Dark and Darker
- June 7, 2024
- IRONMACE
- 425h median play time
Get on Steam"Dark and Darker" is a Free to Play dungeon crawler game, where players can create one character and play Normal mode with quests and loot. Upgrading to the full version for $30 provides access to High-Roller mode, a marketplace, 9 character slots, and a Shared Stash. This version allows players to preview the game's features before purchasing the full edition.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- gameplay2,327 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Dark and Darker" is characterized by a high-risk, high-reward loop that combines intense dungeon crawling with PvPvE mechanics, offering a unique blend of strategic combat and looting. While many players find the core mechanics engaging and addictive, the game suffers from a steep learning curve, clunky controls, and a lack of tutorials, which can frustrate newcomers. Additionally, the free-to-play model has been criticized for limiting access to essential gameplay features, leading to mixed reviews regarding its overall balance and accessibility.
“The core gameplay loop—gather loot, fight monsters (and other players), and make it out alive—is intense and rewarding.”
“Great game, love the gameplay and enjoy what has become of the game since beta.”
“The gameplay loop is addicting, while the gameplay and mechanics are clunky at best.”
“It's a chaotic mess of half-baked ideas, clunky mechanics, and a constant barrage of 'why am I doing this?' moments.”
“Dark and Darker markets itself as a hardcore dungeon crawler, but the experience feels more like a forced march through broken mechanics and mind-numbing repetition.”
“Gameplay is janky and repetitive, FOV is way too low, performance is less than ideal despite the lo-fi graphics, and both the UI and inventory management are unbearably bad.”
- story563 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for being non-existent or poorly developed, with many players expressing frustration over the lack of a coherent narrative or engaging lore. Instead, the gameplay focuses heavily on repetitive quests and PvP elements, often leading to a grindy experience that feels disconnected from any meaningful storyline. While some players appreciate the quest mechanics and the potential for character progression, the overall sentiment is that the game lacks a compelling story to draw players in.
“The storyline unfolds like a dark symphony, with each revelation adding a layer to the game's rich tapestry of lore.”
“Each quest feels meaningful, and the lore of the world is intricately woven into the gameplay, making every discovery and achievement deeply satisfying.”
“The storyline is captivating, with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you guessing.”
“This game has no story.”
“There is no explanation as to what you have to do, where to go, how to get there, or what the story is even about.”
“The storyline is bland and unoriginal, failing to capture any real interest or emotional investment.”
- graphics341 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the dark, gothic aesthetic and immersive atmosphere, while others criticize the visuals as outdated or lacking polish. Some users highlight the game's art style as nostalgic and fitting for its genre, but performance issues and poor UI design detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered decent or good, they are often described as not meeting modern standards, with some players expressing disappointment in their quality.
“The graphics are striking, with a gritty aesthetic that perfectly complements the eerie sound design.”
“The dark, gothic aesthetic is beautifully rendered, with detailed environments that evoke a sense of dread and curiosity.”
“The game's visuals are stunning, with intricate graphics and atmospheric sound design that create a sense of foreboding and tension.”
“The graphics are outdated and dull, and the game is riddled with bugs that the devs seem too incompetent to fix.”
“The graphics are worse than a PS2 game.”
“Awful graphics and especially lighting which is intended to be dark but instead is just pitch black.”
- grinding291 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and unbalanced, often leading to frustration over lost progress due to frequent patches and wipes. While some appreciate the satisfaction of grinding for gear and loot, others criticize the lack of meaningful rewards and the overwhelming focus on PvP, which can diminish the enjoyment of the grinding experience. Overall, the game is seen as highly grindy, requiring significant time investment, but opinions vary on whether this is ultimately rewarding or frustrating.
“The dungeons are filled with mobs that reward some aspects; with the right builds, you can have two benefits. One fast build almost ignores this issue, while a luck-based build makes it interesting to farm items and gold. However, it can be tedious and repetitive. It would be nice if they added some open dungeons or new mechanics to make it less repetitive, as all the dungeons have small rooms filled with mobs, with rare occasions.”
“The problem with these quests isn't the grindy nature of killing a certain number of goblins to get goblin ears to turn in to the goblin merchant; that part is standard for a game like this.”
“Guess I’ll be saving time by not grinding anymore.”
“Grinding gear and getting into fun fights was.”
