Darkest Dungeon

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 846 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 627 out of 846
  2. Mixed: 134 out of 846
  3. Negative: 85 out of 846

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Botanistaken
    Sep 4, 2023
    5
    gets too boring, because of the repetitive gameplay. i stopped playing after 8 hours. dont get me wrong i love difficult games but if the only difficulty of the game you have developed is to pass the same sections with the same logic and strategy over and over again, i aint playing that.
  2. kakaowsky
    Sep 4, 2023
    10
    Such a great game. It is addictive, with lots of replayability and depth, all created with a great atmosphere. Try it and try not to become afflicted!
  3. apokalipto
    Aug 19, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  4. PR9Gaming
    Aug 12, 2023
    9
    Basically turn-based dark souls where some bad decisions can wreck an entire mission and you have to deal with setbacks as best you can.
  5. PedroIvo
    Aug 7, 2023
    10
    Melhor jogo do gênero!!
    Arte, regras do jogo, narração! Uma obra prima! Feito pra quem tem nervos de aço.
  6. swear
    Aug 1, 2023
    10
    One of the best games I ever played. Hard but rewarding.

    If you beat the game once or twice, I would recommend checking all the mods available on steam, makes the game even better.
  7. Young_Fawn
    Jun 21, 2023
    10
    Nearly Seven Years

    I've been playing Darkest Dungeon for almost seven years and to me it's always been the perfect rogue-like, although I've never had the patience or time to finish it until now. First let me start off by saying that Darkest Dungeon, at least on its default settings, is still an unforgiving game. At the very beginning, as soon as you boot up the game, it tells you    Nearly Seven Years

    I've been playing Darkest Dungeon for almost seven years and to me it's always been the perfect rogue-like, although I've never had the patience or time to finish it until now.

    First let me start off by saying that Darkest Dungeon, at least on its default settings, is still an unforgiving game. At the very beginning, as soon as you boot up the game, it tells you that Darkest Dungeon is all about making the best of a bad situation, and I'm sure anyone who's put any amount of time into the game, can confirm that this is definitely the case.

    Effectively, the game plays as thus; A week passes every mission, there are multiple 'Dungeons' you can go to, each with their own trials and tribulations, enemy types and bosses, you take a party of four that will suit that dungeon and complete the given task. After that task is completed (or failed) party members will level up and you'll earn gold and trinkets, which you use to upgrade your Hamlet (Effectively your base of operations) in order to become stronger to make dungeoning easier and get access to harder quests.

    There are a multitude of heroes/classes to choose from, each of them bringing their own unique abilities and playstyle to the game. You can also rename all of your heroes to anything you want, making the game ideal for those who want to put their friends in the game (This is what I do for all games that I can, such as XCOM or Phoenix Point or Disgaea) or also ideal for Twitch Streamers as you can make your chat feel more involved by naming them after people in there.

    The gameplay loop is very satisfying and I don't ever get bored playing this game, although what I will say is, things -will- go wrong. You will lose that max level hero to something out of your control, yes you can debate that the game is mostly RNG, but think of the game more like D&D as opposed to other turn based RPG's, it's the dice that does decide at the end of the day. However you do have a multitude of ways of mitigating damage and making sure you're getting the most out of your heroes, if you plan ahead well, know when to take a loss as well (tactically) you'll be fine.

    The game is long, there's no doubt about that, you're talking anywhere between 30-50 hours for one proper run at the game, beating the final boss and all.

    Another great aspect about the game is the Hamlet, randomly you'll get Town Events, these can be positive or negative. Things such as... The Tavern is free for the week, or a free weapon upgrade (This can be particularly helpful in the mid-game when money is an issue.) Or negative ones such as a big bad boss is at your doorstep all of a sudden, with no preparation and you -need- to deal with him. It makes the game feel alive, like not everything is always 100% under your control, and this, for me, is what makes the game so exhilarating.

    In truth, I don't really have anything bad to say about the game, I guess I've been done over by RNG a few times but upon reflection, I guess I could've prepared better, but sometimes I did just get crit 3 times in a row and had a hero die, but I also don't see how blaming RNG for losing someone is a bad thing, especially when that's the nature of the game; you expect this going into it. But that's the reality of the game, I'd say it's a feature and not a flaw, you can do all the preparation in the world and be set up perfectly, but as the narrator so aptly puts it, as you think you're doing well. "How quickly the tide turns."

    To me, this is one of the best games ever made, it offers extensive replay-ability and despite its unforgiving nature, it's extremely rewarding, I promise when you pull off something magnificent, or one of your heroes becomes Virtuous, or you beat a boss that was skelping you endlessly, you'll be jumping out of your seat in joy.

    10/10.    … Expand
  8. Suprizer
    Jun 8, 2023
    8
    F*CK EVERY CORNER OF THIS GAME. THIS IS NOT A GAME ITS TORTURE! But apparently i am a masochistic person 200+ hours 0 regrets.
  9. Vortyrion
    May 14, 2023
    4
    A game that is full of bad design decisions.
    A sequel that is missing most of the things that made the first game great.
    A rogue-lite with mechanics and RNG hell that force you to suffer many hours before you manage to achieve some meaningful progress.
    And that is the main difference, where the first game makes you struggle this is make you suffer.
    And it's simple, not fun.
  10. Maycolino10
    May 11, 2023
    10
    No any other game punished and rewarded me in equal measure as DD has. It's a game that develops in front of your eyes as the more hours you pour into it, and believe me it could be quite a lot of hours.
  11. Hyperfailure
    Apr 29, 2023
    8
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfqhXVN5jaU

    The quintessential Darkest Dungeon TM experience.

    The narrator gives me goosebumps.
  12. ZackH25
    Mar 23, 2023
    8
    Very smart game and probably one of the hardest games I have played including games from the souls series. Very rewarding and punishing gameplay loop. You can level up a character for hours and make him seem 'hot **** but then you take him to a risky level near the endgame and there is a good chance he will die and you will have to start that loop over (Would be quicker to level of theVery smart game and probably one of the hardest games I have played including games from the souls series. Very rewarding and punishing gameplay loop. You can level up a character for hours and make him seem 'hot **** but then you take him to a risky level near the endgame and there is a good chance he will die and you will have to start that loop over (Would be quicker to level of the character at least). The enemies and the bosses are great in this game and they all feel different. The madness meter is a brilliant yet very annoying part of the game that makes games way harder. It does get a bit repetitive over time but definitely worth a play if you like a challenging game. Also the loot system is very and extensive.… Expand
  13. farrrullll
    Jan 27, 2023
    8
    Darkest Dungeon Darkest Dungeon v Darkest Dungeon Darkest Dungeon Darkest Dungeon
  14. joglow
    Jan 2, 2023
    7
    Kinda addicting at the end and pretty depressing. You will want to finish it in a good way.
  15. CodaHensley
    Dec 2, 2022
    6
    Had a pretty good time with the game until a whole fully upgraded team was wiped in one turn because of some harsh rng. Great game for people who just have way too much time on their hands.
  16. Soullex
    Nov 30, 2022
    7
    Oyun ilerlerde biraz tekrara bağlıyor. Ne zaman karşıma bir boss çıksa içimden geçiyor. Tekrar karakter kasmak da çok zor.
  17. SauceBox6
    Nov 26, 2022
    7
    10 - Masterpiece
    9 - Amazing
    8 - Great
    7 - Good
    6 - Okay
    5 - Mediocre
    4 - Bad
    3 - Awful
    2 - Painful
    1 - Unbearable
  18. Xeculiar
    Oct 23, 2022
    8
    amazing and extremely unique game havent played something as amazing as this in a long time only complaints are as followed: crimson court is awful, steam edition is the only version with mod support so only buy it on steam and butchers circus is a great addition to this game thats been left to rot
  19. EVIL_UJIN
    Oct 15, 2022
    8
    Пьеса: Into The Dungeon

    Экспозиция: Четыре героя - Крестоносец, Разбойник, Весталка и Шут. Максимальный уровень, максимальные навыки и оружие. Крутейшие артефакты. Ресурсы закуплены по максимуму, ибо денег уже дофига. Идут в обычное подземелье, с обычными врагами, которых убивали сотню раз. Ожидается рутина. Завязка: Почти сразу встретили блуждающего босса - Нечто Со Звезд,    Пьеса: Into The Dungeon

    Экспозиция:
    Четыре героя - Крестоносец, Разбойник, Весталка и Шут. Максимальный уровень, максимальные навыки и оружие. Крутейшие артефакты. Ресурсы закуплены по максимуму, ибо денег уже дофига. Идут в обычное подземелье, с обычными врагами, которых убивали сотню раз. Ожидается рутина.

