Darkest Dungeon®

Darkest Dungeon. This one is turn based tactical RPG with rogue elements. I do believe this game is earlier example of modern game with rogue elements. It is also popularized this genre among the masses. Personally it’s not my cup of tea, not a fun of permanent death. I prefer my rogue elements to be done like in Isaac or Gungeon. Obviously I get attached to the characters I grow so at best seeing you character who went through several dungeons to fall victim of random BS at best is annoying. I’ve seen many other people play thig game but only played it myself recently and wasn’t impressed with it. I get it why would this game become popular with streamers/YTbers. But apart from gothic entourage, art style and overall miserable vibe there isn’t much else.  But at least there are mods to make every playable character well-endowed. 

What’s the story? Well… there is that bloody dark and miserable place and that place need a quick depopulation. Nature doesn’t care who’s going to disintegrate regular people of horde of monsters. So it’s up to you to make sure that humans stay alive. But the place is in such ass of the world that even Somali would look like most law abiding place on earth.  In short your wagon gets a taste of what it feels like to be at wrong time at the wrong place. So you have to limp your way to the main hub. And from there you have a “To do” list. Just remember it’s like Cannon Fodder, so you most likely not to get your Jools and Joops through this nightmare, that why every day more meat will be delivered to the meat grinder.

Let’s get to the gameplay section. How it all goes. First your pick your team, then you buys supplies. Seasoned veteran would say fill your bag with 1/3 torches, 1/3 food, 1/3 shovels and the rest of utility items. I’m not seasoned and would say for couple of first runs 16 torches and around 30 units food would be enough. It’s just later dungeon will be so long that you’d need to set a camp. Back to the basics, team ready, supplies packed, certain death awaits us, moving out. In the dungeon you pick a road and walk till you given another choice.  While you walking you’ll encounter several types of events. Traps will require a shovel to clear or else it will hurt. Loot, sometimes will require a key if you found a chest. Others that either rise or decrease your stress level or sent you to your doom. Seriously if you see a lamp shade with a red orb, just ignore it and go away.

 You will also encounter enemies so let’s look at this gameplay subsection. There aren’t universal kinds of characters that are good against everything. Some are good against undead, others against the eldritch chthonic horrors etc. So when you have a lot of “meat” to spare, pick wisely who you will send where. In the begging I suggest a classic D&D party of tank, rogue, priest and plague doctor. I mean in the begging you wouldn’t have anyone else lol. Plague doctor can be considered as a very light variant of a healer, but his specialty is to cure and inflict bad statuses. So how is the fight going? It’s a line of four on line of four. And positioning is very important part of this game. So enemies will make sure to shuffle your position to their advantage. What else. Right, all your skills are position based and this is why positioning is so important. You don’t have too much HP so you would want either finish the fight quickly or attempt to stunlock your enemy as long as possible to restore your HP with your healer. What will happen if you run out of HP? You won’t die instantly, but you will be at death door. So you have a chance to save your team mate. But if you receive a hit while at death door that’s it. But also your resolve will be tested. That is another part of gameplay. Either from a stress or heavy punishment you will get a bad or good perk. Light is a crucial part of your survival and success. That’s why torches are so important and you want to keep your light above 85 or else enemies will get bonuses. The only thing left is your task in a dungeon. Could be several things such as clearing it from monsters, defeat a boss, or scout an area. You can also continue to explore a dungeon when you done your task if you forgot to loot some places. 

Once you done with a dungeon you are back at the hub. Here you can upgrade several building to provide better services. Relieve your stress by drinking, gambling or praying. But those resting won’t be available for the next dungeon run. You can also hire more people, equip trinkets, learn more skills and improve your weapons. 

Well those are the basics, since I didn’t like the game I only made couple of runs. So if you want to become a pro at this game steam guides are your help. Since I’m very intolerable of accuracy shenanigans I did not like it. Also enemies get more turns than you. Which also adds to BS counter. So it’s hit or miss. Personally I would say try it out, if it’s not for you then oh well.