Death rides this June in Darksiders II. A number of retailer-specific pre-order bonuses have already been revealed for the game, but now publisher THQ has taken the next step and announced the Darksiders II Limited and Collector's Editions. Along with the announcement, new Darksiders II screenshots have been released showcasing Death, Despair, and a really, really heavy door.

Any player who pre-orders Darksiders II will automatically be upgraded to the Darksiders II Limited Edition at no additional charge. Instead of some kind of new weapon or armor for Death, the Limited Edition comes with a voucher code for the first Darksiders II single-player DLC, titled Argul's Tomb -- a cool bonus, to be sure, though no date for the DLC has been offered. For now, we'll all just have to be content knowing that Limited Edition owners will have access to Argul's Tomb as soon as "it becomes available," according to THQ's press release.

For the more dedicated (or, for that matter, wealthy) Darksiders fan, only the Darksiders II Collector's Edition will do. Yes, the Collector's Edition is set to retail "for around $99," but what do you get for the money? A full-sized replica Death mask, that's what! With that, you'll be able to star in your own version of the Darksiders II teaser trailer. The mask even comes with a custom stand. Additional goodies in the Collector's Edition cover all the expected bases: an in-game item (the Shadow of Death armor and scythe set), the game's soundtrack (it's a digital download), and an art book (hardcover!). Seriously, though, it's all about that mask. Check it out below.

Rather than pick up right where the first Darksiders left off, Darksiders II tells a parallel story centered on Death, who "tries to redeem his brother War, the horseman blamed for prematurely starting the Apocalypse." It's an usual strategy to change protagonists mid-series, and the team at Vigil Games offer their reasons for the switch in a recent developer diary. Players looking for more background on the relationship between War and Death should check out Darksiders: The Abomination Vault, a novel set to be published at the same time as the new game.

Despite the change in protagonists, Darksiders II is visually consistent with the first game, as seen in the latest batch of screenshots.

Ranters, are you looking forward to Darksiders II? What do you think of the contents of the Collector's Edition? Let us know in the comments below.

Darksiders II releases June 26, 2012, on Xbox 360, PS3, and PC.

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