    Завязка:
    Почти сразу встретили блуждающего босса - Нечто Со Звезд, завалили его ценой огромного стресса всей команды. Пара персонажей впала в психоз. Пришлось сразу сделать привал, который немного снял стресс.

    Развитие действия:
    Во следующем бою рыболюди парой удачных критов убивают Разбойника (не припомню потери персонажей уже боев 15). С трудом заканчиваем бой втроем. Принимаем волевое решение идти дальше.

    Кульминация:
    В третьем бою Весталка ловит максимальный стресс и откидывает коньки от разрыва сердца. Оценив ситуацию, сбегаем из боя и с позором покидаем подземелье.

    Развязка:
    Задание не выполнено. Два оставшихся героя вернулись с сильным стрессом, который нужно будет лечить. Потеряны два персонажа 6 уровня, причем Весталка унесла с собой два крайне редких артефакта.

    Занавес

    Обожаю эту игру!)    … Expand
  20. gravehaven
    Sep 25, 2022
    5
    A bit overhyped. Anyone that has played Dungeons and Dragons will find this bland. It's really just a brutal twist on a random number generator. That's it. Art is amazing, sound and music are amazing, voice acting is amazing, design is really just a jRPG with an unforgiving RNG.
  21. Komoto
    Jul 26, 2022
    0
    You will spend weeks or even months manicuring your teams to attempt any of the end game content only to have it all be destroyed because of bad RNG. Nothing about this game respects your time and you're better off playing any game from the vast roguelike options available today.
  22. TomKing13
    Jul 17, 2022
    6
    c: ........................................................................
  23. Wargames
    Jul 14, 2022
    8
    Amazing setting and atmosphere, memorable voice lines, and gorgeous art direction. The gameplay is exciting and the challenge is satisfying up to the endgame point when the game crashes the player's soul by rising the difficulty bar too high and demanding grinding old dungeons to level up the new generation of heroes.
  24. Wrathzo
    Mar 25, 2022
    7
    Darkest Dungeon is a role-playing video game developed and published by Red Hook Studios. Darkest Dungeon has the player manage a roster of heroes to explore dungeons below a gothic mansion the player has inherited. Played out in a mix of real-time movement and turn-based combat, a core feature of Darkest Dungeon is the stress level of each hero that increases with further exploration andDarkest Dungeon is a role-playing video game developed and published by Red Hook Studios. Darkest Dungeon has the player manage a roster of heroes to explore dungeons below a gothic mansion the player has inherited. Played out in a mix of real-time movement and turn-based combat, a core feature of Darkest Dungeon is the stress level of each hero that increases with further exploration and combat; a character sustaining a high-stress level may gain afflictions that will hamper, or possibly enhance, their performance as an explorer.… Expand
  25. Hatters
    Mar 10, 2022
    8
    An amazing game I ALWAYS come back to. If you're struggling, that's totally normal! Experience and knowledge are extremely important when it comes to this game, so trial and error is key!
  26. ivan1117
    Dec 26, 2021
    9
    Beautifuly crafted graphics, the gameplay loop is fun, addicting, hard, and rewarding. It takes some time to learn all the mechanics and the amount of information thrown at beginners is too much.
  27. Tabbou
    Dec 20, 2021
    6
    Nice art, good ambiance, characters and team building are nice but :
    -Too hard
    -Less and less fun trough the stages
  28. khangpro1112
    Dec 19, 2021
    10
    Highly Recommended : 10/10
    1. Graphics : GOOD
    2. Gameplay : GOOD
    Definitely worth a try !
  29. Axelle_1
    Dec 12, 2021
    8
    Darkest Dungeon is at it’s heart more than just a rogue-like RPG. It’s a tale, a story, an epic if you will.
  30. LadyLuck
    Dec 3, 2021
    10
    the reason the score its not higher on metacritic is because is a niche game, unique . As pointed out by joebomb10 the game its really delight on balancing every aspect of it to deliver immersion and story to a point that enriches everything that the games proposes to do .
    as i do enjoy such balance this game is a must for me, as example the traits of the characters are there not only for    the reason the score its not higher on metacritic is because is a niche game, unique . As pointed out by joebomb10 the game its really delight on balancing every aspect of it to deliver immersion and story to a point that enriches everything that the games proposes to do .
    as i do enjoy such balance this game is a must for me, as example the traits of the characters are there not only for the gameplay but also to bring life to the characters that are facing the horrors with you.

    RNG is a issue? yes and it should be , it makes everything more on edge than anything the game do, will you be luck enough to deliver amazing blows that inspire your allies or will you doom your party with the madness that fills your mind with dread and desperation.
    The learning curve that bother some its by design , if normal mode its too hard try easy to learn the mechanics ,no shame on doing so and will double your fun.
    now i will adress the problem talked about in the other critics , playing the dungeons multiple times its not a problem EITHER , each encounter is different , the maps for them too. you need to press the various levels of it to find the BOSS and when you do it the Hamlet(the central of operations) will be notified gaining mental bonuses .
    the point is to conquer darkness everywhere and believe me there will be plenty for you to fight .
    If Triple AAA games are boring for you , try this. If not try this, because its that good.    … Expand
  31. mirpend
    Nov 18, 2021
    10
    Darkest Dungeon is absolutely one of the best RPG games. the game is so much unpredictable! I lost my best heroes even though I was sure that I could finish my match! I got this game for free on epic games but I decided to buy it on steam too because it is totally worth it! (and also it's F-ing cheap)! If you like hard games like me, just buy it now. you will enjoy it and probably willDarkest Dungeon is absolutely one of the best RPG games. the game is so much unpredictable! I lost my best heroes even though I was sure that I could finish my match! I got this game for free on epic games but I decided to buy it on steam too because it is totally worth it! (and also it's F-ing cheap)! If you like hard games like me, just buy it now. you will enjoy it and probably will probably want to shoot yourself in the head after first hour! XD But believe me when you learn how to play it, you will spend a lot of time playing it for sure.… Expand
  32. UncleEd
    Oct 12, 2021
    6
    This is a game I disliked, but I can see why some people enjoy it. Darkest Dungeon is a side-view turn based combat game, where grinding is its core mechanic. You have your party and go into dungeons trying to complete quests, most of which involve exploring the dungeon or clearing out the enemies.
    There are a lot of good things to say about it. It has a unique visual style, which I    This is a game I disliked, but I can see why some people enjoy it. Darkest Dungeon is a side-view turn based combat game, where grinding is its core mechanic. You have your party and go into dungeons trying to complete quests, most of which involve exploring the dungeon or clearing out the enemies.
    There are a lot of good things to say about it. It has a unique visual style, which I really liked. The music, audio and atmosphere are also really good. You have to watch the stress levels of your heroes in addition to their hit points and stress is usually the main challenge to overcome. Once your heroes die, you lose them permanently. So, you can spend hours leveling up your heroes and lose them unexpectedly. RNG is an additional factor of frustration, which you can maybe overcome with constant grinding.

    If you grind long enough, upgrading your town, then your heroes, I can safely assume you will be able to play through it. And that’s the thing about Darkest Dungeon. If you enjoy or don’t mind the grinding, Darkest Dungeon offers a unique atmosphere and it’s very friendly to casual pick up & play. If you are like me though, you will see early on what is expected from you to complete the game and you will choose to abandon it instead.

    I have played it both on Switch and Steam and found the gameplay much more enjoyable with mouse & keyboard. On a final note, the game warns you that it will collect your data if you wish to access one of the DLCs, which sounded alarming, but I did not really research if it’s something troubling.    … Expand
  33. chialeos
    Sep 12, 2021
    0
    this game cured all of my friends longing depression
  34. Sanastusa
    Aug 29, 2021
    10
    A gothic inspired, rouge-like turn based RPG that creeps into your mind and stays around leaving you always thinking of...The Darkest….Dungeon.
    Easily sitting in my top video games of all time, Darkest Dungeon is not only great, but memorable. It is packed full of clenching moments of fear and dread as your heroes fight through the encroaching terrors. Stress, health, and equipment are    A gothic inspired, rouge-like turn based RPG that creeps into your mind and stays around leaving you always thinking of...The Darkest….Dungeon.
    Easily sitting in my top video games of all time, Darkest Dungeon is not only great, but memorable. It is packed full of clenching moments of fear and dread as your heroes fight through the encroaching terrors. Stress, health, and equipment are just some of the things you have to keep in account as heroes will succumb to madness regardless of how experienced they are.
    I have owned this game since a month after its release in 2016 and through the years I was never able to beat it. I would start a file and eventually lose heroes to the different bosses, crushing my dreams. Yet the game would come back to me year after year, memories of playing it, watching my heroes get glorious virtue saves and huge heroic moments. Over the past month I sat down and put all effort into completing this game, joining the 3.5% of its player count to actually best the dungeon.
    If you are looking for a difficult game that is frustrating and stressful as it's equally rewarding and enjoyable. This is the game. Red Hook developed a gem with Darkest Dungeon. With its own DLC’s that add on fun enjoyable content and a trusted relationship with the modding community. A squeal is coming out this year and I can’t wait to fall into its madness    … Expand
  35. F3T1W
    Aug 27, 2021
    4
    A stuffy toy, dropped, unable to bear to lose your favorite fighters after hiking, torches one love
  36. Jaddel
    Aug 12, 2021
    0
    Unbalanced RNG heavy game.. Thx, but no... These days i have enough games RNG-heavy... (50% progress in the game)
  37. KepasaAmigo
    Jul 16, 2021
    9
    One of the best games ever played. ultra hard. not for casuals i think. played around 50 hours.never beat the game. 9/10
  38. Tromble
    Jun 28, 2021
    8
    Darkest Dungeon is a fantastic and dark experiences that delivers all of the aesthetic goals of a brutal and unfair challenge while mechanically safeguarding the player from ever truly losing too much progress.

