Darkest Dungeon II

Our analysis

A turn-based roguelike with a stagecoach road-trip structure, positional combat, stress mechanics, and meta-progression through candles. It is harder than the first game but just as fun, with superb art, animation, and an improved interface, plus tons of content and addictive one-more-run pacing. The grind and steep learning curve may put some off, but enthusiasts of the genre get a lot to dig into.

Our analysis

A solid roguelike that departs sharply from the original by trading the central hub for a single carriage journey toward the mountain, with deep combat built around hero synergies, positioning, affinity relationships, and meaty meta-progression. It looks gorgeous with standout voice work and music, but the clunky UI, weighty carriage handling, switch performance dips, an over-reliance on RNG, and the lack of a speed-up option make the early hours a frustrating slog. Fans of the first game's design may not click with the new direction.

Our analysis

A competent turn-based roguelike with striking art, but excessive randomness undermines player agency to a frustrating degree. Dozens of random chances per turn can swing runs regardless of skill, the carriage traversal is a sluggish snooze, and the cramped UI irritates. The character management from the first game is also gone, leaving a middle-of-the-road experience.