Darksiders 2 release date announced

By Wesley Yin-Poole Published 14 February, 2012

Pre-order bonuses revealed. New trailer released.

Darksiders 2 launches on 29th June for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, THQ has announced.

Pre-order from GAME, Gamestation and Gamestop in Ireland and you'll get the Death Rides pack. This includes side-quests in the Maker's Realm and Dead Plains areas. Here, you can earn additional experience and loot. You get to aid an ancient Construct, battle The Bloodless and retrieve Karn's lost treasure. THQ said today the content amounts to around two hours of gameplay.

Pre-order with Amazon.co.uk and you get the Deadly Despair pack. This gives you a speed boost for Despair that acts as a permanent perk.

There's another pre-order bonus pack, called Angel of Death, but this is yet to be tied to a retailer. With this you get a unique set of enhanced armour with an angel inspired design, a pair of upgraded matching scythes, and an exclusive visual trail for your companion crow Dust.

In THQ's release no mention is made of the promised Wii U version, set for launch alongside the console later this year.

Screenshots of the Death Ride and Deadly Despair packs, and a new trailer, are below.

Picture of Wesley.

About Wesley Yin-Poole

Wesley is Eurogamer's news editor. He likes news, interviews, and more news. He also likes Street Fighter more than anyone can get him to shut up about it.

Read more articles from Wesley by visiting the Wesley Yin-Poole archive page.

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Comments (34) Latest comment 3 months ago

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  • Eraysor #1 3 months ago

    Impressive that GAME is happy to lay off staff while still paying for these ludicrous pre-order exclusives...

  • agparrot #2 3 months ago

    Loved the first game, and am really looking forwards to this one.

    Another date for the diary.

  • Kanselier #3 3 months ago

    More Darksiders is never a bad thing. The first is criminally underrated. Can not wait!

  • evnewell #4 3 months ago

    I have a feeling this game will be a surprising success. I know the Genre is a little different, but it really reminds me of Batman:AC in a way.

    Can't wait.

  • lexxx #5 3 months ago

    Its not a criticism of the first game so much as the reaction to it, but i found all the comparisons to Zelda or claims that it was a 'grown up' Zelda to be quite misleading.

  • Zerrin #6 3 months ago

    Haven't played the first one, but this does look interesting. Might pick it up at some point.

    Oh, wait, it's being published by Talentless Hateful Queefs. I'll pick it up pre-owned when it's down to £12.99 or less.

    I am interested to see what the Wii U version will look like, though.
    Edited by Zerrin at 14/02/12 @ 18:16

  • Stymphalius #7 3 months ago

    The first game was fun, but I'm really tired of all this pre-order bonus pack bullsh*t. Anyone paying full price for a game should receive all content, regardless of how superficial these pre-order bonuses are. I shudder to think of where this will lead a a couple years from now.

  • FenderMaster #8 3 months ago

    @lexxx I was considering buying this because of all the Zelda comparisons. So this isn't all that much like Zelda then?

  • Shikasama #9 3 months ago

    That pre-order 'bonus' content is utter UTTER balls.

    2 hours of actual, full on game that you don't get unless you prostitute yourself to their preferred supplier.

    Screw that.

  • chaos_overlord #10 3 months ago

    This gives you a speed boost for Despair that acts as a permanent perk.
    I hope this can be turned off.

  • marmaduke #11 3 months ago

    Two hours my arse. What you get for pre-ordering is a Game Genie cheat and a cave with some chests in.

  • lexxx #12 3 months ago

    @FenderMaster the comparison mainly comes from the variety of weapons the character uses, but the game isn't at all like Zelda in other, more important ways. which isn't to say that it isn't fun, just not what I expected.

    can't think of anything off the top of my head, but i'm sure others can suggest games to which Darksiders is more similar, to give you a more accurate comparison.
    Edited by lexxx at 14/02/12 @ 18:32

  • dudefella #13 3 months ago

    I hate retailer-exclusive pre-order bonuses with a seething passion. It is the single worst thing about the games industry right now.

  • Wot_the_Melon #14 3 months ago

    I'm convinced I've seen that trailer before... I don't think it's new! YOU WON'T CONVINCE ME THE TRAILER IS NEW! I AM NOT CRAZY!

  • CoffeeScamp #15 3 months ago

    I hate pre-order exclusives. :mad:

    People were up in arms about KoA: Reckoning locking out a few quests to those who bought new..

    This is locking out quests to only those who pre-order and from a specified retailer.

  • bad09 #16 3 months ago

    To those complaining about this pre order bonus rubbish it's pointless complaining about it, the industry knows full well it's a practice looked down on by customers and don't care because it gives them cheap marketing.

    Let your wallet show your views to them.

  • razzafazza #17 3 months ago

    THQ is easily the shittiest publisher there is, damn shame they have such great franchises like darksiders , saints or 40k.

    i m no fan of EA or activision but compared to the greed and incompetence of THQ they are saints (no pun intented).

    wouldnt lose a tear over them going to hell as long as volition & vigil can find a better publisher that doesnt ruin their games reputation with rip-off DLCs.

