Those who make mistakes pay, those who dare may regret it, with the darkness always ready to checkmate. There are few titles that like the first Darkest Dungeon they managed to breach the hearts – and patience – of the players, with a community that became huge and exploded with joy and terror at the announcement of a second chapter. Darkest Dungeon 2, which we previewed in its version early access, promises many of the features that have already made the fortune of the previous title, but also new features designed to modernize everything.
It will therefore be up to us to form our team, set off on a stagecoach, and do everything to prevent the apocalypse from taking place… and it will be anything but simple. Red Hook Studios has made available to players so far one campaign, but it was enough for us to realize the gigantic potential of the game.
“The second is more and more difficult”
If after the events of the first title you thought you had defeated the threat … well, surprise! The horrors are far from gone, and they are so powerful that they have caused a further tilt of the Earth’s axis. You can well imagine that the consequences are catastrophic, and the darkness with all its terrible creatures has spread like wildfire throughout the world. In this more than tragic panorama we will put ourselves in command of four heroes, who traveling in a carriage they will look for a solution in every way… but at what price? Die or go crazy trying.
As we already know from the first title, there are several not too veiled references to the Lovectraftian imaginary, and in addition to tentacular creatures and vaguely familiar horrors, there is also a feature linked to the mental health of our travelers, as important as physical vitality. Keep it at bay stress and the relations among party members it is fundamental, but not totally controllable. Much in fact will be determined by events related to the past of each character, from events in combat where they will collaborate, to points of interest and more. The variables, the things to check, and the challenge level it always keeps at high levels.
I thought it was love …
Our group will consist of four members at a time, and we can choose between 6 characters with different peculiarities, from the plague doctor to the tomb profaner. To organize ourselves, however, the village will no longer be present as a base, and we will have to exploit a carriage. It will be a gem that will be useful to us in many ways: with this we will be able to travel first, we will be able to change the equipment of our characters, recover health and so on, but above all it will be improved and upgradeable with progress in the run. A sort of mobile headquarters that changes the cards on the table, and that shuffles the deck together with other features of the game.
Exploring the maps is now three-dimensional, and we will be in command of our own flaming carriage. In the scenarios that the first campaign of Darkest Dungeon 2 offers us a preview in this version early access, we will find ourselves in front of some crossings with two or three roads to choose from each time, and our choice will lead us to continue without the possibility of turning around or visiting the other streets that we have not chosen. This mechanic offers always diversified runs (which will keep you busy for about 6 hours in this campaign), but above all with hardly predictable developments… and with every catastrophe ready for every corridor.
Exploring the areas we will find ourselves faced, as mentioned, with particular points of interest with which to interact, character events, but also junk in the middle of the street which could somehow invigorate us if we hit it, but which could also add to the stress of the party. This new 3D skin for exploration is certainly interesting, and it goes well with the rest of the artistic sector of the game (always excellent), even if it presents some very small uncertainties.
What it is instead remained very faithful to the Dungeoinian tradition is the combat system: revived with a classic turn-based system, punitive and based on the position and horizontal deployment of one’s party. Clearly some changes have been made, improvements think and focus on specific points. An example is that of the various combos that can be created between the various members of the party, effects that can benefit combat when characters hit the same opponent in a row with certain abilities, or the limited number of rounds. There is still clarity to be made on balancing, but according to what we have seen so far, the level of the title is very high and gives us hope, innovating with a nod to the past.
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