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Changed line(s) 44 (click to see context) from:
* DefiantToTheEnd: While being tortured by Shrote, most of Jackie's dialogue options involve flinging insults at the nearby cops. True, [[spoiler: Jackie actually intended to die on this particular mission]], but it's pretty impressive considering that Jackie is managing speaking with a ''hole drilled through his face.''
to:
* DefiantToTheEnd: While being tortured by Shrote, most of Jackie's dialogue options involve flinging insults at the nearby cops. True, [[spoiler: Jackie actually intended to die on this particular mission]], but it's pretty impressive considering that Jackie is managing speaking to speak with a ''hole drilled through his face.''
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* DefiantToTheEnd: While being tortured by Shrote, most of Jackie's dialogue options involve flinging insults at the nearby cops. True, [[spoiler: Jackie actually intended to die on this particular mission]], but it's pretty impressive considering that Jackie is managing speaking with a ''hole drilled through his face.''
--> Keep lickin' Eddie's ass, ya cunts. Polish that sweet butt crack.
--> Keep lickin' Eddie's ass, ya cunts. Polish that sweet butt crack.
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Changed line(s) 155 (click to see context) from:
*** TheLancer: Vinnie, Jackie's Consigliere.
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*** TheLancer: Vinnie, Jackie's Consigliere.[[TheConsigliere Consigliere]].
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** TheEvilGenius: Graves (the money behind the Brotherhood), though Victor has more aspects of it, somewhat of an EvilCounterpart to Johnny.
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** TheEvilGenius: Mr Graves (the money behind the Brotherhood), though Brotherhood)
*** Victor has more aspects ofit, this though, somewhat of an EvilCounterpart to Johnny.
*** Victor has more aspects of
Changed line(s) 184 (click to see context) from:
* MultipleEndings: In the second game. The last time Jackie visits the asylum, he can either choose to stay with Jenny or [[spoiler:jump off a ledge. Either one is still a DownerEnding, but the former is more of an AndIMustScream moment, because it means that Jackie has become the puppet of The Darkness. The latter turns the whole game into a ShootTheShaggyDog story.]]
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* MultipleEndings: In the second game. The last time Jackie visits the asylum, he can either choose to stay with Jenny or [[spoiler:jump off a ledge. Either one is still a DownerEnding, but the former is more of an AndIMustScream moment, because it means that Jackie has become the puppet of The Darkness. The latter turns the whole game into a ShootTheShaggyDog story.ShaggyDogStory.]]
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Changed line(s) 194 (click to see context) from:
* ShowWithinAShow: Just like the [[=TVs=]] in the first game. The Asylum in the sequel plays a shadow theater of a story by HPLovecraft. It's got NightmareFuel aplenty.
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* ShowWithinAShow: Just like the [[=TVs=]] [=TVs=] in the first game. The Asylum in the sequel plays a shadow theater of a story by HPLovecraft. It's got NightmareFuel aplenty.
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Changed line(s) 169 (click to see context) from:
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the sequel, Jackie can grab poles with his tentacles and spear mooks with them.
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* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the sequel, Jackie can grab poles with his tentacles and spear mooks with them. There's even an achievement for getting two enemies at once with it: [[AscendedMeme 2 Guys 1 Pole]].
* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Finding yourself something to use as a shield, be it [[SuperStrength a torn off car door]], a street sign, or an actual combat shield, is useful in gameplay for a few extra hits. Then again, there's also the fact that ThrowingYourShieldAlwaysWorks if you get a good hit.
* OffWithHisHead: The Daisy Pop Hitman execution.
* OrificeInvasion: The Throat Plunge Power Execution and [[AssShove Assecution]] Demonic Execution.
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* ShowWithinAShow: Just like the TVs in the first game. The Asylum in the sequel plays a shadow theater of a story by HPLovecraft. It's got NightmareFuel aplenty.
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* ShowWithinAShow: Just like the TVs [[=TVs=]] in the first game. The Asylum in the sequel plays a shadow theater of a story by HPLovecraft. It's got NightmareFuel aplenty.
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Changed line(s) 120 (click to see context) from:
* ArtShift: The first game used a more-realistic art style; the sequel is cell shaded.
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* ArmorIsUseless: Subverted. Armored Brotherhood agents and especially shielded ones can take more punishment than ones with no armor, though sufficient upgrades can decrease its efficiency greatly.
* ArtShift: The first game used a more-realistic art style; the sequelis cell shaded.uses CelShading for a more comic-like look.
* ArtShift: The first game used a more-realistic art style; the sequel
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* BadassBookworm: J.P. Dummond.
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* BadassBookworm: [[WitchDoctor J.P. Dummond.Dummond]].
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* FastballSpecial: In ''The Darkness 2'', Jackie can lift the Darkling and fling him at enemies.
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* FastballSpecial: In ''The Darkness 2'', Jackie can lift the Darkling and fling him at enemies. [[FunnyMoments The Darkling is not amused]].
Changed line(s) 151,157 (click to see context) from:
* Jackie and his lieutenants also function as this, for the most part:
** [[TheHero The]] ([[AntiHero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Again, Jackie.
** TheLancer: Vinnie, Jackie's Consigliere.
** TheSmartGuy: Johnny Powell, who provides most of the information on the Darkness, the artefacts found in the game, and the Brotherhood.
** TheBigGuy: Tony.
** TheChick: Aunt Sarah.
** TheSixthRanger: Dolpho.
** [[TheHero The]] ([[AntiHero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Again, Jackie.
** TheLancer: Vinnie, Jackie's Consigliere.
** TheSmartGuy: Johnny Powell, who provides most of the information on the Darkness, the artefacts found in the game, and the Brotherhood.
** TheBigGuy: Tony.
** TheChick: Aunt Sarah.
** TheSixthRanger: Dolpho.
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* HeroicMime: Averted even in gameplay now. Jackie and the Vendettas characters talk in and out of gameplay with people around them.
* LudicrousGibs: What happens to people who die by [[SpellBlade Gun Channeling]] or [[UnrealisticBlackHole Black Hole]].
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* ViolentGlaswegian: Jimmy, [[ExaggeratedTrope dear]] [[AxCrazy christ]] [[BloodKnight Jimmy]].
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* ViolentGlaswegian: Jimmy, [[ExaggeratedTrope dear]] [[AxCrazy christ]] Christ]] [[BloodKnight Jimmy]].
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* WeaponOfChoice: Each Vendettas character has his or her own specialized Darkness relic.
** Inugami wields [[KatanasAreJustBetter Kusnagi]].
** J.P. Dummond has [[MagicStaff a Midnight Stick]].
** Shoshanna has [[HandCannon Arm of the Night]].
** Jimmy uses [[AnAxToGrind the Dark Axe]].
** Inugami wields [[KatanasAreJustBetter Kusnagi]].
** J.P. Dummond has [[MagicStaff a Midnight Stick]].
** Shoshanna has [[HandCannon Arm of the Night]].
** Jimmy uses [[AnAxToGrind the Dark Axe]].
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** TheEvilGenius: Graves (the money behind the Brotherhood), though Victor has more aspects of it, somewhat of an EvilCounterpart to Johnny.
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Changed line(s) 3,4 (click to see context) from:
->''Once The Darkness get's a hold of you, you start to lose control. You start to wonder what the fuck you're doin'. Time slips away from you. And then, all of a sudden, it's like your sittin' in a theater, watchin' a movie of your own life. And your up there on the big screen. Big as life, your a fuckin' movie star. And your killin' all the bad guys-tearing them limb from limb. And you feel good. You look good. Fuck, you are good. And then you realize somethin'. Everyone else in the theater-they're screamin', 'cuz they're watchin' a horror movie. And you're not the hero...''
to:
->''Once The Darkness get's a hold of you, you start to lose control. You start to wonder what the fuck you're doin'. Time slips away from you. And then, all of a sudden, it's like your sittin' in a theater, watchin' a movie of your own life. And your up there on the big screen. Big as life, your a fuckin' movie star. And your killin' all the bad guys-tearing them limb from limb. And you feel good. You look good. Fuck, you are good. [[HeelRealization And then you realize somethin'. something'.]] Everyone else in the theater-they're screamin', 'cuz they're watchin' a [[MookHorrorShow horror movie.movie]]. And you're not the hero...''
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** Then again in the sequel.
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* BackFromTheDead: Jackie, for the third time in the series.
to:
* BackFromTheDead: Jackie, for the third time in the series. [[spoiler:And the fourth. And the ''fifth''.]]
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* HellIsWar: The Otherworld in the first game is a nightmarish, unending version of WorldWarI that Anthony Estacado is stuck in.
Deleted line(s) 109 (click to see context) :
* WarIsHell: Literally!
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* DemotedToExtra: Butcher Joyce barely gets screen time and only optional dialogue, whereas he had a mission devoted to him in the original game.
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* PosthumousCharacter: Jenny Romano is expanded on far more than she was in the original game. [[spoiler:A major goal of Jackie in the game is to save her soul from the Darkness' torment in hell, not to revive her.]]
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* VirginPower: Implied to be averted, in contrast to the comic version. In various points during the second game, Jackie references conversations he had with his own father, who, if judging by the rules established in the comic, would not be alive to converse with. Jackie is still a CelibateHero, however.
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Deleted line(s) 75 (click to see context) :
** The Vendettas characters definitely qualify, with lines such as: "This pain tastes... sweet", "THE HOUND FEELS NO PAIN!!" and "YOU MEN AND YOUR LITTLE TOYS!!", among others.
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** The Vendettas characters definitely qualify, with lines such as: "This pain tastes... sweet", "THE HOUND FEELS NO PAIN!!" and "YOU MEN AND YOUR LITTLE TOYS!!", among others.
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Fixed a trivial grammar mistake. Please be more careful next time.
Changed line(s) 3,4 (click to see context) from:
->''Once The Darkness get's a hold of you, you start to lose control. You start to wonder what the fuck you're doin'. Time slips away from you. And then, all of a sudden, it's like your sittin' in a theater, watchin' a movie of your own life. And your up there on the big screen. Big as life, your a fuckin' movie star. And your killin' all the bad guys-tearing them limb from limb. And you feel good. You look good. Fuck, you are good. And then you realize somethin'. Everyone else in the theater-they're screamin', 'cuz they're watchin' a horror movie. And your not the hero...''
to:
->''Once The Darkness get's a hold of you, you start to lose control. You start to wonder what the fuck you're doin'. Time slips away from you. And then, all of a sudden, it's like your sittin' in a theater, watchin' a movie of your own life. And your up there on the big screen. Big as life, your a fuckin' movie star. And your killin' all the bad guys-tearing them limb from limb. And you feel good. You look good. Fuck, you are good. And then you realize somethin'. Everyone else in the theater-they're screamin', 'cuz they're watchin' a horror movie. And your you're not the hero...''
