Darkest Dungeon II

Darkest Dungeon 2 takes a bold new direction for the turn-based tactics ideas established in the first game, but its early hours lean heavily on randomness and it can be a trial to stick with it until you see the light.

A copious and often brilliant, if not quite unmissable reworking of a powerfully grim fantasy.

Darkest Dungeon 2 is a challenging yet fun roguelite experience, even if it does sacrifice some of what made the original great.

When I found myself shouting in relief and frenetically raising my fist in the air after a hard battle ends in my favor, I can’t deny the following fact: Darkest Dungeon II is a harsh but fantastic game whose white-knuckled battles and hazard-filled exploration will trap you for hours. If you’re willing to make the needed sacrifices, it’s a journey well worth taking.

A roguelite sequel that takes a few steps forward and one or two back from the original, but keeps the gloomy but intense spirit alive.

Darkest Dungeon 2 is quite a departure from its predecessor, so much so that fans of that game might not gel with its more streamlined systems and mechanics. However, Red Hook has managed to retain that same dark spirit, and if you can get on board with it, it'll keep you coming back for more until the very last.

Darkest Dungeon 2 may not be the sequel that ardent fans of the original wanted it to be, but its unique approach to that hard-edged, brutal roguelike gameplay is compelling all the same. A memorable art style, tons of replayability, and lots of mechanical depth make this one an easy recommendation to any roguelike fans, even if it can be a little grindy at times. If you've been looking for yet another tough roguelike to add to your collection, Darkest Dungeon 2 is certainly worth your time and your money.

Darkest Dungeon 2 brilliant, stunning, and an absolute blast to play, an exceptional evolution from the first game.

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Darkest Dungeon II brings fresh ideas to an already stellar series.