Darksiders Story Order: The Chronological Route—and the Easier First-Play Order

The Darksiders games’ closest story order is Darksiders Genesis → the prologue of Darksiders → Darksiders III → the main story of Darksiders II → the rest of Darksiders. That sequence follows a community timeline reconstruction, not an officially confirmed order. For a first playthrough, the simpler route is release order: Darksiders, Darksiders II, Darksiders III, then Darksiders Genesis.

The reason there are two sensible answers is that the series’ stories overlap. In particular, Darksiders II takes place alongside the first game rather than fitting neatly before or after it as a complete campaign. You can follow a reconstructed chronology by stopping and returning to War’s story, or keep every game intact and play in release order.

What order should I play the Darksiders games for the story?

For approximate in-universe chronology, use the split order below. The important catch is that Darksiders II overlaps the original game: treating each game as one uninterrupted block obscures that overlap. The detailed placement of the campaigns comes from a community-maintained timeline, so consider it a useful lore map rather than publisher-confirmed canon.

1. Darksiders Genesis: Begin with this prequel-style entry, which features War and Strife and is placed earliest in the reconstructed timeline.
2. The prologue of Darksiders: Play through the opening in which War is deceived into triggering the premature End War. This sets up the original game’s central predicament.
3. Darksiders III: Continue with Fury’s campaign. The community timeline places it after the premature End War and before the main portion of Darksiders II.
4. The main story of Darksiders II: Play Death’s effort to save humanity and clear War’s name. The timeline places most of this campaign after Darksiders III, though its opening is treated separately.
5. The remainder of Darksiders: Return to War’s story and finish the original game. This puts its main plot last in the reconstructed chronology, while preserving the prologue as the setup for the later events.

The timeline guide describes the placement of Darksiders II’s opening as plausible: it likely follows the premature End War fairly soon, while the bulk of Death’s campaign belongs later. It does not establish a precise, officially confirmed point at which to stop the original game or resume it. If you want to follow this route, use the narrative boundary of the prologue rather than assuming there is a particular menu prompt or save checkpoint. The community timeline guide explains the reconstruction and its uncertainty.

In practical terms, this is a sequence of story portions, not simply a list of four complete games. Start Darksiders long enough to see the prologue’s setup, then pause that campaign; play the later entries in the suggested order; and return to the original to complete War’s main plot. The timeline supports that broad division, but it does not supply an exact mission number, chapter title, or save point for the handoff. Avoid treating any particular checkpoint as definitive chronology unless the game itself makes the story boundary clear to you.

If that interruption sounds cumbersome, that is a real trade-off rather than a mistake in your playthrough. The split is useful to someone who values a closer lore sequence more than uninterrupted pacing. It is not required to understand the games, and it is not an official instruction from the publisher. A player who would rather finish one campaign before starting the next can choose release order without losing the basic premise of the series.

Why does Darksiders II appear in two places?

Because its events run alongside the first Darksiders, rather than simply taking place after the original from beginning to end. GOG describes Darksiders II as parallel to the first game, while the community timeline further divides its opening from its main story.

That distinction matters if you want the closest chronological sequence: a list that puts all of Darksiders before all of Darksiders II is easy to follow, but it is not the reconstructed timeline above. Conversely, splitting War’s game means interrupting a campaign and returning to it later. The broad overlap is supported by GOG’s description; the more precise placement of the sections is the community guide’s interpretation.

It helps to separate two claims that are sometimes collapsed into one. The broad claim—that Death’s game runs parallel to War’s—is reflected in GOG’s overview of the four games. The more detailed claim—that the opening of Darksiders II belongs relatively soon after the premature End War while most of Death’s campaign belongs later—is the timeline authors’ reconstruction. The second claim is more specific and less certain than the first.

That is why a whole-game list can be misleading even when it is convenient. Putting Darksiders II entirely after Darksiders makes the playthrough straightforward, but it makes the overlap disappear. Putting it entirely before the first game also turns a concurrent story into a simple earlier chapter. The split sequence represents the community guide’s attempt to account for the opening and the main portion separately, not a claim that all events can be assigned an exact date or perfectly separated at a known checkpoint.

Should I play in release order instead?

