As a huge fan of the Darksiders franchise, I?ll admit I had a healthy amount of skepticism heading into Darksiders Genesis. Gameplay makes a radical shift to an isometric view, Strife gets paired up with War, and it?s developed by a different team than the mainline numbered games. But this prequel spin-off ended up surprising me, with gameplay that felt true to the series and a ?buddy cop? dynamic between War and Strife that adds, rather than takes away. I still want a full-scale adventure as Strife (let my favorite horseman get his due!), but this holdover prequel experience by Airship Syndicate is a quality Darksiders adventure that earns its place in the canon, hinting at the immense possibilities for the franchise.
Darksiders Genesis formally introduces us to the fourth horseman, Strife, finally making the gunslinger playable for the first time in the series. We?ve seen him (or his guns) pop up in a few places before, but this is where we actually get to know the final horseman. Yet, it?s a bit unusual that Strife makes his debut in a non-numbered entry. War, Death, and Fury each starred in Darksiders 1, 2, and 3 respectively, telling each of their individual stories around the time of War?s 100-year imprisonment after he was framed for starting the apocalypse. The expectation, of course, was that Darksiders 4 would follow this format with Strife?and it still might. There?s a reason this game doesn?t bear the number 4.
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