Get ready to cry all over again, adventurers, because Darkest Dungeon 2 is coming. The new teaser posted today by developer Red Hook Studios is called “The Howling End.” From what we can gather, things are about to get much colder for our unfortunate heroes.
Judging by the teaser, Darkest Dungeon 2 will retain much of what was loved from the original. For one, the gravel-voiced narrator played by Wayne June makes a return. No doubt his growling, sorrowful exposition still haunts many players’ dreams. The sequel will also stay true to the comic-book-style artwork, featuring thick lines and faded palettes. Many familiar heroes also star in the clip. Below the mountain, we catch a glimpse of the Highwayman, Man-at-Arms, Plague Doctor, Grave Robber, Leper, and Hellion.
“I could not help feeling that they were evil things–mountains of madness whose farther slopes looked out over some accursed ultimate abyss.”
Through Darkness And Cold
While short, the teaser does hint to the new horrors that lie ahead. Most notable is the frozen mountain that lies before the collection of heroes. As the original game was heavily influenced by the works of H. P. Lovecraft, we could see some ties to the author’s story At the Mountains of Madness. If that’s the case, you’d better be ready for some freaky tentacled cucumber monsters.
Another important detail is the weather. The mountain and surrounding landscape are blanketed in snow, which could be a new condition to watch out for. In the original game, your biggest worry was the accumulation of stress on your heroes. Stress increased over time in Darkest Dungeon, from heroes taking damage to traveling without a source of light. Other than stress, dealing with frigid conditions may be a new factor in Darkest Dungeon 2, where you must also find a way to keep your heroes warm and cozy.
“In the howling darkness of the end, men will become monsters,” the narrator says in the teaser. “But hope will ride with those courageous enough to carry the flame.”
Much of this is, of course, speculation. There’s not often a lot of information you can glean from a 30-second teaser trailer. Still, there’s enough here to warrant excitement. The original game was a massive indie success, after all. Darkest Dungeon 2 could easily build on what made the original so great (or despised, considering its difficulty) and become something exceptional.