Yes, release order is the clearest choice for a first playthrough. It keeps each campaign intact and lets you encounter the four story-focused games in the sequence they were released: Darksiders → Darksiders II → Darksiders III → Darksiders Genesis.

This route also preserves the original game’s story hook: War is blamed for bringing about the apocalypse prematurely. The PC manual introduces him as “the first of the FOUR HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE,” framing the character and conflict at the center of the series’ opening. The Darksiders manual supports that framing.

Darksiders Genesis is a prequel, but it is also stylistically distinct, with a top-down perspective and a War-and-Strife pairing. That makes it a natural optional detour for newcomers after the main trilogy, rather than a necessary first stop. If you already know the series and care most about chronology, use the split order; if you want an uninterrupted introduction, use release order.

Release order is especially practical if you do not want to stop midway through the original. It gives you a complete first game before moving to Death’s story, then Fury’s, and finally the prequel-style War-and-Strife adventure. That sequence is not the closest attempt at chronology, but it avoids making a first-time player juggle a community interpretation while trying to understand the central setup.

There is also a difference between “story order” and “best order for a newcomer.” A chronological sequence can place an earlier-set entry first, yet still be a less natural introduction if it delays the original’s central hook or asks you to divide a campaign. Release order favors the order in which the four entries were presented to players. Chronology favors fitting the overlapping events together as closely as the timeline reconstruction allows. Neither goal makes the other route invalid.

Which editions should I use?

The editions named here are enhanced versions of the first two games, not different story-order entries. Darksiders: Warmastered Edition is the enhanced edition of the original; GOG describes the original as the series’ initial story and notes visual enhancements. Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition includes the game’s DLC, according to THQ Nordic’s official game site.

For the order itself, the edition names do not change where each story belongs. If you are choosing copies to play, think of Warmastered as the version of the first game and Deathinitive as a version of the second, rather than treating either as an additional chapter. Their names do not create extra entries to insert into the chronology.

Availability can vary by platform and region, so check the relevant storefront for current listings. THQ Nordic’s official page records enhanced PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series releases or retail announcements across 2024–2025; that does not guarantee availability in every region or for every platform. A listing on one storefront or in one territory is not proof that the same version is sold everywhere.

Deathinitive Edition’s included DLC may matter if you want the edition with the game’s add-on content, but it does not change the main story-order recommendation. The official page is the appropriate place to verify what the edition includes and which platform versions are currently listed. Confirm your platform and region before buying; the release announcements do not establish universal stock or a single price.

If you are shopping for the games, search for the specific title and edition you want rather than relying on a generic series listing. Current price, stock, platform compatibility, and regional availability can change. The useful purchase distinction for this guide is straightforward: Warmastered corresponds to the original Darksiders, and Deathinitive is an edition of Darksiders II; neither changes the sequence in which their stories fit.

Which route fits your goal?

Route	Best for	Trade-off
Release order: Darksiders → II → III → Genesis	First playthroughs and uninterrupted campaigns	Not the closest reconstruction of in-universe chronology
Story order: Genesis → Darksiders prologue → III → II main story → rest of Darksiders	Lore-focused players willing to split the original campaign	Relies on an informed community timeline, especially for the placement of II’s sections
Start with Darksiders, then continue in release order	Players who want the original story hook before exploring prequels	Leaves the prequel-style entry until last

Use three questions to choose. First, is chronology your priority, or would you rather follow release order? Second, do you want to keep each campaign in one uninterrupted block? Third, are you comfortable relying on a community reconstruction for the placement of the sections that overlap? If you prioritize the first and accept the third, choose the split route. If you prioritize the second, choose release order.

The chronology route is more precise in intent, but not in the sense of offering an official schedule for every event. Its advantage is that it accounts for the overlap and puts the entries into a proposed lore sequence. Its cost is a break in War’s campaign and some uncertainty about exactly where the handoffs belong. Release order is easier to execute and preserves each game as a continuous experience, but it does not attempt to place every event in strict sequence.

There is no need to make a first playthrough a test of timeline accuracy. Someone who wants to discover the series through its original premise can begin with Darksiders, proceed through II and III, and leave Genesis for last. Someone replaying the series for lore can try the reconstructed order and decide whether the split improves their understanding. The best route is the one that matches whether you value chronological placement or uninterrupted campaigns more.