    Darkest Dungeon's biggest weakness comes from some of its more awkward decisions made to pad the game's runtime such as bosses reappearing with only minorly increased stats. I    Darkest Dungeon is a fantastic and dark experiences that delivers all of the aesthetic goals of a brutal and unfair challenge while mechanically safeguarding the player from ever truly losing too much progress.

    Darkest Dungeon's biggest weakness comes from some of its more awkward decisions made to pad the game's runtime such as bosses reappearing with only minorly increased stats.

    I highly recommend Darkest Dungeon.    … Expand
  39. dpagkali
    Jun 24, 2021
    9
    This game is amazing and very fun . It is very punishing if you make the wrong choices though so people can get some frustration . Also there is a certain amount of rng that you can do nothing about but the best , but it is manageable overall . All classes are well balanced and there is a good variety if you add the dlc s also . There are some improvements can be made but overall for me ,This game is amazing and very fun . It is very punishing if you make the wrong choices though so people can get some frustration . Also there is a certain amount of rng that you can do nothing about but the best , but it is manageable overall . All classes are well balanced and there is a good variety if you add the dlc s also . There are some improvements can be made but overall for me , it is one of the best games i have tried last years . I will keep my 10 with the sequel i hope .… Expand
  40. OberiousLocke
    Jun 3, 2021
    0
    Not a bad game, necessarily, but it is incredibly (and deliberately, I think) harsh on the player to the point of being unfair. Further, with Red hook doing business with Epic for exclusive early access for Darkest Dungeon 2, I cannot in good conscience recommend giving them money. Automatic 0.
  41. Prometheus1241
    May 10, 2021
    8
    Quite strong game, recommended for strategy gameplay fans and for those who want to challenge their's nervous system.
  42. pakuBesi
    May 5, 2021
    9
    Its not about turn based RPG, its about preparing and managing your heroes week by week. Yes, at one point it will be kinda boring, but somehow it keeps me going on...
  43. Avecco
    Apr 7, 2021
    10
    An amazing and original game with nice characters and a perfect and exiting ending.
  44. Fair344
    Mar 7, 2021
    8
    I got this game for a steal during a Steam sale. Well worth it but it can get a tad repetitive, and be ready to lose your teams ala Xcom. Unforgiving and stressful. I love it.
  45. L140
    Feb 18, 2021
    6
    ну и хуйня блять, каждый раз одно и то же, как же хочется сдохнуть...
  46. PhoenixReveiws
    Feb 17, 2021
    9
    My favorite pastime these days. The gameplay is great and unforgiving. The modding community is talented. But you, I, and your dog's grandmother know that the art is what the game's quality really shines.
  47. Tomplifier
    Feb 17, 2021
    4
    This game has some nice mechanics and I like the gameplay.
    But it is no game at all, this "game" is work. It's hard work. And not enjoyabel. To me.
  48. Ead
    Dec 31, 2020
    4
    I have played the game for a few hours, now I decided to share some of my experience.
    The best part is the art style looks cool, even it's a copycat from Withcther's.
    But man, this game has so many short-comings. The UI sucks. If you are using a controller to play this, the logic to use the UI definitely sucks and confusing. Simple things like equip equipment can be very hard to do,    I have played the game for a few hours, now I decided to share some of my experience.
    The best part is the art style looks cool, even it's a copycat from Withcther's.
    But man, this game has so many short-comings.

    The UI sucks. If you are using a controller to play this, the logic to use the UI definitely sucks and confusing. Simple things like equip equipment can be very hard to do, and there is no tutorial about that.

    The gameplay logic sucks. If you have a character that's good at disarming traps, you will need to switch to that character to do so. That means you will need to open their character panel to see their traits and switch to this character just to disarm traps. How tedious can this be?

    Man, does this game need you to grind. Leveling up is extremely slow, and each time you enter the dungeon you have a very high chance of getting a negative trait which could void all your efforts.

    Oh man, the combat sucks. The combat is purely based on RNG. That means your formation, your character skill don't really mean that much. Even you have a team of all level 4 character, facing level 3 dungeons. As long as they got two crits in a row, you either lose a hero or retreat. And you totally don't get to control who is the next one will be moving. This void all your RPG strategy part. Also, did I mention the hit rate is a joke? Healing is also a joke while the enemy can cause devastating damage to you. And you lose morale all the time, no matter you are walking or in combat.

    On man, that's not all. Another most stupid design is that the higher-level character won't be able to go to the low-level dungeon anymore. So if you lose a major character, you better pray you can build an new character from a low level without dying or getting bad negative traits. Even if you have a new higher level character, without proper equipment and preparation. It's very highly likely you will lose it in the higher level dungeon.

    In short, this game isn't for anyone who enjoys a fair fight or strategic fight or with a sane mind that understand winning the slot machine is useless.    … Expand
  49. Setsudo
    Dec 27, 2020
    6
    There is something there. It's too bad that the gameplay depends only from your luck
    More it's difficult to end a dugeon, less money you have then less chance to finish the next etc
    Unless playing easy mode or waste a lot of time to repeat the same way... It ends to get boring and stressfull which is sacarstic when you know that what it kills your caracters in the game Not a game    There is something there. It's too bad that the gameplay depends only from your luck
    More it's difficult to end a dugeon, less money you have then less chance to finish the next etc

    Unless playing easy mode or waste a lot of time to repeat the same way...

    It ends to get boring and stressfull which is sacarstic when you know that what it kills your caracters in the game

    Not a game for me... But good try    … Expand
  50. LazyPig
    Dec 7, 2020
    8
    A brutal and unforgiving, but I'll be it a very fun game with a unique art style.
  51. Lizarino
    Nov 3, 2020
    9
    Great rogue-lite turn based RPG!

    + Love the art style + Good amount of customization and build diversity (although there is a meta) + An actual hard game rather than relying on being unfair or having bad controls (like games) + Great game mechanics with loot and difficulty + Good DLCs and workshop support + Can take over 50+ hours to finish + Good price + Great sound effects and    Great rogue-lite turn based RPG!

    + Love the art style
    + Good amount of customization and build diversity (although there is a meta)
    + An actual hard game rather than relying on being unfair or having bad controls (like games)
    + Great game mechanics with loot and difficulty
    + Good DLCs and workshop support
    + Can take over 50+ hours to finish
    + Good price
    + Great sound effects and narrator

