Darkwood

87%
Game Brain Score Based on 8,303 reviews
  • story
  • atmosphere
  • gameplay
Darkwood Game Cover
Darkwood is a masterpiece of the horror genre and at once accessible to wannabe horror gamers and harrowing to fear junkies.
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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.

  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Linux
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

87%
Audience ScoreBased on 8,303 reviews
story676 positive mentions
grinding121 negative mentions
  • Incredible atmosphere and sound design that creates a sense of dread and tension.
  • Unique gameplay mechanics that blend survival horror with exploration and resource management.
  • Engaging story with multiple endings and choices that impact the narrative.
  • Combat can feel clunky and punishing, leading to frustration during encounters.
  • Inventory management is tedious, often requiring backtracking and micromanagement of resources.
  • The game can become repetitive, especially during the night sequences where little may happen.
  • story1,892 mentions

    The story of Darkwood is intricately woven into its gameplay, primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling, character interactions, and collectible notes, creating a rich and immersive narrative experience. Players navigate a haunting, atmospheric forest filled with bizarre characters and dark secrets, where their choices significantly impact the unfolding story and its multiple endings. While some find the narrative cryptic and challenging to piece together, many appreciate the depth and psychological horror elements that make the story compelling and thought-provoking.

    • “From the moment you enter this terrifying, atmospheric forest, you're drawn into a world that expertly blends survival mechanics with deeply engaging storytelling.”
    • “With multiple endings and distinct story paths, Darkwood invites players to explore and uncover its mysteries, rewarding curiosity and persistence.”
    • “The story, told through environmental cues and character interactions, is layered and esoteric.”
    • “The story is vague and absorbing and mysterious.”
    • “The story itself is interactable.”
    • “The story is completely scattered and difficult to follow.”
  • atmosphere1,721 mentions

    The atmosphere in *Darkwood* is universally praised for its intense, immersive quality, effectively creating a sense of dread and paranoia without relying on cheap jump scares. Players describe it as hauntingly beautiful, with a unique blend of sound design, art style, and environmental storytelling that keeps them on edge throughout the game. The oppressive atmosphere, combined with challenging gameplay and a rich narrative, makes *Darkwood* a standout title in the survival horror genre.

    • “From the moment you enter this terrifying, atmospheric forest, you're drawn into a world that expertly blends survival mechanics with deeply engaging storytelling.”
    • “Darkwood's art style is grotesquely beautiful, enhancing the unsettling atmosphere with richly detailed environments and uniquely designed creatures.”
    • “Darkwood's atmosphere is so masterfully created that it will always leave you yearning for more and more and more - you'll want to come back, you'll want to keep exploring, want to keep finding the secrets that Darkwood hides.”
    • “The atmosphere is so thick that you could cut it with a machete.”
    • “The atmosphere and sound design are unmatched, creating an air of tension you could cut with a knife.”
    • “The atmosphere is unbelievably thick and the score and sounds are seared into my brain.”
  • gameplay1,348 mentions

    The gameplay in Darkwood is characterized by a unique blend of survival mechanics and atmospheric horror, where players scavenge for resources during the day and fortify their hideouts at night against terrifying threats. While the game features a compelling day-night cycle and innovative mechanics like a limited field of view, it can be challenging and sometimes frustrating due to clunky controls and a steep learning curve. Overall, players appreciate the immersive experience and depth of gameplay, though some find it repetitive and punishing over time.

    • “The gameplay revolves around scavenging during the day and fortifying your hideout for the night.”
    • “The core gameplay is pretty fun, looting for limited resources and trading work very well, combat is straightforward but hard to master, and the quests are hard, almost like Dark Souls type of quests, but you kinda know what to do.”
    • “The gameplay is simple but also has an insane amount of depth with the night events and enemy locations.”
    • “The gameplay is just incredibly middle of the road and boring; there are so many missed opportunities and, for a lack of a better word, bland game design.”
    • “Gameplay-wise, you're getting a Hotline Miami-styled top-down character view except it has the neat mechanic that you can only see what is in front of you.”
    • “The gameplay loop kills any horror there was in this game, making anything between you and loot just an annoyance.”
  • graphics702 mentions

    The graphics of Darkwood are characterized by a unique and haunting art style that effectively enhances the game's eerie atmosphere. While the visuals are often described as pixelated and simplistic, they are praised for their ability to create tension and immerse players in a grotesque, unsettling world. The combination of the top-down perspective, detailed environments, and exceptional sound design contributes to a deeply atmospheric experience that resonates with fans of survival horror.