“The game seemed good, I grinded 160+ hours, then realized it was all for nothing, because every few months it gets wiped, everything you ever did gets deleted, there is no point in completing all of the grindy annoying missions, if you take a break you will come back to nothing, that sucks.”
“You'll lose all the gear you've spent hours grinding.”
- humor286 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -1 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a major draw, with players enjoying the comedic mishaps that occur during gameplay, especially when playing with friends. Many reviews mention hilarious interactions, unexpected deaths, and amusing character dynamics, often enhanced by the game's proximity chat feature. While some players express frustration with game mechanics, they still find the overall experience to be filled with funny moments that keep them engaged.
“It is really funny to try and cast fireball at a guy with a staff just to have the staff hit the door frame and cancel the spell, lmao.”
“This game is hilarious with friends!”
“The gameplay loop is highly addictive and PvP battles with proximity voice are hilarious.”
“After the update, this has become the most unfunny, most useless, and most unplayable game I've seen in a long time.”
“The humor in this game falls flat and feels forced, making it more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
“I expected some laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is completely off.”
- monetization233 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 32 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players feeling it leans towards predatory practices, particularly due to the requirement to purchase the "legendary edition" for full access and the presence of microtransactions that impact gameplay. While some appreciate the ability to earn cosmetics in-game, the overall sentiment is that the game misrepresents itself as free-to-play, leading to frustration over locked content and a perceived cash grab mentality from the developers. Despite these concerns, a few players acknowledge that the core gameplay remains enjoyable, albeit marred by the monetization issues.
“The game’s monetization has been a point of contention, with a somewhat unclear free-to-play model, but the core experience remains fun regardless of whether you spend extra or not.”
“In fact, I'm genuinely surprised there isn't more monetization, and the monetization that does exist isn't behind dark patterns.”
“Overall, I don't typically like extraction-based combat games, but the developers of Dark and Darker have done an amazing job in not only making the game fun and flexible with the multitude of different play styles one may choose, but also unique in their overall monetization method that allows both free-to-play and paid players to enjoy the game equally.”
“Recent changes to free-to-play and the monetization are braindead stupid, and will also scare new players away.”
“The developers clearly care more about cash grabs than they do about actually balancing the game because they push you to pay $30 to have all the availability and pay-to-win for everything else.”
“This game is no more as fun as it was before; it turned from an incredible experience of a medieval extraction game to a pay-to-win unbalanced milking business project.”
- atmosphere179 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "Dark and Darker" is widely praised for its dark, immersive, and gritty design, effectively enhancing the tension and excitement of dungeon crawling. Players appreciate the moody lighting, eerie soundscapes, and detailed environments that create a sense of danger and suspense, although some critiques mention that the oppressive atmosphere can feel frustrating at times. Overall, the game's atmospheric elements are considered one of its strongest features, drawing players into a captivating world filled with mystery and peril.
“The atmosphere is top-notch, with moody lighting, eerie sound design, and detailed environments that make every dungeon feel alive and deadly.”
“The atmosphere is spellbinding, immersing you in a world that pulses with dark magic and untold secrets.”
“From the moment you step into the hauntingly beautiful world of 'dark and darker,' the atmosphere grips you with its melancholic allure.”
“The 'dark' atmosphere the game tries to create is more of an oppressive, frustrating mess than anything remotely immersive.”
“Maps are decent looking but have no real atmosphere other than simple lighting contrast (absence of dust, dripping water, fog, etc.), no atmospheric music, etc. This feels like an abandoned beta that people didn't really test.”
“I get making a game feel rough and unpolished for the atmosphere and difficulty, but this game doesn't really do that; it's just kind of poorly made.”
- optimization145 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, lag, and crashes, particularly in crowded areas or during intense gameplay. While some users have noted improvements in performance after updates, others continue to experience severe optimization problems that hinder their overall experience. Overall, there is a strong consensus that the game requires further optimization to enhance stability and gameplay fluidity.
“Game has been very well optimized and refined without compromising gameplay style or the original concept.”
“Optimization is here, game runs smoothly and I haven't encountered any critical bugs or netcode issues yet.”
“What I can say positive is the performance improved a lot, I went from like 80-90fps to almost 180fps constantly which is a big plus.”
“The game is so poorly optimized for performance that if you approach another player within approximately a room's length, your screen will freeze indicating that someone is near.”
