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[Chariot]

New grand patch!
- 15th of July -


click for 12 pages of patchnotes

Information

Developer: Red Hook Studios
Publisher: Red Hook Studios
Platforms: Windows/OSX
Future Platforms: Linux/PS4/PS Vita
Genre: Lovecraftian Strategic RPG Rogue-like
Price: 19,99 Dollar
Status Early Access
Steam: Darkest Dungeon

Windows System Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: Windows 7+
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Graphics: Open GL 3.2+ Compliant
Hard Drive: 900 MB available space
Additional Notes: 1080p, 16:9 recommended

RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows 7+
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: Open GL 3.2+ Compliant
Hard Drive: 900 MB available space
Additional Notes: 1080p, 16:9 recommended

Mac OS X System Requirements
MINIMUM:
OS: OSX 10.9+
Memory: 2 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 900 MB available space

RECOMMENDED:
OS: OSX 10.9+
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Hard Drive: 900 MB available space


| Website | Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Kickstarter | Kickstarter Thread |

About

Darkest Dungeon is a strategic RPG that adds stress and state of mind to the challenge of conquering dungeons full of dark and dangerous creatures. Conflicting and dangerous personalities within the party can be of as much harm as the blade of an enemy. Due to events such as comrades dying or coming across corpses the resolve of the heroes can be broken and they might fall victim to a number of psychological conditions.

It was successfully kickstarted in 2014 and so far delivered on schedule. The game is currently in Early Access and is planned to release as final version in 6 months. The game feels very polished despite being Early Access, there are almost no gamebreaking bugs, since the game autosaves at every opportunity. A crash will set you back about 2 seconds of playtime. The core gameplay of exploring the dungeon, battling and restoring the estate is also pretty much finished. There is a lot of fun and madness to be have with even the Early Access version.

Story

You are the relative of an rich man that lived on a rich estate, living away his life in vanity. Before his suicide he called for you per letter to reclaim your birthright and take the estate back from the madness that he unleashed in a dark ritual. As you set foot on the corrupted soil, you see ruins, darkness and foulness. Can you reclaim the estate from the being in the darkest dungeon?

Over the course of your adventure, you are accompanied by heroes and the letter of your relative as his voice echoes through your head as he narrates your every single step and provides information over the most terrifying of creatures.

Gameplay

Since your recourses are very limited, you need to send your heroes into the dark to salvage gold and old heirlooms to restore the buildings in the estate and strengthen them for the dangers in the deep.

You choose up four heroes for a quest. So far you can set foot in one of three dungeons, Ruins, Warrens and Weald, generating a new dungeon for you every quest. You need to pack provisions and hope that they don't run out. The game adds the stat of mental health to physical health, that is as important. There are a lot of things that can hurt your heroes mental health; darkness, enemy critical hits, a comrade dying, enemy abilities, traits or being abused by other heroes. At the moment the mental health reaches it's limit, the resolve of the hero is getting tested. If he isn't strong enough he falls into madness and get a random affliction that has huge impact on him and his comrades. Due this it can happen fast that a whole group gets wiped due a madness spiral.

You explore rooms and passages with random contents and even the most innocent thing could be a problem until you solved the mission the quest instructs you. You can leave fights and the dungeon at any time, but fleeing the dungeon without resolving the quest will have a huge impact on your heroes mental health. Mental health can be restored by various things, but most of them have a price.

Hero Classes

There are ten hero classes as of now, with five more yet to arrive. Heroes appear randomly in the hero cart in the estate, having random stats, skills and traits. After you upgraded your guild, you can unlock other skills of the class and create the expedition team that you need to get your family heirlooms out of the dungeons.

Crusader
A brave knight that excels both in taking a lot of damage and dishing out some of his own. He is best placed on the frontline to smite evil from this world.

Highwayman
The Highwayman is a flexible fighter, being able to do decent damage from every position. Be it his sword or his trusted gun, he will make the enemies suffer.

