What Makes Dark and Darker SO Good! (And Why You Should Play It)

Dark & Darker is a new hardcore PvPvE dungeons and dragons inspired dungeon crawler, with mechanics similar to tarkov's loot and extract system. Here is what makes Dark and Darker so good, and why you should play it!

[@N1ghtH0wler]

I love the way it plays. It feels fast paced in combat but slow enough to be DnD dungeon diving.

[@washedupazir2873]

I te s garbage

[@slimbgaming8237]

The combat is far from fast by anymeans lol but its good forsure.

[@guibeaulieu]

what the fuck did I read ? "fast" ? what rock have you been living under ? kinda crazy to think the slowest gameplay I've ever seen is fast lmao

[@VigilanteMike]

@@washedupazir2873 at least use proper grammar if you're not going to explain why you don't like it. I actually really love it it's unique there's no other game like it and it feels nice like a hardcore version of Fortnite

[@sheldonhiebert49]

@@slimbgaming8237 I think it’s fast paced because while you do swing slowly, a simple mistake can get t you killed. Quick decision making such as buffs and potions really make the fights fast paced.

[@Mister_Doodles]

You convinced me to download the demo before the halfway mark of the video, you explained this very well, I appreciate it so much!

[@oberzen208]

Some of the abilities in the game are even named after DnD abilities, like the barbarian class's Reckless Attack. I love it.

[@LucasLafrance]

Some even follow the same mechanics. Like magic missile automatically following targets!

[@cheriobro8957]

Second wind for fighter too tho it works a little differently in the game than dnd still awesome tho

[@mech0p]

id like to see boss portals, single player dungeons, more characters, abilities, and mobs as well and this is going to be an insane game.

[@amto1010]

Dude you are so good at this. Honestly, I'm shocked your channel isn't 5 times the size.

[@pomps8085]

This was such a slow burn for me but now I'm totally addicted. It's so fast to jump into 'just one more'

[@frostcop6693]

This game is actually really good. High skill ceiling, many viable playstyles, can explore a dungeon with friends, what more can you ask?

[@arkasiawinters]

Solo queues lol

[@Sunderbrass]

@@arkasiawinters I knew that comment was coming. 😆

[@chibifox7543]

Friends for it? :(

[@brennanorr2]

​@@arkasiawinters incompetent gamer spoted trying ruin a game for everyone else

[@aloholiker2285]

only 1 dungeon

[@maboilaurence8227]

This and Barony are criminally underrated games I love to bits, playing them with friends has been a blast

[@WorldofSoupS]

Barony is amazing but pixel graphics turn so many people away :(

[@keenzo1998]

Ew barony

[@akito6572]

How is this underrated with 55k people playing it a year before release? xD

[@99Plastics]

this game has 70k players on steam HOW is it underated rofl

[@allthatishere]

@@99Plastics I mean, that's only 70k. It could have PUBG numbers.

[@almond7341]

I would love to see randomly generated maps, it would add so much more and genuinely make this game awesome. It would add more exploration and mystery and you could use map knowledge learned in the round to defeat other players in unique ways.

[@Poriand]

This game just needs to come out in early access to I can buy it and play it more!

[@GrippeeTV]

So damn fun. Can’t wait for the full release.

[@bojnebojnebojne]

At first glance i loved the look of this game, i'm definitely gonna try it out. Alot of games have clunky combat but the fact is that it can play into the difficulty of a game in a good way and should just incentivize people to try it out instead of shrugging away

[@KhronicYT]

Download few hours ago and fell in love with rouge, this video is a sign of god to make keep playing

[@SirQuantization]

Always get this one mixed up with Dark and Light, looks so fun though.

[@Sarticus35]

The combat system is INCREDIBLE! I’m loving every second of this game.

