Darkest Dungeon 2's Latest Kingdoms Update Transforms the Franchise Into a Turn-Based Strategy

Darkest Dungeon 2 is releasing a new update for free that adds an all-new campaign game mode known as Kingdoms, transforming the franchise into a turn-based strategy series.

The latest update was first revealed during the Triple-I Initiative showcase and is set to roll out as a free content update later this year. The new mode would challenge players to find and defeat a grave threat to the Kingdom, which is a realm that is made up of a network of safe haven inns.

Darkest Dungeon 2's Kingdom Update

Darkest Dungeon 2's Latest Kingdoms Update Transforms the Franchise Into a Turn-Based Strategy — Red Hook Studios is releasing the new Kingdoms update for Darkest Dungeon 2 for free and will add a new game mode that turns the franchise into a turn-based strategy game.
(Photo : Red Hook Studios / Screenshot taken from official website)

Players diving into the new game mode will have to travel across corrupted lands while fighting back against incursions of evil and collecting resources that they can use to upgrade their heroes. These can also be used to increase the inns' defenses through "extensive upgrade trees."

The new Kingdoms will be available to play separately from Darkest Dungeon 2's original Confessions mode. It will also include unique quest lines and three new monster factions known as the Coven, the Beastmen, and the Crimson Couriers, according to PCGamer.

The free content update promises to incorporate some gameplay elements from the original Darkest Dungeon game in the franchise. This is what veterans of the series will no doubt appreciate with the upcoming patch.

The co-founder and creative director of Red Hook Studios, Chris Bourassa, said that Kingdoms is "an exciting project for us." He noted that based on their release history, no game or DLC has ever retread ground, adding that they are proud to continue that tradition moving forward.

Bourassa said that the new Kingdoms game mode will blend some of the permanence and roster management of the original Darkest Dungeon. It would also mix in the traversal and combat that players experience in Darkest Dungeon 2.

The Red Hook Studios CEO also said that the new update seems almost like hitting a "remix button." They borrowed some of the stuff that they believe worked well in the original game, in terms of persistence and an overworld. This is as opposed to having players locked into a looping run, said Rock Paper Shotgun.

A New and Thrilling Game Mode

In the new game mode, players are given control of eight heroes in total, four of which will be able to travel in the stagecoach while the other four will protect the inns. Knowing how to properly manage your party is crucial to beating the legions of enemies and later on the boss.

Each hero will have their own unique set of abilities and skills that will be useful against various enemies or biomes. Bourassa said that Kingdoms tries to balance between picking and choosing characters for parties and committing to a single band of adventures as seen in the first and second games, respectively.

Bourassa said that the most important thing to note about the new update is that it is completely free and packs Red Hook Studios' flagship title with even more content and value for players. He added that they evaluate projects based on their potential to elicit surprise, delight, and despair, according to GameInformer.