Being able to pull an enemy out of their safe spot into close range where they can't use their strongest moves makes some foes a lot easier to deal with. This plays heavily into the combat flow, as movement is a crucial factor in tactics. Melee attacks can't be used from the back row, ranged attacks often can only hit certain areas, and so on. It's a turn-based RPG, where each side has four "slots." Each attack can attack different slots, and likewise, some can only be used in certain areas. There are also special flames that you can equip before a run to either make the game easier or harder, so there's some customization.Ĭombat is in the same vein as the original Darkest Dungeon, and it's probably the most overtly similar. There's no reason to keep your flame low in this game, so burning brightly is always the best outcome. At zero flame, you get ambushed by an extra-hard challenge that either ends your run or restores your flame slightly, so you can limp on. The lower the flame goes, the more powerful your enemies get.
There are items and events that can increase it, but often, their use comes at the cost of other rewards. The flame must be kept kindled as high as possible, but the act of travel can decrease it, as can certain enemy attacks. In theory, the Flame of Hope is similar to the Torch mechanic from the original Darkest Dungeon, but it's more binary.
The journey from location to location is presented as a behind-the-wagon 3D view, but the actual layout is more like Slay the Spire, where you journey from node to node and face combat, events, and special rewards that can power up your characters. The flame is the last true light in the world and the last hope for humanity, so it must remain kindled. You gather four adventurers and set off in a wagon, heading from your desolate home to the dark mountains as you protect the Flame of Hope. Instead, every run begins in the same way. If you don't take it as DDII but just a game in the same setting and world, it's an interesting twist on the formula.Īs mentioned, gone is the simple estate and town setting. I no longer feel as hesitant about losing characters, and the risks that can ruin a run don't feel like they have the same long-term consequences. It's difficult to say that DDII recaptures the same feeling. Half of my memories of the original game isn't of the big plot moments but of the smaller elements that built up over time. The original Darkest Dungeon was a delight of emergent storytelling. This also means if you disliked Darkest Dungeon, you'll enjoy the sequel more, since it focuses on one particularly strong element. DDII is a game for the people who found the combat to be the most engaging part of the experience and wanted a ramped-up, refined version of that, with the other parts pared down. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it means that it's possible to have loved the first game and dislike the second - or vice versa. The result? Darkest Dungeon II doesn't feel like the first game. It also is more character-focused, with more defined characters in various roles instead of the generic ones.
It's a far more pared-down experience that's focused more on moment-to-moment gameplay. There is meta progression between levels, but it isn't the same as the original, where you'd dedicated hundreds of hours to progress.
Instead, it's easier to compare it to something like Slay the Spire, where each run is a distinct stand-alone thing your goal is to get to the end, fight a particularly tough boss, and then move on to the next challenge. Gone is the game flow of the original, where you make repeated trips into dungeons to gradually build up your forces and your town. It's probably more genuine to call it a spin-off than a true sequel. It's probably best to start the review with arguably the most controversial part of Darkest Dungeon II.
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