It's been more than two years since THQ and Vigil Games released the original Darksiders. The dark, Zelda-inspired adventure snagged more than a few fans, who have long waited for a follow-up. Though War, protagonist of the original game, won't be returning, the story of Darksiders continues with another of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in the starring role. Get ready to step into Death's shoes when Darksiders 2 arrives June 26, 2012, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

Release date announcements have become practically synonymous with pre-order bonuses, and Darksiders 2 is no exception. Depending on the retailer, players can gain access to stat boosts, unique armor and weapons, or entirely new gameplay content.

Darksiders 2 made its public debut at E3 2011, with an announcement trailer that set the stage for Death's ascent. Much more recently, Game Rant got the opportunity to attend an eyes-on gameplay preview, and came away impressed. With any luck, releasing Darksiders 2 in the traditionally game-poor Summer season -- right after E3 2012, no less -- should help it to stand out.

Publisher THQ, reeling from massive restructuring and layoffs, no doubt hopes that the new game finds a larger audience than its predecessor. Players new to Darksiders are advised to check out its rich, unique back-story -- a task that should be made easier by Darksiders: The Abomination Vault, a novel set to be published concurrently with the new game.

Players who are already on-board with the Darksiders series, and ready to put a down payment on the sequel, should choose retailers wisely. GameStop once again scores what looks like the best available deal: two hours of exclusive gameplay content. Amazon and Best Buy also have offers on the table.

Check out the Darksiders 2 pre-order bonuses below, along with screenshots of what those bonuses look like in game.

GameStop

[gallery include="133140, 133139" order="DESC" columns="2" orderby="title"]

Players who pre-order the game from GameStop will receive the ‘Death Rides’ pack. Featuring multiple exclusive side-quests, this pack allows the most fearless adventurers to explore more of the Maker’s Realm and Dead Plains and earn additional experience and loot. Aid an ancient Construct, battle The Bloodless and retrieve Karn’s lost treasure in around two hours of unique game play content.

Best Buy

[gallery include="133138,133137" link="file" order="DESC" columns="2" orderby="title"]

Pre-order the game from Best Buy to unlock the ‘Angel of Death’ pack. Give yourself an edge with a unique set of enhanced armor with an angel inspired design as well as a pair of upgraded matching scythes and a exclusive visual trail for your companion crow Dust.

Amazon

People who pre-order the game from Amazon will get to ride into battle with increased speed thanks to the ‘Deadly Despair’ pack. This unique pre-order offer adds an additional speed boost for Death’s trusty steed Despair, allowing players to travel across the vast world even faster than before. This perk is a permanent increase that will last throughout the game.

Ranters, are you looking forward to Darksiders 2? Which pre-order bonus will you go for? Let us know in the comments below.

Darksiders 2 releases June 26, 2012, for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

-

Follow me on Twitter @HakenGaken