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Is there a chronological order to play the games?

There is a proposed order, but not a simple, officially confirmed list of four complete games. The community reconstruction is Darksiders Genesis, the prologue of Darksiders, Darksiders III, the main story of Darksiders II, and the remainder of Darksiders. The need to split the original comes from the overlap between War’s and Death’s stories.

Read “chronological” here as the closest practical lore sequence supported by the timeline guide, not as a publisher-prescribed order with a definitive handoff point. The opening and main portion of Darksiders II are assigned differently in the reconstruction, and the guide describes the opening’s placement as plausible. The broad parallel between II and the first game is clearer than that fine-grained split.

What order should I play the games for lore?

For the closest lore sequence, start with Genesis, play the prologue of the first Darksiders, then move to Darksiders III and the main part of Darksiders II, before returning to finish War’s game. If you would rather not interrupt the original campaign, use release order instead. It is a less exact chronology, but a clearer way to experience the stories as complete games.

Should I finish Darksiders before starting Darksiders II?

For a first playthrough, yes: finishing the original before starting II is the straightforward release-order choice. The chronology reconstruction places the original’s prologue early and its main plot later, but it does not provide a confirmed checkpoint for stopping. You do not need to split the game to understand the series’ basic order.

Is Darksiders Genesis a required starting point?

No. Genesis is a prequel-style story featuring War and Strife and sits earliest in the reconstruction, but its top-down perspective makes it distinct from the other entries. For a first introduction, playing it after the trilogy follows release order; for a lore-focused replay, put it first.

Does Death’s story take place entirely after War’s?

No. GOG describes Darksiders II as running parallel to the first game. The community timeline places its opening relatively soon after the premature End War and its main portion later, so the whole campaign does not fit neatly before or after War’s story. The detailed placement is a reconstruction rather than an official timeline.

Is the Darksiders story order officially confirmed?

No publisher-prescribed order is established by the sources for this guide. The detailed split comes from the fan-maintained Steam timeline by Manostion and Erbettagioiosa; its March 2025 update discusses the placement of Darksiders II’s opening as plausible. Treat it as an informed lore map, not an official confirmation.

What should I buy or install for each spot?

Use Darksiders: Warmastered Edition for the enhanced version of the original game and Darksiders II: Deathinitive Edition for the second game with its DLC included. Those editions occupy the same story positions as the original entries. Verify platform and regional availability with the relevant storefront, especially for the newer console releases and announcements.

In short: play the original, II, III, and Genesis in release order for a clean first experience. Choose the split chronology only if following the reconstructed lore sequence is more important to you than keeping the original game’s campaign together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Darksiders story order officially confirmed?

No publisher-prescribed order appears in the cited sources. The detailed split comes from the fan-maintained Steam timeline by Manostion and Erbettagioiosa, whose March 2025 update treats the placement of the opening of Darksiders II as plausible.

Is Darksiders Genesis a main-series game or a spin-off?

It is a story-focused prequel entry featuring War and Strife, but its top-down perspective distinguishes it from the other games. You can leave it until after the trilogy without losing the release-order introduction to the series.

Does Death’s story take place entirely after War’s?

No. GOG describes Darksiders II as running parallel to the first game. The timeline reconstruction places its opening relatively soon after the premature End War and its main portion later, so the whole campaign does not fit neatly before or after War’s story.

Do I have to split the first Darksiders game to follow the story order?

Only if you want to follow the reconstructed chronology closely. The guide places the prologue early and the main plot later, but it does not establish an exact mission or checkpoint for stopping. Release order lets you finish the original campaign without interruption.

What is the easiest order for a first playthrough?

Play Darksiders or Warmastered Edition, then Darksiders II or Deathinitive Edition, followed by Darksiders III and Darksiders Genesis. That is release order and keeps the campaigns intact.

The Bottom Line

Bottom line: For a first playthrough, choose release order—Darksiders, II, III, then Genesis. For approximate lore chronology, play Genesis, the first game’s prologue, III, the main story of II, and then finish the first game. That second route is a community reconstruction, and it means interrupting War’s campaign.