Darkwood Reviews

Darkwood is ranked in the 71st percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Metro GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
May 16, 2019

An impressively original horror game whose doom-laden atmosphere and relentless day/night cycle is more terrifying than any jump scare.

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GameSpot
Top Critic
9 / 10
May 14, 2019

Darkwood's forests are atmospherically horrifying in a novel and affecting way.

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7.5 / 10.0
Sep 6, 2017

Darkwood does a great job of showing off its weird, unsettling world, but it struggles to tell players what they have to do. The woods are home to secrets and terrible truths alike. Though it falls short of reaching its full potential, mostly due to questionable controls and cumbersome combat, this horror game is worth the experience on the merits of its haunting atmosphere alone.

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80 / 100
May 23, 2019

Darkwood plays with the fear of the unknown to create an atmosphere and situations of pure terror. If you've been looking for a true survival horror game for years, one that doesn't rely on jump scares and make you turn on the lights at night... You've just found it.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

TheSixthAxis
Steve C
Top Critic
8 / 10
May 14, 2019

Darkwood is one of the most terrifying games I've ever played as it challenges you to explore and survive a dark and twisted world. Unravelling the mysteries of the night time horrors will consume you even before you try the permadeath mode. This comes highly recommended, but remember to wear your brown trousers.

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8 / 10.0
May 14, 2019

Despite a seemingly unnecessary level of challenge, Darkwood is genuinely one of the scariest games out there, featuring some of the best sound design in the survival horror genre.

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Jun 3, 2019

Darkwood succeeds in creating a haunting atmosphere that will leave even veteran horror gamers on edge, but it has its fair share of tedious moments as well.

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85 / 100
Sep 12, 2017

Despite some minor frustrations and inconsistencies, Darkwood is a journey of masterfully deceptive madness that will drag you in whether you like it or not.

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May 22, 2019

Darkwood is a tense and challenging horror and survival game with superb atmosphere, excellent visual presentation, and a strong gameplay core, but it's marred by clunky movement and unintuitive combat mechanics.

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82 / 100
May 23, 2019

Darkwood is a challenging and rewarding horror game that will test even the hardcore survival horror buff. The gameplay loop of finding new and better resources by day and fending off horrifying creatures by night is surprisingly addictive.

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7 / 10
May 14, 2019

Darkwood is on the verge of greatness. The terrifying and foreboding atmosphere it manages to create is unmatched in the genre, while the scares themselves are earned and equally alarming. The experience is somewhat held back by gameplay annoyances, but they're not enough to sway a recommendation.

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6 / 10.0
Oct 1, 2017

Darkwood is a fine open-world survival experience, and spins a good yarn, but doesn't quite succeed as a horror game. The ominous veneer wears off quickly enough, and you're left with a somewhat cumbersome Don't Starve clone. Darkwood has its moments and will please a certain dedicated breed, but less masochistic general gaming audiences may find the title more tedious than terrifying. Don't venture into these woods unless you're prepared to rough it.

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7 / 10
May 30, 2019

As far as survival horrors on the Nintendo Switch go, Darkwood certainly knows how to keep players alert and on their toes, as well as to make them take their own decisions to survive. Where Darkwood doesn't fully stand out is when it comes to its visual environment, as well as on solving technical issues but beyond that, this is a game that will satisfy fans of the survival horror genre.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

DualShockers
Cameron Hawkins
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
May 31, 2019

Try to escape a haunting forest with an intriguing cast of characters in Darkwood.

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8 / 10
May 30, 2019

Darkwood is a work of absolute value, able to create a sense of deep and pervasive restlessness, which results in anxiety at the beginning of each night. On consoles, the game suffers from a more cumbersome gameplay. A cruel adventure, suitable for those who think they have seen everything in their videogame career.

Review in Italian | Read full review

7 / 10
May 31, 2019

Darkwood is really not for everyone's hands. Unforgiving and far from being linear, it's above all aimed to gamers who are experienced in the survival genre. The sound design is neat and conveys a real feeling of despair and horror, even if the visuals and the game design in general lack of variety.

Review in French | Read full review

83 / 100
May 17, 2019

A bird's eye view of indie survival horror, unique for its oppressive atmosphere and atmospheric shadow play.

Review in German | Read full review

4 / 5.0
May 14, 2019

Darkwood is a fantastic exploration of the horror genre and had me checking my cupboards for monsters whenever I’d finish a late-night play session.

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8 / 10
May 17, 2019

Darkwood is, thankfully, rather unlike any other horror game on Switch. Those with a taste for survival games will appreciate the constant pressure to salvage parts and craft new items while a clock ticks down in the background, while those with a love for all things sinister will really appreciate some of the truly disturbing moments. Despite the occasional technical flaw, the result is a purposefully slow experience that rewards multiple playthroughs with a storyline that branches depending on just how far into madness you're willing to tread.

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May 14, 2019

Darkwood is a deeply unsettling horror game that turns night into your greatest enemy and makes players question what could be lurking in the dark. For any fans of the genre, this is an instant classic.

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