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Darkwood

Darkwood is a masterpiece of the horror genre and at once accessible to wannabe horror gamers and harrowing to fear junkies.
Darkwood Game Cover
87%Game Brain Score
story, atmosphere
grinding, stability
94% User Score Based on 10,983 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 22 reviews

Platforms

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Darkwood Game Cover

About

Darkwood is a single player survival role playing game with a horror theme. It was developed by Acid Wizard Studio and was released on August 16, 2017. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

Darkwood is a top-down survival horror game with a focus on exploration and crafting during the day, and defending yourself against nighttime creatures. The world is procedurally generated and features a range of strange creatures and characters. Your choices and interactions impact the world and story of Darkwood.

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94%
Audience ScoreBased on 10,983 reviews
story879 positive mentions
grinding151 negative mentions
  • Darkwood features a hauntingly beautiful art style and immersive atmosphere that effectively enhances the horror experience.
  • The gameplay offers a unique blend of survival mechanics and exploration, creating a tense atmosphere that keeps players engaged.
  • The emotional depth of the story and character development, combined with a compelling soundtrack, contribute to a memorable and impactful experience.
  • The gameplay can feel tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over resource gathering and backtracking.
  • The graphics are often criticized as simplistic and pixelated, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.
  • Technical issues, including stuttering and bugs, can disrupt gameplay and hinder progression, particularly on certain platforms.
  • story
    2,487 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Darkwood" is a complex and immersive experience that unfolds through environmental storytelling, character interactions, and cryptic clues, requiring players to piece together the narrative themselves. While some players appreciate the depth and mystery of the plot, others find it vague and challenging to follow, leading to mixed feelings about its clarity and engagement. Overall, the game is praised for its unique atmosphere, compelling characters, and the way choices impact the story, making it a standout title in the survival horror genre.

    • “The storytelling is perfect for anyone that doesn't want to be fed with a spoon, and it feels rewarding piecing it all together.”
    • “The story is deeply thought-provoking: you’re trapped in a strange forest, under the weight of something terrible and inexplicable.”
    • “The atmosphere is sticky and grim like the best slavcore depressive games but with a real cruel edge to the story and a perfect difficulty curve, keeping you on the back foot even when you have 3 guns in your inventory.”
    • “The story is either non-existent or unnecessarily obtuse, there’s no voice acting (just vague, meaningless text), and while the music is fine, nothing else really stands out.”
    • “The story, lack of direction, and combat are contradictory.”
    • “The story is extremely vague and the game is not giving you any hints really.”
  • atmosphere
    2,284 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere in "Darkwood" is widely praised as one of its standout features, described as deeply immersive, oppressive, and hauntingly beautiful. Players appreciate the game's ability to create tension and fear without relying on cheap jump scares, instead using sound design, visuals, and environmental storytelling to evoke a sense of dread. The unique art style and atmospheric soundscapes contribute to a chilling experience that keeps players on edge, making it a must-play for fans of atmospheric horror.

    • “The atmosphere in this game is truly a masterpiece, thanks to its unique setting and its dark, eerie and mysterious art style.”
    • “Darkwood is a hauntingly atmospheric survival horror game that expertly combines tension, exploration, and psychological dread into an unforgettable experience.”
    • “As someone who loves horror games, I was hoping the atmosphere and scares would redeem it, but it never comes close to being scary.”
    • “The atmosphere is oppressive, the world feels cruel and unpredictable, and the game never tries to comfort you.”
    • “It creates an atmosphere that makes you paranoid of strange noises at best, and asphyxiates your nerves with unrelenting terrors at its worst.”
  • gameplay
    1,819 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Darkwood is characterized by a unique blend of survival mechanics, exploration, and a day-night cycle that creates a tense atmosphere. Players must scavenge for resources during the day and fortify their hideouts at night, facing challenging combat and limited visibility that heightens the horror experience. While many praise the game's immersive atmosphere and innovative mechanics, some find the gameplay repetitive and frustrating due to clunky controls and a steep learning curve. Overall, it offers a compelling survival horror experience that rewards patience and strategic thinking.

    • “Darkwood is an excellent survival horror game with incredible atmosphere, tension that they somehow manage to keep throughout the game, an addictive gameplay loop and an interesting story.”
    • “The gameplay loop and oppressive survival mechanics made each in-game day an unforgettable battle against the clock, and each night a struggle for life itself.”
    • “This game is one of the best in its genre, the incredible gameplay loop, amazing art style, and unbeatable sound design is just the tip of what it has to offer.”
    • “Very slow, boring, and monotonous gameplay consisting of a scavenging simulator, disgusting combat system, and repetitive backtracking.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is so tedious and boring that it makes it nearly impossible to appreciate the great atmosphere the game is trying to create.”
    • “The gameplay loop quickly gets figured out and conquered once you are at the late stages of the game.”
  • graphics
    917 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Darkwood" have received mixed reviews, with many praising its unique and haunting art style that effectively contributes to the game's eerie atmosphere. While some players find the pixelated visuals simplistic or outdated, others appreciate how they enhance the horror experience, creating a sense of dread and immersion. Overall, the game's aesthetic, combined with its sound design, is often highlighted as a key strength, making it a standout in the survival horror genre despite its graphical limitations.

