Indie Shout-out: Darkest Dungeon
For today's edition of Indie Shout-out, Andrew Zucosky explores the horror-filled world of Darkest Dungeon, a gothic turn-based RPG from the minds at Red Hook Studios.
Welcome back to Indie Shout-out, the show that gives love to the indie gaming community. Today, Andrew Zucosky braves the treacherous hazards of Darkest Dungeon, a bleak turn-based RPG from Red Hook Studios.
Darkest Dungeon sees players recruit and train a team of heroes across ten classes before leading them through up to three dungeon types filled with all kinds of horrors. With unimaginable danger looming both physically and psychologically, the challenge of survial has never been more daunting.
For more, we now pass it off to Andrew to talk about everything Darkest Dungeon. Those interested in picking up the game can find it on Steam Early Access.
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I, too, will give a shout out to this upstanding title.
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LOVE IT. SO FUN.
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Yeah, this thing is pretty fucking great. I love the art and the atmosphere.
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Not sure, as I haven't gotten to try Sunless Sea yet. But it's definitely the rare EA game that has enough content to justify the price right now.
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The human mind... fragile, like a robin's egg.
http://i.imgur.com/hH1vT40.jpg
I imagine him talking to the suit of armor, the kettle and the bags like Tom Hanks talked to Wilson in Cast Away-
Haha, wow, I can't even get that high a weapon or armour upgrade yet. What wiped you?
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Almost broke, I sent a team of fresh characters out with only one torch between them. I ran them as far as they could go, and pulled them out. Broken, diseased, and on the verge of insanity, I sent them on their way, but not before taking everything they'd gathered. I'm pretty sure this makes me some kind of robber-baron.
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Why did I never think of this
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Currently doing torchless playthrough, starting to pay off.
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Doesn't look that taxing on the system, but what level of graphics card does this need? My computer is well overdue for an upgrade.
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I'm on a macbook air
Model Name: MacBook Air
Model Identifier: MacBookAir4,2
Processor Name: Intel Core i7
Processor Speed: 1.8 GHz
Number of Processors: 1
Total Number of Cores: 2
L2 Cache (per Core): 256 KB
L3 Cache: 4 MB
Memory: 4 GB
Chipset Model: Intel HD Graphics 3000
Type: GPU
Bus: Built-In
VRAM (Total): 384 MB
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waiting for ipad
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You must heal while camping or during battle, unless you brought a ton of food to burn. I've been using a Leper, Crusader, Vestal, Occultist, Hellion, and Jester in some combination. I don't like the Bounty Hunter or Grave Robber either. I am trying to see if a Highwayman or Plague Doctor may work in my lineups.
Your choices open up a lot once you've unlocked a few tiers of weapon, armor, and skill upgrades. -
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Bring more food and torches than you originally think, I cannot count how many times I was forced to finish a dungeon in complete darkness because I thought 5 torches was enough.
You can only heal with class abilities and camping skills, which makes the Vestal a very desired class. Other classes can heal (mostly themselves) but the Vestal is the ideal healer.
I actually really like the Bounty Hunter, he is a threat where ever he is in your lineup. Plus using Finish Him on a stunned target really fucking helps when surrounded by pig people or some shit. The Plague Doctor is good...but not great IMO. Her blight stacks can save you, if they get applied. She is very reliant on the team you are currently rocking. If you have a team that already has high damage and sustain (Vestals, BHs, Crusaders, Highwaymen) then she is just icing on the cake.
I am least impressed by the Grave Robber. She's good yeah, can help you in a pinch. But the Highwayman and Jester out perform her as the Rogue Trope.
Also I know this is weird for us gamers, but it is better to run away from a fight than to lose valuable members of your team.-
That last part, I have been going in as far as possible but then abandoning the mission because the team just can't make it. Is this a good strategy? Should I be pushing them all to the brink and letting some die?
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This is a good strategy, yes. While you won't get much (or at all? gotta check) experience from abandoning a quest, you will still get all the treasure and loot you acquired. Which means you can go back to town with some spending money to upgrade your heroes, and head back in...with a different team of course. Make sure they are getting enough R&R.
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I'd classify these as tips, not sure if I am pro at this game yet..
How you spend your early heirlooms for upgrading the town will greatly change your experience. I would prioritize the first couple of stage coach upgrades, then blacksmith ( armor upgrades have felt better to me ) and guild and then reducing the cost of the buttons you use in town frequently.
The top row of stress relief options cost less than the lower ones ( and I haven't noticed a difference in effectiveness ), prioritize using and upgrading those when you can.
Pay attention to the yellow and red "lights" on the character sheet it's a great at a glance system. Optimize your party according to these, and don't be afraid to visit the guild to give a recruit with lots of potential a better skill. Try to avoid characters and skills combinations that only fit in one slot.
I take 8 food, 6 torches, 1 shovel, 1 anti-venom to short dungeons. Medium I take another 4 food, 4 torches, maybe a shovel and maybe an anti-venom. For sure, I take another shovel to the Warrens, and another anti-venom into the Weald.
If you are struggling to beat a dungeon, or are having stress issues, stop sticking your hands into dangerous looking places. Learn which interactable items reward using keys and anti-venoms with more loot and at zero risk.
I have not found medium dungeons to increase the return over a short run due to limited inventory space ( and time ).
Spend as little money as possible on level 0 suckers just off of the wagon. Hitting level two should reward that character with all the upgrades you can afford at the moment.
Know that level 3 characters will not go on level 1 quests, and am assuming a level 5 won't go on level 1 or 3 quests.
Few items are good all around, and some are even worse for a specific character than not having anything equiped. Don't feel obliged to equip an item just because you have a free inventory slot.
Having everyone die, and get nothing out of a run is way worse than stressing out your doods and coming home with some rewards. Don't be afraid to run from fights and leave dungeons without completing a quest. Though the Graveyard or Dismiss button are the cheapest and easiest options in town to destress someone.
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There's a tent on the left hand side on the hill. It upgrades camping skills. I'm not sure if I "spaced" it or didn't see it, but I went quite a while without it. I found it after a bit of wondering where/how camping skills are upgraded.
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