You're really going to have to learn to play this game like an instrument if you want to see the end. Every time the game went up in difficulty I had to completely revise my entire strategy.
I would probably recommend you play this game with prior knowledge of what the bosses can do, as characters can take quite a while to be ready for action and their death means you'll have to start over again with a fresh one, potentially losing hours of progress.
This fear of losing progress often keeps you from attempting new bosses, which I found were usually not nearly as difficult as I'd imagined. So depending on how recklessly you decide to play this game can vary wildly in length.
First of all the good points
- awesome style: i like the 2D assets and the painting like look of the game
- the narrator voice: he just sounds cool
- the grim dark setting
negatives (for me)
- well it is luck based yeah you can look guides but a badly rolled dice can kill your efford.
- the interesting backstory is... well it's THERE but not told well
- fights can drag on
so for me it's a "well i have some time to spare" type of game. Nothing to sit on for several hours like a larger RPG but a nice time filler.
The simple things first: the art compartment of this game is downright impeccable. The aesthetic is consistent throughout the game and will properly convey the emotions that the designers wanted you to feel, be it frustration, anger, dismay or even fear. The audio is concordant with the visuals and if you, like me, are one of those people who like listening to your own music while playing, do make an exception for this one. The music is amazing and the lines from the narrator are in my opinion integral to the experience: if you choose to disable it you are experiencing a less-than-optimal version of the product.
Now for gameplay: it mixes the right amount of management with turn-based combat. Combat itself is very punishing and the more you advance, the more you are going to need proper preparation. Information is key and you have to learn what dangers every mission and place hide so that you will know how to prepare in the future.
I suspect reviewers that lament imbalance are underestimating this point and expecting to win the game by just jumping into every fight and mindlessly smashing enemies: that's NOT how this game works. You have to pick your fights, even avoid as many as you can, manage your scarce funds by upgrading only what you will need, and focus on survival rather than careless battle.
If all this picked your interest, you're resistant to frustration and you think you're up to the task, please get this game, because you will remember the experience for years.
Note: I recommend playing this with the aid of the wiki over at Gamepedia; you can play without it but then prepare to suffer many losses just to gather information. Trust me, I know because I've done it – mostly to contribute to the wiki, which is why I can vouch for its contents.
This game is hard, brutal, and unforgiving. More-so then even other intense games like XCOM. Deaths are almost a guarantee - despite all my efforts, several of my 5th and 6th level heroes kicked the bucket near the end (I'm still approaching the end of the game). But as the narrator says "darkness, but the promise of gold and rewards".
On that topic, bring lots, and lots of torches until you have your feet under. And lots of food. And a couple shovels/keys. Consumable exploratory items are often what can determine whether a character lives or survive, or more importantly if you get that hefty payout to allow you keep strengthening your characters equipment.
Darkest Dungeon is a story about coping with loss. The loss of characters is unfortunate, and extremely frustrating at times. You can try to skirt that, but some is really inevitable. Leveling your characters up and watching them grow is part of the fun, but I think many people don't understand or appreciate that the real progression mechanic of the game is the artifacts and upgrade system of the game. As long as you don't lose your whole party, you can limp back with your precious artifacts.
Trying to keep your characters sane is a fun, tense mechanic. Most of the time they crack in the worst ways, but sometimes its the best of ways, and that unexpected victory in the face of expected defeat, triumphing over the worst odds rarely is what makes the game come alive. I might suggest its even the theme of the game, to be perfectly honest. The Lovecraftian style is absolutely amazing - one of the more unhinging, disturbingly beautiful aspects I've seen in years.
Perfectionists will be frustrated and broken, powergamers will probably rage as they die a lot in the dark. Just be smart, cut your losses and minimize risks to your truly valuable resources, like a real dungeon manager; suddenly this game becomes a lot more fun. You can get salty when your favorite character dies, but don't let that salt ruin the stew.
