Darkest Dungeon II Reviews
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
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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