[@YuyuHakurei]

The amount of hit tracking is annoying though. It would be nice if everything had proper outhit potential because some maps are not balanced at all due to mages being undodgeable. The combat system is good, but if they don't fix the enemies properly it will kill the game. They are ignoring the fact that players are involved so taking your attention away from some enemies is a death. I can beat pretty much every enemy in the game without taking damage but the mages. The mages are just pure chance if they will do something stupid to kill themselves or if they put themselves out of position enough for me to instant kill them. Otherwise the healing in the game isn't good enough for the amount of unmitigated and undodgable damage they do. Also tiny enemies need to be bigger. It is extremely hard to tell they are even there. The most unfun part of the game is probably the swarm enemies that you have to do all sorts of dumb stuff to hit them. I like the game overall, but if you aren't harsh enough with criticism then they won't fix enough for the game to be good on release.

[@trentchesebro123]

@@YuyuHakurei it honestly annoys me how badly you want things to cater to you, a mage in the open and you're melee means dont hit the mage, not " i should be able to conquer anything i come across" solo q would ruin those moments where you're forced to make an alternate plan that got ruined by being solo and running into a group of 3. if you make things fair and favorable it just becomes the same spammy garbage that are already everywhere in other games.

[@trentchesebro123]

@@YuyuHakurei you're just some dude in a death trap. ur not the hero in this game. it SHOULD be brutal and unrelenting

[@trollishmc2920]

Thanks for the heads up... this flew completely under my radar

[@crazedzealots]

After playing this game for a week during Alpha 3 playtest, all I can say is it's a masterpiece game. It's simple, janky combat. But it has layers and layers and layers upon layers of depth and discovery that you can only find once you immerse yourself in these dungeons time and time again. I played all the classes, and only after you choose your perks and read your skills can you begin to see their real strengths and advantages. At first I was mad at how much damage every skeleton with a sword or bow did, I was aggravated by how fast spider mummy's were, I was frustrated by the damage sponge mummys, or the lingering gas, or the poison from wasps, or the weird zooming attacks of the skull bats. But after a few days of grinding I could deal with the PVE very easily and then it became time to hunt players. To form parties on discord and kill and loot other players. It turns out the Wizard and the Cleric were by far the most powerful party members in my playtest for my playstyles. But that said, the classes all seem well balanced. I hope they don't nerf the Wizard as I really, really enjoy the high risk high reward playstyle of the class. I'm glad they nerfed Ranger from Alpha 2, in Alpha 2 the Ranger had no reload mechanic and could draw and shoot arrows infinitely which gave them much higher ranged dps and consistent damage then they have now. Already with the 40 hours I have in on the game I think it's a masterpiece, even with this small amount of content, because the immersion, the danger, the depth of combat, skills, perks, classes, weapon types, is so awesome. Not too mention the loot and how when you get a good roll on the buffs it can really make you much more powerful.

[@Bromag118]

Absolutely not a masterpiece. It still has very clear combat and balance issues. Until that is fixed it cannot be even considered to be a masterpiece.

[@braydopaintrain4346]

Can't wait to play at release

[@Zlebouffon]

Played it , loved it. I'm so hyped to play it when it full releases. I had a TON of fun with my friends.

[@LordVityaz]

Love this game so far, been having a blast.

[@richvasquez8534]

Very well explained good looks

[@shacklock01]

barbarian and ranger combo had great fun

[@DazePhase]

This game will be huge. Even in alpha tests was super popular. Can't wait to play it in April's test.

[@ariton2990]

if its ever coming back...

[@DazePhase]

@@ariton2990 It will. Ironmace will win in court. They said the next test will be at 14-19 April.

[@-jakey-]

looks like the game brings a lot of choice and interactivity to the player when it comes to playstle/goals

[@prdiludi4432]

Its funny how simple this idea is. But still it took us so fkn long to make something like this. Cant wait to see how it evolves and maybe even more important, when new copy cats step in and make the whole genre go parabolic. Also would love to see maps go semi rng like d2.

[@ROFLWAFFLELAWL4]

I really like static spawns honestly. It creates zones that you can determine are worth going to based on different factors that you've learned through experience. I know some people hate this as it allows people to effectively get the "best" loot in a map, but that said it also makes it easier to plan routes and possibly fights as a solo or duo. I can get the experience that's more comfortable for my situation and mood. Also tip for solo players: If you need to run use X to put your weapon away. You run significantly faster without a weapon in your hand.