    - Can get repetitive / unlucky at times
    - Sequel is an epic exclusive    … Expand
  52. Wynkin_Gunn
    Sep 22, 2020
    6
    Progression can be slow for those unacquainted with RPG elements and RNG mitigation. Losses in later parts of the game can set progression back by quite a bit, which made me lose interest in the game. The strong modding community for this game, however, is a nice side bit.
  53. DrkAsDeath
    Aug 23, 2020
    3
    Its all right but the combat is pretty lack luster. You can make a case that the rng ruins the game sometimes. ex... ive had a teammate that dies in the first turn. Double crit and then a death blow. pretty stupid tbh. The fighting in general is pretty dumb. pick a move and then hope it hits. imagine xcom 95% chance to hit but misses and then multiply that by 5 and you get darkest dungeon.Its all right but the combat is pretty lack luster. You can make a case that the rng ruins the game sometimes. ex... ive had a teammate that dies in the first turn. Double crit and then a death blow. pretty stupid tbh. The fighting in general is pretty dumb. pick a move and then hope it hits. imagine xcom 95% chance to hit but misses and then multiply that by 5 and you get darkest dungeon. People who say its not biased off rng is pretty stupid. They find the most broken build and then steam role threw the game and call it skill. basically the exact same type of people who say camping takes skill in Call Of Duty. Im not even close to being like that so i despise anyone who is. which makes me work for my reward. Which in this game means almost nothing. So it kinda sucks that i half to work harder for the same reward. So i beg to differ why would anyone play this? Do you enjoy grinding. Losing something that you pointless worked hard on for hours. Or getting lucky and crit the boss and calling it skill. The world may never know… Expand
  54. CitySpellsword
    Aug 16, 2020
    3
    Darkest Dungeon is beautifully voiced, contains a great variety of units, and succeeds at almost all of the fine, little details of world-building. Unfortunately, the big-picture game design is absolutely terrible and fights against itself in every way. Intricate statuses and positioning that allow you to think and plan critically? Nope, it's a game of coin-flipping to land any attack. TheDarkest Dungeon is beautifully voiced, contains a great variety of units, and succeeds at almost all of the fine, little details of world-building. Unfortunately, the big-picture game design is absolutely terrible and fights against itself in every way. Intricate statuses and positioning that allow you to think and plan critically? Nope, it's a game of coin-flipping to land any attack. The RNG is so high you're just playing slots and hoping every little success is enough to keep progressing your hamlet. Also, it's a world of intrigue and exploration that literally punishes you for trying anything new. This is the kind of game design from 20 years ago built to sell overpriced game guides, but now that you can just google "What is this boss/curio?", you always will because the you'll spend double the hours getting punished and set back if you try anything other than the safest, most obvious approach.… Expand
  55. Tk4Bullet
    Aug 3, 2020
    5
    I really like the atmosphere of the game, the concept, artwork, complex mechanics and how you have the freedom to create your teams of four and embark. What I could not stand was the massive overload of RNG runing many dungeons. If an enemy has 12 HP, your leper will hit him for 11 and then the enemy will crit you next turn. The random food checks are **** such quirks as kleptomaniac orI really like the atmosphere of the game, the concept, artwork, complex mechanics and how you have the freedom to create your teams of four and embark. What I could not stand was the massive overload of RNG runing many dungeons. If an enemy has 12 HP, your leper will hit him for 11 and then the enemy will crit you next turn. The random food checks are **** such quirks as kleptomaniac or other trashes that force your heroes to interact with curios are idiotic too. The game tries so hard to **** you up even on the lowest difficulty even if you try very hard,… Expand
  56. RusyaLegend
    Aug 1, 2020
    9
    Хорошая игра, хорошая музыка, минус балл за долгую прокачку персонажа при смерти предыдущего героя.
  57. wolfkingdom
    Jul 23, 2020
    9
    A great mix of survival,management and tactical rpg.
    Pro:
    -Difficult but fair
    -the music is excellent in building the intense atmosphere
    -lots of heroes classes
    -gameplay is very addictive
    Cons:
    -Gets a little repetitive in the late game
    -more heroes customization and cosmetics would be great.
    Definetly a purchase for tactical rpg or strategy fans.
  58. DingerDonger
    Jun 27, 2020
    0
    Darkest Dungeon is the pinnacle of artificial difficulty in a video game. This game is meant to do one thing and one thing only: test your patience. There is a heavy RNG element in this game at every single turn, but the vast majority of the outcomes work AGAINST you. If you like missing all your attacks, receiving numerous critical hits on your back row character that stresses out yourDarkest Dungeon is the pinnacle of artificial difficulty in a video game. This game is meant to do one thing and one thing only: test your patience. There is a heavy RNG element in this game at every single turn, but the vast majority of the outcomes work AGAINST you. If you like missing all your attacks, receiving numerous critical hits on your back row character that stresses out your entire party, or just plain random events that ruin your run, give Darkest Dungeon a try. There's no story, very little strategy that matters (since everything can go out the window at the whims of the dice), and very little teambuilding that matters since they're all destined to become turds eventually. Speaking of party, you are not meant to keep party members around for very long. The game is built in such a way that forces you to continuously recruit new members as your old ones die to the extreme randomness of the dungeons. And if all your party members die on a run and you're only left with low levels? Guess it's game over for you.

    If you like playing games like Russian roulette or if you like to see how much pain you can endure from self-torture before you pass out, this game might just be for you. Otherwise, I'd avoid it like the plague.    … Expand
  59. imherv
    Jun 22, 2020
    10
    Darkest Dungeon is a turn-based RPG that clearly leaves you with distress with each round that ends. Sometimes the best attack is the defense, and the best defense is the attack, with that in mind, Darkest Dungeon is a game that challenges you to the extreme and puts you in places and expeditions that pass security to you, but in the meantime, across the wall, in the end, everything isDarkest Dungeon is a turn-based RPG that clearly leaves you with distress with each round that ends. Sometimes the best attack is the defense, and the best defense is the attack, with that in mind, Darkest Dungeon is a game that challenges you to the extreme and puts you in places and expeditions that pass security to you, but in the meantime, across the wall, in the end, everything is just an incredible ambush to destroy your team. Even with all that going on, the game always has something new to do, and no expedition is the same.… Expand
  60. loquesea57
    Jun 18, 2020
    9
    One of the most stressful, annoying and frustrating rpg's I've played, and it was still amazing.
    Granted, I played with mods, so I had more fun that way than playing it normally.
  61. ScreamHorn
    Jun 10, 2020
    10
    Basically 2D Dark Souls. I love it.

    "Remind yourself that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer"
  62. Jerrido
    May 29, 2020
    1
    Drop players on the GOG platform, no DLC, no achievements. Now there is no trust in these developers
  63. PanMrkvicka
    May 23, 2020
    7
    It didnt grip me that much. I didnt even get to endgame but the game was pretty good just too much about luck.
  64. TroyNT
    Apr 23, 2020
    8
    8.5. Game is awesome. Wish more thoughts were put into itemization. It doesn't really feel rewarding.
  65. zanzou
    Apr 19, 2020
    3
    This isn't an rpg. It's a slot machine with an rpg skin. The grind is akin to gacha game progression because you keep on having to grind countless heros from level 0 repeatedly by design.
  66. Wiebe
    Feb 26, 2020
    6
    Great idea, fun set up, its great that it is challenging, but it can become tedious and too hard to recover due to bad balance if you have a bad moment.
  67. DragonHeart000
    Feb 12, 2020
    10
    Amazing game! Love the stress aspect since it's quite innovative and not something you typically ever think of in a game. The game is also incredibly polished and is very well done.

    I'd highly recommend this game to anyone that is interested in an innovative game, likes Roguelike games, or likes games that make you think about the characters.
  68. Red_Spectre
    Feb 4, 2020
    8
    I enjoyed it for what it was. Really difficult... A punishing RNG that did a lot of things in a fashion that worked well. Good game better even than a lot of triple AAA titles on the market.
  69. staszko
    Nov 27, 2019
    9
    You don't need a high budget game to have fun for 50 hours. Game is smart and well design.
  70. Hermano999
    Nov 4, 2019
    9
    Great atmosphere, nice and simple setup, interesting hero classes, addictive gameplay, Highly recommended!
  71. TheTKC
    Oct 30, 2019
    10
    Ok this is mostly meant as a response to the fake slander directed at this masterpiece.
    (I'm not a native English speaker so forgive me for any typos).
    I've seen people saying it's grindy and to that I must agree BUT! If you are interested in the themes or even just enjoy the artstyle you should be able to enjoy nevertheless also the developers have added much more content that makes the    Ok this is mostly meant as a response to the fake slander directed at this masterpiece.
    (I'm not a native English speaker so forgive me for any typos).

    I've seen people saying it's grindy and to that I must agree BUT! If you are interested in the themes or even just enjoy the artstyle you should be able to enjoy nevertheless also the developers have added much more content that makes the game more varied and prevents you from getting bored . Secondly people say that once you learn the game it gets boring and it still takes more than 10 h to level CA few characters to lvl 6. That is a big lie an experienced player is able to raise ALL classes in the game to 6th level from scratch in 5-7h. And lastly as I do not want to stretch this review for too long, the game is not just a RNGfest if you claim that you simply are not good at stbasic strategizing. A good player can avoid bad RNG 99% of the time and pull through.And for those that don't have experience don't worry the road to success is hard but very rewarding and even if you are the best player you are never going to be bored (I assume since I have over 700 h in the game and damn is it still good.) I never thought that I had to say this but for those that level negative reviews you are either a very small minority that simply isn't able to enjoy DD in witch case I can forgive you and in other cases the words of dark souls come through GIT GUD    … Expand
  72. patryk1410
    Sep 22, 2019
    9
    Darkest Dungeon is a great and challenging game, but at the later stages somewhat grindy. The climate and soundtrack are perfect. If you enjoy difficult, turn based tactic combat, this game is for you.
  73. jseph1234
    May 18, 2019
    10
    I knew this game was great from the first time I saw it back in 2015. The Cthulu atmosphere and all of the various surprises while playing, makes this game an unique, fun and frightening experience. I purchased the Crimson Court and the Colour of Madness and haven't regretted ever my purchase. EXCELLENT Game!
  74. RazorSamurai
    Mar 15, 2019
    5
    ху...ета для дол.....боебов
    фарми 40 часов и прое....би то что нафармил за один присест
    ладно, вообщем, атмосфера и сеттинг на уровне, музыкальное сопровождение на высшем уровне к этому никак не придраться. но проблема игры заключается в том, то что она заставляет тебя вечно гриндить то голду то фамилияры. здесь есть несколько боссов которые повторяются по 3 раза и некоторые    ху...ета для дол.....боебов
    фарми 40 часов и прое....би то что нафармил за один присест

    ладно, вообщем, атмосфера и сеттинг на уровне, музыкальное сопровождение на высшем уровне к этому никак не придраться. но проблема игры заключается в том, то что она заставляет тебя вечно гриндить то голду то фамилияры.

