Living Under A Rock Reviews: The Darkest Dungeon

This is my review series where I review games that have come out at least a few months ago, if not years. Because of lack of two of one’s most precious commodities: time and money, I buy games when they are on sale and take a while to fully experience them, thus when I get around to forming a full opinion about a game, it has been out for ever and a review is no longer relevant. In any case I will still write them, if only for my self, and perhaps this will be my first and only Living Under a Rock Review. Time will tell. Now, without further ado, here is my late late late review of Darkest Dungeon.

---

 

A RPG developed by Red Hook productions, Darkest Dungeon takes its gameplay cues from classic RPGs such as the first few Final Fantasy games, however, focusing on its themes and aesthetics, some of the gameplay mechanics are established to illustrate fear and madness.

VISUALS

Perhaps what I enjoy the most about the game is the visual design, which borrows a lot of its artistic horrors from H.P. Lovecraft. The game is presented in a sketched art style which adds to the folk-lore feeling that it evokes. The enemies are gruesomely detailed and each hero class has a specific look which assists in their back story and play style. There are little touches throughout the visual elements of the game which add to the experience, such as when your character comes back from battle and they need to let of some steam, they can either be placed into the tavern, where drinking, gambling and sex are offered, or if they’re a bit more pious, the church where they can meditate, pray, or  partake in Self flagellation. When you place a character’s portrait in the brothel, for example, small red pillows and dim lighting surround your character’s portrait. If it’s meditation, candles appear. These small artistic details go to show off the polish and care that went into this game.

Gameplay

The enemies are gruesome and frightening and the members of your party are not made of stone, for under their health meter is a fear gauge.This fear meter is what sets this game apart from other RPGs. Not only does the player have to manage each character’s health, while facing these beasts in dimly lit corridors, but the player also has to keep the fear levels of each hero under control. And everything in those dungeons frightening. Fear levels can be raised by enemies landing a critical hit, in which case usually the entire party becomes a little more afraid, or it can be raised by reading a dusty tome which passages drive fear into the heroes heart. The gauge isn’t superfluous either. It is out of 200 points total. Once a character reaches 100 points their resolve is tested. They either can become virtuous and break out of their fear, which reduces every one’s fear gauge and makes them better in combat. Or they came succumb to the fear and be consumed with madness, in which case they start yelling at their team mates, stealing items, and just giving up and passing their turn. These mechanics add to the humanity of the characters as no other RPG I have played has. These are people going into the depths of the earth and fighting unearthly beast and demons. Of course their nerves will be tested. This feeds into the H.P. Lovecraft narrative and world they have explored. In most of the writers stories, the main character, after witnessing such horrors become mad and broken. This mechanic emulates that in a very tangible way.

The Choice, or Lack Thereof, in Drama: The Last of Us

I recently finished The Last of Us. (As with most things I am very late, I know.) It was an incredible gaming experience. From the graphics to the acting to the gameplay and genuine horror and stress I experienced, every moment was stunning. However, with all this being absolutely top class, during the story was when I felt at the same time, the most immersed I have felt in a gaming experience and yet, the most uncomfortable.

(SPOILERS) So if you’re late like me and have yet to play it, stop reading. Now.

I enjoy games with choice. Any kind of choice, really, pulls me in and makes me directly responsible for what happens, even if those choices ultimately don’t matter, (See: Telltale’s The Walking Dead). So when I played The Last of Us, a story heavy game with no choice, I noticed a difference of feeling, while I made Joel run, shoot and kill. At first I didn’t notice this change in tone from the other games I played, it was there but creeping in the shadows, not fully apparent. This was because most of the choices that the characters made in the game, I would have also made as well, that is until the last chapter of the game. Killing of fungal-infected humanoides. Yep. Silently choking to death groups of armed marauders, whom at the sight of me would put two bullets in my face. Sure. Put up and care for a young scrappy teenage girl whom I don’t want to get close to but reminds me of my daughter who died the night of the infection, so I begin to love as if my own daughter. Eh, why not.

But there was a moment. A moment late in the game, right before the end, which Joel’s actions, and my actions differed. The entire point of the journey the two characters take is to find the Fireflies, a somewhat radical group on  the fringes of the societies that have
been built, but by no means enemies. They are trying to find a cure, and Ellie could be just that. So after months and months of driving and horseback riding and swimming and running, they find them. Well more like the Fireflies find Joel and Ellie since they were almost killed and unconscious and were rescued by the Fireflies. Joel wakes up to see a familiar face, Marlene, a Firefly he knew back in Boston. He says to take him to Ellie.