<s>
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
is	O
a	O
roguelike	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Red	O
Hook	O
Studios	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
first	O
released	O
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
in	O
January	O
2016	O
,	O
which	O
followed	O
a	O
year-long	O
early	O
access	O
development	O
period	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
that	O
year	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
,	O
and	O
Linux	B-Application
,	O
with	O
a	O
port	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
being	O
released	O
in	O
2017	O
,	O
and	O
ports	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
being	O
released	O
by	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
has	O
the	O
player	O
manage	O
a	O
roster	O
of	O
heroes	O
to	O
explore	O
dungeons	O
below	O
a	O
gothic	O
mansion	O
the	O
player	O
has	O
inherited	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Played	O
out	O
in	O
a	O
mix	O
of	O
real-time	O
movement	O
and	O
turn-based	O
combat	O
,	O
a	O
core	O
feature	O
of	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
is	O
the	O
stress	O
level	O
of	O
each	O
hero	O
that	O
increases	O
with	O
further	O
exploration	O
and	O
combat	O
;	O
a	O
character	O
sustaining	O
a	O
high-stress	O
level	O
may	O
gain	O
afflictions	O
that	O
will	O
hamper	O
,	O
or	O
possibly	O
enhance	O
,	O
their	O
performance	O
as	O
an	O
explorer	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Stress	O
Symbol	O
,	O
or	O
Iron	O
Crown	O
,	O
a	O
crescent	O
with	O
five	O
inward-facing	O
spikes	O
,	O
is	O
also	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
logo	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
II	I-Application
,	O
was	O
announced	O
in	O
February	O
2019	O
and	O
a	O
board	O
game	O
adaptation	O
is	O
also	O
in	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
is	O
a	O
role-playing	O
game	O
in	O
which	O
the	O
player	O
manages	O
a	O
roster	O
of	O
heroes	O
and	O
adventurers	O
to	O
explore	O
these	O
dungeons	O
and	O
fight	O
the	O
creatures	O
within	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
If	O
a	O
hero	O
dies	O
while	O
exploring	O
a	O
dungeon	O
,	O
that	O
hero	O
is	O
lost	B-Application
for	I-Application
good	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
core	O
element	O
of	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
is	O
its	O
Affliction	O
system	O
,	O
which	O
indicates	O
heroes	O
 '	O
stress	O
levels	O
or	O
resolves	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
(	O
DLC	B-Protocol
)	O
package	O
"	O
The	O
Crimson	O
Court	O
"	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
19	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
for	O
PC	O
and	O
August	O
22	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
introducing	O
a	O
Courtyard	O
environment	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
playable	O
class	O
,	O
a	O
faction	O
with	O
new	O
enemies	O
,	O
five	O
new	O
boss	O
encounters	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
new	O
trinkets	O
and	O
Hamlet	O
upgrade	O
buildings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Also	O
of	O
note	O
is	O
that	O
a	O
hero	O
can	O
be	O
turned	O
into	O
a	O
vampire	O
via	O
the	O
Crimson	O
Curse	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
status	O
effect	O
introduced	O
in	O
the	O
DLC	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
next	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
"	O
The	O
Colour	O
of	O
Madness	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
19	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Narratively	O
,	O
it	O
has	O
a	O
meteor	B-Language
crash	O
near	O
the	O
village	O
that	O
causes	O
some	O
of	O
the	O
villagers	O
to	O
turn	O
into	O
zombie-like	O
creatures	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
new	O
DLC	B-Protocol
pack	O
,	O
"	O
The	O
Butcher	O
's	O
Circus	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
May	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
outset	O
of	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
,	O
the	O
player	O
learns	O
that	O
they	O
have	O
inherited	O
an	O
estate	O
from	O
an	O
Ancestor	O
who	O
,	O
while	O
seeking	O
to	O
fulfill	O
his	O
ambiguous	O
ambitions	O
by	O
excavating	O
the	O
dungeons	O
and	O
catacombs	O
beneath	O
his	O
manor	O
,	O
has	O
unearthed	O
some	O
terrible	O
monstrosity	O
and	O
released	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
horrific	O
and	O
evil	O
creatures	O
and	O
corruptions	O
onto	O
the	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Eventually	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
is	O
able	O
to	O
enter	O
the	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
itself	O
,	O
the	O
source	O
of	O
the	O
land	O
's	O
corruption	O
,	O
taking	O
