I really wanted to start this review with the My Cousin Vinny "deer" quote.
Whenever a franchise switches hands to a new developer, it's never clear what you're going to get. Some adhere to the source material too closely, others don't manage to capture the essence of the original, but a select few manage to supersede the achievements of their predecessors. The Darkness II falls into the latter category – borrowing some of the concepts laid out by the original, but establishing a number of its own, creating a much faster-paced and memorable experience.