The Darksiders games feature an action role-playing hack and slash style of gameplay. Players take control of one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, from a third-person perspective, each of which characters offer unique play styles and equipment. In the first game, War's method of fighting is using a two-handed signature sword named Chaoseater, though throughout the game the player can equip various other items including a Scythe and a revolver. In Darksiders II, Death uses two scythes as his signature weapon, and in Darksiders III, Fury uses a whip and magic to tear down her enemies.
All Darksiders games generally have similar gameplay, as featuring an open world for the players to explore and a variety of puzzles to solve. Players can find chests that contain souls of the dead, which they can use to purchase a variety of items. The game has an emphasis on boss fights, where players need to learn their weak point in order to do vast amounts of damage. Players can also explore the open world by using the protagonists' own horses, War's being named Ruin, Death's being named Despair and Fury's being named Rampage.