    • “The art style of Darkwood is grotesquely beautiful, enhancing the unsettling atmosphere with richly detailed environments and uniquely designed creatures.”
    • “The atmosphere, sound, and visual effects, graphic and mechanic of this game work like a solid mechanism, like clocks.”
    • “Darkwood's experience is primarily delivered through audio first, graphics second, proving that true horror isn't dependent on the graphical quality of a game but on the atmosphere it entails.”
    • “I was initially drawn in by the visuals from the trailer, but once I actually started playing, everything felt overly dark and visually cramped.”
    • “The graphics are atrocious.”
    • “The graphics seem just simple and pixelated, yet are carefully polished and detailed and the animation is smooth.”
  • music
    608 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, creating a haunting and immersive experience that complements the horror elements. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's eerie and unsettling qualities, which effectively build tension and evoke feelings of dread without relying on cheap jump scares. Overall, the sound design and music are considered standout features, contributing significantly to the game's unique and chilling ambiance.

    • “The atmosphere is immersive, the sound and music is perfect.”
    • “The soundtrack is a haunting composition that perfectly complements the atmosphere of dread.”
    • “The music, the atmosphere, the art, the timing, the feeling, the soul of this game.”
    • “The lack of a traditional musical score during exploration moments forces players to rely on environmental audio cues, which amplifies the tension and draws them deeper into the unsettling world.”
    • “Here, as I described before, you keep on running all the time, going to different locations but using more or less the same path or road 1000 times, and the same music gets triggered every time, at the same place, even though you cleaned the area and no monster is to be found around.”
    • “The problem with this mechanic is that at some point you forget about the music, and you lose the connection with the horror atmosphere you had before, which is the core essence of this game.”
  • replayability
    182 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Darkwood offers significant replayability through its procedurally generated environments, multiple story paths, and various difficulty settings, allowing players to experience different outcomes and challenges with each playthrough. While some players noted that the game may not have infinite replay value due to limited content, the unique choices and side quests provide enough variety to keep the experience fresh over time. Overall, the combination of randomization and impactful decision-making contributes to a compelling reason to revisit the game.

    • “Darkwood has a lot of replay value and provides a difficult challenge for new players.”
    • “The replayability is also incredible due to its different difficulty settings and randomly generated environments.”
    • “Thanks to various side quests and side characters, as well as procedurally generated environments, Darkwood is also quite replayable - if you can endure its horrors for a second time.”
    • “It's not the longest game out there and the replayability value, regardless of the randomly generated forest, is somewhat questionable.”
    • “For replayability, there isn't much to do after playing it once.”
    • “Sadly, I give it an 8 because although the world you play in is randomly generated, it does not randomly generate the story/encounters, hindering its replay value.”
  • grinding
    169 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of Darkwood is frequently described as tedious and time-consuming, with many players expressing frustration over the repetitive nature of resource gathering and inventory management. While some appreciate the survival mechanics and find enjoyment in the meticulous gameplay, a significant number of reviews highlight that the game can feel joyless and overly drawn out, detracting from the overall experience. Ultimately, the game's pacing and the necessity for constant backtracking contribute to a sense of monotony that may not appeal to all players.

    • “A unique horror survival that doesn't hold your hand, but isn't tedious.”
    • “A masterful horror game with a crushing atmosphere and no cheap jumpscares, coupled with a tense (but not tedious) survival gameplay.”
    • “Polished gameplay, survival aspects being not tedious and the story is a 10/10.”
    • “It is not punishing, it is tedious.”
    • “The core gameplay loop is so tedious and boring that it makes it nearly impossible to appreciate the great atmosphere the game is trying to create.”
    • “The atmosphere is marred by tedious and repetitive gameplay having you run around the map desperate to find anything interesting to do or see, only to be culled back to your hideout to play the waiting game.”
  • emotional
    76 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with players reporting feelings of dread, discomfort, and genuine emotional investment in the characters and their stories. Many describe the experience as an emotional roller coaster, evoking strong reactions such as crying, anxiety, and a sense of hopelessness, while also highlighting the game's ability to create a deep, immersive atmosphere that resonates long after playing. Overall, it is praised for its unique blend of horror and emotional storytelling, making it a standout in the genre.

