Darkest Dungeon | Nintendo Switch | Review

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Since leaving Steam Early Access just over two years ago, Red Hook Studios’ aptly titled dungeon crawler has made its way to a number of platforms. Nintendo Switch users are the latest glory hunters to be offered the opportunity to test their mettle, but is this dungeon worth delving?

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by Liam 
​Andrews

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​@liam_andrews5

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Developer: ​Red Hook Studios
​Publisher: ​ Red Hook Studios
​Platforms: ​Switch, PS4, PS Vita, PC, iOS
Players: ​1

For the uninitiated, Darkest Dungeon is a side-scrolling, turn-based roguelike RPG where combat and exploration take both a physical and mental toll on your heroes. Your mission is to claim back your birth rite - a decrepit mansion and its grounds - from bandits and monstrous creatures that spilled forth from a mysterious portal following a misguided attempt to harness its power.

You’ll be doing this with the help of mercenaries - a mix of brigands, occultists and warriors all looking for a slice of the glory - that show up in the small, hub-like hamlet outside of the sprawling, titular structure. A visit to the hamlet affords players the opportunity to upgrade armour and abilities, recruit fresh meat, and soothe the troubled minds of their hired muscle with a healthy mix of piety, booze and debauchery.

Up to four recruits can be taken on a mission, each of which vary in length and objective. Some only require you to scout a certain number of rooms within the dungeon, while others task you with clearing every encounter on a procedurally generated floor. Harder missions open up as you progress, gradually building towards challenging boss fights.

​Managing the mental state of heroes is key to emerging victorious, as is making sure you’ve brought enough food, torches and medical equipment to last a sortie into the ruins. If a hero becomes too stressed - as a result of a combat encounter, a lack of supplies, or the slowly encroaching darkness that boosts enemy attributes - their resolve is tested, potentially unearthing negative personality traits that can hinder further progress. Push them harder still and they’ll keel over from a heart attack, ending them permanently.

Outside of a PC, this has to be the best way to enjoy the game.

The risk of forever losing a favourite character, coupled with a hefty amount of information to absorb, can at first seem a little daunting, but push past the opening hours of uncertainty and you’ll be rewarded with a solid, tactical RPG filled with rich, atmospheric environments, unforgiving-yet-satisfying combat and some of the best accompanying narration heard in gaming.

So, after recently releasing on Nintendo Switch, a console that combines many of the advantages offered by the other devices the game calls home - the portability and touchscreen capabilities of the PS Vita or an iPad, the home console experience of a PS4 – is Nintendo’s hybrid the ultimate platform on which to enjoy Darkest Dungeon?

​Considering this is the third iteration of the game to arrive on a console, Darkest Dungeon still feels very much like a title that’s been designed first and foremost with mouse and keyboard in mind. Menus aren’t the easiest to navigate with a standard controller setup, and often require awkward button combinations to open stat screens and sub menus. Handheld mode alleviates this somewhat by allowing you to utilise the Switch’s touch screen, but playing this way also comes with a couple of caveats.

Darkest Dungeon and its blend of gothic horror and engrossing fantasy adventure is an excellent and most welcome addition to the Switch’s rapidly expanding roster.

As we found during our time with Severed, the shape, weight and balance of the Switch doesn’t lend itself well to combined Joy-Con/touch screen control for any lengthy amount of time. In addition to that, the already small text and menu icons shrink even further when viewed in handheld mode and can be quite difficult to read, though Red Hook recently stated they’re looking into resolving this issue after receiving player feedback.

In spite of these drawbacks, Darkest Dungeon and its blend of gothic horror and engrossing fantasy adventure is an excellent and most welcome addition to the Switch’s rapidly expanding roster of games. Outside of a PC, this has to be the best way to enjoy the game, effortlessly merging the home and portable experiences offered singularly by other platforms.

Pros

• Satisfyingly challenging, tactical combat
• Deeply atmospheric
• Clever stress mechanic & character permadeath enforce careful play
• Superb accompanying narration, performed by Wayne June

Cons

• Text & icons appear too small in handheld mode (possible fix incoming)
• Fiddly UI layout
• New players may struggle with the initial learning curve

8/10