Darkest Dungeon

Lore & Background

Darkest Dungeon places the player in the role of an heir who inherits a gothic mansion and its surrounding estate. The Ancestor, who previously owned the estate, excavated the dungeons beneath the manor and unleashed horrific creatures and corruption. The player must recruit and manage a roster of heroes to explore procedurally-generated dungeons, cleanse the estate, and uncover the Ancestor's memoirs detailing his terrible deeds. The game culminates in the Darkest Dungeon, where the player confronts the Ancestor's spirit and the Heart of Darkness, though the Ancestor claims this is part of an endless cycle.

Reader's Guide

Darkest Dungeon received positive reviews from critics and sold over two million copies. Its core gameplay involves managing hero stress levels through the Affliction system, where factors like lack of food or light, witnessing death, or enemy blights can cause afflictions that hinder or occasionally enhance performance. The game's side-view combat and rank-based positioning, inspired by The Bard's Tale, create strategic depth. Downloadable content includes 'The Crimson Court' (2017), introducing vampirism via the Crimson Curse; 'The Color of Madness' (2018), adding a horde mode; and 'The Butcher's Circus' (2020), a player versus player mode. Additional DLC added the Musketeer and Shieldbreaker character classes. A sequel, Darkest Dungeon II, was released in May 2023, and a board game adaptation is in development. The game's legacy includes its influence on the roguelike genre and its distinctive stress mechanic.

Did You Know?

• The Stress Symbol, or Iron Crown, is a crescent with five inward-facing spikes featured in the game's logo.
• A hero can be turned into a vampire via the Crimson Curse, a status effect introduced in 'The Crimson Court' DLC.
• The game's side-view combat and rank system were inspired by The Bard's Tale.
• The Ancestor's first words in the game are 'Ruin has come to our family.'