Darkest Dungeon II

 PC
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 55 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 55
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 55
  3. Negative: 0 out of 55
  1. TheSixthAxis
    Jul 31, 2023
    70
    Darkest Dungeon II is to be applauded for not resting on its laurels, instead opting to make significant changes from its predecessor. The style, challenge, and strategic brilliance remain and that is enough to make it stand out still. However, the focus on roguelike randomness and excessive grind does make this a very different experience and one that didn’t gel for me. If you have the patience to explore the rich detail of the mechanics and the stoicism to deal with the inevitable deaths and disappointments then this is a journey worth taking. Just don’t expect it to be a comfortable ride.
  2. Hey Poor Player
    May 16, 2023
    70
    That’s actually a frequent issue with Darkest Dungeon II. I admire that the team at Red Hook Studios took a real swing here, trying new paths forward for the series instead of just tinkering around the edges and making an iterative sequel. The issue is that most of the game’s strengths are still the parts that came from the first game, with most of what’s new feeling fine but also like downgrades to what they’ve replaced. It leaves Darkest Dungeon II in a strange place where, on its own merits, it’s an interesting and well-made game that doesn’t quite live up to the example set by its predecessor.
  3. Multiplayer.it
    May 8, 2023
    70
    Darkest Dungeon II is definitely a good game, skillfully built upon the experience of the first installment. However, perhaps the comparison with the first game led the developers to go overboard, mixing in ambitions of a more traditional narrative role-playing game into the original formula. This ends up creating noticeable contrasts and lengthening the gameplay a bit too much, making it quite burdensome to start over from scratch each time.
  5. Player 2
    May 8, 2023
    67
    A great core gameplay loop, great enemy design and art, and a more run-based approach sets this game apart as one of the greats in the roguelike genre. The Stress and relationship system might not be for everyone, but it reinforces the strong focus on the choices you make in a run.
  6. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 22, 2024
    60
    It brings a lot of new mechanics and interesting innovations. For fans of the roguelike genre I would definitely not hesitate to recommend the game. It will probably not be a problem to spend quite a few hours in it. However, the problem will arise if you want to compare the second part with the first one. This would probably be met with less enthusiastic ovations. [Issue#329]
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  7. Gamereactor Finland
    May 23, 2023
    60
    At the moment, this game needs plenty of updates in order to get recommended.
  8. Gfinity
    May 11, 2023
    60
    Darkest Dungeon 2 takes a great many things from the original whilst adapting it creatively into a new world. Whilst not all of its choices feel as weighty as the first, that thematic core is just as oppressive.
  9. Gamereactor UK
    May 10, 2023
    60
    Darkest Dungeon II is still promising, but lacks meat around its bones. The 3D art style has been a success, but many changes to core mechanics are either underbaked or too plain, and the user interface needs more love.
  10. Dexerto
    May 8, 2023
    60
    Darkest Dungeon 2 is a worthy sequel to the 2015 original. It’s a fearless alteration of a well-known formula, while also building a game that you really don’t need any context for. Despite issues with some of the best aspects of the game being thinned by its new formula, Darkest Dungeon 2 remains one of the most exciting strategy games in a while.
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In Progress & Unscored

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  1. 3DJuegos
    May 28, 2023
    It's still difficult and with a lot of management and strategy, but there's also some of that danger and chaos of the original that's been lost in the journey. [Recommended]
  2. Ars Technica
    May 8, 2023
    So yeah, I’m pretty hooked on Darkest Dungeon 2. If it had Steam Deck support, I'd be in real trouble (it's coming in the future, Red Hook, says). Yes, there are issues, and I don’t know how far into the end game it will keep me engaged. But the combat is so good, and the roguelite elements are enticing enough, that it has entranced me in the same way the first game did.
  3. Eurogamer
    May 8, 2023
    A copious and often brilliant, if not quite unmissable reworking of a powerfully grim fantasy. [Eurogamer Recommended]
  5. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Nov 1, 2021
    Aside from those interface annoyances and the somewhat confusing compromises made to simplify roster management, I have been having a hell of a time with Darkest Dungeon 2. It might not scratch all of the same itches for me that its predecessor did, and some of the changes seem born of an overzealous devotion to streamlining everything, but it's also one of the most enjoyable roguelites I've thrown myself into on its own merits. The pacing is great, each decision along the road feels meaningful, most runs that aren't killed early on by horrible luck feel aptly rewarding, and the music, art, story, and narration create a singular and sorrowful set of vibes that are hard to top. Deck it out with some very interesting and often unconventional RPG classes and thematically-grounded party dynamics from the refined stress system, and I don't think I'll be letting the flame of this carriage burn low for a long time.

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Best PC Game of 2023
30
#30 Most Discussed PC Game of 2023

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
5.6

Mixed or average reviews- based on 101 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 42 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 20 out of 101
  3. Negative: 39 out of 101
  1. SomeDude9909
    May 11, 2023
    2
    Darkest Dungeon II is a misnomer. The game does not have any dungeons, and it isn't a real sequel to the first Darkest Dungeon.

    Darkest    Darkest Dungeon II is a misnomer. The game does not have any dungeons, and it isn't a real sequel to the first Darkest Dungeon.

    Darkest Roads, as it should be called, is a pathetic attempt at a roguelike that uses similar aesthetics and gameplay mechanics from the first Darkest Dungeon game. They cut out all of the town building, character building, and trinket accumulating aspects of the first game. They added a carriage that is horrible to control and a relationship system that either makes your team hate each other internally for no reason or literally turns your characters gay for each other whether you want them to or not. They simplified the stats with tokens which keeps an element of RNG but makes it now much less interesting and nuanced than before. They cut out the ancestor's dark tales of macabre investigations into the occult. They refused to add Crusader as a character and also cut out a number of other favorites from Darkest Dungeon while just adding one new character to the roster.

    I hate it and wish they had made a genuine sequel instead of this abomination. Stay clear of this waste of time and play Darkest Dungeon instead.    … Full Review »
  2. deceitfulninja
    May 10, 2023
    5
    It's embarrassing user reviews are always 0 or 10. I played few a few hours but overall this is a downgrade from DD1 in a lot of ways. ItIt's embarrassing user reviews are always 0 or 10. I played few a few hours but overall this is a downgrade from DD1 in a lot of ways. It ditches the metaprogression in base building for one off runs, which I don't hate on paper. The first game became a slog of a grind and that needed fixing. But roguelites based around short runs are only good when there's a ton of variability between those runs in that no two feel the same. This is not the case here, it's just the same combat from the first game slightly tweaked with the same characters. You unlock new things for future runs sure, but nothing that's going to change the experience. It's a major disappointment.… Full Review »
  3. dversion
    May 9, 2023
    10
    This game is so deep. There's such growth from the first game. It's not easy, but if you are up for the challenge you'll get an education inThis game is so deep. There's such growth from the first game. It's not easy, but if you are up for the challenge you'll get an education in RPG gaming. Check out the streams on Youtube and you can see the number of buff's, rebuffs etc. In the last game runs took 40 hours with 12-15 characters and now you take 4 characters on a 3-5 hour run. With the candles you can build your characters.

    PS - Don't believe the haters. They gave Redfall a 10/10!    … Full Review »
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