With Darksiders 3 release still a little ways out, it’s worth looking into the story of the previous two games and how it all connects. While the previous two games told standalone stories, there was still plenty of crossover and hints at the direction the series is headed in. If Darksiders 3, is anything like the previous installments, there will be plenty of references to the other games as well as hints of what is still to come.

The story of Darksiders begins with War. War is one of the most pivotal of the four riders (War, Death, Fury, and Strife) as he is supposed to trigger Armageddon and the final battle between Heaven and Hell. Unfortunately, someone else triggers it in Darksiders, and War takes the blame. The group who controls the horsemen, the Charred Council, then imprisons War for starting an unnecessary battle. While he is imprisoned, humanity gets more or less completely wiped out, but it is also when the rest of the horsemen take action – which is why Fury visits a still shackled War. This is where it can be a bit confusing, but each Darksiders game takes place at the same time.

So War’s story involves him investigating Armageddon, presumably at the same time that Fury is off battling the Seven Deadly Sins. While investigating, War discovers that Heaven conspired to trigger the war, and also that the Charred Council knew. War was merely a pawn for the Council to send after the conspirators, but they wanted to allow Armageddon first so as to secure their own position more firmly. War discovers all of this after finding out that Heaven’s general, Abaddon, is actually leading Hell’s armies as the Destroyer. War’s story takes him on many twists, but it ends when he kills Abaddon, the man who triggered Armageddon in the first place, and frees himself from the control of the Charred Council.

Next is Death, the hero if Darksiders 2. Finding out that War has been imprisoned, Death sets out to clear his brother’s name. In his journey, he meets The Makers, Norse inspired beings who create worlds and protect the Tree of Life. Death discovers not only that the Tree of Life has become corrupted, but that he has the power to restore all of Humanity to life if he can restore it. The only problem is it will take the souls of many others to save the souls of Humanity.

During his trials, Death discovers that the Four Horsemen are from a race called the Nephilim, creatures created from both Heaven and Hell, and it is his kin that Death must sacrifice to save humanity. He also discovers that a mysterious demon named Samael is behind the creation of the Horsemen, and while he is supposed to be dead, it definitely seems like he might be working in the shadows.

Death then restores the Tree of Life and frees Humanity, damning his kin in the process and possibly sacrificing his own life.

Which leaves only Fury (since Strife hasn’t gotten his game yet). While War is imprisoned and while Death searches for a way to free him, Fury is given the task of hunting down the Seven Deadly Sins. Little is known about them except that they have escaped onto Earth after Armageddon was triggered, but it is certain that Fury will be hunting them across the same terrain War explored in the first Darksiders. We also know that the zones will each correspond to a specific Sin, and that the zones will all be connected, similar to the level design of Dark Souls.

Since Fury is on Earth before or around the time of War’s journey, it’s likely that there will be an appearance by the Destroyer or his minions (or maybe even War himself, but let’s not get too excited about that). Where there is Hell, it’s likely there is also Samael. We know that Samael was featured as a boss in Darksiders 2 and hinted at as the creator of the Nephilim, but he also made an appearance in Darksiders, where he helped War reach Abaddon in return for War restoring him to his full power. With that many clues to his agenda as the true villain, it’s likely we will hear more from him in Darksiders 3.

Like Darksiders II, it is likely Fury will have her own trials and conflicts, but we can also be sure to look out for The Makers, for Samael, and for any clues of how Fury’s actions play into the journeys of her fellow horsemen. After all, in Darksiders II, Death retrieves one of the guns of Strife but knows not how his brother lost his gun or where he is currently. We also know that all of the horsemen are destined to join forces. At the end of Darksiders, they can be seen riding to the aid of War, and at the end of Darksiders II, it is commented that the four are tied together forever.

We’re excited to find out just how Darksiders III builds on the lore that has been built before it, but we’ll probably have to wait late in the year to confirm its release date.