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** The Vendettas characters definitely qualify, with lines such as: "This pain tastes... sweet", "THE HOUND FEELS NO PAIN!!" and "YOU MEN AND YOUR LITTLE TOYS!!", among others.
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We have a separate trope for the inverted version.
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* YearInsideHourOutside: Inverted. The each asylum segment takes only a few minutes, but varying amounts of time pass in the real world while he's there. He's once there for four days.
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* YearInsideHourOutside: Inverted. The each YearOutsideHourInside: Each asylum segment takes only a few minutes, but varying amounts of time pass in the real world while he's there. He's once there for four days.
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Changed line(s) 163 (click to see context) from:
* Hypocrite: If you kill [[spoiler: Eddie]] for the SadisticChoice, his last words are to call you a son of a bitch. Kill the other guy, and he'll spend the rest of the game telling you [[SurvivorGuilt that you should've picked him]].
to:
* Hypocrite: {{Hypocrite}}: If you kill [[spoiler: Eddie]] for the SadisticChoice, his last words are to call you a son of a bitch. Kill the other guy, and he'll spend the rest of the game telling you [[SurvivorGuilt that you should've picked him]].
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Changed line(s) 106 (click to see context) from:
** ''The Darkness II'' places greater emphasis on gunplay, up to letting the player quad-wield. You read that right; double DualWielding..
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** ''The Darkness II'' places greater emphasis on gunplay, up to letting the player quad-wield. You read that right; double DualWielding..complementing it with The Darkness' mostly melee-based powers.
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** ''The Darkness II'' places greater emphasis on gunplay, up to letting the player quad-wield. You read that right; double DualWielding..
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Changed line(s) 3 (click to see context) from:
to:
->''Once The Darkness get's a hold of you, you start to lose control. You start to wonder what the fuck you're doin'. Time slips away from you. And then, all of a sudden, it's like your sittin' in a theater, watchin' a movie of your own life. And your up there on the big screen. Big as life, your a fuckin' movie star. And your killin' all the bad guys-tearing them limb from limb. And you feel good. You look good. Fuck, you are good. And then you realize somethin'. Everyone else in the theater-they're screamin', 'cuz they're watchin' a horror movie. And your not the hero...''
->''You're the monster...''
-->-- '''Jackie'''
->''You're the monster...''
-->-- '''Jackie'''
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Changed line(s) 175 (click to see context) from:
* NightmareFetishist: Johnny Powell seems truly fascinated by some of the relics that Jackie brings back to the penthouse, calling the soul-destroying [[ArtefactOfDoom Abysmal Maw]] "dark magic at it's sexiest," referring to the Dark Man statue as "this sexy guy," and upon seeing the Sister of Light, he remarks that Jackie always brings him the nicest things. That said, he does get a little bit agitated around some of the more visceral artefacts, and sounds quite disgusted when he reveals that the Reliquary of the Blessed Blood is supposed to contain [[spoiler: Jesus' foreskin]] but in reality, it contains [[spoiler: the foreskin of a guy named Miles from South Hammingtonshire.]]
to:
* NightmareFetishist: Johnny Powell seems truly fascinated by some of the relics that Jackie brings back to the penthouse, calling the soul-destroying [[ArtefactOfDoom [[ArtifactOfDoom Abysmal Maw]] "dark magic at it's sexiest," referring to the Dark Man statue as "this "[[SarcasmMode this sexy guy," guy]]," and upon seeing the Sister of Light, he remarks that Jackie always brings him the nicest things. That said, he does get a little bit agitated around some of the more visceral artefacts, and sounds quite disgusted when he reveals that the Reliquary of the Blessed Blood is supposed to contain [[spoiler: Jesus' foreskin]] but in reality, it contains [[spoiler: the foreskin of a guy named Miles from South Hammingtonshire.]]
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Changed line(s) 90,91 (click to see context) from:
* StuffedIntoTheFridge: Jenny. She's barely a character, and pretty much is Jackie's primary angst source in the story.
** Ironically, she's far better developed in the sequel, where she spends the entire game dead.
** Ironically, she's far better developed in the sequel, where she spends the entire game dead.
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* StuffedIntoTheFridge: [[spoiler: Jenny. She's barely a character, and pretty much is Jackie's primary angst source in the story.
story.]]
** [[spoiler: Ironically, she's far better developed in the sequel, where she spends the entire game dead.]]
** [[spoiler: Ironically, she's far better developed in the sequel, where she spends the entire game dead.]]
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* [[BannedInChina Banned in Singapore]]
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* NightmareFetishist: Johnny Powell seems truly fascinated by some of the relics that Jackie brings back to the penthouse, calling the soul-destroying [[ArtefactOfDoom Abysmal Maw]] "dark magic at it's sexiest," referring to the Dark Man statue as "this sexy guy," and upon seeing the Sister of Light, he remarks that Jackie always brings him the nicest things. That said, he does get a little bit agitated around some of the more visceral artefacts, and sounds quite disgusted when he reveals that the Reliquary of the Blessed Blood is supposed to contain [[spoiler: Jesus' foreskin]] but in reality, it contains [[spoiler: the foreskin of a guy named Miles from South Hammingtonshire.]]
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Changed line(s) 161 (click to see context) from:
* IronicEcho: If you kill [[spoiler: Frank]] in the SadisticChoice, his last words are "This is not your fault."; the same as [[spoiler: Jenny]]. [[BigBad Brother Victor]] lampshades this.
to:
* IronicEcho: If you kill [[spoiler: Frank]] in the SadisticChoice, his last words are "This is not your fault."; fault,"- the same last words as [[spoiler: Jenny]]. [[BigBad Brother Victor]] lampshades this.
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Changed line(s) 65 (click to see context) from:
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' Over the course of the game, the only deaths that actually seem to stick for any amount of time are those that take place on Holy Ground- at the orphanage, when Jackie shoots himself following [[spoiler: Jenny's death]], and at the church, whem Jackie blows himself up with a bomb [[spoiler: intended to take Shrote with him.]] It took only a few weeks to recover from this.
to:
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' Over the course of the game, the only deaths that actually seem to stick for any amount of time are those that take place on Holy Ground- at the orphanage, when Jackie shoots himself following [[spoiler: Jenny's death]], and at the church, whem Jackie blows himself up with a bomb [[spoiler: intended to take Shrote with him.]] It dies twice. It's never specified how long he took only a few weeks to recover recover, but it's implied as having been from this.several days to a week or two.
Changed line(s) 105 (click to see context) from:
* WorldWarI: Whenever Jackie dies on Holy Ground, he goes here - or at least to hellish domain inspired by it, with immortal British soldiers condemned to die over and over again and German zombies who are little more than snarling beasts in uniform. One of the Brits suggests that none of them are actually real.
to:
* WorldWarI: Whenever Jackie dies [spoiler: commits suicide on Holy Ground, Ground]], he goes here - or at least to a hellish domain inspired by it, with immortal British soldiers condemned to die over and over again and German zombies who are little more than snarling beasts in uniform. One of the Brits suggests that none of them are actually real.
Changed line(s) 112 (click to see context) from:
* AffectionateNickname: The Darkling gives Jackie one of these in his very first appearance in the game- "Monkey."
to:
* AffectionateNickname: The Darkling gives calls Jackie one of these in his very first appearance in the game- "Monkey.""Monkey".
Changed line(s) 119 (click to see context) from:
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: The Asylum of the second game is populated and staffed by twisted reflections of people Jackie knew in the real world: Tony, Dolpho, Swifty and even Johnny Powell appear as patients; Vinnie, Chief, Frank, Eddie, and Mr Peevish are orderlies; Jenny is the one of the nurses; finally, Jimmy the Grape and Brother Victor are doctors. Also, the Darkling makes a surprise appearance as a human janitor, the only key to his true identity being his hunchback and Cockney accent.
to:
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: The Asylum of the second game is populated and staffed by twisted reflections of people Jackie knew in the real world: Tony, Dolpho, Swifty and even Johnny Powell appear as patients; Vinnie, Chief, Frank, Eddie, and Mr Peevish are orderlies; Jenny is the one of the nurses; finally, Jimmy the Grape and Brother Victor are doctors. Also, the Darkling makes a surprise appearance as a human janitor, the only key to his true identity being his hunchback and Cockney accent.
Changed line(s) 157 (click to see context) from:
* IGotBetter: The second game features Jackie [[BoomHeadshot getting shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]''; because this doesn't take place on Holy Ground, it takes less than four days for him to recover.
to:
* Hypocrite: If you kill [[spoiler: Eddie]] for the SadisticChoice, his last words are to call you a son of a bitch. Kill the other guy, and he'll spend the rest of the game telling you [[SurvivorGuilt that you should've picked him]].
* IGotBetter: The second game features Jackie [[BoomHeadshot getting shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in theface]]''; because this doesn't take place on Holy Ground, it face]]''. It takes less than about four days for him to recover.recover.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
* IGotBetter: The second game features Jackie [[BoomHeadshot getting shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
* IronicEcho: If you kill [[spoiler: Frank]] in the SadisticChoice, his last words are "This is not your fault."; the same as [[spoiler: Jenny]]. [[BigBad Brother Victor]] lampshades this.
* SadisticChoice: Between [[spoiler: Frank and Eddie. Take too long deciding, and the game automatically kills Eddie]].
Changed line(s) 177 (click to see context) from:
* SuicidalOverconfidence: This is played straight by melee enemies. Brotherhood cultists, using supernatural armor and axe-like weapons coupled with a religious fervor make sense. But the mafioso with the baseball bats?
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* SuicidalOverconfidence: This is played Played straight by melee enemies. Brotherhood cultists, using supernatural armor and axe-like weapons coupled with a religious fervor make sense. But the mafioso with the baseball bats?bats?
* ThoseTwoGuys: Frank and Eddie. And you have to [[spoiler: decide which of them dies]].
* ThoseTwoGuys: Frank and Eddie. And you have to [[spoiler: decide which of them dies]].