    здесь есть несколько боссов которые повторяются по 3 раза и некоторые ивентовые и все, я не доходил до темнейшего подземелья и доходить не буду, тратить время впустую не мой конёк.

    и то прикол в том, что я играл с самого начала покупки лицензии с аддонами на ускоренную анимацию ударов и ходьбы, страшно представить, сколько времени я бы потратил играя без них.

    вообщей сумме впустую потраченных 60 часов, спасибо, поел го.вна. но с радостью буду ждать вторую часть из-за нового оста, надеюсь он там будет.
    5.5/10

    UPD.
    16 марта прошел игру, у♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ая концовка которая♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ни♥♥♥♥♥♥ не удовлетворяет вообще. зря потраченное время, да и то эти два последних квеста вообще несложные а фарм сложен. назвал бы игру. farmest farm    … Expand
  75. BioTofu
    Mar 4, 2019
    9
    Amazing roguelite dungeon crawler paired with unique adventurer mangement that is very punishing for the greedy and unprepared players. constant updates, expansions and great mod support improves the replayability of immensely. great art style, music, sound design, narrator.
  76. Markos-
    Feb 13, 2019
    9
    A true gem of a game. As a player who grew fascinated with turn based, tactical combat, and a preference for dark atmospheres and grim stories, this is a must.
    The game is ruthless with your mistakes, and will test your perseverance over and over. However, it is truly rewarding when you beat the challenges against all odds, and all the pieces are masterfully put together.
  77. ExcAverage
    Dec 25, 2018
    6
    Say what you'd like about my skill, but this game is ridiculously punishing. I love the theme and as far as I'm concerned there's no problem the with very core of the game play, however the hours of grinding through the same hallways and enemies that grow dull noticeably quickly, I think there's some major flaws with anything past the core of the game play. There's no real story to digSay what you'd like about my skill, but this game is ridiculously punishing. I love the theme and as far as I'm concerned there's no problem the with very core of the game play, however the hours of grinding through the same hallways and enemies that grow dull noticeably quickly, I think there's some major flaws with anything past the core of the game play. There's no real story to dig for, although if you're looking at buying this I doubt you're in it so much for the story as the game play, and the perma-death mechanic would sound like it would make the game more intense, and I was hopeful that it would be, however it really just ends up padding out the game to crazy lengths for your first run through the game, and afterwards I don't believe this game has much replay value other than playing through on Stygian or Bloodmoon difficulty. If you're really into turn-based RPGs with a bit of strategy, I doubt you'll find this game as annoying as I did, but as it stands there is too much punishment to be reasonable, and it's not always something you can really avoid with skill. Going into a high-level boss and losing a character can set you back hours, and that's piled on top of the time spent with your characters getting quirks and stress removed. Personally, even if I were more into the genre, I'd give this game a pass. Not unplayable, but not very good either. I'd love to see what the devs create in the future.… Expand
  78. Gen166
    Dec 12, 2018
    8
    If you like a challenge this game is for you, it is absolutely brutal and dark but therein lies the fun. When you complete a dungeon quest after your heroes are teetering on the brink of death you feel a sense of satisfaction and pride that is only matched by a few other games. In terms of strategy there is a lot to think about as well and if you try to send your people into a dungeonIf you like a challenge this game is for you, it is absolutely brutal and dark but therein lies the fun. When you complete a dungeon quest after your heroes are teetering on the brink of death you feel a sense of satisfaction and pride that is only matched by a few other games. In terms of strategy there is a lot to think about as well and if you try to send your people into a dungeon without selecting them and their supplies carefully you will be beaten quickly.

    I cannot give this game a 10/10 because: 1) Very little is explained in terms of the game mechanics and the tutorials don't really give good explanations. I had to constantly go on line and lookup how to do this or what that means or what this does. 2) The game becomes a bit repetitive after a while, there isnt alot of variety in terms of challenges.    … Expand
  79. DedushkaTikhon
    Oct 20, 2018
    10
    Darkest Dungeon - это просто шедевр! Давно хотел приобрести данную игру, но душила жаба (500 рублей :D). Когда в Steam увидел скидку 70% не смог удержаться. Игра очень атмосферная! После 300 граммов коньячку на некоторых локациях становится даже не по себе. Каждое сражение превращается во что-то невообразимое. Я очень давно так не переживал за исход боя! Ажно ладошки вспотели :D ИзDarkest Dungeon - это просто шедевр! Давно хотел приобрести данную игру, но душила жаба (500 рублей :D). Когда в Steam увидел скидку 70% не смог удержаться. Игра очень атмосферная! После 300 граммов коньячку на некоторых локациях становится даже не по себе. Каждое сражение превращается во что-то невообразимое. Я очень давно так не переживал за исход боя! Ажно ладошки вспотели :D Из минусов можно ответить отсутствие русской озвучки. Советую приобрести по акции со скидочкой, вы точно не пожалеете!… Expand
  80. nathaniel86
    Aug 14, 2018
    8
    Man, I was waiting for a game like this for a long time, this is one of my favourite genres of games. Darkest Dungeon didn't let me down. Fortunately I started playing when developers decided to make things a little bit easier for players. This balance of constant fear for your characters without having to grind the content too much is perfect in my eyes. The game is difficult enough,Man, I was waiting for a game like this for a long time, this is one of my favourite genres of games. Darkest Dungeon didn't let me down. Fortunately I started playing when developers decided to make things a little bit easier for players. This balance of constant fear for your characters without having to grind the content too much is perfect in my eyes. The game is difficult enough, characters and their animations are very cool and you just want to beat those creepy monsters whatever the costs might be :D… Expand
  81. joshbreviews
    Jun 27, 2018
    8
    This is a REALLY GOOD GAME, with only a few important things holding it back.

    SOUND is great. Music is nice and eerie and tense without being annoying, and sound effects are nice and visceral. Voice actor is great, too! GRAPHICS, or rather art style, is also great. It really captures the grimness of the game world. Everything looks creepy, even your heroes! GAMEPLAY - Unique and    This is a REALLY GOOD GAME, with only a few important things holding it back.

    SOUND is great. Music is nice and eerie and tense without being annoying, and sound effects are nice and visceral. Voice actor is great, too!

    GRAPHICS, or rather art style, is also great. It really captures the grimness of the game world. Everything looks creepy, even your heroes!

    GAMEPLAY - Unique and good! Lots of fun mechanics and resources to manage. Won't super get into the nitty-gritty here. You'll find yourself using heroes again and again, driving them to madness and despair, just to earn money. Then you dismiss them and leave them to their fate, or you drive them so hard they die screaming in the dungeons. Eventually as the game progresses your heroes will get stronger and you'll start getting attached to them. You'll start spending precious money on them to give them the best training and the best gear possible to increase their chances of survival...but nothing is guaranteed in Darkest Dungeon. All it takes is one or two randomly missed attacks for the enemy to gain the upper hand and start wreaking havoc on your precious heroes.

    Every dive into the dungeons is nerve-wracking and intense; you can prepare as much as you like, but there's always a degree of uncertainty that leaves you fearful with every dive.

