Darkest Dungeon: Crimson Edition ~ Preview Review

I have begun my playthrough of the Darkest Dungeon. I am currently a few hours into my playthrough as of this evening. I think I'm up to week 3 of the weekly system that governs the game's passing of time in relation to character events. So far I'm falling in love with this game. It takes to heart every aspect of H.P. Lovecraft's literary works. The whole driven to insanity at the threat of inhuman horrors ploy is very much intact within this game. All packaged with robust mechanics and features meant to keep you invested despite the extreme difficulty the game presents from the start. The battle, and dungeon exploration system involved along with perma-death vulnerable characters makes every thing you do all the more important, and the consequences thereafter more impacting. For example, rushing blindly into battle ill-equipped, and ill-prepared can lead to negative quirk afflictions which will hinder party progress due to the characters' inability to rationalize the dire situation they find themselves in or deal with the trauma inflicted by the Lovecraftian horrors they encounter as they delve deeper into the estate's cavernous underbelly. The game's mechanics, and features, in particular play heavily on each party member's psychological well being, and their tolerance of physical afflictions. Making each character seemingly more human in the process, and more relative as a result.

When it comes to the plot you will find a nice narration, and set of macabre animation sequences upon startup which setup your role as expedition leader within the dark foreboding world which Red Hook Studios has brought to life. As an heir to an estate which harbors an unearthed portal to a Lovecraftian dimension your goal is to fight the darkness, and horrors within ultimately ridding your family of the curse wrought upon them by your grandfather's inquisitive digging on the premises. While said heir doesn't seem to be present in the party during the descent into the various dungeon locales of the cliffside residence you will be hiring, and leading four individuals with a particular set of skills at a given time into the fray. With preparations via the purchase of necessities at the local town/hamlet you will set forth on your journey, and navigate your way through labyrinth-like dungeon areas of the estate with key points of interests marked that range from decisive battles to looting opportunities.

Your goals along the way will vary, and the difficulty will increase as you unlock more and more locations. These objectively driven outings range from simply traversing a certain percentage of the dungeon, and surviving the ordeal till the end to engaging in skirmishes against more formidable Lovecraftian foes. Back at the hamlet you'll be able to utilize the services located in the shops there. This includes indulging in sinful activities to relieve stress as well as opting for a more divine approach to stress relief via the local holy man. Said stress relief, and sanity system management is wholly important in keeping your current party alive and sane long enough to upgrade, and fight deeper into the property's depths. For the long journey that continues taking your recruits ever more deeply you'll find a blacksmith for improving their weapons, and gear as well as a hiring post for recruiting more party members should you need them. All services can be upgraded via the relics, and treasures you find on your dungeon exploration outings. Upgrades which are in place to do such things as reduce fees, and improve upon certain features of the services.

The dungeon exploration itself, which is the core element of gameplay in Darkest Dungeon is the easier part of your dungeon travels in that you have a map in view via the game's user interface, and simply need to go room to room avoiding traps until you reach a final battle. The actual battles, which are where the difficulty truly sets in though will not only result in physical injury, and possibly even perma-death via the turn-based combat, but will also cause psychological afflictions called, "Quirks" which can negatively or positively effect your battle effectiveness depending on the situation. As the characters in your party get stressed through battles, traps injuries, or disturbing investigated notes they will give into their delusions and fears succumbing to the effects thereof, and ultimately becoming less effective in their role. Roles, as they were vary, but include the traditional ranged, and melee attackers as well as healers, and arcane magicians or occultists. The party members you can recruit on the return to the Hamlet vary in accordance to their class, appearance, and statistical alignment. Much like traditional RPG offerings. The only real difference being the perma-death nature of the characters. Meaning that once they die they are dead. Their last records will be held at the Hamlet's local cemetery for your viewing pleasure should you wish to pay your respects.

Beyond this base game experience,"Darkest Dungeon: Crimson Edition" also includes the new "Crimson Court" DLC. This add-on which can be applied, and enjoyed regardless of prior progress includes a new character, new dungeon areas, and a handful of extras meant to extend upon the core experience. The new character that is the, "Flagellant" is a crucial part in making the most of the new features, and areas. If you happen to buy this bundle, or just the DLC you can load the DLC into your playthrough at the start menu giving you access to all new content as you continue to play on your saved game.

That is my assessment thus far. I aim to give a more proper review with a verdict soon. I just need to spend some more time with it making sure I don't miss anything. Until then I hope this preview review satisfies you, or at the very least holds you over.