    • “Darkwood's art style is grotesquely beautiful, enhancing the unsettling atmosphere with richly detailed environments and uniquely designed creatures.”
    • “The graphics are fantastic, and the eerie woods truly give off a spooky vibe!”
    • “The art style is so detailed and unique.”
    • “The graphics are atrocious.”
    • “The graphics might not appeal to everyone, and normally I'm not super keen on pixelated graphics unless it's a 2D game, but the developers managed to make it work well in this top-down 3D game.”
    • “The top-down point of view and blurry, loosely-defined pixel graphics are almost synonymous with bad indie games.”
  • music467 mentions

    The music in Darkwood is widely praised for its haunting and immersive quality, effectively enhancing the game's atmosphere of dread and tension. Reviewers highlight how the soundtrack complements the gameplay, with ambient sounds and music that evoke feelings of anxiety and unease, making each moment feel significant. Overall, the sound design and music are considered standout features that contribute to the game's unique horror experience, often described as chilling and unforgettable.

    • “The soundtrack further elevates the experience, with haunting melodies that punctuate moments of tension and action.”
    • “Darkwood's soundtrack is a haunting composition that perfectly complements the atmosphere of dread.”
    • “The music swells and recedes with the ebb and flow of tension, heightening the emotional impact of each moment.”
    • “The only time music plays in this game is when they want to unnerve you, more so through ambient sounds than anything else.”
    • “The music is creepy as hell, it really drags you right into the fear.”
    • “The soundtrack is just beautiful, really immersive, not just the soundtrack but the ambient sounds are also really good.”
  • replayability144 mentions

    The game exhibits significant replayability due to its procedurally generated maps, multiple endings, and various difficulty options that encourage different play styles. Players appreciate the diverse choices and branching paths that enhance the experience, making each playthrough feel unique. However, some users noted that despite these features, the overall content may not sustain long-term replay interest for everyone.

    • “There is significant replay value between changing map configurations, learning new things as you play, and making different choices in quests.”
    • “With the completely randomized map every time you start a new game, the random encounters at night, and the plethora of decisions that affect interesting character arcs, this game is highly replayable and fully worth your time and money.”
    • “The player's choices can have great effects on the characters and their surroundings, giving way to replayability to see the alternate ways things could go.”
    • “For replayability, there isn't much to do after playing it once.”
    • “There is little to no replay value as you will unlock nothing from beating the game nor will anything major change past characters' personal end game outcomes; the game even saves at a point that allows you to access both endings, so there is no real threat of missing major content.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding131 mentions

    The reviews highlight a pervasive sense of tedium associated with grinding in the game, with many players expressing frustration over repetitive tasks, slow progression, and cumbersome inventory management. While some appreciate the atmosphere and survival elements, the overall sentiment leans towards the gameplay being overly tedious and laborious, detracting from the enjoyment and immersion. Players often feel that the grind for resources and the necessity to return to hideouts disrupts the flow, making the experience feel more like a chore than an engaging challenge.

    • “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”
    • “An interesting experience marred by tedious and poorly balanced gameplay.”
    • “However, tedious and often frustrating gameplay (mostly combat), in addition to poorly explained mechanics and poor pacing really drag down the experience as a whole.”
    • “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.”
  • emotional50 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is profoundly impactful, with players expressing a range of feelings from nostalgia and warmth to deep dread and sorrow. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke genuine emotional reactions through its immersive storytelling, character interactions, and atmospheric tension, often leading to moments of tears and reflection. The blend of horror and emotional depth creates a unique experience that resonates with players long after they finish the game.

