Darkest Dungeon

jjstraka34

This game is still in early access, but it seems to be nearing completion, and I have to say, this is yet ANOTHER absolute gem (it's getting hard to keep up). A rogue-like turn based with a HEAVY Lovecraft bent that focuses as much on your character's mental state as skills. Simple to play yet extremely punishing. The art-style is superb, the atmosphere top-notch. I can't recommend this one enough, a unique game that might be the most impressive I've dabbled in all year, and that is saying quite a bit in 2015.

JuliusBorisov

The trailer looks interesting, and I mean interesting from "what's happening there and how it's shown" point of view.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQLxdHfMPF8

How the game looks, can be seen on the screenshots: http://www.darkestdungeon.com/media/

jjstraka34

I've played it more this morning and I can't say enough about it. I mean, two of the classes are Plague Doctor (complete with the macabre bird-like mask) and The Leper (who seems to be sort of a Blademaster). I mean you could say that the title is the worst thing about it, as it is very generic, but then again, it fits, because the game is actually about what a hellish, despairing, hopeless life adventuring in these places would actually be. At first glance it seems goofy, but there really isn't much humor to be had. It's a serious, brutal game.

In fact, between this and "Sunless Sea" I'm not sure it's a stretch to say we've seen the two best and well-executed Lovecraftian games I've ever seen. And that's most because the gameplay in both is pretty much flawless and the art styles evoke exactly what they are going for.

LadyRhian

Isn't "Darkest Dungeon" a reference to that horrible Jack Chick tract about how D&D leads you to Satan? Its title of was "Darkest Dungeons".

jjstraka34

LadyRhian said:

Isn't "Darkest Dungeon" a reference to that horrible Jack Chick tract about how D&D leads you to Satan? Its title of was "Darkest Dungeons".

Probably not, as it was apparently called "Dark Dungeons", but you never know, it might have had something to do with it, since there is a heavy occult/Lovecraft influence at work in this game.

By the way, everyone check out this nonsense, it makes Reefer Madness look sane:

http://www.chick.com/reading/tracts/0046/0046_01.ASP

That's the type of crap that probably led to this:

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

That's America in a nutshell....sadly

the_spyder

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6AOd6r6Qi8

I remember when this came out. My parents FREAKED because I played D&D. They were sure I was going to flip out and just go AWOL one day.

jjstraka34

Though I'm far younger, I remember picking this book up used somewhere at a fairly young age. Both the movie above and this novel deal with the generally accepted myth that D&D players were relocating themselves and disappearing into underground tunnels and sewers to act out the game in real life. It's shocking and disturbing what people will believe. Of all things, D&D became something dangerous. I would suspect because it drew in kids who were introverted and whose parents may have had trouble connecting with them in the first place. I couldn't say, my fantasy obsession is more recent.

jjstraka34

Continue to play this off and on....just brutal difficulty. I haven't even managed to fully complete one quest, abandoning and retreating when you realize 3/4 of the way through a dungeon expedition is the only alternative a good portion of the time. The mental effects that wear on the character are far worse than the damage dished out by the monsters. Most of my recruits that have died have bitten the dust due to heart attacks due to their stress level reaching max, as opposed to actually falling under the blade. This game is no joke.

LadyRhian

I remember "Mazes and Monsters" by Rona Jaffee. Le Sigh. I actually DM'ed for a group of Middle- Schoolers when I was in High School. I had something like, 18 kids wanting to join the group, although it settled down to about 12 in actual play. I even got a letter of recommendation from the teacher who sponsored the group at the end of the year, and he paid for a pizza and Cake party at the end. It was Amazing !

Southpaw

[ Casts spell of Thread revival ]

Just wanted to point this game out to fellow RPG-positive people.
It's not much about story, mostly RPG character development, strategy and tactical fighting - with a twist that anyone can die and heroes are cheap and you should not get attached to your party members too much.

Darkest Dungeon was one of the best surprises in the past 2 years as it is a very interesting and good game (and difficult, which is rare these days). And it's 40% off on GoG now
https://www.gog.com/game/darkest_dungeon

jjstraka34

Southpaw said:

[ Casts spell of Thread revival ]

Just wanted to point this game out to fellow RPG-positive people.
It's not much about story, mostly RPG character development, strategy and tactical fighting - with a twist that anyone can die and heroes are cheap and you should not get attached to your party members too much.

Darkest Dungeon was one of the best surprises in the past 2 years as it is a very interesting and good game (and difficult, which is rare these days). And it's 40% off on GoG now
https://www.gog.com/game/darkest_dungeon

It's a great game. Aesthetically, and with a novel concept. Challenging as hell though, with very rogue-like elements. I also consider it one of the best games of the past few years, even though I haven't played much of it. Not a coincidence that it and "Sunless Sea" both came out at the roughly the same time-period. Similar Lovecraftian themes, both feature aspects of perma-death but allow you to continue, but not without feeling the weight of your heavy losses.