. The Darkness II Lighting
. What is the Darkness?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDAS7J8HBbc
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The Darkness II (2K Games, 2012) is an excellent example of how both light and shadow are utilised to accentuate the visual style and game play mechanics. The game follows the story of a character named Jackie Estacado who harbours a negative entity or demon known as 'The Darkness'. Jackie's past lifestyle and experiences rendered him as a lost soul, ruled by sorrow, anger and misfortune. He leads a past of regret and a future of loneliness, the perfect vessel for The Darkness to inhabit. The demon itself calls upon the emotionally weak and offers them the chance to have new strength, new power and a new life, although this proves to become a downfall in the progressing narrative. Jackie Estacado craved The Darkness to give him the strength and freedom to forge a new life for himself, but his choices concluded that although he became stronger, The Darkness is the one who controls him (2kgamesinternational, 2011). Although in the sequel Jackie had managed to maintain stability of The Darkness, new events brought back memories he had hoped to forget. Thus encouraging Jackie to lose himself and succumb to the parasite, enabling him to conquer his new enemies but reverting him back to the demon he once used to be. (2K Games, 2012) It is interesting because although this demon is a physical entity, it almost acts as metaphor for the mental instability of the character. It's as if its expressing his emotional battles with 'The Darkness' demon acting as a visual representation of that suffering. "The story of Jackie's battle with evil forces remains important, but it always comes back to Jenny and his inner conflict, something that's easy to identify and empathise with." (Anthony Gallegos, 2012) This statement supports my understanding of The Darkness as a strong and emotionally captivating story, that adds depth and immersion for the player. Applying such deep feelings in The Darkness II (2K Games, 2012) enables us as the player to connect to the main character in a strong and emotional way. We understand his struggle as an individual and can empathise with the submission to his fate, which encourages the player to condone his actions and play more intensely. The narrative and composition of characters enables players to connect with the game on a deep and emotional level. Making the overall experience incredibly immersive as we are able to relate and understand the given situations. (Anthony Gallegos, 2012)
It is a compelling concept that traditionally represents the feelings associated with light and shadow as good and evil. As previously stated, in many cultures and histories, we associate light to represent good and darkness to represent evil. (Ann Franklin, 2002) This analogy is heavily represented in The Darkness II (2K Games, 2012) to express the concept of the narrative, visual style and character. Within the core mechanics of The Darkness II (2K Games, 2012) light is used to not only highlight areas of importance in the game, but also effect the player in which you control. The main character, Jackie Estacado inhabits a demon that merges itself to it's host like a parasite. This parasite know to be 'The Darkness' thrives and is strengthened when concealed in shadow. If it is exposed to lighter environments or areas, it becomes weak and damaged. This detail is represented when you play as Jackie, especially during action sequences. You have to utilise the darkness in your environment to obtain an upper hand on your foes. Exposing yourself to light will only weaken and lessen your chances of progression within the story. This is a clever concept as not only is light and shadow represented in the visual design, it also plays an important role in the core game play mechanics and the emotional struggle of the main character. (2kgamesinternational, 2011)
Bibliography:
2K Games (2012) The Darkness [video game] Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony Playstation 3.
2kgamesinternational (2011) What is The Darkness?. [video online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kDAS7J8HBbc [Accessed: 4th Feburary 2013].
Gallegos, A. (2012) The Darkness II Review. [online] Available at: http://uk.ign.com/articles/2012/02/07/the-darkness-ii-review [Accessed: 5 Feb 2013].
FRANKLIN, A. (2002). Midsummer: magical celebrations of the summer solstice. St. Paul, Minn, Llewellyn Publications.
2kgamesinternational (2011) The Darkness II studio tour - Lighting the Darkness. [video online] Available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XLZ0OHhlz8 [Accessed: 4th Feburary 2013].
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