    CONS of the game - well, even after all these years (this review is up to Colors of Madness DLC), this game is still TOO RNG. I'm aware that a degree of RNG is part of this game's charm, I understand. So let me explain. It's strange that your enemies have RESISTANCES to their WEAKNESS. This is a very weird development decision, in my opinion. A WEAKNESS should be just that - A WEAKNESS! At first a skeleton with ~10% blight resist (blight is their weakness) is manageable, but at higher levels of play it gets like ~50% blight resist. What the??? Basically the WEAKNESS, the ONE THING YOU CAN RELY ON against a skeleton, is suddenly RNG? It's literally a COIN FLIP? This "WEAKNESS RESISTANCE" makes the higher levels feel bad to play. No amount of strategy will make up for an enemy having no weakness to exploit. You feel bad for losing against them, and then you don't feel good when you land a hit cause it's RNG and you just had your fingers crossed. Another example is the giant skeleton. Big, so he hits hard. Sure - that's fine. He's big, so he has PROTECT % (armor, basically)- that's fine, too. But at higher levels, this giant skeleton, who clearly is a slow, lumbering beast, suddenly has DODGE % (chance to EVADE an attack)? What??? Again, it feels bad. It's artificial difficulty. It makes any form of strategy feel bad because you're at the total mercy of the game. This has been an issue for YEARS now, so I take it they don't see this as an issue. The devs may not even be aware of this, or they think it adds flavor to the game. It doesn't.

    If they kept weaknesses as weaknesses, this game would've easily been a 9.

    Again, great game - it just has some glaring flaws during late game that make it hard to totally recommend.    … Expand
  82. Dash3717
    Jun 25, 2018
    4
    Not worth playing unless you prefer frustration to good game design; enjoyable in many areas but held back too much by obtuse and subpar overall design to be worth recommending.
  83. TheWaffle
    Jun 18, 2018
    8
    Darkest Dungeon is mostly a joy to play. The artwork, atmosphere, storyline, and gameplay are all excellent. Unfortunately the game falters in the later stages. I've put in 80 hours, and clearly have gotten my money's worth, but I have little interest in finishing the game at this point. Unlike XCOM, Darkest Dungeon doesn't have the depth or strategic diversity to justify its longDarkest Dungeon is mostly a joy to play. The artwork, atmosphere, storyline, and gameplay are all excellent. Unfortunately the game falters in the later stages. I've put in 80 hours, and clearly have gotten my money's worth, but I have little interest in finishing the game at this point. Unlike XCOM, Darkest Dungeon doesn't have the depth or strategic diversity to justify its long run-time.. The late game too easily falls into tedium, especially with the Crimson Court DLC which features extremely long dungeon-slogs (which are necessary unless you want your teammates constantly attacking one another out of blood lust). I'd recommend playing on Radiant Mode (which makes for a faster campaign), and without the Crimson Court DLC which adds the obnoxious Crimson Curse debuff mechanic. Darkest Dungeon is definitely worth a buy, but it certainly has its weaknesses. In the end, I look forward to see what Red Hook comes up with next.… Expand
  84. JimmyJams
    Apr 26, 2018
    4
    I mean it's not much of a "game" more like a series of dice rolls that usually don't work out for you. As someone who plays jRPG games a lot, this game pretty much emphasizes what I hate the most about them: RNG. The game wants you to lose, it wants your characters to die and you to lose any progress you've made. There's no decisions or skill you can use to overcome the RNG because it'sI mean it's not much of a "game" more like a series of dice rolls that usually don't work out for you. As someone who plays jRPG games a lot, this game pretty much emphasizes what I hate the most about them: RNG. The game wants you to lose, it wants your characters to die and you to lose any progress you've made. There's no decisions or skill you can use to overcome the RNG because it's RNG.

    When I first played the game on Darkest (ie normal) difficulty and I'd literally lost 5 heros on level 1 missions. Missions that are literally the first ones you encounter and are the easiest ones available. The same frustration persists at higher levels even after you get a handle on the game. You get this sense that you can't win the game no matter what you do because of the constant debuffs your heros take at random due to traps you can't see, moves you can't avoid or defend against, dice rolls that have mobs dodging half your attacks, critting your heros to near death, etc.

    The game just wastes your time and leaves you empty handed.    … Expand
  85. Mpbpl
    Apr 2, 2018
    8
    Amazing and difficult game.
    This game is like the board RPGs that people played with their friends back them, it's incredibly difficult but there is no time limit so you have all the time in the world to create a new party and make this one get to the finish line.
    This game is difficult because it takes the old RPG style to it's max, imagine in every attack you role a dice of 20 and then    Amazing and difficult game.
    This game is like the board RPGs that people played with their friends back them, it's incredibly difficult but there is no time limit so you have all the time in the world to create a new party and make this one get to the finish line.
    This game is difficult because it takes the old RPG style to it's max, imagine in every attack you role a dice of 20 and then the enemy hits another dice 16 to avoid you and so on. With bleeding, poison, stun effects, traps, ambushes, bosses.
    The story is good enough to bring you in but it is the gameplay the will make you stay!
    Since the quests are difficult it is recommended to make few quests a day and rest for a bit.    … Expand
  86. Did-
    Mar 23, 2018
    9
    This game has exactly the difficulty and combat mechanics I wanted to see in an RPG for a looong time. Most RPGs follow this simple pattern: explore a dungeon, encounter random enemies that you crush without real difficulty, until you get to the boss and there you may find a challenge.

    But Dark Souls changed this way of designing, making every encounter potentially your last. Any mob    This game has exactly the difficulty and combat mechanics I wanted to see in an RPG for a looong time. Most RPGs follow this simple pattern: explore a dungeon, encounter random enemies that you crush without real difficulty, until you get to the boss and there you may find a challenge.

    But Dark Souls changed this way of designing, making every encounter potentially your last. Any mob you slew “easily” before may actually kill you pretty quickly the next time you encounter it if you’re not attentive enough.

    Why do I talk about Dark Souls? Because Darkest Dungeon went exactly the same way with its encounters. Every encounter can be your last, it can be because you were too eager to close the battle, not well prepared, or just because you had bad luck and didn’t know how to handle it. And the best way to lose a battle is because of overconfidence. Like the awesome narrator voice say multiple times in the run, “Overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer”. And yes, I died multiple times because I was overconfident, and the game sometimes reminded me that I was not the boss around here, bullying every mob I find. He was, the game was the boss.

    There are a lot of people writing negative comments blaming the randomness of the game for their failures. Sure, the game has a lot of randomness, but it’s manageable, and when you die, it’s not because of “too much bad RNG”, it’s more like you were not well prepared for this fight. Every battle I lost was because of careless planning or overconfidence.

    And the game has not difficult battles just for the sake of difficulty, it has a really refreshing game system, with an interesting 1D positioning system, with attacks that can be launched only when you’re at a certain position in the line, and can only target enemies at certain positions on their line. The stress system is interesting too, adding a “long run” health bar, that’s harder to refill than the classical HP pool.

    And a quick note about the game aesthetics, which transposes greatly the horror, sadness and despair of this lovecraftian town.

    Even though, the game has some flaws. First, there are anti-achievements, such as “Lose 4 heroes to a boss”, or “get slain by creature X”. For my point of view, achievements should be rewarding of player successes, not rewarding failures.
    And overall, the game is too long. I loved it for around 40 to 50 hours, then used most more time (around 30 hours) not discovering anything new but instead grinding and waiting for the bosses to appear. Nevertheless, this problem may have found its solution recently, as the game developers introduced the radiant mode, which is kind of a quicker mode, which gets rid of the grinding and all. I think I’d recommend this mode for new players.    … Expand
  87. bbeeman
    Feb 23, 2018
    9
    If you like RPG dungeon crawlers, Darkest Dungeon is a must-buy. No question about it; endless hours of enjoyment.
  88. RagingPoet
    Feb 9, 2018
    7
    Darkest Dungeon is an interesting game but it gets old way too soon. Gameplay is very repetitive, even engrossing atmosphere and superb narration can't help it. First few hours felt really good though.
  89. gracjanski
    Feb 4, 2018
    4
    I lost motivation to continue to play because it is so repetitive. Basically you are just fighting. The other elements in this game are just little features: build up your town, manage your heroes. Reminds me of XCOM, but the latter is just much better.
    Fighting is interesting, because a bit complex and the classes sound good, but I get bored, because you dont have any possibilities to    I lost motivation to continue to play because it is so repetitive. Basically you are just fighting. The other elements in this game are just little features: build up your town, manage your heroes. Reminds me of XCOM, but the latter is just much better.
    Fighting is interesting, because a bit complex and the classes sound good, but I get bored, because you dont have any possibilities to change your strategy if you fail, the save file is overwritten all the time. Big design mistake. No, I dont like games for masses and simple games, but I dont want to waste my free time with repeating dungeons, that are almost all the same.
    The dungeons are all the same, just go to the right, no big decisions.
    Story? hmmm.. oh yes, there is one. You can write it in 2 lines. By the way the german translation is bad, although there is not much text to translate.
    The overview in the interface is low: you have to click very often, many elements are too big. Seems like this game was being made for consoles and mobile devices and not for PC.
    Art design is great.
    Many mods are on steam workshop...bad for GOG-Gamer.

    So what shall motivate me to continue to play? The story is not the reason. The gameplay is boring. Building up your heroes? Most of them are dying and you cant do anything about it.

