To an extent. It's not as free as, say, GTA. You're free to explore the environment to your heart's content, but the environments are relatively small, and there's really not much else to do but the story missions (albeit there are a few entertaining side missions to undertake.)

Overall, I enjoyed the game immensely. Incredible graphics (both visually and artistically), top-notch voice acting, and a terrific story (based on the comic book series of the same name.) The Darkness powers are fun to use, and the Darklings add strategy to all the killing.

My complaints are few, but worth mentioning. Overall, the game is relatively short (you can beat it in a weekend), the multiplayer sucks, and sometimes the controls don't react as tightly as you'd like them to.

But for a game with so many great things going for it, it's easy to shove the complaints under the rug. It's a very good game. But it's most definitely not for the faint of heart. There are moments in the game that will shock you, repulse you, but at the same time amaze you.

Overall, I give it a 9/10.