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Changed line(s) 153 (click to see context) from:
* HealingFactor: During the introduction, Jackie's [[TheAgonyOfTheFeet leg is badly mangled]] when a car crashes through the window in front of him; when he finally releases the Darkness, the player is treated to the sight of the bloodied leg regenerating. Furthermore, after being crucified by the Brotherhood and barely managing to escape, Jackie clearly sees the holes in his palms sealing shut.
to:
* HealingFactor: During the introduction, Jackie's [[TheAgonyOfTheFeet [[AgonyOfTheFeet leg is badly mangled]] when a car crashes through the window in front of him; when he finally releases the Darkness, the player is treated to the sight of the bloodied leg regenerating. Furthermore, after being crucified by the Brotherhood and barely managing to escape, Jackie clearly sees the holes in his palms sealing shut.
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* ColdBloodedTorture: At one point in the game, Shrote captures Jackie and tortures him by taking a power drill to his face; [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel this scene is shot from Jackie's POV.]]
Changed line(s) 69 (click to see context) from:
* MadBomber: The Kamikaze Darkling in the first game.
to:
* MadBomber: The Kamikaze Darkling in the first game.Darkling.
* TortureTechnician: Shrote proves his credentials in this field when he manages to capture Jackie.
Changed line(s) 114 (click to see context) from:
* BackFromTheDead: Jackie, for the third time inthe series.
to:
* BackFromTheDead: Jackie, for the third time inthe series.in the series.
* BadassBookworm: J.P. Dummond.
* BadassBookworm: J.P. Dummond.
Changed line(s) 117 (click to see context) from:
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: [[spoiler: The Angelus in the second game. It appears to have chosen Jenny as its host well before Jackie manifested the Darkness. Jenny's death in the first game and Jackie's subsequent drive to save her from the Darkness in the second game lead Jackie to unwillingly condemn himself to Hell. It doesn't even bother to fight him. Jackie, for his part, wasn't planning to fight her ''anyway'', because he's kinda savvy himself.]]
to:
* ColdBloodedTorture: The Brotherhood's attempts at getting Jackie to surrender the Darkness involve a lot of this: the first time , they crucify him and then force him to watch [[spoiler: as one of his friends is executed.]] The second time, they shove him into an iron maiden; once [[spoiler: they succeed in extracting the Darkness]], they light a fire under the iron maiden and try to ''cook Jackie alive.''
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: [[spoiler: TheAngelus in the second game.Angelus. It appears to have chosen Jenny as its host well before Jackie manifested the Darkness. Jenny's death in the first game and Jackie's subsequent drive to save her from the Darkness in the second game lead Jackie to unwillingly condemn himself to Hell. It doesn't even bother to fight him. Jackie, for his part, wasn't planning to fight her ''anyway'', because he's kinda savvy himself.]]
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: [[spoiler: The
Changed line(s) 127 (click to see context) from:
* FirstPersonSmartass: Jackie's monologues.
to:
* FirstPersonSmartass: Jackie's monologues.In spite of all that's happened to him, Jackie still has his wiseass streak.
* HealingFactor: During the introduction, Jackie's [[TheAgonyOfTheFeet leg is badly mangled]] when a car crashes through the window in front of him; when he finally releases the Darkness, the player is treated to the sight of the bloodied leg regenerating. Furthermore, after being crucified by the Brotherhood and barely managing to escape, Jackie clearly sees the holes in his palms sealing shut.
Changed line(s) 157 (click to see context) from:
* MagicalRealism: The only supernatural phenomenon seen in the game is the Darkness itself (and, by association, the Darklings and the Darkness world). Apart from that, the characters and world are pretty realistic (albeit somewhat stylized).The sequel adds the Siphon and [[spoiler:the Angelus, the Darkness' light counterpart.]]
to:
* MagicalRealism: The only supernatural phenomenon seen Dropped in the game is sequel by the Darkness itself (and, by association, the Darklings and the Darkness world). Apart from that, the introduction of numerous characters and world are pretty realistic (albeit somewhat stylized).The sequel adds using magic or magical artefacts, the Siphon and being the most obvious example. The game also introduces [[spoiler:the Angelus, the Darkness' light counterpart.]]
Deleted line(s) 165 (click to see context) :
* {{Nerf}}: The Darkness' creations crumble in any strong light, not just sunlight, in order to make the entirely nocturnal game a challenge for the player.
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* NotWearingTights: Jackie never sports his costume from the comic series. Many other supernatural elements are also cut. This has the effect of making the supernatural elements actually ''more'' impressive when they do show up.
** The second game introduces a a skill tree system including the comic book "Darkness Armor" as an upgrade.
** The second game introduces a a skill tree system including the comic book "Darkness Armor" as an upgrade.
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* SuicidalOverconfidence: By all means, run ''toward'' the tentacle-spouting glowy-eyed superpowered hit man. Never mind that he can kill you five different ways without even needing to raise a pistol.
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you).
** This is played straight by melee enemies. Brotherhood cultists, using supernatural armor and axe-like weapons coupled with a religious fervor make sense. But the mafioso with the baseball bats?
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you).
** This is played straight by melee enemies. Brotherhood cultists, using supernatural armor and axe-like weapons coupled with a religious fervor make sense. But the mafioso with the baseball bats?
to:
* SuicidalOverconfidence: By all means, run ''toward'' the tentacle-spouting glowy-eyed superpowered hit man. Never mind that he can kill you five different ways without even needing to raise a pistol.
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you).
**This is played straight by melee enemies. Brotherhood cultists, using supernatural armor and axe-like weapons coupled with a religious fervor make sense. But the mafioso with the baseball bats?
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you).
**
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Repetition.
* AffectionateNickname: Jenny has one for Jackie- "Ratface," apparently one she started using when they were much younger.
Changed line(s) 63 (click to see context) from:
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just four days.
to:
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having Over the course of the game, the only deaths that actually seem to stick for any amount of time are those that take place on Holy Ground- at the orphanage, when Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in shoots himself following [[spoiler: Jenny's death]], and at the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just four days.church, whem Jackie blows himself up with a bomb [[spoiler: intended to take Shrote with him.]] It took only a few weeks to recover from this.
Changed line(s) 102 (click to see context) from:
* WorldWarI: Whenever Jackie dies ([[GameplayAndStorySegregation during the story, not in-game]], he goes here - or at least to hellish domain inspired by it, with immortal British soldiers condemned to die over and over again and Germans who are little more than snarling beasts in uniform. One of the Brits suggests that none of them are actually real.
to:
* WorldWarI: Whenever Jackie dies ([[GameplayAndStorySegregation during the story, not in-game]], on Holy Ground, he goes here - or at least to hellish domain inspired by it, with immortal British soldiers condemned to die over and over again and Germans German zombies who are little more than snarling beasts in uniform. One of the Brits suggests that none of them are actually real.
* AffectionateNickname: The Darkling gives Jackie one of these in his very first appearance in the game- "Monkey."
Changed line(s) 114,115 (click to see context) from:
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: The Asylum of the second game is populated and staffed by twisted reflections of people Jackie knew in the real world: Tony, Dolpho, Swifty and even Johnny Powell appear as patients; Vinnie, Chief, Frank, Eddie, and Mr Peevish are orderlies; Jenny is the only female nurse in the building; finally, Jimmy the Grape and Brother Victor are doctors. Also, the Darkling makes a surprise appearance as a human janitor, the only key to his true identity being his hunchback and Cockney accent.
** Actually Jenny isn't the only female nurse, just the only one with a name who says more to him than "Don't forget to take your medication".
** Actually Jenny isn't the only female nurse, just the only one with a name who says more to him than "Don't forget to take your medication".
to:
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: The Asylum of the second game is populated and staffed by twisted reflections of people Jackie knew in the real world: Tony, Dolpho, Swifty and even Johnny Powell appear as patients; Vinnie, Chief, Frank, Eddie, and Mr Peevish are orderlies; Jenny is the only female nurse in one of the building; nurses; finally, Jimmy the Grape and Brother Victor are doctors. Also, the Darkling makes a surprise appearance as a human janitor, the only key to his true identity being his hunchback and Cockney accent.
** Actually Jenny isn't the only female nurse, just the only one with a name who says more to him than "Don't forget to take your medication".accent.
** Actually Jenny isn't the only female nurse, just the only one with a name who says more to him than "Don't forget to take your medication".
Changed line(s) 134 (click to see context) from:
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Jackie
to:
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero ([[AntiHero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Jackie
Changed line(s) 140 (click to see context) from:
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Again, Jackie.
to:
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero ([[AntiHero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Again, Jackie.
Changed line(s) 151,152 (click to see context) from:
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just four days.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
to:
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having features Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get getting shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just face]]''; because this doesn't take place on Holy Ground, it takes less than four days.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.days for him to recover.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
Changed line(s) 154 (click to see context) from:
* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: [[WeakenedByTheLight Light]] again. The Brotherhood has been fighting the Darkness for centuries, and have gotten good at exploiting this.
to:
* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: [[WeakenedByTheLight Light]] again. The Brotherhood has been fighting the Darkness for centuries, and have gotten good at exploiting this.this: at one point, they booby trap a chokepoint with at least a dozen floodlights, incapacitating Jackie and allowing him to be captured.
Changed line(s) 156 (click to see context) from:
* MadBomber: Dolpho. In the co-op campaign, he always provides the explosives needed for the missions. For good measure, there's a good chance he's legitimatly insane, given that he spends his free time taking potshots at pigeons.
to:
* MadBomber: Dolpho. In the co-op campaign, he always provides the explosives needed for the missions. For good measure, there's a good chance he's legitimatly insane, given that he spends his free time taking potshots at pigeons.pigeons, and Jackie won't allow him out of the house.
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Wiki Magic, please help!
Added DiffLines:
[[quoteright:349:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/The_Darkness_cover_7959.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:349:Embrace the Darkness]]
A 2007 game based on [[TheDarkness the comic series]]. The Darkness features Jackie Estacado, nephew of don Paulie Franchetti, and hitman for the Franchetti Crime Family. However as soon as his 21st birthday comes, he inherits the evil known as the Darkness, which grants him abilities beyond his wildest blood-spattered dreams. Among these is the power to summon Darklings, little gremlin bastards that act somewhat as his multiple tiny alter-egos that are mostly interested in spouting off politically incorrect commentary and humor, but can disembowel an enemy at a moment's notice if Jackie commands it. Before Jackie first manifests the Darkness, Uncle Paulie betrays him and marks him for death, leading Jackie into a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
A sequel was released in February 2012, taking place two years after the first game. Jackie is [[spoiler: now the head of the Franchetti Crime Family]], and has managed to suppress the Darkness. However, when a mysterious group known as The Brotherhood attacks him looking for the Darkness, he must unleash it once again.