[@SlCKNESS_]

Static spawns are the way to go. It is what will determine the value of a zone and the necessity of PvP. And that's a good thing. In a game like this things that incentivize PvP are really good. You need mechanics to funnel the need for PvP, without completely removing any other way of getting loot, of course.

[@YuyuHakurei]

For this to work you need a lot more maps though. I like it better this way, but they need more work in to make it work which will make the game feel stale if they don't do this. Personally there needs to be solo maps, duo maps, and triple maps that queues are seperate. Soloing is not properly balanced into the game, but even having one player down can be an astronomical difference that can't be overcome with skill. So seperate queues based on map will be needed.

[@fairycat]

Thanks for review

[@Recker1125]

Nice. Escape from tarkov vibes. I remember my first tarkov match. I spawned on woods. Hid in a ditch . Looked at sensitivity. Went back. Started moving. A player killed me xD. I didnot even leave spawn

[@einer1314]

I think you'll really enjoy Monsters & Memories whenever it comes out.

[@kimmonses8365]

Good game and vid! By chance, have you ever heard about World Eternal Online? Would love to see you make a quick guide or overview of World Eternal Online! It's a game I was eyeing recently.

[@noizex]

Thanks, that's easily one of more enjoyable games that I tried in months!

[@NoThumbsSins]

I really hope this game makes it

[@gemonizam2469]

There are also crafting, services/quests coming...

[@TheOfficialFusionProductions]

It’s Free on Steam at the moment but read the description before jumping in thinking the full game is “ free “ lol but I’ve been watching videos about it before hopping in and playing it looks dope.

[@Incaeduus]

Co-op and PvE inspired version of this game would be revolutionary 👀

[@ninochaosdrache3189]

Yes. I'm aure if someone makes a good, pve focussed raid game, it will be successful.

[@KedaiCiplak]

Got a good 150hrs in the last and current playtest. Styling 360 with a rogue all over players and mini bosses.

[@rugdoc97]

you showed the rogue as you talked about ranger but great video

[@LaughingDepressed]

the wiz shade that you throw ever so slightly tells me you got your ankles broke one to many times haha.

[@frub]

cleric with the brewmaster perk is insanely powerful solo.

[@Matt-lp1xp]

Between the gameplay and description I can see why this game is only so popular

[@marekpavlik8715]

Love the video, but holy cow that white background you have going there is burning eyes of all dark mode users.

[@R3TR0J4N]

Akin to the extraction-fps genre (tarkov) this was reminiscent of Diablo for the dark fantasy and dungeoncrawl as its inventory management wasn't a nod enough.

[@Skullbushi]

I usually hate these types of games, didn't like Hunt or Tarkov, but I loved this one, the dark fantasy setting is great, having classes, skills and perks makes the game a lot more fun by adding some individuality and more freedom to how each player approaches the game, but also how quick the matches can go makes it so losing is part of the fun I love how PVE is so hard that when you eventually find players both parties are already hurt from just fighting skeletons or stepping on traps, there's always a moment where you just stare each other down wondering if it's safe to engage them or run away (one of the privileges of not having gunpowder)

[@deanmalibu3730]

I soloed hell with my first Cleric run very powerful undead abilities.

[@wicklash9065]

Something to mention about rogues! If you wear boots throw stealth out the window. Bare feet are your friend.

[@uNoCardiologist3110]

I do appreciate the slow attacking and movement in this game because it makes people to focus on how to assess the situations. In this game if you recklessly head to battles, you would most likely die. Besides, players have been running around with low quality gears and nothing fancy yet. Considering there is another upcoming class customization and epic gear to increase your stats like agility and resourcefulness, the battles would at least feel less clunky. I can't wait for the next test run!

[@mech0p]

i think it would be cool if how the attack us now is just a base speed and when the tree comes out you can improve your attack speed through there.

