☸ DARKEST DUNGEON - where the RNG genuinely hates you

[Cybertails1998]

http://store.steampowered.com/app/262060/

Darkest Dungeon is a challenging gothic roguelike turn-based RPG about the psychological stresses of adventuring.

Recruit, train, and lead a team of flawed heroes through twisted forests, forgotten warrens, ruined crypts, and beyond. You'll battle not only unimaginable foes, but stress, famine, disease, and the ever-encroaching dark. Uncover strange mysteries, and pit the heroes against an array of fearsome monsters with an innovative strategic turn-based combat system.

☸The Affliction System – battle not only monsters, but stress! Contend with paranoia, masochism, fear, irrationality, and a host of gameplay-meaningful quirks!
☸Striking hand-drawn gothic crowquill art style
☸Innovative turn-based combat pits you against a host of diabolical monsters
☸Ten (and counting!) playable hero classes, including Plague Doctor, Hellion, and even the Leper!
☸Camp to heal wounds or deliver inspiring speeches.
☸Rest your weary, shell-shocked characters in town at the Tavern or the Abbey to keep their stress in check.
☸Classic CRPG and roguelike features, including meaningful permadeath, procedural dungeons, and incredible replay

Can you stem the tide of eldritch horrors erupting across your family’s ancestral estate?

Descend at your peril!

this is a game based entirely on stress. your characters are stressed your ass is stressed the RNG is stressed and you're in hell

your task is to manage a slew of adventurers, sending them into stuff four at a time, and then furiously juggling things like "stress", "party order" and "not dying".  the combat is hard as bollocks and the game itself is intent on kicking your ass.  play this.

Do you remember that feeling of desperation and loss of hope the first time you set out to conquer every demon and threat and Dark Souls? Well you found a home here. With every step and corner you turn, death waits for your party and looms over them like a cloud of sickness.

-Graphics: This game is 2D, but it's 2D done right, the art style is amazing and you feel the weight behind every swing of the sword and throwing of a bomb to take out your foes. The enemies come to life and spew their disease upon you, stab you deep and make your blood paint the ground, and stun you with their screeches of terror. Overall I couldn't be more pleased with this. 9/10

-Sound: Narration and effects help paint a wonderful picture as you dive into each hole and hope to come out on the other side victorious. The slashes, splashes, clinging and banging of swords against armor and skin are very nice and doesn't feel like some cheap call in for effects. The music for your journey is sometimes overdramatic but it's not supposed to be a joyful trip. Overall, very nice and whenever you hear that tune chime in at the end of a hard fought battle, it's extremely worth it. 8.8/10

-Gameplay: The very meat and potatoes of every game and I'm glad to say this shines and keeps me coming back for more. With every journey you take, you will bring back a number of materials and gold to help soothe your warriors, strengthen your stronghold, and tune your party up to face what dangers lie with the next trip. The game centers around this hub and you go forth selecting what members to take, what supplies to carry, and what quest to take on and hopefully succeed. Party members range from brutish fighters to sly and trick filled jesters to help lay waste to the evils that lie underground. The last dungeon is not available to play yet but still there is already 70+ hours of gameplay for you to tackle while you wait in the meantime and prepare your party to take it on. Players experience stress with every negative event they encounter, they will get abusive, they will become masochists and will refuse healing. Managing their effects and taking care of what you need to concerning their minds is key if you want to win. I've rage quit a few times and lost some very dear veterans but their monuments and achievements still remain with me as I bring some fresh new faces with me to avenge them in the depths. Randomly assembled rooms and dungeons are present and allow for an excellent amount of replayability even if the objectives and boss enemies are the same. Overall this game also shines in the gameplay department and delivers. 10/10

-Controls: Very smooth and responsive, the controls haven't presented any frustrations or been the source of any of my failures and that makes me very happy. While there is potential for some tweaks and additions, the controls get the job done and just leave room to add on to and not patch to fix right away and leave it unplayable. Overall, great controls. 9/10

-Replayablity: As mentioned previously with the random assembling and roguelike elements, this game allows for multiple revisits even after completing the main game whenever we can. Overall, a decent amount of replayability. 8.8/10

Final words: This game is Early Access first and foremost, but just know that this is an extremely polished and fine example of EA done right. You're not taking a chance at being severely disappointed by purchasing this with all the other information you have here. Will you get your 19.99 worth out of this game? Absolutely, this game can only go up from here and is a pleasure to play even if it isn't complete yet. Total rating: 9.1/10

[Ad Bot]

[tber123]

Will probably buy it next time I get the money.

[Oasis]

It should be mentioned this is an early access game.

Still, loving the concept, can't wait to buy it at some point.

[Kochieboy]

So this is the game my friend was telling me about, sounds like fun. By fun, I mean extremely masochistic trying to play.

[Cybertails1998]

It should be mentioned this is an early access game.

it's in that tiny ass corner of "actually decent early access", up there next to besiege.

[Tophat2]

Actually thinking about getting this since it looked neat + I read reviews but I think this might be too hard for me, lol

[Zanaran2]

Actually thinking about getting this since it looked neat + I read reviews but I think this might be too hard for me, lol

You gotta be a MAN, BOY

[Oasis]

it's in that tiny ass corner of "actually decent early access", up there next to besiege.

Regardless, it's early access. You're paying for an unfinished product.

[Rigel]

I loved Dark Souls.

I loved Dwarf Fortress.

I loved Dungeons of Dredmor

I think I'll love this.

[Xhozer]

art style looks like don't stave's

[Jubel]

Regardless, it's early access. You're paying for an unfinished product.

I remember hearing somewhere (iirc a livestream) that even though the game is in early access, it is fairly close to completion, similar to Kerbal Space Program at this point.

Although take that with a grain of salt. I dont own the game, but it looks really good.

[Sirgir]

This game is amazing

[TheScout]

omg the narrator is loving incredible
its like bastion's but so much darker

[Donro98]

It being in Early Access shouldn't be a concern as long as you think it is worth the money NOW.

It is fairly cheap ($20) and has quite a bit of content and replay-ability. The narrator is absolutely fantastic and while there is a strong prodding by the game to play with high light, there are benefits to not playing with high light.

This provides a lot of diversity in the way the game is played.

In addition, even though the game is rather dark (ha) at times, it has some small comedic elements that really further enjoyment.

[tber123]

Seems worth the money now.

I remember hearing somewhere (iirc a livestream) that even though the game is in early access, it is fairly close to completion, similar to Kerbal Space Program at this point.

Although take that with a grain of salt. I dont own the game, but it looks really good.