----
!!The first game contains examples of:
* AllThereInTheManual: The origin story for Anthony Estacado is explained in a special comic book issue published at the same time as the game. Reading it sheds a lot of light on the nature of the Darkness and Anthony's character that is otherwise left completely unexplained in the game. Fortunately, the book is viewable in-game as an unlockable extra.
* ArtShift: The first game used a more-realistic art style; the sequel is cell shaded.
* BackFromTheDead: Jackie. ''Twice''.
** Then again in the sequel.
** [[{{Unskippable}} "And that was the fifth time I died."]]
* [[spoiler:TheBadGuyWins: By carrying out his vengeance, Jackie sacrifices his soul to the Darkness. Exactly what this entails, however, isn't quite clear. You are not given the option to spare Paulie.]]
* BittersweetEnding: About a hair's breadth away from a DownerEnding. [[spoiler:Jackie finally surrenders himself to the Darkness during an eclipse in order to take out Paulie and his army of mooks. Jackie's personality is consumed entirely by the Darkness, but he's given a few moments to see Jenny one last time before he goes. It's implied by the "light in the darkness" lines that it may not be completely over for him, either... [[HopeSpot hopefully]].]]
** However, according to the sequel's intro, Jackie has managed to suppress The Darkness in-between games.
* BlandNameProduct: The game has "The Green Olive Grove" restaurant.
* BlatantLies:
-->'''Berserker Darkling''': I want to kill someone.
-->'''Gunner Darkling''': I am unfamiliar with the concept. ''[Attacks a mook.]'' Maybe not, I guess.
* BloodyHilarious: The Darklings are [[ComedicSociopathy psychopathic]] {{Cloudcuckoolander}}s.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: More than anything, one gets the impression that the Darkness simply ''does not understand'' how people work -- physically or mentally -- beyond their capacity for receiving and causing suffering.
--> '''The Darkness''': "Jackie, I fixed your broken head ball."
** Hell, the Darkness expected him to be pleased after it forced him to [[spoiler: [[ForcedToWatch watch Jenny be murdered]]]] because this would "make him stronger" and it seemed utterly bewildered when he chose instead [[spoiler: to kill himself]].
* BlackAndBlackMorality: Johnny lampshades this in the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Run5PYOy5ZQ Vendettas trailer]]. Jackie might have the moral highground, but that's damning with praise considering some of the stuff he does and the company he keeps.
--> '''Johnny:''' ''Evil is '''evil'''. Face it, we're not talking about soda pop here. There's no 'sugar free' option.''
* BorderPatrol: By all means, head directly into the subway tunnels. [[TooDumbToLive See what happens]].
** The Darkness mocks you when you do this, saying something along the lines of "this is not a very good idea..."
* BoringYetPractical: The pistols have pin-point accuracy even when fired as fast as possible, and you're tripping over spares for most of the game. Zoom in, aim for the head, and you can take out a bunch of enemies while saving energy you would have otherwise used on a black hole.
** The first Darkness power, Creeping Dark, can move further with each level, and the [=NPCs=] are notoriously incapable of hitting it. Furthermore, after making a kill you can eat the heart of your victim to refill Darkness energy to full. This combination makes it possible to clear entire rooms without entering them through most of the game.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: All four of the darklings in the game have their idiosyncracies, but the Berserker darkling is particularly unhinged. Even better, it's voiced by RichardHorvitz.
--> "'''I LIKE PENGUINS!'''"
* ConvenientEclipse.
* {{Cross-Melting Aura}}: In the first game, a solar eclipse supercharges Jackie's powers to the point where light bulbs (which would previously need to be shot or smashed) start exploding just by his very presence.
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Uncle Paulie shows shades of this but Shrote easily takes the cake as it takes him all of two seconds to figure out that the Darkness is vulnerable to light. From then on he sets up ambushes using floodlights and knocks Jackie out with flashbangs. Bonus points for making sure Jackie had multiple lights shining on him while he was interrogating him and stops his {{Mooks}} from indulging in JustBetweenYouAndMe. Paulie on the other hand just straps some floodlights to the front of his secret hideout and calls it good.
* DirtyCop: Tons of 'em. Jackie has disdain for said cops as well as for the mobsters who partner with them, since it dirties both of them.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Both games end very, ''very'' badly for Jackie.]]
* EasterEgg: Unlockable concept art and full issues of the comic.
* EleventhHourSuperpower: Of a kind: In the last stage of the game, Jackie mounts a one-man offensive against Uncle Paulie's island fortress. The attack begins at daylight, which would seem to be a stupid move on his part... except that an eclipse is due and as it progresses Jackie's power spikes. Lightbulbs start shattering ''by his mere presence.''
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Jackie and the old-school mobsters really hate partnering with dirty cops, drug money, and other bottom-of-the-barrel underworld stuff.
** The old-school mobsters are particularly disgusted when Paulie bombs an orphanage, while at the same time you can overhear Paulie's minions laughing about it.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Sometimes. The Darkness sometimes speaks in a low, gravelly tone, but sometimes uses a high, menacing hiss. One thing's for sure, it always sounds ''incredibly'' disturbing.
* FirstPersonGhost: Averted, Estacado's lower body is fully visible.
* FirstPersonShooter
* FirstPersonSmartass: Jackie's monologues.
* ForcedToWatch: The Darkness holds Jackie helpless while [[spoiler: Paulie shoots Jenny in the head]].
* ForInconveniencePressOne: One of the collectible phone numbers.
-->'''Operator''': "If someone is currently stabbing you, press 4."
* GoodHurtsEvil: Good ''irritates'' evil. The Darkness refuses to manifest itself around the subway stations full of normal people, and if you try it'll complain that it finds the people too boring to attack; the Darkness is attracted to darkness, and even the metaphorical darkness of the heart is preferable to it. When meeting Jenny for the first time:
-->'''The Darkness''': "She ''reeks'' of innocence!"
* GoodOldWays: Jackie receives aid [[BadassGrandpa from the]] [[CoolOldGuy old]] [[CoolOldLady guard]] [[RetiredBadass of the]] [[RetiredMonster Mafia]].
* GoodThingYouCanHeal
* GunsAkimbo: Your first weapon is a pair of pistols.
* HaveANiceDeath: Depending on when and where you die in the game, you're treated to a series of warped, distorted images of the next location in the game while the Darkness hisses something cryptic, usually about how it's not going to let you die.
* HeyItsThatVoice: Mike Patton as the Darkness, [[{{Fringe}} Kirk Acevedo]] as Jackie, [[Series/TheATeam Dwight Schultz]] as Uncle Paulie and a who's-who of professional voice actors.
* HollywoodDarkness: Averted in the first game; areas without light can go completely pitch-black (but using your powers lets you see in the dark.) Played straight in the sequel; "dark" areas are so well-lit it's sometimes hard to figure out where the lights are at a glance.
* HumansAreBastards: It is implied that the Darkness [[DarkIsNotEvil wasn't originally evil]], but having to deal with human hosts for millenia (what with their wars, and greed and sickness) [[HumanityIsInsane has driven it insane]]. [[UnreliableExpositor Though this is learned in the Darkness' own realm, so it could be just another]] MindScrew on its part...
* HyperspaceArsenal: Jackie does not reload his pistols or [=SMG=]s. He drops them and pulls out new ones. This is shown when you notice different types of pistols in his hands, or when one of your [=SMG=]s suddenly has a silencer. This trope is played straight when you realize that each "clip" in your arsenal is actually a different ''gun'', and you can hold more than 2 dozen pistols and [=SMG=]s ''in your coat''.
** Then again, it's most likely justified here, as Jackie may well be keeping the Darkness under his coat, providing him with an actual pocket dimension to store said guns.
** Averted in the sequel. Jackie is limited to two one-handed firearms, which can be dual wielded, and a single two-handed firearm.
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just four days.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can recharge by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
* [[spoiler: KillTheCutie: Jenny]]
* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: [[WeakenedByTheLight Light]]. Very dim lighting doesn't affect you too much, but standing under or near any strong light source will quickly drain your powers and leave you vulnerable. The bad guys eventually realize this and start setting traps for you with floodlights, and flashbangs are extremely effective at disabling Jackie. This is an upgraded weakness from the comics, where Jackie was only vulnerable to daylight.
* LargeHam: The Darkness itself, dear ''God''. Fittingly, the second game has it literally ChewingTheScenery on occasion (figuratively...all the time). The (cockney?) British Darkling as well, though not ''quite'' as much.
* MadBomber: The Kamikaze Darkling in the first game.
* MagicalRealism: The only supernatural phenomenon seen in the game is the Darkness itself (and, by association, the Darklings and the Darkness world). Apart from that, the characters and world are pretty realistic (albeit somewhat stylized).
* MercyKill: Once you obtain the Darkness Guns you'll be able to kill the Allied soldiers in Chapter 2 & 4 permanently. Since all of them are horribly disfigured and in constant pain you'll feel little remorse for doing so.
* MoneyToBurn: One of your missions to sabotage Uncle Paulie is to find out where he's stashing a large amount of his cash and burn it.
* MoralityPet: Jenny. [[spoiler:[[MoralityChain Then Paulie offs her]]. [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Be afraid. Be very afraid]].]]
* {{Nerf}}: The Darkness' creations crumble in any strong light, not just sunlight, in order to make the entirely nocturnal game a challenge for the player.
* NewYorkCityCops: Far more competent than the mobster mooks, due to being led by the calculating Captain Schrote, who very quickly figures out Jackie's weakness and how to exploit it.
* NotWearingTights: Jackie never sports his costume from the comic series. Many other supernatural elements are also cut. This has the effect of making the supernatural elements actually ''more'' impressive when they do show up.
** The second game introduces a a skill tree system including the comic book "Darkness Armor" as an upgrade.
* OneBulletClips: Averted. Despite being an first-person shooter (where this is common), Jackie does not reload his pistols, but [[ThrowAwayGuns picks up new ones]] [[HyperspaceArsenal from his coat]]. As well, assault rifles accurately lose all unused bullets in the clip being discarded for a new one. Ammo is categorized by "Bullets in gun"/"Total clips/guns", and if you reload early, you have full bullets in gun, and lose 1 clip. Somehow, though, you realize the same rule [[FridgeLogic applies to shotguns]]...