steps	O
to	O
reveal	O
its	O
ultimate	O
form	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
main	O
gameplay	O
of	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
started	O
out	O
as	O
a	O
tile-based	O
game	O
that	O
had	O
the	O
player	O
control	O
a	O
group	O
of	O
characters	O
as	O
they	O
moved	O
about	O
in	O
a	O
dungeon	O
,	O
eventually	O
transitioning	O
into	O
a	O
combat	O
mode	O
when	O
they	O
had	O
encounters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
worked	O
around	O
this	O
by	O
using	O
the	O
same	O
side-view	O
not	O
only	O
for	O
combat	O
but	O
for	O
dungeon	O
exploration	O
,	O
creating	O
the	O
basic	O
gameplay	O
of	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
was	O
an	O
idea	O
inspired	O
by	O
The	B-Device
Bard	I-Device
's	I-Device
Tale	I-Device
,	O
but	O
they	O
were	O
able	O
to	O
expand	O
upon	O
it	O
to	O
create	O
interesting	O
situations	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
having	O
characters	O
pulled	O
out	O
of	O
rank	O
by	O
an	O
enemy	O
attack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bourassa	O
and	O
Sigman	O
noted	O
that	O
while	O
they	O
are	O
fans	O
of	O
classic	O
role-playing	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
The	B-Device
Bard	I-Device
's	I-Device
Tale	I-Device
,	O
Eye	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Beholder	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Ultima	B-Application
Underworld	I-Application
,	O
most	O
of	O
these	O
games	O
lacked	O
the	O
human	O
element	O
to	O
the	O
characters	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Because	O
of	O
the	O
importance	O
of	O
the	O
Affliction	O
system	O
to	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
,	O
the	O
developers	O
spent	O
significant	O
time	O
to	O
make	O
sure	O
that	O
the	O
impact	O
of	O
stress	O
and	O
afflictions	O
were	O
emphasized	O
dramatically	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
presentation	O
,	O
using	O
special	O
graphics	O
and	O
sound	O
cues	O
to	O
signal	O
the	O
onset	O
of	O
an	O
affliction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Lovecraft	O
works	O
prior	O
to	O
developing	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
which	O
partially	O
inspired	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
was	O
first	O
released	O
in	O
Steam	B-Application
's	O
early	O
access	O
program	O
on	O
January	O
30	O
,	O
2015	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
this	O
change	O
was	O
generally	O
met	O
with	O
approval	O
,	O
a	O
number	O
of	O
these	O
players	O
remained	O
bitter	O
about	O
the	O
game	O
throughout	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
its	O
development	O
,	O
and	O
attempted	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
studio	O
's	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
reputation	O
derided	O
by	O
Jim	O
Sterling	O
,	O
who	O
has	O
frequently	O
been	O
critical	O
of	O
Steam	B-Application
and	O
Early	O
Access	O
titles	O
;	O
Sterling	O
instead	O
found	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
be	O
enjoyable	O
even	O
with	O
this	O
change	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
cross-buy	O
version	O
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
were	O
originally	O
planned	O
for	O
release	O
in	O
the	O
second	O
quarter	O
of	O
2016	O
,	O
but	O
was	O
pushed	O
back	O
to	O
Q3	O
2016	O
to	O
improve	O
playability	O
with	O
the	O
Sony	O
controllers	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
to	O
prepare	O
these	O
versions	O
to	O
align	O
with	O
new	O
features	O
to	O
be	O
introduced	O
in	O
the	O
personal	O
computer	O
versions	O
prior	O
to	O
this	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
first	O
major	O
update	O
in	O
May	O
2016	O
following	O
its	O
full	O
release	O
,	O
"	O
Everything	O
Burns	O
"	O
,	O
which	O
among	O
bug	B-Error_Name
fixes	O
and	O
other	O
small	O
improvements	O
,	O
adds	O
in	O
Town	O
Events	O
,	O
whereupon	O
return	O
to	O
the	O
town	O
the	O
player	O
may	O
encounter	O
a	O
random	O
reward	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
an	O
extra	O
recruit	O
to	O
join	O
their	O
party	O
or	O
the	O
temporary	O
closure	O
of	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
town	O
facilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
first	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
"	O
The	O
Crimson	O
Court	O
"	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
19	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
on	O
personal	O
computers	O
with	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
version	O
to	O
come	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Integration	O
with	O
Steam	B-Application
Workshop	O
was	O
added	O
in	O
an	O
April	O
2017	O
update	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Red	O
Hook	O
plans	O
to	O
develop	O
