So I've had the first Darksiders on steam for a while, but haven't gotten around to playing it. Should I play through it first before getting into Darksiders II? Would I be missing out on important story beats? Is the first game as lengthy as the second?

I've tried to play the first game twice and still haven't been able to beat it. I'll probably give it another chance once I put together my new computer tomorrow, but if I still can't get into it then I may just skip the second one altogether. You'd think that I would absolutely love the series. It has artwork by Joe Madureira (one of my favorite comic book artists from the time that I was a kid - I still have a signed issue from The Age of Apocalypse stashed somewhere around here), demons, and a pretty sizable nod to the Zelda franchise but something about it just didn't click.

Just jump in. It takes place during a gap in the first game, so just get the beginning plot of the first game and you'll have no trouble following the story

I beat the first one twice. Once back around the time it came out, and a second time recently. So I'd have it fresh in my mind, both for story, and to compare it to the second one.

Thus far, I think the second one is a lot better, but the first is no slouch.

So far as recommendations for you, the first one is about 15 hours long (and that was with me finding 100% of the items in the game), so no, not as lengthy as the second. And yeah, you should play the first. It's a great game. Mark Hamill is in it.

@MooseyMcMan said:

I beat the first one twice. Once back around the time it came out, and a second time recently. So I'd have it fresh in my mind, both for story, and to compare it to the second one.

Thus far, I think the second one is a lot better, but the first is no slouch.

So far as recommendations for you, the first one is about 15 hours long (and that was with me finding 100% of the items in the game), so no, not as lengthy as the second. And yeah, you should play the first. It's a great game. Mark Hamill is in it.

Definitely start with the first game. While the second one does a good job of prefacing the first's story throughout the game, it may mean more to you if you've already experienced the first.

@MooseyMcMan said:

Mark Hamill is in it.

Ohhhhhhh sshhhhhiiiiiiizzzzz! That just clicked for me. I finished playing DS1 last weekend and the Watcher's voice was driving me mad because I couldn't place it!

@mattchops said:

@MooseyMcMan said:

I beat the first one twice. Once back around the time it came out, and a second time recently. So I'd have it fresh in my mind, both for story, and to compare it to the second one.

Thus far, I think the second one is a lot better, but the first is no slouch.

So far as recommendations for you, the first one is about 15 hours long (and that was with me finding 100% of the items in the game), so no, not as lengthy as the second. And yeah, you should play the first. It's a great game. Mark Hamill is in it.

Definitely start with the first game. While the second one does a good job of prefacing the first's story throughout the game, it may mean more to you if you've already experienced the first.

Pretty much this, but if you just wanna get through for the story play it on easy, because you can't change the difficulty after you start.

Between the responses here and the discussion on this week's bombcast, I'm definitely going to play through the first game. Thanks dudes.

I beat the first one twice. Once back around the time it came out, and a second time recently. So I'd have it fresh in my mind, both for story, and to compare it to the second one.

Thus far, I think the second one is a lot better, but the first is no slouch.

So far as recommendations for you, the first one is about 15 hours long (and that was with me finding 100% of the items in the game), so no, not as lengthy as the second. And yeah, you should play the first. It's a great game. Mark Hamill is in it.

Play the first. It's awesome and the ending will make you want to jump into the second right away.

First is great, holds up and is a good experience.
 
Totally worth it.

Do it.

Buy the first one. It is available very cheap.

If you don't like it then chances are you will not like the second. Potentially saving you money.

If you do like the first one then by the time you have beat it and are ready for more the price of D2 will have dropped. Saving you money.

I don't really think it's a matter of if you need to play it to understand II. As I understood from the podcast that isn't the case, but will make the experience richer. It's more that you should just play I period as it's a stunning stunning game! So if you are going to play it anyway (because it's wonderfull and you should) I'd play it first. But totally a personal opinion :)

I picked up Darksiders 2 on Steam at launch, but decided not to start it until I'd finished my second DS1 playthrought/S-rank run. It reminded me just how much I love the first game. It's just a complete blast to play. Don't play the first because you should. Play it because you can.

I've now started the second and love it already.