Are you SURE this thread is about Darksiders and not Mafia 2? I have Mafia 2 but not Darksiders... Yet.
LoL Yes I'm sure. I was going to write a review on Mafia 2 but I've been too busy since I finished it a few weeks ago, maybe a week and a half ago. It was an awesome game, really, really awesome. The production values were just, incredible....jaw dropping honestly. The level of detail in the world is something every developer should strive to emulate.
Darksiders, it's just plain bad ass. It isn't quite as "Open World" 'ed as The Legend of Zelda, but it's close. There's also plenty of stuff in the dungeons that you have to come back for later after you've found the proper weapon or item you use to open a door you couldn't before or to take down a wall you couldn't before with your more powerful weapon. There's also some minor puzzle solving, but nothing serious. You have this spirit thing called "The Watcher" bound to you and you can call on him when you're stuck. The Watcher is voiced by Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker, voice of The Joker).
The combat in Darksiders is pretty sweet too if you like fast paced in your face sword combat with demons and monsters. I also rode a gryphon for a while shooting down angles and some flying demons. It was pretty sweet. I'm using a wired X-Box360 controller for the fighting but I would recommend using a mouse for the flying and shooting part. Speaking of the controls, they're responsive and right on the money. There are a few occasions where you might get hit if you pull a finisher while you're surrounded. Finisher move animations take a second or two and an enemy can hit you during that time, but if you're smart and don't do it when you got another guy right next to you it shouldn't be an issue. The finishing moves are totally worth it too. Some of them are flat out brutal, it's awesome.
It's a really fun game. If you liked the Legend of Zelda and you like dark fantasy, Darksiders is the game for you.