Darkest Dungeon II Reviews
Darkest Dungeon II is a game with a large manual, literally and figuratively. The game is not a pick-up-and-play title like part 1 and involves a significant entry barrier. Yes, you can get quite far if you just do something, but if you really want to beat everything in the game and the final bosses, then you will really have to delve into the matter. In terms of ambiance, the game feels incredibly atmospheric and in that respect there is little wrong with this turn-based RPG. However, in terms of controls and navigation, it is sometimes a struggle on the console to be able to assign and apply everything properly and clearly. This extensive RPG is mainly intended for avid RPGers. If you are the kind of person who wants to put in many, many hours, then you can't believe your luck with this title.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Darkest Dungeon 2 forgoes the traditional route of making a sequel by adding more of the same and instead turns the entire formula on its head. It addresses some criticism of the first title with its changes, while creating frustration in new places with the overhaul. It’s far from a perfect game, but the dripping, gothic atmosphere and presentation still make it more than worth the while to at least try and bring a glimmer of hope into the endless darkness.
Review in German | Read full review
Darkest Dungeon II is a roguelike RPG not for the faint of heart. Traverse a dark but beautiful world as you carry humanities last hope. What can be an overwhelming experience is also a rewarding one. The difficulty will turn away some people but those that persist will find minutes turn to hours. Be ready for anything as the world is constantly changing, no two playthroughs will be the same. Get your party ready, get in the stagecoach, and try to save the world.
Darkest Dungeon II is just as fun on PlayStation 5 as it was on PC. If you waited for the console release, then you’re in for a highly polished roguelike that encourages experimentation and learning from your own failures.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is a beautiful, great-sounding, difficult, and addictive roguelike. If you’re into the genre then it’s an easy recommendation on whatever platform you prefer. It works great with a controller and can last 100+ hours if you want to see everything.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is a title that has successfully managed not to follow in the footsteps of its predecessor. The change to rogue-lite won't please all fans, though, as it takes away from the game's complexity. On the other hand, it will definitely please players who are more interested in experimentation.
Review in Czech | Read full review
Darkest Dungeon II continues the legacy of the original game as a brutally dark and difficult roguelite turn-based RPG. Much like the characters in the game, riding out in a hopeless effort to stave off the apocalypse, the player will find themself pushing forward despite certain defeat, with only a weak promise that next time it will be a little easier. It’s impressive that such a relentlessly challenging game can still have the player coming back for more.
Ultimately, Darkest Dungeon 2 will leave you battered and bruised yet desperate for another dance with despair. It encapsulates the spirit of its predecessor while forging its path. It may not be a game for everyone, but it offers a twisted pleasure that’s hard to resist for those who embrace the darkness. Despite its flaws and initial stumbling blocks, the game delivers a haunting and immersive experience that leaves a lasting impression. In the grim ballet of Darkest Dungeon 2, despair and joy are two sides of the same coin, and that alone makes it worth a spin.
There’s a lot to keep track of within Darkest Dungeon 2, so much so that it does indeed feel like a tabletop experience wherein the one in control is doing a tremendous job in keeping those playing along enthralled in the world they conceived. That world is pitch black and absolutely dreadful, and it gives no promise of delivering any form of satisfaction, but there’s still a sense of accomplishment somehow, of faith and hope, something that only the human mind can produce while facing the worst of circumstances.
Darkest Dungeon II reminds me of Salt and Sacrifice; both sequels to cult classic titles that tried to innovate by mashing up with entirely different genres, both significantly worse off as a result.
So if you don’t mind the fact that it’s not Darkest Dungeon But More and it’s Darkest Dungeon But Different…it’s worth caveating that the first 10 hours are so are basically just punching you in the face over and over again and normally I don’t put up with that at all before going “okay yeah but then it gets good” but I am an unemployed goth degenerate, so what else am I gonna do?
That’s actually a frequent issue with Darkest Dungeon II. I admire that the team at Red Hook Studios took a real swing here, trying new paths forward for the series instead of just tinkering around the edges and making an iterative sequel. The issue is that most of the game’s strengths are still the parts that came from the first game, with most of what’s new feeling fine but also like downgrades to what they’ve replaced. It leaves Darkest Dungeon II in a strange place where, on its own merits, it’s an interesting and well-made game that doesn’t quite live up to the example set by its predecessor.
In the realm of punishing roguelike experiences, Darkest Dungeon 2 stands as one of the greats. With its immersive art style and complex gameplay mechanics, paired with relentless difficulty, players will be left more battered and bruised, but also wiser and more satisfied as they keep on playing.
Darkest Dungeon 2 had me feeling mixed at first. Ultimately, this sequel feels more fleshed out, and I grew to appreciate the direction it took, giving our heroes more life by giving them backstories and how they interacted with each other in the world.
The official sequel to Darkest Dungeon seemd chose to abandon the management system and offer more rogue-lite fun instead based on the theme of carriage travel. While the concept proved itself with much deeper combat mechanic, but it barely feels like a fresh gameplay.
Review in Korean | Read full review
The premium price tag is well justified. Red Hook’s sophomore release showcases an excellent display of this small but mighty team’s talents. It was well worth the wait with another exceptional addition to the roguelite genre. A gorgeous yet gloomy art direction, impeccable sound design, addictive combat, and more replayability than you can shake a stick come together graciously in Darkest Dungeon II.
Darkest Dungeon II is not just a game, it’s a masterpiece. It has such a rich environment to see and explore, and a massive multitude of enemies to slay, and it takes strategy to new heights with how the heroes interact with each other. This is not a game for the faint of heart, but with some patience and maybe some out of the box thinking, anybody can learn to love this game and all the strange horrors it’ll introduce you to.
A sequel that at first sight seemed to be unnecessary, has managed to crown itself as one of the best role-playing experiences of the last few years. Suffering, masochism and injustice are part of the fun in this incredible roguelite.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Darkest Dungeon II will appeal to fans of the old game and new victims. I mean, players, alike. The cosmic nihilism and battle to preserve hope in Darkest Dungeon II’s narrative is paired with solid gameplay improvements that are less likely to turn players into nihilists themselves.
Yet all in all, Darkest Dungeon 2 is a worthy sequel to the 2015 original. It’s a fearless alteration of a well-known formula, while also building a game that you really don’t need any context for. Despite issues with some of the best aspects of the game being thinned by its new formula, Darkest Dungeon 2 remains one of the most exciting strategy games in a while.