Darkest Dungeon II is a top seller on Steam just one day after release. What makes the game so good?
Darkest Dungeon II has become a top seller on Steam right after its release and currently leads the list in first place. Only when including free “Free2Play” games does the title land in second place behind Counter Strike: Global Offensive.
What kind of game is Darkest Dungeons II? Darkest Dungeon II is a turn-based strategy game where you – similar to older JRPGs – determine the actions of your hero group in combat. Between different expeditions, you improve your heroes, grant them new abilities, or explore their backstory.
However, as you play, your heroes change increasingly. They can acquire negative traits, fall into madness, or develop a special sense of heroism. Additionally, the heroes all have relationships with each other – if the stress of the heroes is not managed well, one might eventually find that the fighters do not support each other as strongly as one would like.
What is particularly notable about the series is the drawn, quite dark art style and the dramatic narrator who comments on the actions and fates of the heroes – both aspects for which the first part of the series was already praised and celebrated.
Darkest Dungeon II forgoes endless grinding with loss anxiety
For some, it was a hallmark of the game, while for others, unnecessary pressure and grind that only led to annoyances. In the first “Darkest Dungeon”, there was plenty of grinding and the constant fear that your progress would be reset by many hours if a hero died. This “grind with high loss anxiety” is significantly lower in Darkest Dungeon II.
While there is still frustration when an expedition (which can take hours) ultimately fails, the consequences are considerably less drastic.
Darkest Dungeon II has therefore taken clear steps towards a “rogue-lite”, the somewhat more forgiving variant of “rogue-like” games.
What the reviews of Darkest Dungeon II say: Currently, “Darkest Dungeon II” stands at 81% positive reviews, rating it slightly lower than its predecessor (81%). Here are some opinions from the reviews:
- “A significantly different and bold approach to a new kind of Darkest Dungeon, but one that still retains the spirit and energy of the original. Most who liked the first part will like this one too.”
- “It’s nice to be able to play Darkest Dungeon now without feeling the pressure of losing dozens of hours of progress because a hero dies.”
- “Taken on its own, DD2 is a great rogue-lite experience that can be astonishingly brutal at times. The game is beautifully made with a god-like narrator. A captivating combat system that makes you jump with joy when you overcome tough battles or yell at a party member who keeps trying to kill themselves.”
However, there are also voices that believe Darkest Dungeon II is not a successful successor:
- “A good game, but not Darkest Dungeon. The price is crazy, waiting for a deal.”
The biggest criticism includes the long animations during travel and the fact that there are no “dungeons” in “Darkest Dungeon II”.
Should you buy the game right away? This again is clearly a case of “depends on”. Some find the price of 38.99 euros significantly too high in the reviews and recommend waiting until Darkest Dungeons II is on sale. However, if you loved the first part and definitely want to play a somewhat less grind-heavy continuation, you can also go for the full price.
Have you already checked out Darkest Dungeon II and are “guilty” of making the game a top seller?