Hellion
A strong warrior with a poleaxe. As the knight she feels at her best on the frontline, devasting multiple enemies at once and taking a lot of pain herself.

Leper
The Leper is his own healer. He takes a lot of damage and is able to fix himself. His swing hits hart - if it hits. His sword is not the most reliable weapon.

Grave Robber
A creepy woman that enjoys to dig through corpses. She is a decent fighter, but her true purpose is to touch what could be disgusting for the others.

Bounty Hunter
Not a man of many words, but of much utility. The Bounty Hunter is a master of crowd control, whether he hooks enemies, push them away or stun them - the Bounty Hunter can change the situation of the battlefield in your favor. With his mark enemy ability he is also able to inflict a lot of pain.

Vestal
THE healer. This woman will save a lot of lives. She can heal the whole party, single heroes or herself. But she isn't damned to stand behind and keep the others alive. She has useful skills against the undead and other unholy creatures.

Occultist
The best and worst healer. His heal has the most potential, but can also heal nothing or next to nothing and he may rip off a wound forcing his patients to bleed. He is also - as his name implies - a master of the occult and able to read and understand old texts. His vaste knowledge laos helps greatly against eldritch abominations.

Jester
A multi talent. The Jester can keep the moral of the party up and strengthen everyone with his songs or he can inflict grievous wounds on your enemies.

Plague Doctor
As an expert for potions she is able to interact with alchemy tables and may have a antidote against negative effects like blight. She is also able to stun enemies with another potion.

Media
House of Ruin Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjiBB3nBR-w
Terror and Madness Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQLxdHfMPF8

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Saw this on Unprofessional Fridays, looks awesome.

 

[Neoweee]

So how "Early" is this Early Access? Is the game in a good state, or is it nowhere near ready? Is the 6 months til launch realistic?

Up until a few days ago, I thought it was coming out today, not entering a wider Early Access.

 

[Chariot]

So how "Early" is this Early Access? Is the game in a good state and just a few months from release, or is it nowhere near ready?

It is perfectly playable. The gameplay mechanics are all there and working. The last two dungeons are missing, so do five classes and fluff like color palette, but besides that - entirely playable.

one of the img tags is wrong for the occultist

Thank you!

 

[Lactose_Intolerant]

one of the img tags is wrong for the occultist

 

[Mistouze]

So how "Early" is this Early Access? Is the game in a good state, or is it nowhere near ready? Is the 6 months til launch realistic?

Up until a few days ago, I thought it was coming out today, not entering a wider Early Access.

Like Chariot says, perfectly playable. Just lacks the last two locations and five character classes.

From what I've played so far (around 5 runs) it feels like a game that's almost done. Balancing/bug fixing is what remains, nothing big on the features front really.

EDIT : On the topic, finally got a Jester. Going to cherish that fucker like my firstborn.

Also, Leper is the best class. Such sickly swag.

 

[Xater]

Not sure if I should jump on Early Access with this. I don't want to burn out before the final game is out but I also really want to play it because it looks so good.

 

[Altima]

At last

Only in 10ish minutes.

 

[Saikyo]

Why this games doesnt have Elfstar?

Ah DARKEST dungeon, got it. Still a very nice game.

 

[Iadien]

I've been watching Twitch streamers play this, and it looks great. Will pick it up.

 

[3DShovel]

I noticed it's not up on Steam yet. I want itttttt

 

[jblank83]

Not really a strategy RPG, but other than that very cool.

Need this game.

 

[Gothos]

So how "Early" is this Early Access? Is the game in a good state, or is it nowhere near ready? Is the 6 months til launch realistic?

Up until a few days ago, I thought it was coming out today, not entering a wider Early Access.

What Chariot said. It's worth noting, though, that in the current state the game has no definite end to the story. It will be added later on.

 

[Chariot]

EDIT : On the topic, finally got a Jester. Going to cherish that fucker like my firstborn.

Also, Leper is the best class. Such sickly swag.

I hate my Leper, he can't hit anything >_<

At last

Only in 10ish minutes.