[@nioxic77]

This sounds good though... i'd love if they'd make it so we can also make our own map layouts and such.. very "dungeons and dragons" like, as a game master. you can manipulate how things goes and you can see your friend(s) go through the level? well, at least a map maker

[@fattyslapscurbs]

You can solo as cleric, ive been having alot of fun doing it.

[@tolagan]

Love your vids and glad you giving this game the attention it deserves. I am obsessed with it and the devs story is amazing, it give me so much faith in this games future. Make sure you learn about them and cover there story in the future, especially considering your stand on parasitic money developer mechanics. I also think you have missed out on some of the most fun by not playing the melee classes which would change your opinion on 'janky and simple combat', you also missed out on experience the block and parry of 2h weapons mechanics, and the mechanic of different weapon damage depending on what part of the weapon you hit with ( tip of the blade does more ect).

[@Ink_T]

Always wanted a Multiplayer, Rogue-like that includes PVP. Can't wait for the full release!

[@DisgruntledDoomer]

I hope the "studio" gets more decorations soon; that white wall is just _sooo_ plain.

[@s3r14Ledgain]

Me and my GF played 39 hours in the last playtest and we loved it. BTW rouge is really OP against players.

[@Baraz_Red]

Early development and free playtesting : just that gives it a bonus and I won't comment too much on what I like less.

[@Nwordscissorhands1738]

Anybody else notice he showed a rogue when describing the ranger stats

[@p3ro666]

Arx fatalis vibes.... Mmmmm love it

[@alricfremanosrs1509]

Cleric is good solo once you get all the perk slots. Your pve clear speed is very fast and judgement can turn a pvp fight around really fast. Plus heal spell for sustain.

[@DurosKlav]

Clerics are really good at PvE. A lot of attacks that do a ton of damage to undead.

[@Grim_Bud]

best starting class imo, good PVE, healing, buffs and ok weapons.

[@Bearhuggerus]

Their starting ability pretty much one shots, or severly weakens undead in aoe (which are pretty much every pve enemy on the first floor). Between this, healing and the buffs they are arguably the best PvE class.

[@DogcrotchHell]

I like when all the blood came out of the skeleton

[@needlamp2147]

This video aged like pasteurized milk. You can still drink it, but be prepared to chew and swallow some nasty things.

[@Talking_Ed]

And then it aged well again, now it's cheese, the game is great and they won against nexxon

[@Malhaloc]

"Not that it's a battle royale. It just has the circle mechanic to give you a sense of urgency when looting more and better gear so you can fight other...teams who have...more and better...gear...ok, it's a battle royale."

[@dilly2000]

Force ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ until you are 90. Keep going please

[@JakeMcCollum]

Thank you

[@Aelwyn666]

It's one of the best games I've played in a long while.

[@TheRexTera]

Hope this gets VR support

[@S1ph3r]

yea I really want to play it but im never at my desk anymore having the steam deck.

[@alessandromassi3659]

I've downloaded this game, promising myself to find a time-spot to play it. This morning I'm finally free and wanted to try it only to find out that it was in Alpha and now it's closed...

[@a-dallas-184]

Ughhhh i miss this game alreadyyy

[@bajabonerblast]

Cleric is amazing

[@Heath86]

Sounds similar to Hunt Showdown. I hope it continues to head that direction

[@justiceanxiety8214]

I like the different hitboxes on weapons that affect your damage potential

[@rugdoc97]

i love it i wish i could still play... the devs need to work on it while we can play lol

[@spencersherk7116]

I love the "simple" combat!

[@tharminekhan7533]

Looks like Underworld Ascendant, but actually as a finished product ? :)

[@Viperinex]

the game is incredible

[@anthragestormrider2493]

There is also some very basic harvesting and crafting in the game - easy to miss but it is there.

[@adriansolomon4580]

for all the ancient gamers it kinda reminded me at first of ultima underworld or even back to dungeon master, peakd my interest :)

[@skippergl2664]

i wish they added a pve mode like with bosses and stuff

[@sethrusso45]

I literally have no other game I feel like playing after playing D&D this latest playtest. I sunk so many hours into it and had such a blast. I can't wait for release, I would literally pay $ just to keep playing what they have so far.

