On sale for $3.80 on Steam with 85% off: This roguelike RPG wants to break you – and that’s exactly why players love it
In Darkest Dungeon, the dream of a noble adventure quickly unravels into paranoia, panic and sudden breakdowns. This roguelike RPG casts players as the heir to a cursed estate – once a proud manor, now a nightmare teeming with madness and monsters. It's your task to recruit heroes and send them into its depths, fighting back the darkness and uncovering the path to salvation. Alongside its dark comic book style, the game stands out for its haunting narrator, who delivers every line with chilling intensity.
Players form parties of four, choosing from a range of classes – from steadfast crusaders to haunted occultists – and lead them through treacherous dungeons filled with traps and horrific creatures. But it’s not just health that needs managing. Mental strain is a constant threat and Darkest Dungeon is built to wear players down. Heroes accumulate stress and once it hits a breaking point, they snap. Some turn paranoid, others self-destructive or outright useless. They might lash out at allies, refuse to heal or deliberately take hits. And with permadeath in play, any fallen hero is lost for good along with all their experience and gear.
The combat system in Darkest Dungeon revolves around positioning. Abilities depend on where a character stands in the party and where the enemy is. A healer at the front is nearly useless, just like a melee fighter stuck at the back. After each expedition, surviving heroes return to the village. There, players can upgrade their base, unlock new classes, improve gear and focus on keeping their heroes sane. Stressed adventurers need to recover, whether in the tavern, through prayer or at the monastery. However, not every hero fits every place. Some insist on drinking, while others develop quirks that permanently affect their behavior.
Reviews: Dark and demanding, yet too reliant on RNG
In its review, the German magazine GameStar praised Darkest Dungeon for its cohesive atmosphere, bold comic-style visuals, immersive sound design and ominous narrator. The combat system stood out for its tactical depth, especially the way abilities depend on positioning. The stress mechanic was also highlighted as a refreshing addition to the genre, requiring players to manage not just health but also the mental well-being of their heroes. GameStar also noted the game's wide variety of classes, extensive upgrade options, tough difficulty and high replay value as key elements that keep it engaging.
However, the review also pointed out that the game’s heavy reliance on randomness can be frustrating. Missed attacks, weak heals or unlucky setbacks can make defeats feel unfair. The lack of a proper tutorial was also noted, as new players are left to figure out most mechanics on their own. Despite these issues, the game received a solid score of 84 out of 100. Darkest Dungeon holds nearly 130,000 reviews on Steam, with a very positive average of 91%. On Metacritic, the roguelike RPG holds a Metascore of 84 and a User Score of 7.9.
85% discount on Steam
Darkest Dungeon was developed and published by Red Hook Studios and first released in 2016. On Steam, it’s normally priced at $25, but until April 21, it’s available for just around $3.80 thanks to an 85% discount. It's worth noting that such steep discounts are fairly common for Darkest Dungeon. According to SteamDB, the game is often reduced by 85%, most recently during the Spring Sale in early March. So if you miss out this time, there's a good chance you'll see a similar offer again soon.
Disclaimer: Notebookcheck is not responsible for price changes carried out by retailers. The discounted price or deal mentioned in this item was available at the time of writing and may be subject to time restrictions and/or limited unit availability.
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