In Dark and Darker, you loot dark dungeons, fight monsters and other players, then escape through a portal. It's a first-person extraction dungeon crawler set in dungeons like a ruined castle. Each run starts with a class and a set of gear, and you spawn onto a randomly built map. Inside, you search chests, barrels, and bone piles for coins, potions, and better weapons, while keeping an eye out for other players after the same loot.
Leaving through an escape portal is called extracting. Getting out is the win, not being the last one standing, because loot only counts once it's out with you. If your health hits zero, there are no respawns, and everything you were carrying stays on your body for other players to loot. The Dark Swarm, a deadly magical darkness, also closes in during the match and drains your health while you stand in it, so you have to keep moving.
Between runs, you head to the lobby to organize your stash, trade with merchants, and sell the junk you don't need. The longer goal is the harder High Roller dungeons, which unlock with Legendary Status, a paid upgrade for the free account. The game is in Early Access and adds new content in numbered seasons.
- Developer
- IRONMACE
- Publisher
- IRONMACE
- Release
- Steam Early Access: 2024-06-07 · Blacksmith Early Access: 2023-08-07
- Platforms
- Windows
Game data
Weapons
Weapons in Dark and Darker fall into melee groups like swords, maces, daggers, axes and polearms, plus bows, crossbows, firearms, magic items and shields. Each one is tied to certain classes, and many are two-handed, so they take up both hands. Rarity runs from Poor to Unique, and higher tiers bring more damage and random bonus stats. Heavier weapons also slow your movement, so every pick is a balance between power and speed.
Classes
Dark and Darker's classes are Fighter, Barbarian, Rogue, Ranger, Wizard, Cleric, Bard, Warlock, Druid, and Sorcerer. They cover melee fighting, stealthy and ranged play, spellcasting, healing and support, and shapeshifting. Each class starts with its own mix of attributes and its own perks and skills. Every class is open to every player, and you pick one when you create a character.
Armor
Armor pieces fill six slots: Head, Chest, Legs, Hands, Foot and Back. They reduce physical and magic damage, and heavier pieces trade protection for movement speed. Several plate pieces are built for Fighters and Clerics, while caster gear leans on cloth and magic resistance. Armor comes from dungeon loot, merchants and crafting with ore.
Dark and Darker gameplay tips
- Start with a Fighter. It's a balanced class that can use almost any weapon and wear heavy armor, and its simple kit makes it easier to learn how the game works.
- Play with headphones on, and walk instead of sprinting near other players. Sprinting, opening chests, and swinging weapons are loud, while walking and crouching are quiet. Listening for footsteps and door sounds also tells you when someone is nearby.
- Fight from a doorway. A doorway limits how many enemies can reach you at once, so pick off single weak monsters there and skip rooms full of enemies.
- Check the area around an escape portal before you step in. Getting caught at the exit costs everything you're carrying, so look for enemies first. If a fight is already going on at that portal, use another one.
- Keep cheap spare gear in your stash. Anything you've stored survives a bad run, so one loss won't leave you with nothing to start the next run with.