The Darkness is a first-person shooter based on the Top Cow comic of the same name. Jackie Estacado, a Mafia hit man in modern New York City, becomes possessed by an ancient evil on his 21st birthday. The curse has been passed down through the generations in his family to the first born, starting with his great great grandfather. Jackie is about to be taken out by the henchmen of Mafia don Paulie Franchetti when the curse grants him supernatural powers. He is able to eliminate the hit men and goes after Paulie next, as the Mafia don wants to kill his girlfriend Jenny Romano.
The game offers a mix of action-packed gameplay with regular weapons and the unique powers of The Darkness . The latter can be used in dark environments, but not in well-lit areas. During gameplay, Jackie can switch between using his powers and normal abilities at will. As The Darkness , the viewpoint is placed lower, offering a broader point-of-view. The Darkness powers allow for summoning of darklings, dark tentacles for close combat, and other abilities like creating black holes.
The game takes place in both modern environments and the fictional Otherworld and Hell. The Darkness manifests itself as a voice in Jackie's head, trying to gain complete control over his body. The force feeds on darkness and requires a human body to exist.