More like an hour and and 10 minutes. I think. The date doesn't make it quite clear.

 

[Truant]

Lots of Lovecraftian stuff in this, for fans such like me.

 

[Begaria]

Some tips between me, Chariot, and Lactose_Intolerant:

I'll repost my tips on top of some other tips for new comers:

1. If you want to power up your party quickly, focus on building up the Guild (enhances skill ranks), and the Blacksmith (upgrades weapons/armor).

2. You will have to do several runs through the Ruins as it'll be the only dungeon open to you at the start, and you will not have access to any of the buildings in the village except for the wagon to get more party members. After a few runs through the Ruins, you'll gain access to the entirety of the village and the other two dungeons in early access will open up.

3. The Weald is the best dungeon to get Deeds which are crucial to upgrading your Blacksmith. My advice would be to hit the Weald as soon as it becomes available to start accumulating Deeds ASAP.

4. You will need at least two teams to start off with. This is not a game in which four party members will do it for the entirety of the game.

5. As you successfully complete a run through a dungeon, your explorers will get "Veteran" points which will increase their Veteran rank (you start at 0, 6 seems to be the max). The higher your Veteran level compared to the dungeon run you go on (Rank 1-5 I've seen), the less stress they will take going through the dungeon. However, if an explorer's veteran rank outclasses the dungeon run you want to go on by (what I've observed) 2 levels, they will refuse to go on that run. This is why you'll want several teams (upgrade that wagon as you go!) so you can do low level runs to feed your higher ranked teams.

6. The Bar and the Church are your two stress relievers in town, they're important to level up as you go, but when you start unlocking Medium runs you can get stress reduced during a run due to Camping skills.

7. The Jester kicks ass - he has a really good full party buff and a stress relieving skill. He's also got good stress relieving camping skills.

8. Mousing over enemies when you have a skill clicked on shows those enemies' resistances, your chance to hit them, and how much damage you will do.

9. Don't be afraid to push your party to their limits on a run, especially early on as you can always grab someone new from the wagon if someone dies. It gets more important the farther into the game you get to keep people alive as you'll have likely invested gold into their skills and gear.

10. Provisions disappear after every run (Edit: I am incorrect according to Chariot. Provisions don't disappear, but are sold back to the shop keep after every run). Don't fully stock up on everything for every run since it's a waste of gold and you'll lose everything you don't use. My general provisions so far are:

Short
10 Food
5 Torches
1 Shovel
Sometimes 1 key

Medium
15 Food
7 torches
2 Shovels
1 Key

I haven't done a long run yet. Also, camping doesn't become available until a Medium run. It's not available on Short runs. Keys will bypass traps in locked chests and cabinets. Shovels are useful for bypassing traps on graves when digging them up and are super useful for clearing debris in your way.

11. Pay very close attention to the skills you have equipped. Each skill can only be used in certain positions in the party line up. Jesters, for example, can only use their Stress relieving skill from the very back of the line up.

12. Positioning is very important in this game. There is a reason why certain classes have abilities that can change enemy positions. You can knock a heavy hitter enemy to the back, forcing them to use a turn to move to the front. You can pull weaker enemies in the back to the front, forcing them to use weaker attacks and getting them in range of your front line melee.

13. There are Light and Dark afflictions and quirks. You can treat the Dark quirks at the Sanitarium for some gold, erasing bad qualities from a party member. Getting to 100 stress doesn't necessarily mean you're screwed, since you can actually get a Light Affliction which can benefit your party.

That's all I got for now.

After an adventurer you're selling all the stuff you didn't use. So don't worry to overstock a bit.

Save up to upgrade the asylum too. I think that is what it is called, the place to remove bad traits. You will be collecting a lot of bad traits, many that conflict so you might not even be able to relieve stress in town. 1 slot isn't enough.

also

Here's what I've found so far:

Holy Water: Works on alters, shrines, urns, and confession booths.
Skeleton Key: Any locked chest, strong box, sarcophagus, and reliquary.
Medicinal Herbs: Dead bodies/Carcus. Don't know what else. Shovel: Graves/Blockages (obviously).
Torch: Scrolls (not books?) Maybe the Sticky Tree too. I have a hunch it will work on Pagan scrawlings too.

