Darksiders 3: Keepers of the Void DLC Review – A Challenge Worth Taking

Darksiders 3: Keepers of the Void DLC Review

Darksiders 3 had quite the burden to carry into its release. With the success of the first two entries in the series, the third outing into a world ravaged by the apocalypse would have to be something special. While it had the bare-bone necessities down, the game itself felt more than a little unfinished. With the announcement of the next instalment in the franchise – what looks to be an isometric, twinstick dungeon crawler featuring the Horseman Strife – just around the corner, it was a surprise to hear there would be DLC for Fury and her mission against the Seven Deadly. To my delight, surprise turned to glee as this new content, Keepers of the Void, filled in the gaps of what this game needed to be great. However, is it too little too late?

The Content We Desperately Needed

Keepers of the Void is an expansion that adds all new weapons and armor to Fury’s already impressive arsenal. The demon, Vulgrim, is having trouble using the Serpent Holes – your method of fast travel – due to an invasion of golem-like beings. The quest begins after you receive your first Hollow from the Lord of Hollows, as Vulgrim pleads for your help clearing the invaders and promising riches in return. I was concerned at first that this would feel like a tacked on quest best saved for the end game but it fits incredibly well into… well… everything.

Completing the trials will require you to have all four Hollows unlocked, so I suggest waiting until you at least have the Stasis Hollow before entering. The Void continues the typical drab, broken, crumbling atmosphere the rest of the game offers with a perpetual pit of nothingness below, however the puzzles were remarkably refreshing to encounter. While not overly complex, they caused me to stop and ponder, to appreciate the designs in place. Progressing through each puzzle forced you to use your powers in new combinations to move forward and it felt like a greatly accessible final exam; it put me through my paces to understand what I could and could not do.

Of course what good is a challenge without rewards? You’ll encounter boss fights against formidable golems that – when defeated – will drop an all new weapon for their respective Hollow. These are not merely reskins, but will have greatly different abilities, attack speeds, and reach distances. What is essentially flaming nunchuks, for example, are now burning claws. The spear made of lightning is replace with a double bladed staff, the hammer with a large axe, and the broadsword with dual scythes not unlike the ones Fury’s brother Death would wield in the previous game. This opens your arsenal up from five to nine new weapons, and I much prefer these new brutal combat options as opposed to the stock ones in the base game. This all eventually culminates in one truly epic boss battle to put your skills to the test. Upon defeating this behemoth of an enemy you will finally be graced with the beloved Abyssal Armor. The strongest armor to appear in the first two games, it takes until this very DLC to appear for Fury. Unlocking the Abyssal Armor bestows some pretty powerful abilities to add to that impressive arsenal but it sucks you have to buy the DLC to even get it as an option.

Darksiders 3 as a whole didn’t feel ready to me. The load times were appalling, it lagged and skipped frequently, and something about it felt unintentionally empty. Having started the game over from scratch to truly experience Keepers of the Void in the best possible way, I can firmly say this should have been included in the game from the start. Everything about it from a mechanical, environmental, and narrative standpoint blends seamlessly into the game and it makes me wonder if it was intentionally held back as DLC. The content you get from this is incredibly worthwhile, and the challenge the bosses’ present feel achievable without being frustrating. If you already own Darksiders 3 you should buy this DLC and get the full experience, but the fact you NEED the DLC to feel like you have the full game is unfortunate to say the least. Had this been included in the game at launch and the much-needed QOL upgrades been implemented, Darksiders 3 would have truly been the successor of the franchise.

**DLC code provided by the publisher**