    • “I don't think there is an amount of words that can describe how touching this game's general story and true ending are.”
    • “The immersive atmosphere really brought me into the stranger you play as and made me feel real emotion to the various NPCs throughout the game.”
    • “This story made me feel and didn't resort to cheap jump scares to induce fear; I love it and it will forever hold a place in my heart!”
  • humor45 mentions

    The humor in the game is described as a blend of dark and absurd elements, often juxtaposed with its gritty atmosphere, creating a unique and immersive experience. Players appreciate the wacky characters and comedic moments that provide levity amidst the tension, with many noting the clever writing and memorable dialogues. Overall, the humor is seen as a significant aspect that enhances the game's appeal, making it both entertaining and unsettling.

    • “The dark and gritty atmosphere broken with occasional humor allows for a fundamentally immersive and humbling experience.”
    • “Dark and funny, with surprisingly memorable characters.”
    • “The sense of humor is sly and downright Tolstoy-ish at times; Russian humor is almost indefinable, yet I know it when I experience it, and I love its comedic ironic richness.”
    • “This is the most unfunny thing I could ever comment, and I regret ever making it.”
    • “Some parts are funny, but overall it misses the mark.”
  • stability42 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, others have encountered significant issues such as game freezes, crashes, and glitches that can disrupt gameplay. Some users appreciate the game's polish and lack of major technical problems, while others caution that it remains in early access and may still experience various bugs. In summary, the game runs well for many, but potential players should be aware of the possibility of encountering frustrating technical issues.

    • “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's also very polished, and by far the most bug-free and functional pre-release game I've seen.”
    • “Plus it wasn't until just recently I have been experiencing the same bug that is game breaking; bottom line it freezes your game between transitions of the menu and the actual game world causing your save file to be corrupted for whatever reason...”
    • “Sadly, after installation (and being extremely hyped to play), the game freezes upon trying to load the prologue... had to refund it, and set it back on the old wishlist shelf... will try again another time perhaps.”
    • “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, places that are impossible to get to (due to procedural map)...”
  • character development30 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its unique and creepy character designs, which are intricately tied to the game's atmosphere and storytelling. Players appreciate the depth of the backstories and the impact of character interactions, noting that the design and development contribute significantly to the overall immersive experience. While some reviews suggest that character growth is more about the player's journey than the characters themselves, the overall consensus is that the character design is exceptional and enhances the game's eerie ambiance.

    • “The character design is especially well-done, also how the development of the story reflects the state of the things you discover.”
    • “I didn't know anything about Slavic horror until playing this game, but the world they have created is dripping with creepy ambiance, superb character design, and mystery at every turn.”
    • “The character development was more for the player (me), not the character.”
    • “For character development, you gather 'cookable' resources to cook to provide doses, which will provide perks to enhance your character at the cost of a chosen additional weakness.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization17 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance on various systems, including integrated graphics, others experience significant issues like micro-stuttering that can disrupt gameplay. Despite these problems, the game has shown improvement since its early access phase, and many users remain hopeful for further optimizations. Overall, it runs well for most, but persistent technical issues prevent it from achieving its full potential.

    • “It runs smoothly on my Ryzen 5 integrated video and has joystick support.”
    • “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.”
    • “It's also really badly optimized.”
    • “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.”
  • monetization4 mentions

    The monetization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players feeling overwhelmed by excessive advertising that detracts from the experience, while others appreciate the reasonable price point that suggests a commitment to quality rather than a cash grab.

    • “The feeling can be compared to watching a 1-hour movie but being forced to watch 1 hour of ads in between.”
    • “Overbearing advertising.”
    • “The price; let's talk price. For what you are receiving, this game's modest price reflects that the people who worked on and produced this product aren't just after a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Darkwood

Play time

25hMedian play time
29hAverage play time
8-41hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 47 analyzed playthroughs

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