Characters that interact with things better.
Vestal/crusader interacts with the Angel Shrine perfectly every time. Will give a buff or reduce stress.
Plague Doctor has great success with the Alchemy Table.
Occultist seems to do better with scrolls, books, and bookshelves.
Grave Robber does better with corpses and tombstones.

I knew most of these besides all the item interactions, I was mainly using people's traits and class:

On top of that, the Kickstarter page clearly states that only the $20 tier (Wanderer) and above gets access to Early Access. If you paid in to the $15 tier, it doesn't look like you get Early Access.

 

[Gaz_RB]

Today is a great day for indies and for my enjoyment of them. Gonna get DD after I get off work and play it all night surrounded by candles.

 

[Froli]

Awesome game. Welcome the stress

 

[HK-47]

I'm pretty sure the Plague Doctor is female.

 

[Boogdud]

Some of the best character art I've seen in a long long time.


Wasn't this developed in part by a Gaffer?

 

[antennaehead]

Still not available! Hurry up, Steam...

 

[Chariot]

Lots of Lovecraftian stuff in this, for fans such like me.

Fun fact about the narrator.

The developers heard the narrator, Wayne June, doing HP Lovecraft and then hired him: https://soundcloud.com/wayne1/kubla-khan-by-samuel-taylor

I checked back in with Bourassa on one more point, however: Darkest Dungeon's narration. Not since Bastion had a narrator made such an impression on me, and Bourassa tells me that it's Wayne June that I can thank for that grumbling bass. It was June's reading of H. P. Lovecraft's work that made him the obvious choice. I hadn't heard any of those readings, but I am glad Bourassa pointed them out to me: June's vocal gravity forces you to listen to every word. (I have embedded below June's rendition of Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Kubla Khan" for your listening pleasure.)

Says Bourassa of Wayne's contribution, "He brings a brilliantly articulated, classically overwrought delivery that really nails the Gothic flavour, without descending into campiness. All of the trailers and spoken dialogue were written specifically for him--his unique cadence, tenor and tone perfectly matches the contemplative mood and pace of the game." And just as with Bastion, the bulk of the game's narrative is routed through the narrator's voice, a choice that Bourassa calls "a fun storytelling challenge." It helps that June's voice lends such a melancholy and mysterious flair to a game that evokes so much fear and loneliness.

http://www.gamespot.com/articles/the-gothic-sensibilities-of-darkest-dungeon/1100-6424880/ (Kevin VanOrd)

I'm pretty sure the Plague Doctor is female.

Oh, right. Improved that.

Wasn't this developed in part by a Gaffer?

Right, added popstar to the description.

 

[KarmaCow]

I was so excited to play this today but apparently the base version backers wont get this for another 6 months. :/

 

[toastyToast]

This looks pretty interesting. Gonna wait till its done before purchasing though

 

[epmode]

the Kickstarter page clearly states that only the $20 tier (Wanderer) and above gets access to Early Access. If you paid in to the $15 tier, it doesn't look like you get Early Access.

That's honestly pretty lousy. If the early access version is available to non-backers, they should provide access to the $15 backers and write off the $5 savings as a benefit for believing in the project so far in advance.

Also, give the $20 Kickstarter backers some silly cosmetic thing or an external reward (soundtrack, art book, whatever) to make up for it.

 

[Beckx]

Timely post, I forgot to redeem my steam key.

 

[Neoweee]

Thank you for the advice.

I'll likely just buy the game now, dabble around a bit to give feedback to the devs, then hold off on a full playthrough until release. Looks great, and definitely worth showing my support for.

Seems like Arkham Horror + The Dark Spire, two things I really enjoy.

