Choice is an amazing feeling, even if you just end up going around in circles. During lapses in gaming passion (when you have that new and shiny game to play) I often default to binge playing other games. And I love it!
First off was my return to the Darkest Dungeon. I did a multi-post piece on my adventures there until I “finished” what parts of the game were complete. Well, recently they opened up a brand new dungeon (The Cove), made some major changes (class adds) and even added other bosses to the existing dungeons. I had almost forgotten about the game until I was Steam surfing for something to play. I hadn’t unlocked The Cove high enough to face the top end boss, but the same version exists across all three level brackets so I sent in a team of not-so-awesome warriors to visit the Siren. She’s a beaut!
The siren uses her song to pull over one of your own team members for three rounds. This makes it interesting when you have your fun and powerful allies now trying to kill you. It’s an expected but fun mechanic. They also did a good job with the character art, making her real ugly until she uses her Song of Desire skill.
That’s far more attractive. If you like fish people. The fight wasn’t too challenging and on to another new boss, the Brigand Pounder.
Giant cannons are so not fair. I didn’t die in this battle but did have to retreat – I didn’t have the right combination of characters (or appropriate strategy) to win this fight. Thankfully, there are still more new bosses! The Fulminating Prophet!
Most of his prophetisizing (sp?) is that the ceiling is going to fall on your highlighted characters (and it does). The great parts of Darkest Dungeon continue to be the art style and resource management style of game play because they always throw in great twists. There are now diseases to go along with the quirks, more bosses to beat, more character types to level and more personalization. There is more here to complete than ever. However, with all the time I have pumped into it and being a bit of an old school player in it I just don’t find the challenge there anymore. Sure, I might not win a boss fight (the Pounder was the only one that gave me fits) but the danger of losing my team is never really there. I think it is because I built up so many resources in the original play through that I can fix and upgrade my team without having to make many tough choices.
As much as I enjoy this game based on that experience for me, I actually recommend not buying it until it is done. I will most likely plod through and finish The Cove at all levels and wait for the namesake dungeon to open and beat that too -but much of the challenge and initial mystery is now missing for me. Still, a spectacular experience for me from day one and a great early investment in a game still sorting itself out. The official launch date is  January 19th so not long to wait.
If you want to read through my 11 post Blog-writer play through, just click here!