Darksiders 2 is a phenomenal game, one that we here at Just Push Start couldn’t praise enough, and now it has received an extension via the Argul’s Tomb DLC — a free piece of content for Limited Edition purchasers. This bite-sized adventure will take Death into the icy are where the Deposed King once resided. Here, the Pale Rider will explore new dungeons and go toe-to-toe with an ancient evil.
While Argul’s Tomb isn’t part of the Season Pass, expectations are high as this sets the stage for the type of quality we can expect from Darksiders 2 additional content. Does Argul’s Tomb provide a journey worthy of Death’s time? Or is it a lifeless romp through glacial lands?
HOT
Familiar But Entertaining
Darksider’s 2 campaign was nothing short of glorious. Argul’s Tomb looks to extend the great formula set by the main story by bringing it into the DLC. That is to say, Argul’s Tomb doesn’t really do anything new, mostly replicating what it did well with in the main game, but that doesn’t make this add-on any less entertaining. Although Vigil Game’s played it safe with the first DLC pack, players are sure to enjoy wielding Death’s Scythes again. Death is sent to the tomb of the Deposed King in return for a great reward. Unable to pass up the opportunity, Death venture through three new areas. Things kick off unexpectedly with a third-person shooter segment where Death wields a new gun called Gorehammer. This beast of a weapon shoots explosive projectiles at foes and each sticky grenade can either be detonated remotely or left alone to explode once the fuse runs out. This section of the DLC isn’t very long, but it adds variety to the package. After blowing up groups upon groups of icy creatures, Death heads to the two new dungeons.
Regardless of where the player is in the game, Death’s abilities are limited to Voidwalker, Deathgrip, Redemption and Reaper Form. From these, players can get an idea of what to expect, primarily from Voidwalker and Deathgrip. The platforming sections rely heavily on puzzle solving through the use of Voidwalker with the use of Deathgrip sprinkled in for good measure.
Loot, Loot Everywhere
If there’s one thing fans of the RPG genre love, it’s loot. Argul’s Tomb doesn’t disappoint in this aspect as it dishes out loads of new loot (some Legendary) for Death to try out, in addition to more experience points for those not maxed out. Every group of dispatched enemies leaves behind a floor covered in loot. Well, maybe not completely covered, but you understand where I’m going with this; there’s a ton of loot. By the end of it all, you’ll have plenty of new equipment to compare, equip, sacrifice or whatever you decide to do with the huge haul. However, most of it will pale in comparison to the final reward following the fall of the final boss will most likely trump the rest.
NOT
A Single-Sitting Adventure
Argul’s Tomb, while enjoyable, is nothing more than a glorified side quest. I say this because narrative content is shallow (which I’ll get to later) and the quest comes to a close fairly quickly. Having a high-level Death on my second playthrough, the content was rather easy. None of the enemies were challenging (the puzzles could be considered more of a challenge), which allowed me to plow through everything in an hour and a half. This may vary depending on your level and difficulty setting, but I don’t see it extending far past the two hour mark.
Lacking Narrative
As I said, the DLC’s narrative is a bit shallow. Death ventures to the new icy area and comes across a familiar face, Ostegoth. The merchant tells Death the tale of Argul and how he was betrayed by the current King of the Dead, the Lord of Bones. There’s some decent backstory here, but it’s never really fleshed out; it’s just used as an excuse to go plunder a few icy caverns and kill a giant beast. Darksider’s campaign had an engrossing narrative that paired well with the gameplay, but this DLC only focuses on half of the overall package that we fell in love with last month.
Verdict
Darksider’s 2 first DLC, Argul’s Tomb, gives us a reason to revisit this wonderful title and get some more hands-on time with the Fourth Horseman. The varied mechanics, entertaining puzzle-solving, abundance of loot and epic final fight round out the high points of the additional content. However, some of this is counteracted by the incredibly short play time and weak story elements. If you purchased the game used, you may find that the $7 price tag is a bit much for the small offering. However, for those of you who purchased the game new, this free DLC is icing on the cake.
[Editor’s Note: Argul’s Tomb was reviewed on the PS3 platform. A voucher code was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]