 

[Panda Rin]

waiting very patiently for it to pop up on steam.

edited: seems there's going to be a small delay

 

[inkls]

So wasn't it supposed to be out around 20 minutes ago?

 

[fantomena]

Ive been playing the game a bit Heres my first impression:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLAT08e0oQM

TL;DW: It's amazing.

 

[inkls]

http://www.reddit.com/r/darkestdungeon/comments/2unjqt/release_may_be_closer_to_10am_pst_apologies/

release delayed by 1 hour

 

[HK-47]

So many good lines from the trailers that could have been the title.

 

[SerTapTap]

Pretty great game, difficulty is a bit offputting but I know it's the draw for many. Great art and variety of character interactions. Vestals and Hellions are my favorites so far.

 

[PepperedHam]

Kinda disappointed with the price, if that makes me sound cheap. Even if it is just about complete I never feel right paying 20 for early access. Was hoping for the 12-15 range. Though I'm still probably gonna bite because the game looks kickass.

 

[Joseph Merrick]

looks fantastic. love the mignola inspired art

 

[Conkerkid11]

Super disappointed I missed out on the Kickstart. Glad I can finally play it now.

 

[Kid Ska]

Soooo hyped for this game. The early streamer access has been crazy on Twitch.

 

[Varvor]

This delay is ELEVATING MY STRESS LEVEL!!!!!!


/crumbles in mumbling heap of despair!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ferrio]

Going to hit it soon as I get home today. Been having to avoid Cobalt's stream this week since I didn't wanna be spoiled.

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

So this is out now? I just searched it on the PS Store but I cannot find it...

I thought it was still just a PC beta but admittedling I haven't being paying close attention (trying to go in as blind as possible since I already decided to buy). Didn't know it was already out, early access or whatever that is (isn't that just beta lol if it's more than a week?). When's it out on PS Store?

Really excited to play... I like the survival and dungeon elements, and something about that town and dungeon grid map instantly reminded me of drawing AD&D dungeons on graph paper back in elementary school.

 

[5taquitos]

Super disappointed I missed out on the Kickstart. Glad I can finally play it now.

You should be happy you missed the Kickstarter since you can buy and play it today.

Sorry, just a little bitter that I wasn't paying enough attention when backing originally, since I just assumed that backing the game would give me Early Access, like every other game I've Kickstarted.

OT: Definitely looking forward to finally being able to play this whenever it releases, it's right up my alley.

 

[Ferrio]

So this is out now? I just searched it on the PS Store but I cannot find it...

I thought it was still just a PC beta but admittedling I haven't being paying close attention (trying to go in as blind as possible since I already decided to buy). Didn't know it was already out, early access or whatever that is (isn't that just beta lol if it's more than a week?). When's it out on PS Store?

Really excited to play... I like the survival and dungeon elements, and something about that town and dungeon grid map instantly reminded me of drawing AD&D dungeons on graph paper back in elementary school.

Early access on PC only for now.

 

[Panda Rin]

and it's up!

bought immediately.

 

[Gothos]

20 Euros. A bit steep if you ask me, so I'm gonna skip this. Will get it when it drops to 15E.

 

[Altima]

Bought.

 

[Conkerkid11]

You should be happy you missed the Kickstarter since you can buy and play it today.

Sorry, just a little bitter that I wasn't paying enough attention when backing originally, since I just assumed that backing the game would give me Early Access, like every other game I've Kickstarted.

OT: Definitely looking forward to finally being able to play this whenever it releases, it's right up my alley.

Haven't you been able to play it for about a week now?

 

[KyanMehwulfe]

Early access on PC only for now.

is there any rough ETA for PS4? talking weeks or months yet? not really sure about much testing is still needed.

 

[names2hard4you]

Buying and playing this as soon as I get home from school. So fucking hyped.

 

[5taquitos]

Haven't you been able to play it for about a week now?

Not at the Nomad tier ($15), which is apparently just for when the game actually releases. Probably my fault for not reading close enough, but it's still lame.

 

[ChackanKun]

VITA?!?! nice!!

Any clue when?