    Surely not a 10/10 game.    … Expand
  90. iseeall
    Dec 21, 2017
    7
    It's an RPG with turn-based battles and a distinctive atmosphere. Its stellar class/ability system is ruined by extreme randomness, permadeath and hidden information.

    The good: - great art, music, narrator voice, the whole atmosphere of darkness, death and sorrow - you build a party of 4 characters of different classes, there are over a dozen classes, and each has 8 abilities (of    It's an RPG with turn-based battles and a distinctive atmosphere. Its stellar class/ability system is ruined by extreme randomness, permadeath and hidden information.

    The good:
    - great art, music, narrator voice, the whole atmosphere of darkness, death and sorrow
    - you build a party of 4 characters of different classes, there are over a dozen classes, and each has 8 abilities (of which, again, you can only pick 4 at a time). This all interacts in very interesting ways. Also, a lot depends on relative placement of characters because some abilities can only be used when the character stands, say, in the 3rd or the 4th row, but not in the 1st or the 2nd one. I can't immediately think of any similar games except from Disciples but still, here it's a lot more meat and tons of factors and strategies to consider.

    The so-so:
    - the design of dungeons is almost linear. Even in a cave you just move from left to right. It makes the game feel not even 2-dimensional but 1-dimensional. Almost like you just need to keep the character progression up with the increasing power of monster quads and that's it. There is no spatial component to it, and not much choice in where you go next. Which is probably ok for some people, but almost made me feel this game is intended for Flash or mobile (?) which however would be weird, given the high difficulty and the complex combat system.
    - GUI could be improved. E.g. you can't switch between characters easily while viewing buildings. This requires to close the character stats window, then right-click again on another character and so on. Management of things between battles just take too much time and hassle, and not because of the interesting decisions you have to make but because of struggling with the clumsy interface.

    The bad:
    - as other players said, the extreme randomness takes away much of the strategic feel. Crits, dodges, misses, resists - all this junk is from the RPG world, sure, but as a strategy games player (and I'm mostly fan of TBS games) this all feels like obligatory crap which designers never get tired of putting into games. In fact, when I played Disciples 2 back in 2000s, I opened gbattacks file in some hex editor and manually replaced all the chances to hit with 100% and instead reduced the damage proportionally. Believe me, after that the previously frustrating game (so many battles had to be replayed over and over with the same series of orders during battle, each time to get a different result) - turned into a thoughtful, tranquil TBS which wasn't easier, not at all! Simply by removing randomness here this game would be a lot more pleasing, at least to me.
    - permadeath, which may seem like a cool concept on paper (this game even says to you in the first dialog at game start that it's ok if your heroes die, and some battles can't be won etc). But in reality, in your first playthroughs you won't know what enemies do. So, say, you unexpectedly meet a strong boss which does something (some abilities, e.g. a murloc-type 2-tile boss endlessly spawning new mobs) which you don't know in advance. You face the boss, start losing, your healer dies. The fact that you couldn't know that new mobs are spawned endlessly makes you not feel like you made a mistake (and could correct it if you could re-load) but instead that the game itself makes no sense. Well, the game gives you a hint that ok, this battle can't be won, you must retreat. So, abandon the quest. And after that the dungeon will be unavailable, so no retries. And the killed heroes can't resurrected. And the save file has already been overwritten. Hmm.. This really makes no sense. You could just restart the whole game (as you would in ADOM, remember this 1994 game?) But this wouldn't bring anything because on your next attempt you will face another new monster which has unexpected tactics - and you will lose another party or at least a few heroes on that one, only to learn what that new monster does, and fail another dungeon. All this idiocy could be easily avoided if the authors made permadeath an option. Say, new players can re-load as much as they want, but veterans who have beaten the game and know all the rules and monsters could then try some extra challenge in iron man mode. At least that worked in Fallout 2 and I played it for months (at least 20 attempts) until I beat it in iron man (well, almost, didn't bother to do Navarro base). But that was after I knew the game inside out. Requiring a new player to restart the WHOLE Fallout 2 each time they saw a new monster for the first time or chose a wrong dialog branch would be pointless.
    - no tooltips or any other way to find out about abilities of monsters. Which means you can't really plan any tactics at the start of a battle and instead just apply something standard (which depends on your pre-designed party) and passively watch how enemies do damage to you, put dots or increase stress of your characters. No info => no meaningful strategy    … Expand
  91. Captain_Chaos
    Nov 2, 2017
    9
    Darkest Dungeon is a rare treasure of a game that defies the outwardly unappealing nature of some of its mechanics. I initially passed it up because I am not normally a fan of turn-based games, especially dungeon crawlers. I do like roguelikes, though. DD has a level of quality and design that elevates it far above other dungeon crawlers, but is also among the meaner roguelikes out there,Darkest Dungeon is a rare treasure of a game that defies the outwardly unappealing nature of some of its mechanics. I initially passed it up because I am not normally a fan of turn-based games, especially dungeon crawlers. I do like roguelikes, though. DD has a level of quality and design that elevates it far above other dungeon crawlers, but is also among the meaner roguelikes out there, and ultimately, the survival of your characters may be left to chance. I somewhat dreaded the prospect of playing a game where my heroes can, and to hear it told, WILL die, though you do have the rare opportunity to resurrect them. I was nonetheless inspired to play it based on what else I'd heard, and I am damn glad I did. It has a truly masterful and haunting score and sound design, a great, heavily-lined art style and my favorite sort of dark fantasy setting, a huge and diverse cast of character classes and a truly awesome narrator in Wayne June, who I discovered is known for his narrations of Lovecraft and Poe, making him perfect for DD's tale of an ancient, eldritch horror unleashed beneath the manor house of a once-prominent nobleman.

    You play the role of this nobleman's heir, implored by him to return to their estate, claim the family fortune, and stop the clutching shadows before they can spread. To that end, you can hire a colorful cast of misfit rogues, pilgrims, mercenaries, outcasts and weirdos to send in to the four major areas surrounding the Hamlet, your base of operations. Parties of four venture into the Ruins, Weald, Warrens or Coves in search of treasure and the horrific bosses. Interestingly, you may enter the final, titular dungeon from the very beginning... but as I understand it, doing so with an inexperienced party will go about as well as you might expect. I'd love to go into greater detail about the classes here but that would greatly pad out the length of this review. They're worth reading up on- a lot of them don't function entirely as you might expect. My personal favorite would have to be the Grave Robber: With her throwing knives and mixed bag of dirty tricks, she can perform well in a variety of parties and from virtually any combat position. Combat is very simple to pick up but mastering it will take many hours, though it uses relatively small and easy-to-quickly-analyze damage numbers. There are also a lot of custom classes and other mods out there, and it is also a simple matter to go in to the game's files and manipulate them using a text editor if you so desire, though doing so may seriously disrupt the game balance, if you're a purist about it.

    The deciding factor for me getting the game was a major update that added "Radiant Mode", which, while not actually making the game's combat easier, instead shortens what was often described as major mid-to-late game grind, increasing gold and xp gains, and shortening the number of runs necessary to face a dungeon's bosses. I highly advise against going into Darkest Dungeon blind, even though that seems to have been the intention. There is an extensive array of guides available both on steam and elsewhere. Moreso then even other dungeon crawlers, Darkest Dungeon is tactically and strategically complex, and not understanding things like party composition and positioning, skill setups, crowd control and damage over time effects, enemy composition and abilities, proper allocation of provisions, weaknesses and resistances, and prioritizing character and town upgrades will likely lead to party wipes and empty coffers. Your only saving grace is that hiring new heroes is always free, and you get more of them at once by upgrading your Stagecoach.

    If you are not as concerned as me about losing people (you monster), Darkest Dungeon is one of the better RPG titles of the past decade or so, and absolutely worth purchasing. Just be advised that it is no cakewalk. Also check out it's excellent expansion, The Crimson Court, which adds a new dungeon area, a new character class, and "Districts", new structures to build at your town that provide persistent buffs and benefits.    … Expand
  92. monnef
    Nov 2, 2017
    0
    The game is unplayable on my system (mouse clicks are not registered, only runs on a small section of the screen; I do meet minimal requirements). After contacting their support and waiting over half a year, nothing has changed. The game is still not fixed and their support is not responding.

    Beware of this studio (Red Hook Games/Red Hook Studios). They don't support their paying    The game is unplayable on my system (mouse clicks are not registered, only runs on a small section of the screen; I do meet minimal requirements). After contacting their support and waiting over half a year, nothing has changed. The game is still not fixed and their support is not responding.