[@crazedzealots]

True I will pay $40 right now to keep playing Alpha test 3 until Open Beta

[@sethrusso45]

100%, I see so many other people agreeing with this. I doubt Ironmace is concerned with player retention. They had over 50k players this alphatest which is amazing. I just really hope they consider letting us play what they have while supporting their game financially.

[@rekrn12345]

This is actually playtest number 4

[@emberjaxx585]

You be a cleric the stays out of the ring and you heal yourself the whole time

[@Inojer]

I want this in VR. Now! (Please? :) )

[@MrSqueasil]

Drunken cleric with judgment wrecks in a 1v1 amd is probably one of the easiest to clear mobs with. Ive had the most success with a cleric used more of a no healing damage dealer. Ive even won a few 1v2s.

[@icoe626]

I started playing playing yesterday I just checked the players in oce and it's 20k at 1am

[@Dramox.]

Idk the mob AI feels so bad. Maybe add stun/stagger effects on mobs only and add other ways of kiting. A 15CD roll would be cool too

[@xrathe]

Fortnite in a dungeon. I remember when a dungeon dive would take 3 to 4 hours, but ever since ADHD hit it had to be cut down to 15 minutes.

[@rdtheskald]

I ve been looking for a dnd like 3d action game for years, i feel like this just nails it! Still needs work and things added but once done it will be amazing

[@me56ize]

this game would be so much better if the devs abandoned the idea of the circle closing in. it would allow for more exploration and more of dungeon crawl experience. just imo

[@shiftplus7815]

Rouge is very perk dependant. Rough sucks early levels and only really pops off after your able to stack your perks. I don't wanna grind him since I know the play test will reset. Ranger feels the best and most fun right out of the box.

[@sirskorge]

Rough rouge? It that make-up for men that think they are female?

[@dackeryman]

It’s like a mix of Oblivion, Tarkov, & Spelunky

[@rmeyer0120]

So if you level up a Fighter to like level 5 and then die and pick Fighter again do you start at level 1 or stay at level 5?

[@Hellxdamage]

You stay at 5 (your lvl will only reset on seasonal wipes).

[@nordzpvp2991]

procedural maps would be cool and would help bridge the gap between experienced and inexperienced players.

[@user-zl1vf4me1p]

idk why is nobody talking about the meme the devs placed on the "tutorial" section, I think it was a reference of link going in a dungeon then a skeleton stabs him and says "welcome to dark souls, b#tch." but instead it was "welcome to dark and darker, b#tch." quite funny

[@Top.G.Andy.C]

Any idea if the game is still purchasable? I heard it got hit hard with copyright issues and steam removed it from thier store. Where can I buy this or has it been binned over legal issues

[@lawlessx9]

They sell it on the game's official page

[@darkadia6520]

I like the janky feeling to the combat it gives it character lol

[@mellowise]

my only issue is that i cant keep playing it when the playtest is over. i was only able to play for 1 day and im so addicted and sad that i cant keep playing

[@knivesthec10wn]

its also just in alpha test 3, there is plenty of time to improve the combat system

[@bladechild2449]

Feel like it's a mistake to have the maps static without at least randomized loot spots and traps etc. Could lead to a very sweaty Meta kind of mindset of the game.

[@NoThumbsSins]

Also some weapons will do more damage depending on how far you are from the enemy

[@scienz0220]

Which ones?

[@NoThumbsSins]

@@scienz0220 the axes mauls hammers maxes basically if your not actually hitting them with the harmful part of the weapon you will do less damage the handle don’t hurt as much as a spiky metal ball

[@scienz0220]

@Oderis gotcha. So not range of attack damage differences exactly, but rather contact points on some weapons with different damage values

[@NoThumbsSins]

@@scienz0220 yes and this one you probs know but I didn’t know arms and legs do the least damage so you def wanna go center body or headshots

[@MythicMagus]

I'm interested in this game. But it needs a solo queue. Trying to PvP against 3 stacks as a solo is miserable.

[@DJ5780]

I played two matches and was immediately turned off buy the clunkiness. But I will try it again