Darkest Dungeon 2, once you cut through all the supporting shlock of brutal combat and Lovecraftian horror, is a game about four friends on a road trip. Inspired by classics of the genre, your party members share stories, drink whiskey at sunset, and deal with the aftermath of psychological meltdowns spurred on by the otherworldly cries of eldritch abominations. Classic road trip fare.
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The road trip as a format tends to emphasise the importance of the journey over the destination, and Darkest Dungeon 2 features plenty of lively locales for your team to trundle through on the way to their ultimate goal: the ever-looming Mountain. But which of them offer the most to prospective holidaymakers? Read on to browse our full brochure of the game’s beastly biomes.
7The Tangle
The knotted roots and twisting trees of The Tangle offer the ideal location for a true wild camping experience. Or at least they would, if the rain in the region ever stopped, or if it wasn’t an active war zone occupied by a sizable host of undead knights. As you journey through, the sharpened stakes that mark the sides of the road give way to cannons and barricades, and the less-travelled tracks run down to deep hollows, where great wolves and spiders await their next meal.
It would be easy to endure one ambush, one round of sword swipes and crossbow bolts, and declare your trip to The Tangle ruined, but to do so would be to miss out on the myriad pleasures the region has to offer. These include tours of historic keeps, strolls through storied groves, and, of course, the inimitable feeling of wringing out your hat and finally leaving the damn place. Some things money just can’t buy.
6The Sprawl
If you’re looking for an exciting urban getaway, The Sprawl is the city for you. Steeped in culture and history, literature literally courses through the city’s veins, spilling out into the streets from overflowing piles by the roadside. Granted, much of this literature is on fire, but that’s merely a reflection of the city’s passionate inhabitants.
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Said inhabitants, sometimes referred to less-than-charitably as ‘Fanatics’, invariably offer visitors a warm welcome, at least in the physical sense of the word. Push through that and strike up a conversation, and you may be able to get directions to the Great Library, The Sprawl’s chief tourist attraction. Inside, stunning architecture encloses shelf upon shelf of well-read volumes, catering to every possible taste. While many of these books are, again, on fire,the resident Librarianwill have no trouble finding what you’re looking for; before proceeding to set that on fire, too.
5The Valley
A thick Autumnal calm lies draped over The Valley, enfolding its thatched-roof cottages and tumbledown walls in a layer of hushed tranquility. This is an ideal site for the do-nothing days: the trips where you kick back, nurse a mug of warm coffee, and watch the leaves fall through the window pane, the light of the fireplace reflected in the glass.
Aside from the occasional unruly local approaching you on the road, you’ll find little in the way of distraction in The Valley: just a landscape of crisp leaves, smoking chimneys, and babbling brooks. It’s the perfect place to sit and be alone with your thoughts: thoughts which, in lieu of the impact of cosmic horrors upon them, may offer you some much-needed comfort before the real journey begins.
4The Sluice
Sometimes you just need to get off the beaten track, and explore somewhere fresh and new. It’s hard to get further from the beaten track than The Sluice, a secret underground network of tunnels and warrens inhabited by a distinct race of knife-wielding swine creatures. It’s a region so shrouded in secrecy that it doesn’t appear on any map, which ensures that every step you take there is into the brave unknown.
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If you can get past the piles of bones and strung-up carcasses along the road, you’ll find the residents of The Sluice a welcoming bunch, keen to educate you about their proud culture, in particular their love of sharp blades. They can be a rough crowd at times, but the memories you make in the darkness of their tunnels will truly last a lifetime. Provided you manage to find your way out, of course.
3The Foetor
Those looking to take their taste buds on a journey along with the rest of their body need to look no further than The Foetor. A fertile farming region, the rich soil here yields stalks that tower over the wagons of travellers, and nurtures animals that provide some of the most tender meat around. Food is so abundant in the region, in fact, that it can be found stacked by the side of the road for want of a place to store it.
The foodies are catered for, then, but what else does The Foetor have to offer? For history buffs, many recently-deceased members of the nobility can be found wandering the halls ofthe region’s grand houses, keen to offer you a hot meal and a look at their extensive family tree. If you don’t mind coming back from your holiday with your wallet a lot lighter and yourself a lot heavier, then The Foetor is the place for you.
2The Shroud
Golden beaches, circling gulls, seaside villages: The Shroud offers all of this and more, primed to drag you back down into the depths of your childhood for a nostalgic trip that will glow long in the memory. While the wooden boardwalks may seem rickety at first, you’ll soon forget the creaks as you lie back on the lukewarm sand, watching the Fisherfolk slowly advance from among the far-off waves.
Beyond the cosy charms of a quaint seaside retreat, The Shroud also provides the opportunity to immerse yourself in the rich culture of the aforementioned Fisherfolk. From their fascinating scientific advances in underwater breathing apparatus, to the Nessie-esque mystery oftheir patron deity, the Leviathan, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into here. Provided the locals don’t sink their teeth into you first.
1The Mountain
A wonderland of whirling wind and swirling snow, The Mountain provides a complete escape from the doldrums of the everyday. And, if you climb high enough, an escape from reality itself as well. With snow falling constantly all year round, the region is perfect for any kind of winter sport, from skiing to snowboarding. Just make sure you weave around the glowing eldritch monuments as you carve up the slopes, lest you get carved up yourself.
Aside from its natural beauty, The Mountain also hosts one of the true architectural wonders left in the world: the iconic Temple of the Iron Crown. Situated on The Mountain’s highest peak, with panoramic views of the valley below, the Temple is a stunning feat of the imagination, built of huge swords and mysterious glowing ore. Day tickets are reasonably priced, and will allow you to get very, very closely acquainted withthe Temple’s mysterious residentsas you tour its cyclopean halls.
