A good game with a fun combat system and a well-acted, well written story. Give it a shot!
You play as Jackie Stacado, a mob hit man in New York that ends up with supernatural powers that allow him to manipulate the Darkness, an ancient entity bent on controlling him. I've never read the comic books, but I found the story interesting and original. Through the course of the game you fight off mobsters and cops in order to fulfill your vengeance, and it plays out very well.
I won't mention any spoilers, but I found the voice acting to be great, which honestly surprised me. The ambience is really well done, but looks dated since they went for full realism textures and animations. Hell, the art seems to be spot on since my girlfriend (not a game player at all) managed to identify it was set in New York just by looking at the subway and streets in a single look. Also, on the PS3, the game feels sluggish in some areas and during combat scenes. The music is ok and pacing can sometimes feel slow, but overall it's a really professional product.
Combat is fun and varied. You not only have dual guns and assault rifles, but you get to use your darkness powers when in the dark. This adds an element of tactics to fights, since you have to find dark areas or create them by shooting out lights. The powers allow you control the battlefield in many ways, making each fight as varied as you want it too. You also get the ability to summon "darklings", little crazy creatures that help you out. I never used them much, and they die easily, but they're there for you.
The game is kind of open world, meaning you can visit several areas through the subway system, but on the PS3 the loading times are kind of slow and the loading screens is Jackie telling you stories about his life. They're well-acted and presented, but after hearing the same cab driver story for the 5th time in a single day you grow to despise them. You can complete side quests by talking to several people, but I found many of them to be broken, with some I couldn't complete at all, even after fulfilling all the requirements.
All in all, I found it to be an entertaining game, and a great way to spend a weekend. Specially at the bargain price that you can find it now for. Give it a try.
Pros:
• Good Story, well-acted and delivered
• Great ambience
• Fun combat system
Cons:
• Somewhat sluggish on the PS3
• Looks dated now a days
• Broken side quests