Dark and Darker Mobile is slated to launch earlier than the tip of yr, and we now have the primary official particulars on among the main methods it should differentiate itself from the unique.
First, some context. For these not within the know, Dark and Darker is a first-person, fantasy-themed extraction recreation the place gamers select a category and enterprise into dungeons looking for treasure, all of the whereas avoiding traps, battling monsters, and making an attempt to kill (or keep away from) different gamers. To convey the loot dwelling, gamers should survive and extract through magic portals as a lethal darkness slowly consumes the dungeon, killing any who’re trapped inside for too lengthy.
The recreation made a reputation for itself throughout a 2023 Steam Subsequent Fest, the place it was among the many top-played video games on Steam. Since then Dark and Darker has discovered itself in ongoing authorized hassle that noticed the sport pulled from Steam. Developer Ironmace Video games as an alternative selected to create its personal launcher and promote the sport on to gamers through its personal web site. Although a copyright lawsuit filed by Nexon accusing Ironmace of getting used stolen code and belongings to create Dark and Darker was dismissed within the US, the battle between the 2 firms remains to be ongoing in South Korea, the place each studios are primarily based. Dark and Darker has continued to obtain updates in its early entry state following its August 2023 launch, and is slated to be coming to the Epic Video games Retailer sooner or later. Whether or not or not Dark and Darker will return to Steam, or ultimately launch on consoles, is unclear.
It was amidst all of the authorized turmoil that Dark and Darker Mobile was introduced final yr, with PUBG Mobile writer Krafton behind the venture. Bluehole, a studio inside Krafton, is creating the cell model. The recreation’s first reveal trailer and screenshots undoubtedly seemed like Dark and Darker, however now we have now the primary concrete details about how the venture will differ from its PC counterpart.
A brand new cinematic trailer, titled “Greed,” kicks off what Krafton says shall be an upcoming sequence of movies that can dive into Dark and Darker Mobile and its distinctive options. Amongst these options are quite a lot of adjustments that can increase the eyebrows of those that have performed Ironmace’s model. For starters is the truth that gamers will be capable to select between going into PvE or PvP dungeons, an enormous change from the unique. A part of Dark and Darker’s core DNA is that it’s a PvPvE recreation, the place gamers are preventing each in opposition to monsters and grasping opponents who need nothing greater than to kill you and extract along with your loot. Dark and Darker Mobile will as an alternative let gamers determine whether or not or not they’ll have interaction with PvP earlier than they step foot within the dungeon, which is able to divide the sport into two distinct demographics.
One other main addition is the Sidekick system. It will permit gamers to recruit AI-controlled companions that may accompany gamers on their dungeon-delves and can level-up over time. Presumably the Sidekick system is for PvE dungeons and never PvP, however Krafton does not specify in its preliminary press launch. One other new system not seen within the PC model, pets, will let gamers acquire numerous buffs earlier than stepping foot within the dungeon. Krafton is moreover promising a brand new “endgame” with high-level dungeons and distinctive rewards.
From what we all know to this point, the remainder of Dark and Darker Mobile will sound acquainted to those that performed the unique. There shall be 5 lessons to select from initially: Fighter, Barbarian, Rogue, Ranger, and Cleric. Every class comes with distinctive lively abilities and passive abilities gamers can use to customise their playstyle, and the variety of passive talent slots out there grows as gamers degree up. Buying gear and gold within the dungeon will imply gamers are extra outfitted for his or her subsequent journey, and retailers outdoors dungeons can be utilized to refill on necessities like potions. Sure retailers, just like the blacksmith, can improve and craft objects utilizing supplies discovered inside the dungeons.
Dark and Darker Mobile does not have an actual launch date, however Krafton is concentrating on a world launch earlier than yr’s finish, with the goal of bringing the “dungeon extraction expertise” to a “mainstream viewers.” Krafton has not but mentioned how the sport shall be monetized. Within the meantime, quite a lot of Dark and Darker-inspired video games wish to capitalize on the PC model’s absence from Steam.