Binding Blade Review – Bound for Greatness

Darkest Dungeon II: Binding Blade DLC on PC

On the subject of expansions, the Darkest Dungeon sequence is held in pretty excessive regard due to its distinctive expansions for the primary sport. Given this, it’s little shock followers have been eagerly anticipating the Binding Blade DLC for Darkest Dungeon II.

Providing two new characters to select from and an prolonged in-game quest that impacts runs, the brand new content material held the potential to provide gamers loads of new content material that builds on the bottom sport’s strong basis. Or at the very least, it did in concept. In follow, it might bathroom down the expertise with but extra mechanics and options to juggle, additional growing the issue of an already punishing sport.

Fortunately, I can safely report that Darkest Dungeon II: Binding Falls within the former camp. It not solely builds on what got here earlier than it, however does so in ways in which elevate the expertise considerably.

How the Binding Blade DLC does that is attention-grabbing too. In line with the sport’s roguelike design, it really works its new options and mechanics immediately into runs through an non-compulsory quest gamers can undertake. Whereas lively, stated quest duties them with monitoring down the Crusader Reynauld by accepting a trophy tied to him and monitoring down key gadgets scattered all through areas and throughout a number of runs.

Mentioned runs are additionally full of highly effective new enemies. Overcoming them requires each cautious selections and precise techniques in addition to the flexibility to weigh sacrifices, making it the right problem for individuals who have overcome the bottom sport’s hardest foes.

It’s not at all a straightforward feat, and I’d be mendacity if I stated it wasn’t a bit irritating that I needed to struggle via a number of runs to finish what was in any other case a easy quest quest. Likewise, the same old RNG parts might hamper my progress as nicely, with sadly timed crits on my characters stopping me from claiming a vital quest merchandise on the final minute.

Nonetheless, the sport does lower the participant some breaks with regards to finishing the DLC storyline. Specifically, key gadgets which might be collected aren’t completely misplaced upon a run’s completion, and will be retrieved on the Inn discovered at first of every run. It’s a small kindness, but it surely makes an enormous distinction and retains the content material from feeling insurmountable.

At worst, gamers would possibly must cycle via a number of runs till they get some good RNG by way of their early areas to make sure they’ll get far sufficient in a run to make tangible progress within the DLC.

Its additionally value noting that the DLC’s different new character, Sahar the Duelist, makes stated runs significantly simpler. Accessible from the get-go, she acts extra as a maneuverable attacker able to excessive harm hit and run techniques. Her talents show helpful not solely in fights tied to the DLC, however in customary battles as nicely, particularly given she synergizes so nicely with nearly the entire sport’s different characters and get together formations.

And naturally, as soon as they’ve gotten far sufficient to recruit Reynauld, gamers could have yet one more highly effective fighter of their software equipment. Filling a particular area of interest through a tank-ier construct and the flexibility to self-heal often, he can fill loads of tough roles inside one’s crew that make clearing even high-level runs that a lot simpler.

To high all of it off, the DLC managed to do extra than simply supply some enjoyable new content material to dig into — it made the bottom sport extra enjoyable to play as nicely. Even nicely after clearing the core quest of the growth, I used to be keen to maintain doing runs to see how the Duelist synergized with a given character or how nicely the Crusader might deal with a sure space.

It was the shot within the arm the sport wanted to develop into thrilling once more, and gamers who misplaced curiosity after the sport’s preliminary launch ought to discover precisely what they should fall in love with the sport yet again.

Minor gripes apart, Darkest Dungeon II: Binding Blade is an exemplary growth to the already spectacular base sport. Those that have been taking part in the sport since its launch earlier this 12 months will discover loads to sink their enamel into through the brand new characters and content material, whereas newcomers could have a number of extra nice causes to provide the sport an opportunity.

In regards to the writer

Keenan McCall

Keenan has been a nerd from an early age, watching anime and taking part in video games for so long as I can keep in mind. Since acquiring a bachelor’s diploma in journalism again in 2017, he has written hundreds of articles masking gaming, animation, and leisure matters galore.