The Darkness is a first-person shooter based on the same-named Top Cow comic. On his 21st birthday, Jackie Estacado, a Mafia hit guy in modern New York City, is possessed by an ancient evil. The curse has been passed down through his family’s generations, beginning with his great-grandpa. Jackie is ready to be killed by Mafia don Paulie Franchetti’s goons when the curse provides him superhuman powers. He defeats the hit guys and moves on to Paulie, as the Mafia boss wants to murder his girlfriend, Jenny Romano.
The game combines classic first-person shooting with standard weaponry and The Darkness’s powers. In well-lit areas, the latter cannot be employed. Jackie can combine both skills in dark regions. Jackie can move between perspectives during gameplay, such as The Darkness; the viewpoint is lower but with a greater field of view. Jackie’s dark powers allow him to summon darklings (various creatures), dark tentacles that sprout from his back to break through walls and smash opponents, and mouth tentacles for close combat. Estacado may also conjure darkness guns that fire lightning bolts, creating a black hole and causing it to collapse on itself for long-range damage.
The game occurs in a present setting and the fictitious Otherworld and Hell. The Darkness appears as a voice in Jackie’s head and attempts to take possession of her body. The force feeds on Darkness and must have a living human body to exist.
