What are the pros of Darksiders™?

Engaging 'Zelda-like' action-adventure gameplay and exploration.. Compelling and powerful story involving the Four Horsemen.. Satisfying and immersive combat mechanics that feel 'old-school' in a positive way.. Strong sense of progression and variety across different gameplay genres..

What are the cons of Darksiders™?

Severe technical instability including crashes on startup and during gameplay.. Requires manual troubleshooting, such as adjusting CPU affinity and resolution, to function on modern PCs.. Poor Steam Deck compatibility with reports of hard locks during cutscenes.. Dated visuals and finicky controls compared to the newer Warmastered Edition..

Darksiders™

Deceived by the forces of evil into prematurely bringing about the end of the world, War – the first Horseman of the Apocalypse – stands accused of breaking the sacred law by inciting a war between Heaven and Hell. In the slaughter that ensued, the demonic forces defeated the heavenly hosts and laid claim to the Earth.

89%

Very Positive

DeveloperVigil Games

PublisherTHQ Nordic

Release DateSep 23, 2010

Peak Players3.9K

Metacritic83

PlatformsWindows

Action

Adventure

AI Review Summary

Darksiders is a highly regarded action-adventure title praised for its 'Zelda-like' exploration and a powerful story centered on honor and betrayal. While the core gameplay and mechanics are considered to have aged like fine wine, this original version is plagued by technical issues on modern hardware.

Pros

Engaging 'Zelda-like' action-adventure gameplay and exploration.90%
Compelling and powerful story involving the Four Horsemen.80%
Satisfying and immersive combat mechanics that feel 'old-school' in a positive way.85%
Strong sense of progression and variety across different gameplay genres.70%

Cons

Severe technical instability including crashes on startup and during gameplay.90%
Requires manual troubleshooting, such as adjusting CPU affinity and resolution, to function on modern PCs.80%
Poor Steam Deck compatibility with reports of hard locks during cutscenes.70%
Dated visuals and finicky controls compared to the newer Warmastered Edition.85%

Notable Mentions

Many players explicitly recommend purchasing the 'Warmastered Edition' instead of this original version for better compatibility.
Steam Deck users should be aware that cutscenes are known to cause the game to hard lock within the first hour.
The game is frequently described as a 'hidden gem' for fans of classic action-adventure titles.

Confidence: 57%

Based on the 43 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Oct 15, 2026

Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak

Peak · last 90 days

All-time peak

3.9K

Review Sentiment

Last 30 days

100%

All-time positive

89%

Review Statistics

Total Reviews13.0K

Positive: 11.5K (89%)Negative: 1.4K (11%)

Reviews from Steam Deck

Dev Response Rate

21h

Avg Playtime at Review

70%

Credible Reviews

Darksiders™