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: The undead soldiers in the hell inside the Darkness's mind. The Hun are typical monstrosities, but the Brits are fully aware, stuck fighting the same war for centuries while unable to die. Most disturbing is one of the first soldiers you meet, who's endlessly trying to commit suicide by shooting himself in the mouth over and over in between reciting poetry.
* PragmaticAdaptation: The game more or less takes what works about the Darkness comics and runs with it. One change they made is making Jackie weak to any light, not just sunlight, which arguably improved the experience as a whole (allowing savvy villains to pose a threat to Jackie as long as they have floodlights or flashbangs). Jackie also doesn't have his Top Cow-ian "Darkness Armor," just a black trenchoat with lots of darkness-tendrils popping out of it while using his powers.
* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler:Uncle Paule is the final boss of the first game. Considering he's an out-of-shape fat guy going up against a heavily-armed hitman possessed by a spirit of primordial darkness that's just been supercharged by the recent eclipse, he goes down with one hit.]]
* {{Reconstruction}}: Of the NinetiesAntiHero.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: In the finale chapter, Paulie and his {{Mooks}} (And the player, for that matter) get to see first-hand what a fully-powered-up Jackie is capable of doing.
* ShowWithinAShow: Jenny and Jackie can watch ''ToKillAMockingbird'' in its entirety, as well as several full-length TV shows that are now public domain.
* SecondHourSuperpower: Jackie's Darkness powers don't manifest until after the first level in the original game.
* SelfDeprecation: One can overhear a casual conversation between [=NPCs=] about the alleged sexual openness of Swedes, involving, among other things, having sex with a moose. The game's developer, Starbreeze Studios, is Swedish.
* StuffBlowingUp: In the game, the Kamikaze Darkling's attack is to run up to the target, pull the detonator off his back, push the plunger and explode.
* StuffedIntoTheFridge: Jenny. She's barely a character, and pretty much is Jackie's primary angst source in the story.
** Ironically, she's far better developed in the sequel, where she spends the entire game dead.
* SuicidalOverconfidence: By all means, run ''toward'' the tentacle-spouting glowy-eyed superpowered hit man. Never mind that he can kill you five different ways without even needing to raise a pistol.
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you). In one scripted scene, dozens of them are screaming in terror and trying to run away while Jackie in [[ConvenientEclipse fully-powered]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Darkness]] [[UnstoppableRage mode]] hunts them down and brutally eviscerates them.
* SwirlyEnergyThingy: The Black Hole power.
* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler:When he's captured and tortured by Schrote, Jackie manages activate the bomb he had put in the suitcase.]]
* TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat: Strange version. Jackie has several flashbacks of himself and little Jenny in the orphanage, but at least once, Jenny seems to be aware that they're being watched...
* TheyWereHoldingYouBack
* ThrowAwayGuns: Jackie's method of "reloading" pistols and [=SMGs=], all if which he keeps in his [[HyperspaceArsenal coat]].
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Jenny]]
* UselessUsefulSpell: The game lets you use a couple of types of automatic weapons, but all firearms are useless compared to the OneHitKill properties of the Darkness powers (particularly the whip and the black hole). Guns are mostly a fallback for when there's too much light for you to use your Darkness powers.
* VideoGameCaringPotential: On the other hand, the game lets you retrieve an elderly woman's wedding ring off the subway tracks, deliver a long-lost memento to a widow, and watch a movie with your girlfriend.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: But you can also go around being a [[KickTheDog dog-kicking]] asshole [[ForTheEvulz slaughtering civilians]], and the only thing that changes peoples reaction to you is whether or not you're in Darkness mode... which is to say, random people in the subway will always be nice to you even if you've killed most of [[BigAppleSauce New York City]] in incredibly brutal ways, as long as you don't have CombatTentacles sprouting from your back and shoulders. [[SomebodyElsesProblem Which may, in fact, be accurate]].
* WarIsHell: Literally!
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The Angelus was originally planned to make an appearance in the first game, but was cut from the final release. It is frequently mentioned in the sequel [[spoiler:and is revealed to be Jenny in the ending]].
* WorldWarI: Whenever Jackie dies ([[GameplayAndStorySegregation during the story, not in-game]], he goes here - or at least to hellish domain inspired by it, with immortal British soldiers condemned to die over and over again and Germans who are little more than snarling beasts in uniform. One of the Brits suggests that none of them are actually real.
* YearInsideHourOutside: In the hell that Jackie finds himself, the Brits have been fighting World War I for ''centuries''.
** [[FridgeLogic Somehow]] inverted at the same time, as Jackie's segments there take minutes-hours of gameplay when days pass in the real world.
!!The sequel contains examples of:
* ActionizedSequel: Not that the first game was lacking in action, but the second game is not nearly as subtle as the first.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Enzo from the second game remarks on one character "Keeping his strong arm on the pump", comments on Jimmy the Grape's "grapes", and admires Fat Tony's "Salami" and says he'd be very attractive if he lost weight.
** "Adolph" in the Asylum comments on how much he admires the sight of sweaty young men digging ditches.
* ArtShift: The first game used a more-realistic art style; the sequel is cell shaded.
* BackFromTheDead: Jackie, for the third time inthe series.
* BenevolentBoss: The second game shows Jackie to be this to the Franchetti crime family, taking the time to talk to his hitmen and getting to know them. He even offers his condolences when a hitman loses someone.
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: The Asylum of the second game is populated and staffed by twisted reflections of people Jackie knew in the real world: Tony, Dolpho, Swifty and even Johnny Powell appear as patients; Vinnie, Chief, Frank, Eddie, and Mr Peevish are orderlies; Jenny is the only female nurse in the building; finally, Jimmy the Grape and Brother Victor are doctors. Also, the Darkling makes a surprise appearance as a human janitor, the only key to his true identity being his hunchback and Cockney accent.
** Actually Jenny isn't the only female nurse, just the only one with a name who says more to him than "Don't forget to take your medication".
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: [[spoiler: The Angelus in the second game. It appears to have chosen Jenny as its host well before Jackie manifested the Darkness. Jenny's death in the first game and Jackie's subsequent drive to save her from the Darkness in the second game lead Jackie to unwillingly condemn himself to Hell. It doesn't even bother to fight him. Jackie, for his part, wasn't planning to fight her ''anyway'', because he's kinda savvy himself.]]
* DownerEnding: In the end, [[spoiler:Jackie goes to Hell to save Jenny's soul. And in doing so, releases the Angelus, the force of light opposed to the Darkness which needs a female host. Specifically, Jenny. And both Jenny and the Angelus agree that Jackie needs to be left in Hell, and proceed to do so.]]
* EvilCripple: Victor, leader of The Brotherhood. Despite the fact that he walks with leg-braces, he can simply FlashStep with the power of The Darkness.
* EvilSoundsDeep: As in the original.
* ExtremeMeleeRevenge: Halfway through the second game, Jackie catches up with Mr Bragg, the Brotherhood thug who [[spoiler: led the attack on the mansion, murdered Aunt Sarah in cold blood, and gatecrashed her funeral]]. After defeating him in battle and letting the Darkling smack him about for a little while, Jackie uses the Darkness to slice open his torso and tears out his heart with his bare hand.
* EyeScream: The second game opens with Jackie going to a restaurant and meeting a pair of identical twins- one of whom is shot in the back of the head by an assassin who'd been aiming for Jackie; the bullet exits quite graphically through her eye.
** The Darkling likes to finish off opponents by jumping up and gouging their eyes out with his thumbs.
* FastballSpecial: In ''The Darkness 2'', Jackie can lift the Darkling and fling him at enemies.
* FirstPersonGhost: Played straight, as opposed to the first game.
* FirstPersonShooter
* FirstPersonSmartass: Jackie's monologues.
* FiveBadBand: The Brotherhood
** The BigBad: Brother Victor
** TheDragon: Mr Peevish
** TheBrute: Mr Bragg
** TheDarkChick: Swifty
** TheSixthRanger: The Darkness (Or at least, the Brotherhod ''tried'' to make it this)
* FiveManBand: In the sequel, Jackie gathers up one of these, who are playable in their own Cooperative campaign.
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Jackie
** TheLancer: Inugami, master swordsman and part of an entire bloodline of [[TheAtoner Atoners.]]
** TheSmartGuy: J.P. Dummond; physician, WitchDoctor, Darkness Scholar, and wielder of the [[MagicStaff Midnight Stick]]. For good measure, he's one of the more eloquent team-members.
** TheBigGuy: Jimmy, in spades. A ViolentGlaswegian with BloodKnight tendencies. If his backstory is to be believed, he simply found his [[AnAxeToGrind Darkness-empowered axe]] and has been making a living off it ever since.
** TheChick: Shoshanna, a Mossad agent who HatesBeingTouched. The only one of the group with a strictly-ranged Darkness weapon in the form of a handheld double-barreled shotgun. Fights GunsAkimbo as a result.
* Jackie and his lieutenants also function as this, for the most part:
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Again, Jackie.
** TheLancer: Vinnie, Jackie's Consigliere.
** TheSmartGuy: Johnny Powell, who provides most of the information on the Darkness, the artefacts found in the game, and the Brotherhood.
** TheBigGuy: Tony.
** TheChick: Aunt Sarah.
** TheSixthRanger: Dolpho.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Happens to an enemy {{Mook}} in the second game when Jackie lets the darkness out again. It's also possible to do it in gameplay with the demon arm both horizontally and vertically.
* HaveANiceDeath: Depending on when and where you die in the game, you're treated to a series of warped, distorted images of the next location in the game while the Darkness hisses something cryptic, usually about how it's not going to let you die.
* HeroicSacrifice: In the climax of the second game, [[spoiler: the Darkling exposes himself to sunlight while helping Jackie escape from the Asylum- the one place where his immortality doesn't work.]]
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Inugami, in his lust for revenge and desire to fulfill Kusinagi's bloodthirst has made him even more AxCrazy than most of the brotherhood he kills.
* HollywoodDarkness: Played straight in the sequel; "dark" areas are so well-lit it's sometimes hard to figure out where the lights are at a glance.
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just four days.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the sequel, Jackie can grab poles with his tentacles and spear mooks with them.
* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: [[WeakenedByTheLight Light]] again. The Brotherhood has been fighting the Darkness for centuries, and have gotten good at exploiting this.
