Darkest Dungeon 2 is getting a bit of a visual update over its predecessor. While it keeps the gothic aesthetics of the first Darkest Dungeon, there’s a new “dimensionality” to the art style.
In the first real look at Darkest Dungeon 2, Red Hook Studios showed off a slick new visual style that is faithful to the first Darkest Dungeon but translates the world into 3D. Darkest Dungeon 2 will feature 3D environments and gameplay portions, but the combat and characters still retain the 2D look.
Check out the trailer below.
It’s a successful way to update the character models without losing any of the artistic elements that made the original visual style so beloved. By adding new 3D models while keeping the hand-drawn look of the original, Darkest Dungeon 2 gets the best of both worlds.
Darkest Dungeon 2 is set to be released for Epic Games early access on October 26. Six classes from the first Darkest Dungeon will be returning for the sequel, as well as a tuned-up combat system that will build on top of the original.
The first look gameplay certainly did seem to keep in line with the original combat, but we’ll have to wait until we get our hands on the title to dig deeper into the full changes. In the meantime, check out IGN’s review of the first Darkest Dungeon.
Matt T.M. Kim is IGN's News Editor. You can reach him @lawoftd.