February 7, 2012 - Good - I applaud everything that developer Starbreeze did to establish The Darkness in video game form, but Digital Extremes takes things a step further and the end results are truly impressive.

February 7, 2012 - Good - Despite the anticlimactic ending, shoddy boss fights, and lackluster multiplayer, The Darkness 2 is an extremely impressive game. It oozes style, packs an emotional punch, and manages to be effectively balance bombastic violence with understated character development, ensuring that when the Darkness is unleashed you care.

February 7, 2012 - Good - The Darkness II is more of a rebirth for the series than the sequel it's trying to be. The action is mindless and fevered, and Jackie has transformed from a vengeful protagonist into someone who probably listens to "Dream Weaver" as he cries himself to sleep. I found it to be an interesting journey, mostly just to see how different it is from the original.

February 7, 2012 - Good - The Darkness II is a fun, very short FPS without the authentic atmosphere and subtle touches that made its predecessor so intriguing. Still, if you've got a lust for virtual blood, The Darkness II leaks enough of it to satiate you.

February 10, 2012 - Good - If The Darkness III were to combine the best of the first and second games, we'd have ourselves a winner for the ages - as it stands, we have a game definitely worth a playthrough, but probably not worth tripping over yourself to slap down the cash for.

February 7, 2012 - Good - Despite some problems with polish and a story that takes time to develop into something great, The Darkness II ends up as an early treat in the new year. The narrative elements help the pacing considerably, breaking up Jackie's engaging and brutal murderfests. It may not end up being the best shooter of 2012, but it could very well be the one that makes you feel the most powerful.

February 7, 2012 - Good - It's not as clever or as remarkable as the game it follows, but The Darkness II is still a great deal of fun for its six hours running time, and can lay claim to being one of the most empowering shooters we've played in recent months.

March 15, 2012 - Good - There is no escaping just how brutally violent The Darkness II actually is but Digital Extremes have actually managed to make it work beyond giving the impression that it is just violence for violence's sake. [...] The Darkness II truly is a revelation and the first pleasant surprise of 2012 although it is definitely not for the faint of heart.