additional	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
,	O
to	O
develop	O
for	O
other	O
platforms	O
,	O
specifically	O
highlight	O
touch-based	O
devices	O
as	O
they	O
found	O
their	O
interface	O
is	O
already	O
well-suited	O
to	O
this	O
input	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
version	O
for	O
iPad	B-Device
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
24	O
,	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
version	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
transfer	O
save	O
files	O
from	O
the	O
personal	O
computer	O
editions	O
to	O
use	O
with	O
the	O
iPad	B-Device
version	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
version	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
January	O
18	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
via	O
Nintendo	B-Application
eShop	I-Application
,	O
alongside	O
availability	O
of	O
"	O
The	O
Crimson	O
Court	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
The	O
Shieldbreaker	O
"	O
DLC	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
version	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
28	O
,	O
2018	O
;	O
it	O
will	O
initially	O
be	O
released	O
as	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
:	O
Crimson	O
Edition	O
which	O
will	O
include	O
the	O
"	O
Crimson	O
Court	O
"	O
content	O
at	O
a	O
discount	O
;	O
after	O
two	O
months	O
,	O
that	O
version	O
will	O
be	O
replaced	O
with	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
with	O
additional	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
including	O
"	O
Crimson	O
Court	O
"	O
,	O
that	O
can	O
be	O
purchased	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
Ancestral	O
Edition	O
that	O
includes	O
all	O
DLC	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
2018	O
,	O
publisher	O
Merge	O
Games	O
released	O
a	O
retail	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
both	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Switch	O
,	O
subtitled	O
as	O
Ancestral	O
Edition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Another	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
The	O
Color	O
of	O
Madness	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PC	O
versions	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
on	O
June	O
19	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
free	O
DLC	B-Protocol
expansion	O
,	O
Butcher	O
's	O
Circus	O
,	O
which	O
adds	O
a	O
player	O
versus	O
player	O
mode	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
May	O
28	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Escapist	O
awarded	O
it	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
4	O
out	O
of	O
5	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
will	O
kill	O
your	O
party	O
,	O
drive	O
you	O
insane	O
,	O
and	O
leave	O
you	O
a	O
gibbering	O
mess	O
at	O
the	O
Sanitarium	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
IGN	O
awarded	O
it	O
9.1	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
is	O
a	O
punishing	O
and	O
awesome	O
game	O
of	O
tactics	O
,	O
management	O
,	O
and	O
pushing	O
your	O
luck	O
to	O
the	O
breaking	O
point.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
PC	O
Gamer	O
awarded	O
it	O
88%	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
A	O
wonderfully	O
executed	O
,	O
brilliantly	O
stressful	O
reinvention	O
of	O
party-based	O
dungeon-crawling	O
,	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
is	O
great	O
fun	O
,	O
even	O
when	O
it	O
’s	O
cruel.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
awarded	O
it	O
a	O
score	O
of	O
9	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
plays	O
the	O
long	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Red	O
Hook	O
Studios	O
reported	O
that	O
a	O
week	O
after	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
2016	O
release	O
,	O
over	O
650,000	O
copies	O
of	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
had	O
been	O
sold	O
,	O
including	O
those	O
from	O
Kickstarter	O
backers	O
and	O
Early	O
Access	O
purchases	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
three	O
2016	O
Independent	O
Games	O
Festival	O
awards	O
:	O
the	O
Seumas	O
McNally	O
Grand	O
Prize	O
and	O
for	O
Excellence	O
in	O
Visual	O
Art	O
and	O
Audio	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
the	O
same	O
NAVGTR	O
Awards	O
the	O
following	O
year	O
,	O
The	O
Crimson	O
Court	O
DLC	B-Protocol
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
"	O
Game	O
,	O
Franchise	O
Role	O
Playing	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Performance	O
in	O
a	O
Drama	O
,	O
Supporting	O
"	O
for	O
June	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Red	O
Hook	O
announced	O
Darkest	B-Application
Dungeon	I-Application
2	I-Application
in	O
February	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
