Darkest Dungeon

 Switch
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 191 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 148 out of 191
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 191
  3. Negative: 22 out of 191
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  1. XofDeformity
    Jan 20, 2018
    7
    A great excuse to check out all the post-launch content if you kinda fell off few weeks after OG launch like I did. There is one big "but", though....

    The font size is tragically bad for this system. it just isn't acceptable for portable (which is the way to play this due to touchscreen support). If I was new to the game it would be impossible to figure the game out, since the    A great excuse to check out all the post-launch content if you kinda fell off few weeks after OG launch like I did. There is one big "but", though....

    The font size is tragically bad for this system. it just isn't acceptable for portable (which is the way to play this due to touchscreen support). If I was new to the game it would be impossible to figure the game out, since the tutorials are almost impossible to read.

    This makes it a release for ppl with previous DD experience. It pains me to say it but new players should stay away, unless they are planning to play in docked.    … Expand
  2. Rtheom
    Jun 5, 2018
    6
    Be wary, this is a game for hardcore RPG gamers only. The user interface is absolutely one of the least intuitive interfaces I have ever interacted with and it will definitely drive most folks away before they even start the first quest. If you're the kind of person that likes to go to bed reading D&D manuals, then you might do okay with it. Anyone else is going to feel their eyeballs fallBe wary, this is a game for hardcore RPG gamers only. The user interface is absolutely one of the least intuitive interfaces I have ever interacted with and it will definitely drive most folks away before they even start the first quest. If you're the kind of person that likes to go to bed reading D&D manuals, then you might do okay with it. Anyone else is going to feel their eyeballs fall out at the wall of text presented to them. Unfortunately, the gameplay itself is just as repetitive and, while fairly entertaining, you basically end up repeating the same 4 steps over and over again.

    The game is also incredibly punishing. While not a problem in and of itself as challenge is a good thing that most games lack, you will find yourself restarting a lot in the early game, especially as you're getting used to the flow of the game. If you're not a fan of that, you'll also want to avoid this game.

    Finally, also be aware that this game pulls the "Ooops, the enemy barely survived with 1 health" thing A LOT. If you're like me and find this an incredibly annoying trick to add "challenge" to fights, then you'll also want to avoid this. It is likely to happen at least once in every fight.    … Expand
  3. drlowdon
    Jul 1, 2023
    5
    Having inherited an estate from an ancestor, the player soon discovers that the dungeons and catacombs beneath are filled with all manor or monsters and evil creatures. To defeat them they must put together a team of adventurers and take up arms.

    Before setting off on each mission players select up to four heroes from the ‘hub-town’ (in which you can also upgrade characters etc) to take    Having inherited an estate from an ancestor, the player soon discovers that the dungeons and catacombs beneath are filled with all manor or monsters and evil creatures. To defeat them they must put together a team of adventurers and take up arms.

    Before setting off on each mission players select up to four heroes from the ‘hub-town’ (in which you can also upgrade characters etc) to take into the procedurally generated dungeons. Whilst it’s not technically a rouge-like, character death is permanent, and making the right choices in the turn-based combat in order to keep your characters alive and sane enough to continue quickly becomes very tricky.

    Unfortunately, despite a host of interesting ideas, I just never found the gameplay all that engaging. There is an incredibly steep learning curve to overcome with all sorts of facts and figures that will mean nothing to new players. If you do manage to push through there is a decent amount of depth to be found, but even then it never offered the same level of flexibility as something like Slay the Spire. This game clearly has a devout following, but personally I think there are more interesting alternatives.    … Expand
  4. 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
  5. kurtis89
    May 29, 2019
    5
    The game is slow and unnerving, honestly it's really heavy to play.
    Then it can also pleasure are tastes
  6. Zski
    Jul 20, 2022
    6
    If you try this game, commit to giving it at least a couple hours before making a judgment. This game has some of the worst design layouts and control schemes I’ve ever experienced in a game, which is mixed with a convoluted tutorial and steep learning curve that makes it have a massive barrier to entry. But when this game finally connects, it’s an extremely addictive formula. The gameIf you try this game, commit to giving it at least a couple hours before making a judgment. This game has some of the worst design layouts and control schemes I’ve ever experienced in a game, which is mixed with a convoluted tutorial and steep learning curve that makes it have a massive barrier to entry. But when this game finally connects, it’s an extremely addictive formula. The game reminded me of XCOM mixed with a dungeon crawler. While the combat is pretty simple, the high risk vs reward decision making that is baked into the core of the game makes it feel like a very high stake decision maker. It isn’t sitting at the edge of your seat intensity, but it sustains your attention throughout the entire ride because one poor decision can totally alter the outcome of your run.

    The gameplay loop is really the only selling point of the game, but it really is a grand slam. The graphics and sound design are extremely simple and the presentation is good enough. The narrator in the game does a good job of adding some life to the gameplay, but otherwise it’s really straight forward. Like I mentioned, the user interface and controls are possibly some of the worst I’ve experienced, ever.

    All in all, it’s actually a great and addictive game that I recommend to others. I just encourage you to walk in knowing the first couple hours will be a bit overwhelming. This game feels like a second to last draft of a final paper - I’m hoping they make a sequel and fine tune all of this, because the foundation of this game can truly make an extremely high quality game.    … Expand
  7. Dragoduval
    Jan 23, 2023
    6
    I love this game, and i really enjoyed the atmosphere, but i never manage to be able to keep playing it for more than a hour or so.

Awards & Rankings

36
#36 Best Switch Game of 2018
43
#43 Most Discussed Switch Game of 2018
62
#62 Most Shared Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
85

Generally favorable reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 18
  3. Negative: 0 out of 18
  1. Nintendo Insider
    May 14, 2018
    90
    Once you learn what you need to, it’s easily one of the best indie titles to grace the Switch and it is one that will keep you hooked for many weeks and months ahead.
    Read full review
  2. Cubed3
    Apr 12, 2018
    80
    Despite gameplay better suited for a mouse and keyboard, Darkest Dungeon transitions rather well from PC to Switch. The controls were always going to be convoluted when adapted to a controller, but it doesn't take too long to adjust, and the core gameplay loop is strong enough where overlooking that initial awkwardness is more than doable. Darkest Dungeon is by no means for everyone, but that doesn't mean it isn't worth the stress.
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  3. FNintendo
    Mar 15, 2018
    80
    Darkest Dungeon is an ambitious game that features impressive details, a very complete and thorough atmosphere and a complex gameplay. Its experience ends up getting harmed by the arbitrary factors that come into play on certain moments and the overall difficulty level can be quite hard in the beginning of the game but there is no mistake in regarding Darkest Dungeon as major title within the indie scene.
    Read full review
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