Darkest Dungeon II is set to release on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on July 15, as announced by Red Hook Studios. As the sequel to a highly acclaimed turn-based roguelike RPG, Darkest Dungeon II adapts the beloved art style of its predecessor into 3D, featuring full character animations. While retaining its turn-based nature, Darkest Dungeon II’s combat system has been overhauled to place greater emphasis on strategy. Red Hook Studios describes the sequel as “a roguelike road trip of the damned!”
If you’re new to the Darkest Dungeon series, the gameplay involves forming a party of four; in Darkest Dungeon II, you’ll also equip your stagecoach. From there, you embark on a journey across a decaying landscape, aiming to overcome a past failure and defeat a monstrous boss lurking atop a distant snow-capped mountain. During your journey, you will explore the playable backstories of more than a dozen heroes, unlocking their skills, stats, and signature equipment. Similar to the first game, managing heroes’ stress is crucial in Darkest Dungeon II. To help with that, the sequel introduces opportunities to tend to these relationships by resting at an Inn, where you can spend time with your heroes, influencing their relationships to become friends, lovers, or even bitter enemies.
On PlayStation, the game utilizes the DualSense controller features: Red Hook Studios explains, “You’ll feel the heartbeat of heroes on Death’s Door and the rumble of the stagecoach’s wheels as it rolls over a trap,” described Red Hook Studios. Darkest Dungeon II launches on PlayStation with The Binding Blade DLC available as part of the Oblivion Bundle, which is available at a discount.