The Darkness is a first-person shooter video game based on a comic of the same name published by Top Cow. On the day he turns 21, Jackie Estacado, a Mafia hitman living in present-day New York City, is taken over by an evil that dates back centuries. The curse was placed on the firstborn child in his family, beginning with his great-great-grandfather, and it has been passed down through the generations ever since. When Jackie is set to be killed by the goons working for the Mafia don Paulie Franchetti, the curse bestows upon him the ability to wield magical power. He successfully eliminates the hitmen and then turns his attention to Paulie since the Mafia don intends to assassinate Paulie’s lover Jenny Romano.
The game combines traditional first-person shooting with conventional weaponry and the abilities of The Darkness to create an exciting and unique experience. This last option is inapplicable in settings with adequate lighting. In dimly lit environments, Jackie can combine both of her abilities. During the game, Jackie can swap between both characters. Jackie’s perspective is lowered when playing The Darkness, but the view is more extensive. Jackie’s Darkness talents enable him to conjure darklings, which are a variety of strange monsters. He can summon dark tentacles that sprout from his back to burst through walls, smash opponents, and mouth tentacles for close combat. Estacado is also capable of conjuring darkness cannons that fire lightning bolts and creating a black hole, which he can then cause to collapse in on itself to deal damage over a vast area.
A mythical Otherworld and Hell are also a part of the setting of this video game, which also takes place in the present day. The Darkness makes itself known to Jackie through a voice in her head and attempts to remove her body. The force requires a living human body to continue existing, as it derives its power from the Darkness.
