Darksiders 4 was a long time coming, so seeing the game get an official announcement during THQ’s recent showcase was gratifying to many. This entry is finally going to continue that main storyline from the first game and have all four horsemen be playable. Considering how each of the three games differed somewhat in play style, this could be interesting.
But does anyone find it weird how Strife doesn’t have a solo game?
It’s been something of a tradition to spotlight each of the four horsemen in their own game, with War, Death, and Fury being the clear examples of that. Strife not getting his own title is an odd move, to say the least, but considering the long wait to get all four horsemen in one game, fans are okay with breaking tradition.
Does Genesis Count?
Each game before Darksiders 4 spotlighted a horseman and gave them different gameplay loops. War (Darksiders) was a more violent take on classic 3D Zelda, Death (Darksiders 2) was a looter-slasher that was inspired by Diablo, and Fury (Darksiders 3) went the Soulslike route.
Now they’re all together, and Strife feels like a bit of an afterthought.
To be fair, Strife was playable in the prequel game Darksiders: Genesis, which was a good time. However, it was a game that let you switch between Strife and War, so it didn’t feel like a proper showcase for him. The fact his game was also a top-down slasher gave his game spinoff vibes, especially since his siblings/comrades had fully 3D installments.
Running Out of Time…
It’s not too surprising to see THQ move forward with Darksiders 4, as the story has been pretty stagnant for a while now. Granted, everyone knew that each of the apocalypse’s horsemen would be getting a solo game before the story was resolved, but it’s been going on for too long. Strife could always get a solo title after this, but it feels like now is the time to unite this whole group.
People forget that Darksiders came out all the way back in 2010 and has slowly been churning out its sequels. This writer does respect how these games aren’t rushing this tale, while also trying to make each character’s adventure feel distinct. But some fans want to move on and it just feels right finally continuing from where the first story left off with the fourth entry.
(Because they’re the four horsemen).
What Could Have Been…
Based on the playstyle of Strife in Genesis, it wouldn’t have been impossible to imagine his game being a third-person shooter with close-range combat. Maybe something similar to Evil West, which did a good job of combining shooting with spectacle fighter elements. It’s a shame that we won’t get that new game right now, but there’s always the future.
It’s not impossible to assume that Strife will get plenty of the spotlight when Darksiders 4 comes out. Depending on how this fourth game plays, it’s easy to assume each of these characters will get a standout moment or two. Strife should probably get more since this could have been his game.
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