Dark and Darker Season 5 arrived earlier this week dragging a huge sack of Christmas goodies (see: important new features and upgrades) into the extraction game. From its new dungeon randomizing tech to the updated matchmaking system, it’s a packed patch. Thanks to all the new features, and the obligatory start of season wipe, Dark and Darker’s player count has seen a strong spike on Steam since its release.
While its player numbers are consistently strong for an early access multiplayer game, Dark and Darker is now seeing peak player counts that are roughly twice the size of what it was achieving before Season 5 began a couple of days ago. Of course, a spike at the start of any season is expected as players return to see what’s new. But with so many improvements and fresh features, things aren’t dropping off as quickly as you’d expect.
One big addition to the game is a new class called the Sorcerer. With mastery over loads of elemental spells, there’s a lot of potential to create interesting synergies and chains of attacks. While developer Ironmace admits that the Sorcerer’s “current implementation is a work in progress” as it works out how to create a truly “unique spell casting experience,” it still looks pretty powerful and a lot of fun to use, so definitely consider it on your next run.
A new dungeon radomizer system has also been added that brings back some of the “unpredictability and mysteriousness” that Dark and Darker had neglected in recent updates. Currently applied to just the Crypt map for now, Ironmace does intend to bring it to other levels in the future. This new tech randomizes the layout of Crypt to create a truly labyrinthine feel. The addition of fog of war also means that only areas you’ve already visited will show up on the minimap, so prepare to explore the unknown frequently and make sure your internal compass is on point.
Dark and Darker’s matchmaking has also been given a refresh, as it now allows you to join runs that are already in progress. This has admittedly been met with a bit of a mixed reception, and there were always going to be big pros and cons with this. On one hand, it means that if someone leaves your run, a new player can join to still keep the odds in your favor. It can also cut down wait times for those looking for a match. However, there have been reports of some frustrating spawns in close proximity to enemy players.
There is also a list as long as your arm of bug fixes, quality of life improvements, and balancing tweaks that you can find in the full patch notes here.
Dark and Darker Season 5 is live right now for all players. If you’re looking for similar vibes but you’re not the biggest fan of the extraction model, take a look at our lists of the best fantasy games and the best RPGs. You’ll find plenty of dungeon crawling, blade swinging, and spell casting within them.
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