* LargeHam: The Darkness itself, dear ''God''. Fittingly, the second game has it literally ChewingTheScenery on occasion (figuratively...all the time). The (cockney?) British Darkling as well, though not ''quite'' as much.
* MadBomber: Dolpho. In the co-op campaign, he always provides the explosives needed for the missions. For good measure, there's a good chance he's legitimatly insane, given that he spends his free time taking potshots at pigeons.
* MagicalRealism: The only supernatural phenomenon seen in the game is the Darkness itself (and, by association, the Darklings and the Darkness world). Apart from that, the characters and world are pretty realistic (albeit somewhat stylized).The sequel adds the Siphon and [[spoiler:the Angelus, the Darkness' light counterpart.]]
* ManOnFire: One of the special kills you can get from throwing a propane tank at enemies in the second game is called BBQ. You also see a few running around as Jackie is escaping from [[spoiler: the Brothel]].
* MeanBrit: The Darkling that accompanies Jackie through almost the entire second game. It has a British accent, speaks with British idioms, and wears a tattered shirt with the Union Jack on it. Why it has a cat-skin for a hat is unknown...
** He's quite mean to Jackie's enemies ("rip out their throats and piss on their corpses" kind of mean) but is actually one of Jackie's few friends.
* MismatchedEyes: Johnny Powell
* MrExposition: Johnny Powell in the sequel, an occultist who helped Jackie suppress The Darkness and is fairly knowledgeable about it and subjects relating to it.
* MultinationalTeam: The characters of the Multiplayer mode in the sequel consist of a ViolentGlaswegian, a Japanese swordsman, a [[BadassIsraeli Mossad agent]] and a Cajun WitchDoctor.
* MultipleEndings: In the second game. The last time Jackie visits the asylum, he can either choose to stay with Jenny or [[spoiler:jump off a ledge. Either one is still a DownerEnding, but the former is more of an AndIMustScream moment, because it means that Jackie has become the puppet of The Darkness. The latter turns the whole game into a ShootTheShaggyDog story.]]
* {{Nerf}}: The Darkness' creations crumble in any strong light, not just sunlight, in order to make the entirely nocturnal game a challenge for the player.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In the second game, [[spoiler: by freeing Jenny's soul from the Darkness, the Angelus has possessed her and leaves Jackie behind in Hell.]]
* NotWearingTights: Jackie never sports his costume from the comic series. Many other supernatural elements are also cut. This has the effect of making the supernatural elements actually ''more'' impressive when they do show up.
** The second game introduces a a skill tree system including the comic book "Darkness Armor" as an upgrade.
* OneBulletClips: Played straight, as opposed to the first game.
* OpenSecret: In the sequel, the fact that Jackie is a HumanoidAbomination is known by most of his crew, though they usually dance around the issue by calling it "his thing" or similar in front of the boss.
* PedophilePriest: {{Lampshaded}} but averted, in one of the between level cutscenes Jackie begins to tell a story about a priest that would visit the orphanage called Father Alanso then says "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinkin' and it ain't that kind a story".
* ShowWithinAShow: Just like the TVs in the first game. The Asylum in the sequel plays a shadow theater of a story by HPLovecraft. It's got NightmareFuel aplenty.
* SequelHook: [[spoiler: The Angelus has taken control of Jenny and set itself up as the main antagonist of the third game, Jackie's stuck in hell but most likely won't stay there.]]
* SecondHourSuperpower: The sequel has a short on-rails shooting sequence before Jackie unleashes the Darkness again.
* SuicidalOverconfidence: By all means, run ''toward'' the tentacle-spouting glowy-eyed superpowered hit man. Never mind that he can kill you five different ways without even needing to raise a pistol.
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you).
** This is played straight by melee enemies. Brotherhood cultists, using supernatural armor and axe-like weapons coupled with a religious fervor make sense. But the mafioso with the baseball bats?
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: The second game awards experience for each enemy you kill, with more violent and gruesome deaths award you with more points.
* ViolentGlaswegian: Jimmy, [[ExaggeratedTrope dear]] [[AxCrazy christ]] [[BloodKnight Jimmy]].
* YearInsideHourOutside: Inverted. The each asylum segment takes only a few minutes, but varying amounts of time pass in the real world while he's there. He's once there for four days.
----
<<|FirstPersonShooters|>>
[[caption-width-right:349:Embrace the Darkness]]
A 2007 game based on [[TheDarkness the comic series]]. The Darkness features Jackie Estacado, nephew of don Paulie Franchetti, and hitman for the Franchetti Crime Family. However as soon as his 21st birthday comes, he inherits the evil known as the Darkness, which grants him abilities beyond his wildest blood-spattered dreams. Among these is the power to summon Darklings, little gremlin bastards that act somewhat as his multiple tiny alter-egos that are mostly interested in spouting off politically incorrect commentary and humor, but can disembowel an enemy at a moment's notice if Jackie commands it. Before Jackie first manifests the Darkness, Uncle Paulie betrays him and marks him for death, leading Jackie into a RoaringRampageOfRevenge.
A sequel was released in February 2012, taking place two years after the first game. Jackie is [[spoiler: now the head of the Franchetti Crime Family]], and has managed to suppress the Darkness. However, when a mysterious group known as The Brotherhood attacks him looking for the Darkness, he must unleash it once again.
----
!!The first game contains examples of:
* AllThereInTheManual: The origin story for Anthony Estacado is explained in a special comic book issue published at the same time as the game. Reading it sheds a lot of light on the nature of the Darkness and Anthony's character that is otherwise left completely unexplained in the game. Fortunately, the book is viewable in-game as an unlockable extra.
* ArtShift: The first game used a more-realistic art style; the sequel is cell shaded.
* BackFromTheDead: Jackie. ''Twice''.
** Then again in the sequel.
** [[{{Unskippable}} "And that was the fifth time I died."]]
* [[spoiler:TheBadGuyWins: By carrying out his vengeance, Jackie sacrifices his soul to the Darkness. Exactly what this entails, however, isn't quite clear. You are not given the option to spare Paulie.]]
* BittersweetEnding: About a hair's breadth away from a DownerEnding. [[spoiler:Jackie finally surrenders himself to the Darkness during an eclipse in order to take out Paulie and his army of mooks. Jackie's personality is consumed entirely by the Darkness, but he's given a few moments to see Jenny one last time before he goes. It's implied by the "light in the darkness" lines that it may not be completely over for him, either... [[HopeSpot hopefully]].]]
** However, according to the sequel's intro, Jackie has managed to suppress The Darkness in-between games.
* BlandNameProduct: The game has "The Green Olive Grove" restaurant.
* BlatantLies:
-->'''Berserker Darkling''': I want to kill someone.
-->'''Gunner Darkling''': I am unfamiliar with the concept. ''[Attacks a mook.]'' Maybe not, I guess.
* BloodyHilarious: The Darklings are [[ComedicSociopathy psychopathic]] {{Cloudcuckoolander}}s.
* BlueAndOrangeMorality: More than anything, one gets the impression that the Darkness simply ''does not understand'' how people work -- physically or mentally -- beyond their capacity for receiving and causing suffering.
--> '''The Darkness''': "Jackie, I fixed your broken head ball."
** Hell, the Darkness expected him to be pleased after it forced him to [[spoiler: [[ForcedToWatch watch Jenny be murdered]]]] because this would "make him stronger" and it seemed utterly bewildered when he chose instead [[spoiler: to kill himself]].
* BlackAndBlackMorality: Johnny lampshades this in the [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Run5PYOy5ZQ Vendettas trailer]]. Jackie might have the moral highground, but that's damning with praise considering some of the stuff he does and the company he keeps.
--> '''Johnny:''' ''Evil is '''evil'''. Face it, we're not talking about soda pop here. There's no 'sugar free' option.''
* BorderPatrol: By all means, head directly into the subway tunnels. [[TooDumbToLive See what happens]].
** The Darkness mocks you when you do this, saying something along the lines of "this is not a very good idea..."
* BoringYetPractical: The pistols have pin-point accuracy even when fired as fast as possible, and you're tripping over spares for most of the game. Zoom in, aim for the head, and you can take out a bunch of enemies while saving energy you would have otherwise used on a black hole.
** The first Darkness power, Creeping Dark, can move further with each level, and the [=NPCs=] are notoriously incapable of hitting it. Furthermore, after making a kill you can eat the heart of your victim to refill Darkness energy to full. This combination makes it possible to clear entire rooms without entering them through most of the game.
* {{Cloudcuckoolander}}: All four of the darklings in the game have their idiosyncracies, but the Berserker darkling is particularly unhinged. Even better, it's voiced by RichardHorvitz.
--> "'''I LIKE PENGUINS!'''"
* ConvenientEclipse.
* {{Cross-Melting Aura}}: In the first game, a solar eclipse supercharges Jackie's powers to the point where light bulbs (which would previously need to be shot or smashed) start exploding just by his very presence.
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: Uncle Paulie shows shades of this but Shrote easily takes the cake as it takes him all of two seconds to figure out that the Darkness is vulnerable to light. From then on he sets up ambushes using floodlights and knocks Jackie out with flashbangs. Bonus points for making sure Jackie had multiple lights shining on him while he was interrogating him and stops his {{Mooks}} from indulging in JustBetweenYouAndMe. Paulie on the other hand just straps some floodlights to the front of his secret hideout and calls it good.
* DirtyCop: Tons of 'em. Jackie has disdain for said cops as well as for the mobsters who partner with them, since it dirties both of them.
* DownerEnding: [[spoiler: Both games end very, ''very'' badly for Jackie.]]
* EasterEgg: Unlockable concept art and full issues of the comic.
* EleventhHourSuperpower: Of a kind: In the last stage of the game, Jackie mounts a one-man offensive against Uncle Paulie's island fortress. The attack begins at daylight, which would seem to be a stupid move on his part... except that an eclipse is due and as it progresses Jackie's power spikes. Lightbulbs start shattering ''by his mere presence.''
* EvenEvilHasStandards: Jackie and the old-school mobsters really hate partnering with dirty cops, drug money, and other bottom-of-the-barrel underworld stuff.
** The old-school mobsters are particularly disgusted when Paulie bombs an orphanage, while at the same time you can overhear Paulie's minions laughing about it.
* EvilSoundsDeep: Sometimes. The Darkness sometimes speaks in a low, gravelly tone, but sometimes uses a high, menacing hiss. One thing's for sure, it always sounds ''incredibly'' disturbing.