  • SFD #18 3 months ago

    @Kanselier

    +1

    Quality game.

  • FladgeMangle #19 3 months ago

    @FenderMaster

    The original was similar Zelda because of the item acquisition and boss fights. EG If you got a hookshot, you used it to defeat the next boss, that kind of thing.

    There was also a nexux of sorts and large explorable areas within which new sections could be unlocked with fresh equipment and/or power ups.

    You "levelled up" by gaining more health, magic and better weapons.

    You also had a horse. All in all, I found it to be very much a "grown up Zelda" as far as the basic game mechanics were concerned.

    The main differences was the combat, which was more like God of War or Dante's Inferno than Zelda. Plus the setting and story were wildly different of course. Not a single hapless princesses to rescue or odd looking villager to fetch and carry for. War was also quite chatty and sounded a bit like Pierce Bronson with a hangover.

    I've no idea how much of this has remained in the new game.

  • Daeltaja #20 3 months ago

    Here we go again. Console Industry is a fucked up place at the moment.

  • darkmorgado #21 3 months ago

    "Pre-order from GAME, Gamestation and Gamestop in Ireland"

    Only in Ireland?

  • riceNpea #22 3 months ago

    @darkmorgado

    because soon it'll be the only place those shops will be trading in.

  • super_monty #23 3 months ago

    That's a lot of content for pre-order, the problem with GameStation and Game these days is that there is virtually nothing on the shelves which is new.
    Edited by super_monty at 14/02/12 @ 19:50

  • juliankennedy23 #24 3 months ago

    Hmmm preorder for $60 bucks top get trinkets or buy new for a 20 spot in June....

  • ozzzy189 #25 3 months ago

    Got stuck on the first game wandering round aimlessly. Never went back after two failed attempts over a couple of months. at finding out where I was meant to be going.

  • kinky_mong #26 3 months ago

    Darksiders 2 launches on 29th June for PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, THQ has announced.

    Pre-order from GAME, Gamestation...

    Pfft, like they'll still be around in June!

    I shall instead pre-order from the cheapest most realiable place, or wait a few weeks for it be nearly half the price (probably the former because I really liked the first Darksiders). This exclusive pre-order DLC will most likely be available on the marketplace at a later date anyway.

  • 32768Colours #27 3 months ago

    Rather than "adding value" with this shit, could they not give me genuine value by just cutting the price of the sodding game?

    No, I suppose that'd be too bloody simple.

    Still, I'm looking forward to the game. I'll be interested to see what they do with the Wii U version.

  • bad09 #28 3 months ago

    @32768Colours

    It's not about adding value it's about getting people to buy games before reviews hit, you not noticed reviews tend to come day of release or after ;)

  • FenderMaster #29 3 months ago

    ok, thanks lexxx and FladgeMangle, sounds pretty good. God of War combat is great, but I prefer Zeldas level design, progression, exploration and puzzles. Sounds like my kind of game!

  • HerrQwerty #30 3 months ago

    When's the WiiU release date? That's the only thing me and my hundreds of friends care about. lol.

  • 32768Colours #31 3 months ago

    @bad09

    Yeah I hadn't looked at it that way. I'd always just assumed that it was because retailers didn't think they could compete on price so they'd offer extras to try and "one up" their competitors. Probably, its a bit of both :)

    Its a load of bollocks either way though; how are you supposed to know which extras are the better deal and how can everyone be said to have the same experience if we all end up with different stuff?

  • Malino6 #32 3 months ago

    @FladgeMangle @FenderMaster Points well made. I think one of the other things that it reminded me of was Devil May Cry 4. The guns in both very useless and you were always far better off hacking and slashing.

    As a game it was good enough that I spent a good while wondering around in an attempt to find all the hidden items. Sign of a good game, much the same as Crackdown and Arkham Asylum.

  • zegerman1942 #33 3 months ago

    Can't wait for this one! The first a very big positive surprise for me and this is a must buy. Just hope that the series will live on after THQ goes down.

  • penhalion #34 3 months ago

    Stop with the pre-order crap already!

    I loved darksiders and I'm sure I'll love this one too but, I wish they would take advantage of the epic nature of the characters. Death shouldn't be able to die himself so they should have an other realm that he slips into much the same as legacy of kain (unless they do already and I just didn't notice them mention it).

    The mood should also be that he's just plain automatically feared by everything as even so called immortals wouldn't be able to beat a bout of good old death. I would have thought the only thing keeping them immortal would be some kind of rule governing deaths actions and given the gloves are off now...well out goes the rule book wouldn't you say!

    Basically I'd like death to actually feel like he's the final destination for everyone involved and they know it. Instead, seeing the way the other characters interact with him, it feels more like he's seriously under powered and not very feared by anyone.