    Beware of this studio (Red Hook Games/Red Hook Studios). They don't support their paying customers and I recommend to not support them as well.    … Expand
  93. wiss2wiss
    Sep 28, 2017
    8
    First thing first, this is not an easy game! A couple of wrong moves can ruin your whole team (not to mention bad luck...). The game will try to stress you out, especially in the final tier of dungeons. This means if you manage to succeed, you will be rewarded with a big wave of satisfaction. My suggestion is try not to be too attach to your heroes and plan your party well before goingFirst thing first, this is not an easy game! A couple of wrong moves can ruin your whole team (not to mention bad luck...). The game will try to stress you out, especially in the final tier of dungeons. This means if you manage to succeed, you will be rewarded with a big wave of satisfaction. My suggestion is try not to be too attach to your heroes and plan your party well before going into each dungeon or raid bosses, or else you will not have a good time. I would only recommend this tittle to those who can cope with pressure and understand the nature of probability.… Expand
  94. MilkSteakMaster
    Aug 10, 2017
    10
    To See this get a 7.8 when the controversial expansion gets 8.2. To come back a year and see this is only 33rd in games in unfair to the polish of this game. The art, music, and squad turn based combat are amazing. People who dislike this game either grabbed it too soon before it was fixed up or don't know how to play it. Just so people don't call me a fanatic( pun intended) yes theTo See this get a 7.8 when the controversial expansion gets 8.2. To come back a year and see this is only 33rd in games in unfair to the polish of this game. The art, music, and squad turn based combat are amazing. People who dislike this game either grabbed it too soon before it was fixed up or don't know how to play it. Just so people don't call me a fanatic( pun intended) yes the level length isn't quite right for longer missions, the leveling isn't quite right, the whole knowing your curio(rely on wiki) is a bit frustrating. I think the classes are somewhat balanced for different roles, though jester seems op.… Expand
  95. Dupa15
    Jun 11, 2017
    6
    Starts off good. The interface is not that intuitive, but manageable.
    The story - what story? there is no story to speak of.
    Graphics is what it is. Dark cartoony, but fluid and carefully done. There are a few annoyances (the game balance, grind, lack of proper rpg mechanics, grind, very high RNG importance and the grind. After a few hours the game gets repetitive. It wouldn't be    Starts off good. The interface is not that intuitive, but manageable.
    The story - what story? there is no story to speak of.

    Graphics is what it is. Dark cartoony, but fluid and carefully done.
    There are a few annoyances (the game balance, grind, lack of proper rpg mechanics, grind, very high RNG importance and the grind.

    After a few hours the game gets repetitive. It wouldn't be so bad, if not for the time padding elements:
    - lengthy animations,
    - same unsolicited dialogs stopping combat,
    - RNG as hell

    All in all I stopped playing after a few hours.    … Expand
  96. nilsy
    Apr 3, 2017
    5
    WOW! WOW! but i dont like it...

    This game manages to impress me just i dont like playing it.
    It gives the impression that with a few tweaks this could have been fighting for GOTY but now its just this ambivalent feeling were i want to like the game but just dont.
    Do hope there will be a DD2 that has a better experience for me, would give a sequel a try.
  97. newrandomage
    Mar 20, 2017
    10
    Without any shade of a doubt, one of the best games to ever come from crowd funding; Darkest Dungeon's developers did a really impressive job of making the game better both in early access and after launch. One of the best dungeon crawlers ever with new mechanics and a different take on what this genre is. Every game that looks any similar to Darkest Dungeon will and MUST be compared toWithout any shade of a doubt, one of the best games to ever come from crowd funding; Darkest Dungeon's developers did a really impressive job of making the game better both in early access and after launch. One of the best dungeon crawlers ever with new mechanics and a different take on what this genre is. Every game that looks any similar to Darkest Dungeon will and MUST be compared to Darkest Dungeon. A must have.… Expand
  98. EGuimera96
    Mar 2, 2017
    8
    Great one. Long time since I last enjoyed so much playing a based turn rogue like game. The difficulty ladder is just marvelous though in the end it may be a little bit repetitive. The mechanic of stress and how it affects you is just very well handled by the guys from RedHookStudios.

    Also gotta give credit to the studio for keep improving the game time after time correcting some bugs,    Great one. Long time since I last enjoyed so much playing a based turn rogue like game. The difficulty ladder is just marvelous though in the end it may be a little bit repetitive. The mechanic of stress and how it affects you is just very well handled by the guys from RedHookStudios.

    Also gotta give credit to the studio for keep improving the game time after time correcting some bugs, and adding more and more content. Things like that make you appreciate more the work done by them.

    Can't wait for the upcoming dlc!    … Expand
  99. psycros
    Feb 17, 2017
    3
    So intriguing, yet so very flawed. DD boils the dungeon crawler down to its absolute essentials, but adds a "stress" mechanic that turns perfectly functional characters into useless drooling nutters. You can salvage them by spending tons of hard-won gold while they sit out dungeon runs recovering..and you MUST go into another dungeon as soon as you complete your last expedition. There'sSo intriguing, yet so very flawed. DD boils the dungeon crawler down to its absolute essentials, but adds a "stress" mechanic that turns perfectly functional characters into useless drooling nutters. You can salvage them by spending tons of hard-won gold while they sit out dungeon runs recovering..and you MUST go into another dungeon as soon as you complete your last expedition. There's no "wait in town" ability - for some reason you're forced to be a masochist throwing yourself into the RNG meatgrinder non-stop. There's also no camping in the dungeon without a firewood item, of which you can carry precisely ONE. No healing between fights except by consuming food..and the game will happily tell you that you're starving 2 seconds after you just ate. Did I mention that some character classes won't join a party if certain other classes are present? But you MUST have a full party to "embark" on your next series of utterly random dice rolls, so you'll probably end up high and dry, unable to progress because you can't a healer or a tank. Grindy, punishing, repetitive and crippled by inexplicable design flaws - not recommended.… Expand
  100. Instinctz
    Feb 14, 2017
    8
    For those that seek a challenging game as far as strategic, tactics and resource management go, darkest dungeon is a game you will enjoy. Generally a well made game, a good idea and a really nice environment. However the game has flaws in it. There are some stupid restrictions involved (like the abomination can't be in the same team with a holy char), some chars are completely useless andFor those that seek a challenging game as far as strategic, tactics and resource management go, darkest dungeon is a game you will enjoy. Generally a well made game, a good idea and a really nice environment. However the game has flaws in it. There are some stupid restrictions involved (like the abomination can't be in the same team with a holy char), some chars are completely useless and well the game is not noob friendly at all, which for an indie game in my honest opinion is not that good especially considering the fact that this particular flame gets boring after you put a certain amount of hours in it.

    RNG factor can be used in your favor but also destroy you. Most people don't like it but it is what makes the game so fun and challenging.

    Heroes:

    Each hero you hire has some abilities which not only affect the course of the battles but also other things like for example the camping which is vital for their sustain. Now their ability system is really meh for the one and only reason that some abilities are completely damn useless(they are like water guns).

    Stress /Diseases

    The heroes have some stress bars that need heavy management as they are really vital for their psychological state. You can cure them by sending them to certain places, like for example the tavern. There are also diseases and other things involved that once occured you have to cure them also by sending them to the right place. I pretty much like it as the whole thing needs good management and planning, which is what describes those kind of games.

    Diversity:

    Here is where our problem lies. There is no diversity in the game at all. It is the same dungeon paths over and over again, same enemies but different bosses. If you dislike grinding you will get bored pretty easily whereas if you like it you won't bother by it.

    TLDR: I put 8/10 because it is worth its price 100% even though the gameplay and the content it has (in terms of keeping you without getting bored) is just a little bit above average. The game being unique is another reason why I put such a good(at least for me) grade.    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

26
#26 Best PC Game of 2015
25
#25 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
26
#26 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 56 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 56
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 56
  3. Negative: 0 out of 56
  1. KeenGamer
    Aug 12, 2020
    80
    There is a good reason that Darkest Dungeon won a ton of awards and sold over 2 million copies - in portraying the dark underbelly of fantasy adventuring it touched on subjects rarely addressed in games before it. Its amazing sound, comic-like graphics, and intense, perpetual Ironman difficulty create a title that was addictive to those wanting Lovecraftian horror with a side of near Dark Souls difficulty. If you have never experienced it before, now is a great time to make its acquaintance, to be prepared for the release of Darkest Dungeon 2. And, if you were a previous visitor, make sure you take another look to experience the new DLC that has been added since your departure. Hours of broken peripherals and rage quits await.
    Read full review
  2. High-Def Digest
    Apr 10, 2016
    90
    Darkest Dungeon is the rare game that gets my heart pumping while playing, not because it’s scary (even though it is a little scary), but because the stakes are so high.
    Read full review
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Mar 31, 2016
    88
    Darkest Dungeon is a masterpiece of emergent storytelling. [March 2016]
See all critic reviews »