* FirstPersonGhost: Averted, Estacado's lower body is fully visible.
* FirstPersonShooter
* FirstPersonSmartass: Jackie's monologues.
* ForcedToWatch: The Darkness holds Jackie helpless while [[spoiler: Paulie shoots Jenny in the head]].
* ForInconveniencePressOne: One of the collectible phone numbers.
-->'''Operator''': "If someone is currently stabbing you, press 4."
* GoodHurtsEvil: Good ''irritates'' evil. The Darkness refuses to manifest itself around the subway stations full of normal people, and if you try it'll complain that it finds the people too boring to attack; the Darkness is attracted to darkness, and even the metaphorical darkness of the heart is preferable to it. When meeting Jenny for the first time:
-->'''The Darkness''': "She ''reeks'' of innocence!"
* GoodOldWays: Jackie receives aid [[BadassGrandpa from the]] [[CoolOldGuy old]] [[CoolOldLady guard]] [[RetiredBadass of the]] [[RetiredMonster Mafia]].
* GoodThingYouCanHeal
* GunsAkimbo: Your first weapon is a pair of pistols.
* HaveANiceDeath: Depending on when and where you die in the game, you're treated to a series of warped, distorted images of the next location in the game while the Darkness hisses something cryptic, usually about how it's not going to let you die.
* HeyItsThatVoice: Mike Patton as the Darkness, [[{{Fringe}} Kirk Acevedo]] as Jackie, [[Series/TheATeam Dwight Schultz]] as Uncle Paulie and a who's-who of professional voice actors.
* HollywoodDarkness: Averted in the first game; areas without light can go completely pitch-black (but using your powers lets you see in the dark.) Played straight in the sequel; "dark" areas are so well-lit it's sometimes hard to figure out where the lights are at a glance.
* HumansAreBastards: It is implied that the Darkness [[DarkIsNotEvil wasn't originally evil]], but having to deal with human hosts for millenia (what with their wars, and greed and sickness) [[HumanityIsInsane has driven it insane]]. [[UnreliableExpositor Though this is learned in the Darkness' own realm, so it could be just another]] MindScrew on its part...
* HyperspaceArsenal: Jackie does not reload his pistols or [=SMG=]s. He drops them and pulls out new ones. This is shown when you notice different types of pistols in his hands, or when one of your [=SMG=]s suddenly has a silencer. This trope is played straight when you realize that each "clip" in your arsenal is actually a different ''gun'', and you can hold more than 2 dozen pistols and [=SMG=]s ''in your coat''.
** Then again, it's most likely justified here, as Jackie may well be keeping the Darkness under his coat, providing him with an actual pocket dimension to store said guns.
** Averted in the sequel. Jackie is limited to two one-handed firearms, which can be dual wielded, and a single two-handed firearm.
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just four days.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can recharge by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
* [[spoiler: KillTheCutie: Jenny]]
* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: [[WeakenedByTheLight Light]]. Very dim lighting doesn't affect you too much, but standing under or near any strong light source will quickly drain your powers and leave you vulnerable. The bad guys eventually realize this and start setting traps for you with floodlights, and flashbangs are extremely effective at disabling Jackie. This is an upgraded weakness from the comics, where Jackie was only vulnerable to daylight.
* LargeHam: The Darkness itself, dear ''God''. Fittingly, the second game has it literally ChewingTheScenery on occasion (figuratively...all the time). The (cockney?) British Darkling as well, though not ''quite'' as much.
* MadBomber: The Kamikaze Darkling in the first game.
* MagicalRealism: The only supernatural phenomenon seen in the game is the Darkness itself (and, by association, the Darklings and the Darkness world). Apart from that, the characters and world are pretty realistic (albeit somewhat stylized).
* MercyKill: Once you obtain the Darkness Guns you'll be able to kill the Allied soldiers in Chapter 2 & 4 permanently. Since all of them are horribly disfigured and in constant pain you'll feel little remorse for doing so.
* MoneyToBurn: One of your missions to sabotage Uncle Paulie is to find out where he's stashing a large amount of his cash and burn it.
* MoralityPet: Jenny. [[spoiler:[[MoralityChain Then Paulie offs her]]. [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Be afraid. Be very afraid]].]]
* {{Nerf}}: The Darkness' creations crumble in any strong light, not just sunlight, in order to make the entirely nocturnal game a challenge for the player.
* NewYorkCityCops: Far more competent than the mobster mooks, due to being led by the calculating Captain Schrote, who very quickly figures out Jackie's weakness and how to exploit it.
* NotWearingTights: Jackie never sports his costume from the comic series. Many other supernatural elements are also cut. This has the effect of making the supernatural elements actually ''more'' impressive when they do show up.
** The second game introduces a a skill tree system including the comic book "Darkness Armor" as an upgrade.
* OneBulletClips: Averted. Despite being an first-person shooter (where this is common), Jackie does not reload his pistols, but [[ThrowAwayGuns picks up new ones]] [[HyperspaceArsenal from his coat]]. As well, assault rifles accurately lose all unused bullets in the clip being discarded for a new one. Ammo is categorized by "Bullets in gun"/"Total clips/guns", and if you reload early, you have full bullets in gun, and lose 1 clip. Somehow, though, you realize the same rule [[FridgeLogic applies to shotguns]]...
* OurZombiesAreDifferent: The undead soldiers in the hell inside the Darkness's mind. The Hun are typical monstrosities, but the Brits are fully aware, stuck fighting the same war for centuries while unable to die. Most disturbing is one of the first soldiers you meet, who's endlessly trying to commit suicide by shooting himself in the mouth over and over in between reciting poetry.
* PragmaticAdaptation: The game more or less takes what works about the Darkness comics and runs with it. One change they made is making Jackie weak to any light, not just sunlight, which arguably improved the experience as a whole (allowing savvy villains to pose a threat to Jackie as long as they have floodlights or flashbangs). Jackie also doesn't have his Top Cow-ian "Darkness Armor," just a black trenchoat with lots of darkness-tendrils popping out of it while using his powers.
* RealityEnsues: [[spoiler:Uncle Paule is the final boss of the first game. Considering he's an out-of-shape fat guy going up against a heavily-armed hitman possessed by a spirit of primordial darkness that's just been supercharged by the recent eclipse, he goes down with one hit.]]
* {{Reconstruction}}: Of the NinetiesAntiHero.
* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: In the finale chapter, Paulie and his {{Mooks}} (And the player, for that matter) get to see first-hand what a fully-powered-up Jackie is capable of doing.
* ShowWithinAShow: Jenny and Jackie can watch ''ToKillAMockingbird'' in its entirety, as well as several full-length TV shows that are now public domain.
* SecondHourSuperpower: Jackie's Darkness powers don't manifest until after the first level in the original game.
* SelfDeprecation: One can overhear a casual conversation between [=NPCs=] about the alleged sexual openness of Swedes, involving, among other things, having sex with a moose. The game's developer, Starbreeze Studios, is Swedish.
* StuffBlowingUp: In the game, the Kamikaze Darkling's attack is to run up to the target, pull the detonator off his back, push the plunger and explode.
* StuffedIntoTheFridge: Jenny. She's barely a character, and pretty much is Jackie's primary angst source in the story.
** Ironically, she's far better developed in the sequel, where she spends the entire game dead.
* SuicidalOverconfidence: By all means, run ''toward'' the tentacle-spouting glowy-eyed superpowered hit man. Never mind that he can kill you five different ways without even needing to raise a pistol.
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you). In one scripted scene, dozens of them are screaming in terror and trying to run away while Jackie in [[ConvenientEclipse fully-powered]] [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge Darkness]] [[UnstoppableRage mode]] hunts them down and brutally eviscerates them.
* SwirlyEnergyThingy: The Black Hole power.
* TakingYouWithMe: [[spoiler:When he's captured and tortured by Schrote, Jackie manages activate the bomb he had put in the suitcase.]]
* TheTapeKnewYouWouldSayThat: Strange version. Jackie has several flashbacks of himself and little Jenny in the orphanage, but at least once, Jenny seems to be aware that they're being watched...
* TheyWereHoldingYouBack
* ThrowAwayGuns: Jackie's method of "reloading" pistols and [=SMGs=], all if which he keeps in his [[HyperspaceArsenal coat]].
* TooGoodForThisSinfulEarth: [[spoiler:Jenny]]
* UselessUsefulSpell: The game lets you use a couple of types of automatic weapons, but all firearms are useless compared to the OneHitKill properties of the Darkness powers (particularly the whip and the black hole). Guns are mostly a fallback for when there's too much light for you to use your Darkness powers.
* VideoGameCaringPotential: On the other hand, the game lets you retrieve an elderly woman's wedding ring off the subway tracks, deliver a long-lost memento to a widow, and watch a movie with your girlfriend.
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: But you can also go around being a [[KickTheDog dog-kicking]] asshole [[ForTheEvulz slaughtering civilians]], and the only thing that changes peoples reaction to you is whether or not you're in Darkness mode... which is to say, random people in the subway will always be nice to you even if you've killed most of [[BigAppleSauce New York City]] in incredibly brutal ways, as long as you don't have CombatTentacles sprouting from your back and shoulders. [[SomebodyElsesProblem Which may, in fact, be accurate]].
* WarIsHell: Literally!
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The Angelus was originally planned to make an appearance in the first game, but was cut from the final release. It is frequently mentioned in the sequel [[spoiler:and is revealed to be Jenny in the ending]].
* WorldWarI: Whenever Jackie dies ([[GameplayAndStorySegregation during the story, not in-game]], he goes here - or at least to hellish domain inspired by it, with immortal British soldiers condemned to die over and over again and Germans who are little more than snarling beasts in uniform. One of the Brits suggests that none of them are actually real.
* YearInsideHourOutside: In the hell that Jackie finds himself, the Brits have been fighting World War I for ''centuries''.
** [[FridgeLogic Somehow]] inverted at the same time, as Jackie's segments there take minutes-hours of gameplay when days pass in the real world.
!!The sequel contains examples of:
* ActionizedSequel: Not that the first game was lacking in action, but the second game is not nearly as subtle as the first.
* AmbiguouslyGay: Enzo from the second game remarks on one character "Keeping his strong arm on the pump", comments on Jimmy the Grape's "grapes", and admires Fat Tony's "Salami" and says he'd be very attractive if he lost weight.
