Spooky, not really. Evil, yep.
The game mechanics worked well for me. I found it easy to get right into the game. I haven't gotten stuck and it flows very well (I am nearly at the end of the game, I think). It does seem like it's pretty short, but then there's multiplayer, and hopefully some additional downloadable content in the future. I don't mind it being short. I rarely can finish a game before I see another one that I want to play, so a short game is fine with me, and long as it is a quality game that's fun to play and has some replayability.
Graphics are awesome. Nice detail in the world, and character look alright, but their facial animation is bad. I've seen animation come a long way, even so that you can read lips when characters talk, but the characters in The Darkness don't move a muslce on their faces. But hey, this is a shooter, not an RPG, I am over it.
Weapons feel good and sound great. Darkness powers are impressive, graphically. The game is dark, appropriately so, but it never feels like its covering things up. It all it's darkness and gloom, you can see so much of the gameworld in detail.
Sound is very good and the voice acting is just about the best I've heard in a long time. Mr. Patton should be up for some kind on nomination for his work on Jackie. The voice is just perfect, and he reads his lines flawlessly.
Gameplay is above average for a shooter in my opinion, simply because it gives more options in combat instead of using a variety of weapons to get through. The Darkness powers add alot to the gameplay, and they are fun. A sort of RPG like feature lets you build these powers, which makes you want to keep at it until your uber. A very well told story helps to make the action more fun. It never seems like I was blasting enemies just to get to the end of a level, instead I was always caught up in the moment, and wants to unravel the next bit of the story.
This is definitely a mature game. I am thankful that some **** in law or politics hasn't tried to supress this game. As I've said, it IS and evil game. I've even heard that it's been traded back to Gamestop more than once by customers who complained that it is too satanic. Well, GOOD! That is the point of the game, the devs did a fine just once again, as they've done in Riddick, and god bless them for making it mature and getting it published this day in age . . .
I really enjoy The Darkness, and it was a game I wasn't even anticipating buying until a day for two before it came out. A must buy for PS3 owners, if you can stomach the evilness . . .