But after a certain tipping point, your heroes will officially freak out and develop lousy new character traits like masochism, hopelessness, and selfishness. Up to a point, stress is just like a shadow hit-point bar, vulnerable to its own array of enemy attacks and spells. The psychological element is tracked by your party members’ stress level. Darkest Dungeon doesn’t entirely avoid this trap, but its clever gameplay mechanics and formidable design will keep you trudging through dungeons for hours on end. After all, if all you’ve done is turn morale or psychological stability into another hit-point counter, you haven’t really done anything at all. It’s a brilliant conceit, but the trick is in the execution. An expedition begun in optimism and camaraderie can end in selfishness, despair, and madness. This tactical RPG from indie developer Red Hook Studios, kickstarted in 2014 and just released after months of refinement on Steam Early Access, imagines parties of dungeoneers who feel mounting pressure until, one by one, they begin to crack under the strain. The makers of Darkest Dungeon have a different vision. So it’s odd that most fantasy role-playing games feature parties of adventurers who uncomplainingly trudge through mile after mile of pungent sewage, swinging swords, and slinging fireballs until their last hit point is bled dry.

They’re dark, smelly, and populated with abominations that want to kill you. (Photo: Red Hook Studios)įantasy dungeons are, typically, unpleasant. Give them the Blood in balanced amounts, and you should be fine.Fighting foul denizens in Darkest Dungeon. You should also keep in mind that your heroes can go insane if they haven’t had Blood in a long while, or if you’ve been overfeeding them with the stuff. You can give this to your cursed heroes to strengthen them a bit, but this won’t get rid of the Crimson Curse. As you progress through the dungeons, you’ll get random drops of a new item called the Blood. There’s no single item that you can use to completely cure your heroes of the Crimson Curse either. They’ll also be more susceptible to Bleed, Blight, and Stun effects. If the disease procs during a battle, you’ll be informed of it, and your hero’s stats will be lowered. It’s a deadly disease that your heroes can contract when they’re exposed to specific attacks from the new enemy types in the Courtyard. The Crimson Curse is a brand new mechanic introduced in Darkest Dungeon’s Crimson Court DLC. How to Cure the Crimson Curse in Darkest Dungeon: Crimson Court

Darkest dungeon stress relief