** "Adolph" in the Asylum comments on how much he admires the sight of sweaty young men digging ditches.
* ArtShift: The first game used a more-realistic art style; the sequel is cell shaded.
* BackFromTheDead: Jackie, for the third time inthe series.
* BenevolentBoss: The second game shows Jackie to be this to the Franchetti crime family, taking the time to talk to his hitmen and getting to know them. He even offers his condolences when a hitman loses someone.
* ButYouWereThereAndYouAndYou: The Asylum of the second game is populated and staffed by twisted reflections of people Jackie knew in the real world: Tony, Dolpho, Swifty and even Johnny Powell appear as patients; Vinnie, Chief, Frank, Eddie, and Mr Peevish are orderlies; Jenny is the only female nurse in the building; finally, Jimmy the Grape and Brother Victor are doctors. Also, the Darkling makes a surprise appearance as a human janitor, the only key to his true identity being his hunchback and Cockney accent.
** Actually Jenny isn't the only female nurse, just the only one with a name who says more to him than "Don't forget to take your medication".
* DangerouslyGenreSavvy: [[spoiler: The Angelus in the second game. It appears to have chosen Jenny as its host well before Jackie manifested the Darkness. Jenny's death in the first game and Jackie's subsequent drive to save her from the Darkness in the second game lead Jackie to unwillingly condemn himself to Hell. It doesn't even bother to fight him. Jackie, for his part, wasn't planning to fight her ''anyway'', because he's kinda savvy himself.]]
* DownerEnding: In the end, [[spoiler:Jackie goes to Hell to save Jenny's soul. And in doing so, releases the Angelus, the force of light opposed to the Darkness which needs a female host. Specifically, Jenny. And both Jenny and the Angelus agree that Jackie needs to be left in Hell, and proceed to do so.]]
* EvilCripple: Victor, leader of The Brotherhood. Despite the fact that he walks with leg-braces, he can simply FlashStep with the power of The Darkness.
* EvilSoundsDeep: As in the original.
* ExtremeMeleeRevenge: Halfway through the second game, Jackie catches up with Mr Bragg, the Brotherhood thug who [[spoiler: led the attack on the mansion, murdered Aunt Sarah in cold blood, and gatecrashed her funeral]]. After defeating him in battle and letting the Darkling smack him about for a little while, Jackie uses the Darkness to slice open his torso and tears out his heart with his bare hand.
* EyeScream: The second game opens with Jackie going to a restaurant and meeting a pair of identical twins- one of whom is shot in the back of the head by an assassin who'd been aiming for Jackie; the bullet exits quite graphically through her eye.
** The Darkling likes to finish off opponents by jumping up and gouging their eyes out with his thumbs.
* FastballSpecial: In ''The Darkness 2'', Jackie can lift the Darkling and fling him at enemies.
* FirstPersonGhost: Played straight, as opposed to the first game.
* FirstPersonShooter
* FirstPersonSmartass: Jackie's monologues.
* FiveBadBand: The Brotherhood
** The BigBad: Brother Victor
** TheDragon: Mr Peevish
** TheBrute: Mr Bragg
** TheDarkChick: Swifty
** TheSixthRanger: The Darkness (Or at least, the Brotherhod ''tried'' to make it this)
* FiveManBand: In the sequel, Jackie gathers up one of these, who are playable in their own Cooperative campaign.
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Jackie
** TheLancer: Inugami, master swordsman and part of an entire bloodline of [[TheAtoner Atoners.]]
** TheSmartGuy: J.P. Dummond; physician, WitchDoctor, Darkness Scholar, and wielder of the [[MagicStaff Midnight Stick]]. For good measure, he's one of the more eloquent team-members.
** TheBigGuy: Jimmy, in spades. A ViolentGlaswegian with BloodKnight tendencies. If his backstory is to be believed, he simply found his [[AnAxeToGrind Darkness-empowered axe]] and has been making a living off it ever since.
** TheChick: Shoshanna, a Mossad agent who HatesBeingTouched. The only one of the group with a strictly-ranged Darkness weapon in the form of a handheld double-barreled shotgun. Fights GunsAkimbo as a result.
* Jackie and his lieutenants also function as this, for the most part:
** [[TheHero The]] ([[Antihero Anti-]]) [[TheHero Hero]]: Again, Jackie.
** TheLancer: Vinnie, Jackie's Consigliere.
** TheSmartGuy: Johnny Powell, who provides most of the information on the Darkness, the artefacts found in the game, and the Brotherhood.
** TheBigGuy: Tony.
** TheChick: Aunt Sarah.
** TheSixthRanger: Dolpho.
* HalfTheManHeUsedToBe: Happens to an enemy {{Mook}} in the second game when Jackie lets the darkness out again. It's also possible to do it in gameplay with the demon arm both horizontally and vertically.
* HaveANiceDeath: Depending on when and where you die in the game, you're treated to a series of warped, distorted images of the next location in the game while the Darkness hisses something cryptic, usually about how it's not going to let you die.
* HeroicSacrifice: In the climax of the second game, [[spoiler: the Darkling exposes himself to sunlight while helping Jackie escape from the Asylum- the one place where his immortality doesn't work.]]
* HeWhoFightsMonsters: Inugami, in his lust for revenge and desire to fulfill Kusinagi's bloodthirst has made him even more AxCrazy than most of the brotherhood he kills.
* HollywoodDarkness: Played straight in the sequel; "dark" areas are so well-lit it's sometimes hard to figure out where the lights are at a glance.
* IGotBetter: The Darkness ''won't let you die.'' The second game takes this UpToEleven by having Jackie [[BoomHeadshot get shot]] ''[[YourHeadAsplode in the face]]'', and he comes back no worse for wear in just four days.
* ImAHumanitarian: You can heal by letting the Darkness rip out and feed upon the hearts of your enemies.
* ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: In the sequel, Jackie can grab poles with his tentacles and spear mooks with them.
* KryptoniteIsEverywhere: [[WeakenedByTheLight Light]] again. The Brotherhood has been fighting the Darkness for centuries, and have gotten good at exploiting this.
* LargeHam: The Darkness itself, dear ''God''. Fittingly, the second game has it literally ChewingTheScenery on occasion (figuratively...all the time). The (cockney?) British Darkling as well, though not ''quite'' as much.
* MadBomber: Dolpho. In the co-op campaign, he always provides the explosives needed for the missions. For good measure, there's a good chance he's legitimatly insane, given that he spends his free time taking potshots at pigeons.
* MagicalRealism: The only supernatural phenomenon seen in the game is the Darkness itself (and, by association, the Darklings and the Darkness world). Apart from that, the characters and world are pretty realistic (albeit somewhat stylized).The sequel adds the Siphon and [[spoiler:the Angelus, the Darkness' light counterpart.]]
* ManOnFire: One of the special kills you can get from throwing a propane tank at enemies in the second game is called BBQ. You also see a few running around as Jackie is escaping from [[spoiler: the Brothel]].
* MeanBrit: The Darkling that accompanies Jackie through almost the entire second game. It has a British accent, speaks with British idioms, and wears a tattered shirt with the Union Jack on it. Why it has a cat-skin for a hat is unknown...
** He's quite mean to Jackie's enemies ("rip out their throats and piss on their corpses" kind of mean) but is actually one of Jackie's few friends.
* MismatchedEyes: Johnny Powell
* MrExposition: Johnny Powell in the sequel, an occultist who helped Jackie suppress The Darkness and is fairly knowledgeable about it and subjects relating to it.
* MultinationalTeam: The characters of the Multiplayer mode in the sequel consist of a ViolentGlaswegian, a Japanese swordsman, a [[BadassIsraeli Mossad agent]] and a Cajun WitchDoctor.
* MultipleEndings: In the second game. The last time Jackie visits the asylum, he can either choose to stay with Jenny or [[spoiler:jump off a ledge. Either one is still a DownerEnding, but the former is more of an AndIMustScream moment, because it means that Jackie has become the puppet of The Darkness. The latter turns the whole game into a ShootTheShaggyDog story.]]
* {{Nerf}}: The Darkness' creations crumble in any strong light, not just sunlight, in order to make the entirely nocturnal game a challenge for the player.
* NiceJobBreakingItHero: In the second game, [[spoiler: by freeing Jenny's soul from the Darkness, the Angelus has possessed her and leaves Jackie behind in Hell.]]
* NotWearingTights: Jackie never sports his costume from the comic series. Many other supernatural elements are also cut. This has the effect of making the supernatural elements actually ''more'' impressive when they do show up.
** The second game introduces a a skill tree system including the comic book "Darkness Armor" as an upgrade.
* OneBulletClips: Played straight, as opposed to the first game.
* OpenSecret: In the sequel, the fact that Jackie is a HumanoidAbomination is known by most of his crew, though they usually dance around the issue by calling it "his thing" or similar in front of the boss.
* PedophilePriest: {{Lampshaded}} but averted, in one of the between level cutscenes Jackie begins to tell a story about a priest that would visit the orphanage called Father Alanso then says "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinkin' and it ain't that kind a story".
* ShowWithinAShow: Just like the TVs in the first game. The Asylum in the sequel plays a shadow theater of a story by HPLovecraft. It's got NightmareFuel aplenty.
* SequelHook: [[spoiler: The Angelus has taken control of Jenny and set itself up as the main antagonist of the third game, Jackie's stuck in hell but most likely won't stay there.]]
* SecondHourSuperpower: The sequel has a short on-rails shooting sequence before Jackie unleashes the Darkness again.
* SuicidalOverconfidence: By all means, run ''toward'' the tentacle-spouting glowy-eyed superpowered hit man. Never mind that he can kill you five different ways without even needing to raise a pistol.
** The game subverts this to some degree in that the {{Mooks}} generally will still try to shoot you, but the dialogue that goes along with most scenarios consists of panicky yelling about what you are and how to get rid of you (or get away from you).
** This is played straight by melee enemies. Brotherhood cultists, using supernatural armor and axe-like weapons coupled with a religious fervor make sense. But the mafioso with the baseball bats?
* VideoGameCrueltyPotential: The second game awards experience for each enemy you kill, with more violent and gruesome deaths award you with more points.
* ViolentGlaswegian: Jimmy, [[ExaggeratedTrope dear]] [[AxCrazy christ]] [[BloodKnight Jimmy]].
* YearInsideHourOutside: Inverted. The each asylum segment takes only a few minutes, but varying amounts of time pass in the real world while he's there. He's once there for four days.
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<<|FirstPersonShooters|>>
