Darkest Dungeon II

Darkest Dungeon II is a sequel to the highly acclaimed RPG with heavy roguelike elements from 2016. Just like its predecessor, it was developed by the independent Red Hook Studios.

Plot

Darkest Dungeon II is set during the apocalypse. The playable characters find hope in the distant, looming mountain, but the road to reach it is long, exhausting and difficult. It's up to us to lead them there, sound of body and mind. Wayne June returns as the game's narrator.

Mechanics

The gameplay of Darkest Dungeon II is similar to the first installment, though also featuring numerous changes. We play as four characters selected from a larger roster. Each character represents a different class, with different skills, strengths and weaknesses. The characters either return from the first game or are entirely new. One such newcomer is the Runaway, a frontline fighter specializing in fire-based attacks.

The dark realm traversed throughout the game is divided into smaller zones. In them, we'll find enemy encounters, ruins and dungeons to explore and NPCs in distress. Helping them and battling enemies is necessary to maintain our torch, as if the flame of hope dies out, our heroes will soon follow. Character death is permanent, and losing our entire squad forces us to restart the entire run. That, alongside the restriction of having only a single representative of each class, encourages the player to take better care of the heroes.

Just like previously, the player must keep an eye on the characters' mental condition. Characters' traits and behavior determine the relationships they form with their teammates. Positive relationships grant positive effects, while hostile relationships are detrimental to the team. Difficult and horrifying experiences build up the characters' stress meters. It can be lowered in inns, where the team can rest after a difficult journey by playing cards and drinking. Neglecting rest and letting the stress meter fill up eventually causes the character to break down, resetting all their relationships. A seasoned player can use this to their advantage, deliberately edging the character closer to madness to get rid of undesired relationships.

Enemy encounters are once again turn-based, shown from the side, with the heroes and the enemies set in formation on the battlefield. Proper positioning is once again extremely important. The system was significantly changes due to the introduction of tokens representing effects (such as a chance to block the next attack or to stun the target). Both the protagonists and the enemies can benefit from them. The game also no longer lets us heal in combat.

As we progress through the game, we learn new skills and acquire special items providing various effects. We also gain Hope points, which serves as currency and is the only resource retained between runs.

Technical aspects

Darkest Dungeon II retains its predecessor's grim artstyle. The sequel made a jump towards 3D graphics, leaving behind the characters' exaggerated proportions.

Last updated on 05 June 2023