It has been a long wait for Darkest Dungeon fans, but Red Hook Studios has quietly opened the doors to the Hamlet once again.
The Fire’s Edge is a surprise new DLC for the unforgiving turn-based RPG, adding two heroes from Darkest Dungeon II, fresh combat mechanics, new Hamlet Districts and more. It is available now on PC, PlayStation and Xbox, with Nintendo Switch following on August 20th.
Priced at £5.49, it’s an unexpected return for a game that hasn’t received new content in six years.
At A Glance
- Game: Darkest Dungeon – The Fire’s Edge
- Developer: Red Hook Studios
- Publisher: Red Hook Studios
- Platforms: PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, Xbox One, Switch
- Price: £5.49
Two New Heroes Join The Fight
The headline additions are The Runaway and The Duelist, both of whom first appeared in Darkest Dungeon II before making the trip back to the original game.
The Runaway brings a particularly fiery approach to combat, introducing the Burn damage type while also making use of fire and stealth. She’s a flexible damage dealer who can work especially well alongside parties that make use of Stuns, Pulls, Knockbacks and Shuffles.
The Duelist is rather different. She can move between positions in the party while maintaining Riposte, switching between Defensive and Aggressive stances depending on the situation. Getting the most from her means thinking ahead and planning future turns, making her a more demanding addition for experienced players.
New Tricks For The Dungeon
The Fire’s Edge also adds some new mechanics to change how expeditions play out.
New Trinket mechanics include Trigger Uses, Quest Charges and Progressive Trinkets, giving players more unusual ways to equip and develop their heroes during their adventures. And alongside that, the DLC also gives modders some additional tools to play with through new combat and Trinket mechanics, while an improved mod manager is planned for a follow-up update before the end of August.
The Hamlet Gets Three New Districts
Back at the Hamlet, three new Districts provide some extra ways to develop your home base.
Academie Duello, Craftworks and Archaeological Base Camp each bring their own benefits, including weekly Heirloom and Trinket bounties and damage boosts for heroes.
New Town Events have also been added, giving players more variety to deal with between expeditions.
A Fitting Return For Darkest Dungeon
The Fire’s Edge arrives during Darkest Dungeon’s 10th anniversary year, marking a rather fitting time for Red Hook Studios to revisit the original game.
Darkest Dungeon: The Fire’s Edge doesn’t try to reinvent the experience either. Instead, it gives an already excellent foundation some fresh possibilities through two distinctive heroes, new mechanics and additional Hamlet options. Considering how long it has been since the original game received new content, simply having another reason to head back into those grim dungeons feels pretty special.
Just don’t expect the horrors waiting inside to have become any more welcoming.
You’ll find the DLC on the usual storefronts. Like that of the Xbox Store.
