Darkwood is in Early Access right now. This means the game will have bugs (ranging from minor annoyances to not being able to run the game at all) and will change during development. Your savegames will be wiped on each update, which will happen about once a month.
However it may happen that if we are in the middle of implementing a new chapter, or making a transition to a newer version of our game engine, these updates may be slower. If these things bother you and you'd rather just play the finished game, simply wait until the final release. Darkwood PC is a game about survival, exploration and fear, set in mysterious woods somewhere in the territory of the Soviet Bloc.
It is a top-down, free-roam, surreal horror experience with a randomized world, taking cues from classic games, where oftentimes you had to figure things out for yourself. By blending RPG, roguelike and adventure elements together with a challenging difficulty, Darkwood aims to please players craving for a deep and rewarding experience. The fear of unknown is powerful – and the unknown will try to remain unseen, forcing you to watch your back.
Your senses will be deceived, your sight fooled, your smell tricked by Darkwood's surreal terrors. No answer will be given to you for free, yet somewhere in the woods lies the truth, an explanation to what has happened in this godforsaken place.
Due to its demanding nature and deliberate style of gameplay, Darkwood may not be up everyone's alley. Nonetheless, it's undeniably a survival horror done right case, entangling the player with its reverie-like ambience in a gnarled realm of mildew smells and ghastly aberrations.
Darkwood is a thrilling survival game with tons of exploration, rich story background and enigmatic characters. The crude atmosphere has been build using a bright illumination system, visuals, music, sounds and silents. The forest, filled by darkness, is like another main character. Gameplay works fine, but the combat system isn't deep at all.
Despite some unsatisfying gameplay systems, Darkwood can provide legitimate thrills and scares for the horror fans that miss the vibes of such classics as Silent Hill 2 and Pathologic without ever using a jump scare. Whether it is the uniquely grotesque art style or the ever-challenging design of its difficulty, Acid Wizard Studio has proven it understands what ingredients make up a good horror experience and the randomised elements of the game allow a unique narrative every time you play.
An outstanding story-telling survival of a non-traditional style that plays with the unprecedented feeling and humor on a horror note. The fight does not have to suit everyone, but if games like this are not completely strange to you, the phenomenally tense atmosphere, great art style, and the gorgeous background story you must unravel yourself, will catch and hold you until the end.
Quotation forthcoming.
Darkwood’s developers have an expert grasp of what terror is, where it lurks and how to frighten the player to make him come back for more. They couldn’t decide whether they’re making a story-driven game or a sandbox, but their effort is still worth recommending to everyone who enjoys good horrors. [11/2017, p.64]
Darkwood is a fine open-world survival experience, and spins a good yarn, but doesn’t quite succeed as a horror game. The ominous veneer wears off quickly enough, and you’re left with a somewhat cumbersome Don’t Starve clone. Darkwood has its moments and will please a certain dedicated breed, but less masochistic general gaming audiences may find the title more tedious than terrifying. Don’t venture into these woods unless you’re prepared to rough it.
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