    • “This game was amazing, emotional ending, emotional everything... 11/10”
    • “Hopelessness, survival, sickness, struggle, and sacrifice lend for a deep emotional tone that is expertly uncovered as the player progresses.”
    • “I don't know where to begin, this is probably the only horror game I've played that actually made me feel emotions other than anxiety and fear; I felt genuinely bad for the characters that I wronged along the way.”
  • stability
    60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting a range of bugs and glitches, particularly on macOS, which can hinder gameplay and progression. While some users experienced a smooth, bug-free experience, others encountered significant issues, including game freezes and visual glitches that could corrupt save files. Overall, the game shows potential for stability improvements, but players should be prepared for occasional technical difficulties, especially given its early access status.

    • “Generally though, the game appears bug free.”
    • “Never ran into any technical issues with the game, so my play-through was bug free.”
    • “The game itself runs very well - no glitches or bugs that I've encountered anyway.”
    • “It also has some glitches on macOS; in the final chapters, it’s almost impossible to progress due to visual bugs.”
    • “It's extremely buggy; prepare to face a bunch of game-breaking glitches like NPCs or objects not appearing, items that cannot be used until you restart the game, and places that are impossible to get to due to the procedural map.”
    • “Now I'm stuck here, wanting to play this game and it just freezes like 12 seconds into it every time.”
  • humor
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of dark and absurd elements, often juxtaposed with its horror themes, creating a unique and immersive experience. Players appreciate the wacky characters and unexpected comedic moments that lighten the otherwise grim atmosphere, making for a memorable and entertaining gameplay experience. Overall, the humor is seen as a significant aspect that enhances the game's appeal, with many users finding it both funny and unsettling.

    • “Some funny moments of dark humor mixed into the brutal rot of your surroundings made for a fun, albeit, messed up experience.”
    • “The dark and gritty atmosphere broken with occasional humor allows for a fundamentally immersive and humbling experience.”
    • “The characters are both tragic and hilarious at the same time.”
    • “This is the most unfunny thing I could ever comment, and I regret ever making it.”
    • “Some parts are funny, but overall it falls flat.”
  • character development
    39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its unique and grotesque character designs, which enhance the immersive atmosphere and storytelling. Players appreciate the depth of backstories and the impact of choices on character interactions, contributing to a rich narrative experience. However, some critiques mention that the simplicity in gameplay mechanics may limit long-term engagement with character development.

    • “It has some amazing world building and character development; even the little details of the soundtrack are all just flawless in my opinion.”
    • “The storytelling and character design is another world in perspective to other games or even high-tier movies.”
    • “Every other scene or building you will explore in Darkwood contains plot, lore, and character development - all of which feed into an overarching narrative that many players will not experience in a first playthrough, or second.”
    • “However, its simplicity in character design and gameplay mechanics holds it back from being truly engaging in the long run.”
    • “The character development was more for the player (me), not the character.”
    • “Every other scene or building you will explore in Darkwood contains plot, lore, character development - all of which feed into an overarching narrative that many players will not experience in a first playthrough, or second.”
  • optimization
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance on various systems, including older hardware, there are notable issues with stuttering that can disrupt gameplay. Some users have experienced micro-stuttering, particularly during critical moments, which detracts from the overall experience, though it doesn't seem to be a dealbreaker for most. Despite these concerns, many appreciate the game's performance relative to its graphical demands and acknowledge ongoing improvements from the developers.

    • “Performance is great, even on older systems.”
    • “It has no technical or performance problems to report, and perfectly runs in 1440p, 144hz from start to end.”
    • “Keeping an eye on this game as since the initial 1.0 alpha version it has come a very long way from then and the developers have introduced many more features to it, let alone improving overall performance and enjoyability.”
    • “The game has terrible stuttering.”
    • “I bought this game thrice - the first time I refunded was because the constant micro-stuttering after around 5 hours of game time frustrated me and I decided to wait until further optimization.”
    • “The micro stuttering I encountered is not only frequent, but also often occurred at vital moments such as the beginning of mine or enemy's attack animation, leading to misjudgment of spacing and timing of dodging, which could be lethal.”
  • monetization
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players expressing frustration over excessive advertising that disrupts gameplay, likening it to enduring long ad breaks during a movie. Conversely, others appreciate the game's modest price, suggesting that it reflects a genuine effort from the developers rather than a cash grab. Overall, the balance between advertising and value for money appears to be a significant point of contention among users.

    • “The feeling can be compared to watching a 1-hour movie but being forced to watch 1 hour of ads in between.”
    • “Nah, you have to wait for the ads to slowly center in or to slowly lift and swing your shovel.”
    • “Overbearing advertising.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 22 critic reviews
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25h Median play time
31h Average play time
8-48h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 54 analyzed playthroughs
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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Darkwood is a survival role playing game with horror theme.

Darkwood is available on Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5 and others.

On average players spend around 31 hours playing Darkwood.

Darkwood was released on August 16, 2017.

Darkwood was developed by Acid Wizard Studio.

Darkwood has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its grinding.

Darkwood is a single player game.

Similar games include Amnesia: The Dark Descent, Visage, Outlast, Lost in Vivo, Resident Evil 7 Biohazard and others.