Darkest Dungeon®

About Darkest Dungeon®

Darkest Dungeon is a gothic turn-based RPG built around managing psychological stress. Players lead a party through procedurally generated dungeons, fighting monsters while coping with the mental strain inflicted on their heroes. Death is permanent, and Steam Workshop mods are supported.

Darkest Dungeon is a gothic turn-based RPG developed by Red Hook Studios. It launched on January 19, 2016, for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Its dungeons are procedurally generated, so routes and encounters vary between expeditions. Players recruit, train, and lead heroes with distinct roles and flaws through areas such as twisted forests, forgotten warrens, and ruined crypts. The central challenge is managing psychological stress rather than simply defeating enemies. Heroes accumulate stress during combat. Crossing key thresholds can cause paranoia, fear, masochism, irrational behavior, and, in severe cases, an inability to act or a complete breakdown. Players must balance dungeon expeditions with recovery at the tavern or abbey, or camp to treat injuries and bolster morale. The game offers three modes and more than 80 hours of content. Its 15 playable classes include the Plague Doctor, Jester, and Leper, each with distinctive abilities and stress-related weaknesses. Turn-based battles emphasize party position and skill combinations. Fallen heroes cannot be revived, making losses permanent and increasing replayability. Steam Workshop mods are supported, while a hand-drawn gothic pen-and-ink style reinforces the oppressive atmosphere. Darkest Dungeon received numerous honors and nominations, including 2016 RPG awards from PC Gamer and Game Informer, two IGN nominations and three IGF nominations in 2016, inclusion in Rock Paper Shotgun's list of 50 greatest RPGs, a place in the PAX 10 in 2015, Game Debate's 2016 Best Indie Game award, and recognition at SXSW, PAX East, and the Indie Megabooth. Its Metacritic score is 84.