“Game runs like shit; I have a Ryzen 7 2700X CPU, 32GB of RAM, and an RX5700XT. Why is the game stuttering like crazy? I can barely play the game!”
“It's a poorly optimized piece of trash that crashes constantly and randomly.”
- stability111 mentions
- 6 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and connection issues that significantly hinder gameplay. Common problems include random freezes, unresponsive mechanics, and poor server performance, leading to frustrating experiences. While some players acknowledge the game's potential and enjoy its mechanics, the overwhelming consensus is that it remains a buggy and unpolished product, often feeling unplayable.
“Loads fast and isn't buggy.”
“Great immersive game, not too buggy for an early access. The devs are quick to react with updates and fixes, and now that there's a free-to-play version with some limitations, you can try it out and form your own opinion!”
“Dark and Darker runs great for early access; I don't think I've seen a single bug yet.”
“You’ll get stuck in walls, fail to interact with objects, and experience random freezes that will make you wonder if you’ve actually entered a broken simulation.”
“The game constantly freezes.”
“From minor glitches to game-breaking errors, it seems like every session is plagued with some form of technical issue.”
- replayability89 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is frequently highlighted as one of its strongest features, with many players noting its potential for infinite playthroughs due to diverse character classes, engaging mechanics, and regular updates. While some users express concerns about diminishing replay value from certain design choices, the overall consensus is that the game offers a rich and enjoyable experience that encourages repeated play, especially in multiplayer settings. Despite some criticisms, the majority find the replayability to be a significant draw, making it a worthwhile investment for players seeking long-term engagement.
“One of the game’s strongest points is its replayability.”
“Its unparalleled replay value stems from the game's roguelike elements and diverse character classes, ensuring that no two runs feel the same.”
“This is an amazing game that is loads of fun, has heart-racing moments, and endless replayability.”
“Tldr: the game where the point is to replay something over and over again has no replayability, and it's not enjoyable unless you're already experienced and playing it in a group of 3.”
“This shift not only ruins the excitement of discovering new gear but also drastically impacts replayability, as there's no longer a tangible benefit to grind for better items.”
“This decreases replayability and it limits the amount of overall enjoyment players can get out of the game.”
- music80 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it forgettable and lacking in atmosphere, often describing it as annoying or repetitive. While some appreciate the bard's ability to play music for buffs and find it entertaining, others feel that the overall sound design fails to enhance the gaming experience, leading to a dull ambiance. Overall, the soundtrack does not leave a lasting impression, with many players wishing for more variety and depth in the musical elements.
“The soundtrack is hauntingly atmospheric, a perfect accompaniment to your descent into madness.”
“The eerie sound design and hauntingly beautiful soundtrack perfectly complement the visuals, creating an immersive experience that will keep you on the edge of your seat.”
“From enchanting music to intricate level design, it feels like stepping into Baldur’s Gate for the first time—now in thrilling first-person view.”
“The music is forgettable, the sound effects are tinny, and the constant echoing footsteps will drive you insane after just a few minutes.”
“The gameplay is bland and boring; there's no music, which also makes it dull.”
“Who decided to put that god-awful music just looping in the main menu? You want us to sleep?”
- emotional50 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a wide range of feelings, from deep attachment and joy to frustration and heartbreak. Players report experiencing intense moments of victory and loss, often leading to tears and laughter, highlighting the game's ability to create a strong emotional connection despite its flaws. While some find the game to be a wholesome escape, others express disappointment over its mechanics and lack of engaging story, resulting in a mixed emotional experience overall.
“Absolutely amazing game and nothing has had me hooked or made me feel this way about a game in a long time.”
“The heart-wrenching moment when one of our party members fell to an unexpected ambush evoked feelings of grief and helplessness—emotions that transcended the screen.”
“I have never loved a game like this, or been as emotionally invested in one.”
- character development8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 13 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highly polarized among users; while some praise the exceptional depth and unique personalities of the characters, others criticize it as lacking entirely, describing it as an afterthought with poor execution. Additionally, the overall narrative and character design have received mixed reviews, with some finding them generic and unsatisfactory.
“The character development in the game is exceptional, with each character having their own unique personality and motivations that add depth to the narrative.”
“Great replayability due to level and character design.”
“No character development.”
“Coupled with a lack of meaningful character development, it feels like the narrative was an afterthought.”
“The story is terrible, character development is terrible, super pay-to-win like some skins make you look like a lizard or werewolf.”
