The next Confession is longer, and with more conditions to worry about, as from now on you have to journey through four locations, and the game will require you to equip a stagecoach with a Trophy to enter The Mountain, each run’s final destination. For example, the first Confession only has you going through three locations, making it a shorter trip. When doing a Confession, a run can last anywhere from 30 minutes to multiple hours on higher acts, as the game’s difficulty ramps up by adding new conditions and scenarios that keep you constantly on your toes. The game has five acts, called Confessions, and beating the boss at the end of the run will unlock another Confession. The enemy designs and environment express this perfectly as you travel the road, going through places plagued with rotten flesh, mutated fish life, and otherworldly beings that are hell-bent on ending you where you stand. Everything around you is in turmoil as every turn highlights how this is the end of this world. This is shown visually through most of the characters, as the art aptly conveys the sad state of humanity.

Your characters look tired and on the brink of giving up. From helping those on the side of the road to the bandits that try to derail your stagecoach, there is never any sense of respite until you reach the next inn, the place where your team can rest and reflect on themselves for the next part of their journey. Every encounter you face rarely gives you breathing room, as each situation affects you negatively and positively at the same time, putting pressure on almost every decision you make.

The game is bleak and dark, as every region emits dark clouds that loom over the world. Two things that are immediately impressive about Darkest Dungeon 2 are how Red Hook Studios have adapted the first title’s unique turn-based gameplay to the more traditional roguelike formula, and secondly, how the hand-drawn art style that made the series stand out made the transition to 3D without losing its quality. The Pain Couch: Immersive Art Style and Gameplay

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