Darkwood

 PlayStation 4
User Score
7.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 47 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 47
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 47
  3. Negative: 8 out of 47

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  1. PunksNotDead200
    May 15, 2019
    10
    So dark... Damn. The game, actually, brings you to a state of primal fear. There are no many screamers, no, there is only a dark, endless forest. And the creatures that inhabit it and want your death. Enjoy.
  2. Monsterrr
    May 16, 2019
    9
    You don't know the true meaning of 'horror' until you have played Darkwood.
  3. pongkrit03
    Oct 28, 2019
    7
    I gonna say this game is great but it crashs a lot ! ( I played with PS4 Pro, this issue might not happen with standard PS4). I love night mechanic of the game. It is very creative. It took me about 20+ hrs for beating the game first time (30 days in game). The game is always tensed and scary. NPC characters and lore are interesting. Ambient music is brilliant. However, I think this gameI gonna say this game is great but it crashs a lot ! ( I played with PS4 Pro, this issue might not happen with standard PS4). I love night mechanic of the game. It is very creative. It took me about 20+ hrs for beating the game first time (30 days in game). The game is always tensed and scary. NPC characters and lore are interesting. Ambient music is brilliant. However, I think this game could give better experience if you play with Keyboard and Mouse. The penalty of death is very low in normal mode and there is a lack of bosses (in fact there is no boss at all). Repeptitiveness happens near the end. Graphic is low quality but acceptable as indy game.

    In sum, if it is not for crashes, I would give it a 8.5 or even 9/10. Strongly recommend playing with PC instead. This game has a lot of potential, I would love to see and play Darkwood 2.    … Expand
  4. Yopper
    May 16, 2019
    10
    You.... I see you, you don't think I can but I can see you. Do not worry, your efforts are futile.
  5. ChadTyler
    Jul 14, 2019
    10
    One of the best games ever made imho. Easily the best survival/horror game I’ve experienced. It’s truly unnerving and downright scary. The gameplay loop is very satisfying to boot. Throw in insane levels of atmosphere and storytelling and ye have Darkwood.
  6. bbtothe
    May 18, 2019
    8
    Fun horror game that utilises a different perspecific than most. Like all good thiller games you begin terrified of the everything in the world but by the end your much more comfortable and feel a great sense of progression. Combat can take a little get used to, you need to learn your weapons and eminems attack speed etc. Resource management and being prepared is a big key to survival.Fun horror game that utilises a different perspecific than most. Like all good thiller games you begin terrified of the everything in the world but by the end your much more comfortable and feel a great sense of progression. Combat can take a little get used to, you need to learn your weapons and eminems attack speed etc. Resource management and being prepared is a big key to survival. Surviving at night can be a little difficult in the beginning but for me got easier closer to the end (pro tip place traps behind doors - traps are great for night survival, just dont run into your own traps!) Pretty cool story, extremely interesting characters and art, I wish the story went for a tad bit longer but for $20 its definitely long enough (took me about 12-15 hours to beat and I didnt explore everything) Overall a dam solid experience from such a new small dev team. Definitely one to take your time with.… Expand
  7. Kwar
    May 22, 2019
    10
    An excellent dark game that constantly keeps you on the edge of your seat. I love it. :)
  8. JustinAge
    Jul 20, 2020
    10
    Absolutely loved this game!! The story sucked me in from the beginning. Its dark and twisted fantasy vibes had me on edge. Fighting every night for survival never got dull.
  9. yertre
    Feb 14, 2021
    8
    At its best, the game is terrifying. And for most of its 15 hour runtime, this game IS at its best. It does fall apart a bit at the end though.

    If you like survival horror games, or are disappointed by modern horror games, you really owe it to yourself to play Darkwood. It messes with you in so many ways that I can't spoil here, and I'm glad the game is getting some of the attention it    At its best, the game is terrifying. And for most of its 15 hour runtime, this game IS at its best. It does fall apart a bit at the end though.

    If you like survival horror games, or are disappointed by modern horror games, you really owe it to yourself to play Darkwood. It messes with you in so many ways that I can't spoil here, and I'm glad the game is getting some of the attention it deserves.    … Expand
  10. WollcoMps5
    Mar 1, 2021
    10
    I play for 1hour... after this short time i need to quit, i dont even want to play it anymore. For long time no game make me so uncomfortable, im not scared in videogame world like this... I play whole Resident Evil VII in VR and complete it without a problem, but this?!? Its a horror survival masterpiece, but i cant play it anymore
  11. hamzags
    May 27, 2021
    10
    Dont start this game on normal dificulty, if you do that you have infinite lives, and there is next to no punishment for dieing, all the enimies you killed or injured Remain dead and injured, play on hard so death actualy is scary rather than a waiste of the, i will start a New game
  12. ruddiman_
    Sep 28, 2022
    8
    Such a cool horror game with a unique overnight mechanic that will make you terrified. The sound design is amazing and the overall world is dark and creepy. I really hope the developer does something else with this IP

Awards & Rankings

63
#63 Best PS4 Game of 2019
59
#59 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2019

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 25 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 21 out of 25
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 25
  3. Negative: 1 out of 25
  1. Worth Playing
    Aug 15, 2019
    88
    With its many surprises, Darkwood is a title with immeasurable depth that will keep horror fans gripped until the very end. An important focus on narrative-driven gameplay kept me hooked and desperate for answers. A horrifying aesthetic with spooky soundscapes plays with our instincts and terrifies the senses. When the title boasted "a horror game without jump-scares", I initially rolled my eyes. Most titles incorporate some kind of jump-scare to get a cheap reaction out of players. Even tastefully done jump-scares feel cheap to me because I'm not actually "scared," I'm just surprised. Darkwood succeeds where many other titles fail. It's a heart-racing experience that any horror fan worth their salt should attempt to survive.
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  2. GameCritics
    Jul 1, 2019
    80
    I took a run at Darkwood when it was in Early Access on PC, and found myself so beaten down by the experience that I was forced to step away. Now, in its completed form, the balancing has been fine-tuned to the point where a determined player with the patience to slowly explore a hostile world will be able to make it to the end. It’s still one of the most challenging and bleakest survival experiences I’ve ever had, but I’m happy to see that the developers have found a sweet spot between alienating difficulty and player empowerment. It’s a challenge, but a fair one — and one that I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
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  3. DarkStation
    Jun 3, 2019
    80
    Overall, Darkwood does a good job of presenting a very tense and often horrific story with just the right amount of survival elements mixed in. While I’m not sure it is strictly fun, surviving a monster-filled night certainly is a relief and feels satisfying. Difficult enough at its normal setting, there are ample opportunities for true masochists to enjoy Darkwood’s singular approach to the genre.
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