Darksiders II
Darksiders II starts at nearly the same time as the start of the first Darksiders. After War is convicted and sent back to Earth by the Charred Council, they inform the three other Horsemen of his fate. The Horseman Death, knowing that his brother War is the most honorable and incorruptible of the four, and would never have started the Apocalypse early, flies into a rage. Believing his brother is victim of a conspiracy, Death defies the Council's orders and sets out on a personal mission to find proof of his brother's innocence. Death travels to the Nether Realms, a place between Heaven and Hell, to call in favors from powerful beings that rule the realm.
Unlike the first game, Darksiders II places emphasis on RPG elements. Death can equip himself with various types of armor and weapon sets. A loot system has also been added, in which Death can acquire items from fallen enemies. There also appears to be a currency system.
Darksiders II is even larger and more of a Wide Open Sandbox than its predecessor. The game takes Death across multiple dungeons and city hubs, NPCs who can give out side quests or allow Death to increase his skills.
- Anti-Hero: Death is described as an arrogant, cold and calculating anti-hero who is resourceful and opportunistic: he doesn't wait for things to happen; rather, he causes them to happen. Death is the official leader of the Horsemen: as such, he is very level headed and mature. He is very harsh on the others, as he was not hesitant in cutting off War's left arm in order to teach him a lesson. Despite this, Death cares deeply for his brothers and sister, as any older sibling would. He took a blow for Fury, and the events of Darksiders II show that he was willing to stand up to The Charred Council to prove his brother's innocence alone, knowing War to be the most honorable of the Horsemen. As the Horseman of Death, he may also appear somewhat morbid and ominous toward those who speak to him. He also possesses a dark sense of humor and sees killing as an art, rather than a duty as War does.
- Big Brother Instinct: Death is willing to defy the Charred Council to prove War innocent of starting the premature apocalypse.
- Blade on a Stick: One of Death's weapons is a very large, naginata-looking glaive.
- Body Horror: Death's horse Despair has rotting flesh and visible bones.
- Colossus Climb: One boss in the game is a gigantic golem-like creature that requires the player to destroy its weak spots.
- Dark and Troubled Past: The Horsemen took part in the Nephilim genocide in exchange for being spared. Death bears the greater burden of guilt over his actions, and wears his mask to remind him of what he had done.
- Drop the Hammer: One of Death's many weapons are large war-hammers.
- Expy: Death combines physical appearance of Raziel with Magnificent Bastard personality of Kain: two main protagonists of Legacy of Kain franchise.
- Fragile Speedster: Death is more agile than War, and is capable of doing many acrobatic evasions. His fighting style is a lot faster. The downside is that he cannot block.
- Glowing Eyes of Doom: Despair.
- The Grim Reaper: Appropriately enough, Death's Reaper Form looks exactly like the modern depictions of the Grim Reaper.
- Hearing Voices: The Crowfather is constantly hearing voices. This is probably a result of carrying the amulet that stores the souls of the dead Nephilim.
- Impaled with Extreme Prejudice: Death does this to the Crowfather, who had shapeshifted into War, after beating him back into his original form.
- In the Hood: Death in his Reaper Form. Also the Angel known as The Archon.
- Le Parkour: Death excels in this.
- Mad Artist: Death sees killing as an art.
- Noble Demon: Death thinks that War is the most honor bound of all the Horsemen, and would never have committed the crime he was accused of. Death himself is pretty noble as well, and he decides to work towards absolving War by, ironically enough, reviving humankind.
- Nonhuman Humanoid Hybrid: The Nephilim race were born out of the union of Angels and Demons.
- Ominous Floating Castle: The Court of the Lords of the Undead is a floating fortress which is drawn by two gigantic serpents.
- Ravens and Crows: Death has a raven named Dust who serves as his companion and guide. The Crowfather has many of these that serve as his familiars.
- Sinister Scythe: Death wields two short scythes. His Reaper Form wields a really large scythe.
- Swiss Army Weapon: "Death's primary weapon is a multipurpose Swiss army scythe" - the exact words of the lead designer.
- This Means War: Absalom, leader of the Nephilim, declared war on the Council after he and his race were exiled from Eden (which was then given to the humans), and attempted to take it back. It did not end well.