a mess. It's great that Vigil is working to fix their game, but when it comes down to it, a game shouldn't be released in the state that Darksiders II on the PC was. We PC players may grump about having to wait an extra couple weeks for a PC version, but if that's what it takes to give us a game that works immediately after we install it, so be it.

The overarching narrative of this week has been "Sleeping Dogs or Darksiders II?" Console gamers can't really go wrong, but PC gamers have a clearer choice—pick up Sleeping Dogs now, and you'll get a robust PC gaming experience with HD textures and all manner of DirectX 11 bells and whistles. But you might want to hold off on Darksiders II for a little while, at least until Vigil makes good on their promises to get the game up to snuff.

You could, if Hong Kong gangsters weren't your thing, call Darksiders II the biggest game release of the week. Probably the month, too.

So now's probably as good a time as ever to look at some terrific concept art from the game.

The environmental and weapon images below were done by artist Jonathan Kirtz, a freelancer who has also worked on games like the Warhammer 40K MMO, Warhammer Online and Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning.

You can see more of Jonathan's work at his personal site.

Meanwhile, all the character art you see (with the exception of the large Death "painting", which was done by Joe Mad and Kirtz) was the work of a team of artists led by James Brian Jones, Vigil's Studio Character Lead. You can see James' personal site here.

To see the larger pics in all their glory (or so you can save them as wallpaper), right-click on them below and select "open in new tab".

I was far from the only reviewer to observe that Darksiders II very clearly draws inspiration and ideas from a number of other games that came before it. Happily, it does so well, and it does so successfully. The mechanics and concepts it brings forward from other games are nearly all good ones, and for the most part they're integrated together well.

But much of the talk around Darksiders II has led me to wonder: where does the line lie? When does pastiche become homage, and when does an amalgamation of other parts become its own unique hole, to define the wave that will come after?

One game franchise I didn't reference when describing Darksiders II was Prince of Persia. There's a good reason for that: I never had the chance to play Ubisoft's early-aughts series. For various reasons, I missed them when they were new and in the years since, they've become a corner of my backlog I've never gotten to. To me, Darksiders II had borrowed its climbing and platforming concepts from God of War.

As the creators of culture age, so too do the references. My grandmother might have remembered a big band song from when it and the radio she heard it on were new; I, on the other hand, would know it from a cover that came out during the 90s swing revival. Although I know where Oppenheimer referenced his famous, "I am become death" statement from, when I hear it I am far more likely to think of him than of the Bhagavad Gita. Old cultural signposts wear out, and new ones arise. The overall frame of reference changes.

Who, now, would compare a physics-based aiming game to anything older than Angry Birds in the the course of casual conversation?

All our games, of course, come from the same cultural morass. Yes, we often see two or more of something because the latter versions are trying to clone the success of the earlier ones. But sometimes, the same zeitgeist that gives one developer a certain idea gives two or three developers the same idea. Then, the race is on to be the first and the best all at once. But every game developer is, in some way, building on what came before. Whether choosing to borrow, enhance, or entirely reject a set of concepts, no-one develops in a vacuum.

As gaming continues to get broader, and its audience larger, players (and even developers) who know the origins of the concept they're riffing on will become an ever-smaller percentage of the audience. While it's important to remember history, and not to associate "older" with "worse," in another way, that's about the best possible outcome a gamer could hope for. Nobody needs to remember that Shakespeare invented half our best adjectives in order to enjoy how they flow in a sentence.

So if Darksiders II had its dungeon design heavily inflected by games I never played, still: the ideas carry through, to the first, second, and third wave of titles to take a good idea and run with it. Imitation, the old adage goes, is the highest form of flattery. To become such a part of the canon that people forget a time before you existed is perhaps the highest flattery of all: no-one can any longer imagine the world from before you changed it.