A more complex definition would be, in Red Hook's own words, a 'challenging gothic roguelike turn-based RPG about the psychological stresses of adventuring.' Whatever it is, Darkest Dungeon is a great game. Whether it's the permanent character death that makes one think twice about which heroes are sent on quests, the limited inventory system that forces the player to choose between bare necessities or loot, or the fact that using the right or wrong ability in combat can mean certain death, decisions are everything.

A simple description of the game is that it's about making tough choices. Bittersweet moments like this one are standard fare in Red Hook Studios' Darkest Dungeon. The mission was a success, but the cost of victory was a life.

The hero had been a victim to not only the onslaught of abominations she'd been fighting, but rapidly deteriorating sanity that claimed her mind in the end.

Darkest Dungeon Red Hook Studios Xbox Game Pass Xbox Cloud Gaming Review Game review Turn Based Kelly Packard 'More dust, more ashes, more disappointment!' Darkest Dungeon's haunting narrator bellows as one of my favorite heroes, a maximum level Plague Doctor outfitted with all the best weapons, armor, trinkets and specializations that gold can buy, dies.

Darkest dungeon game review