​Darksiders III: Keepers of the Void Review

By Kevin Mitchell Posted on September 8, 2019

At launch, Darksiders III was already a great addition to the series, although suffering from slowdown, hitching, and occasional balancing issues. The first downloadable content (DLC) lacked substance, featuring a battle arena horde mode with a handful of new bosses as well as additional armor sets. Keepers of the Void, the second DLC, looks to satiate those looking for substance than the wave-based progression of The Crucible. Everyone's favorite demon, Vulgrim, has a new request for Fury, granted that you have played enough of the base game to unlock the first Hollow. Keepers of the Void can't be completed until all four Hollows are acquired but does allow you to play each section as you unlock them. This ensures the new content can be enjoyed for those that have already completed the game, and those still playing through it.

Ancient stone golems are invading Vulgrim's Serpent Holes, which allow you to travel between locations instantly. Fury is tasked with cleansing all four wings, testing each of your abilities in the process. Of course, no good deed goes unrewarded, and in this case, players can finally get their hands on The Abyssal Armor; the top-tier armor set from the first two games. You'll also unlock a new weapon for each of the four Hollows after defeating one of the four bosses. For example, the new Flame Hollow weapons are claws instead of nunchucks, and the new Stasis Hollow weapon resembles a large ax, instead of an oversized hammer. After messing around with each one briefly, I went back to my original set, just because I spent so much time upgrading them already. A new option exists, letting you quicking swap between the old and new weapons, but it is turned off by default.

While The Crucible focused strictly on combat encounters, Keepers of the Void adds traditional Darksiders puzzle elements. Considering you'll be facing various stone enemies throughout, it is only fitting that the environment is comprised of nothing more than crumbling gray stone structures, hovering over the infinite void. The only notable differences between the wings are glowing colored lanterns, matching each of the four Hollows colors; red, yellow, blue, and purple. Using the power of your hollows, you'll activate orbs that move and manipulate blocks in the required sequential order. Your flame hollow physically moves blocks, while the remaining Hollows assist in your traversal; such as adding whirlwinds to reach new heights. The difficulty gradually increases, as you must rely on a combination of each of your Hollows to manipulate the stone blocks.

The final (and lengthy) puzzle sequence in each area culminates with a boss fight against a golem that utilizes the power of the respectful Hollow required to open that specific wing. These massive golems may not have much to say but will test your combat prowess. As someone who hasn't played the game in months, it did take multiple attempts to defeat each one. They mainly follow a similar attack pattern, with direct physical attacks and devastating area of effect abilities. Don't get too eager, as you may get lured into explosives that can drain your health quickly. For reference, my Fury was level 52 going into the DLC content with 530 health points. As I mentioned earlier, you unlock a new weapon after defeating each bruting golem. With all four bosses down, you gain access to the final (and much bigger) boss, who very much fills in the last piece to the narrative. The Abyssal Armor, which you earn as your reward, is the best armor in the series, adding bonuses to your damage output and health and wrath bar regeneration. It's just a shame that Keepers of the Void is the final DLC in the game, and I found myself with nothing more to do in the game.

Gunfire Games has really worked hard on improving the game's performance, and it plays even better than it did at launch. Gone are almost all occurrences of hitching and stuttering. Earlier this year, a new game plus mode was added; however, it only works after you defeat the final boss post-patch. Those that have already completed the game will have to beat the final boss again before the option appears. It may seem like a minor setback, but it certainly begs the question of why it couldn't be added to the main menu instead.

SImply Put

Darksiders III: Keepers of the Void is an enjoyable, classic feeling piece of content that gives an added touch of freshness to the game. Clocking in around four hours, I found it to be the better of the two pieces of DLC that the game received. The puzzle-solving feels very much like the original game in the series and the bosses add a decent challenge on all difficulties. However, it is disappointing that the Abyssal Armor is locked behind a paywall.