After nearly two years of being exclusively focused on player-versus-player combat, Ironmace's extraction RPG Dark and Darker has finally embraced cooperative gameplay with its Season 6 update. The long-awaited PvE mode arrives as part of the early access launch, giving players a new way to experience the dungeon-crawling adventure without the constant threat of being ambushed by other adventurers.
Adventure Mode: A New Way to Play
Season 6's headline feature is the introduction of Adventure Mode, a purely PvE experience that allows players to team up with friends to battle monsters and bosses without worrying about hostile player encounters. This addition addresses long-standing requests from the community who have been seeking a less competitive way to enjoy the game's dungeon-crawling mechanics. The mode offers a more relaxed approach to exploration while still maintaining challenging combat against AI opponents.
Season 6 Key Additions:
- PvE-exclusive Adventure Mode
- 4 new Inferno monsters: Demon Imp, Ghoul, Demon Fly, Hell Maggot
- 3 new Inferno sub-bosses: Cerberus, Dreadspine, Abomination
- New High-Roller boss summoning system
- 2 new throwable items: Poison Vial and Ghostdust Pouch
- 3 new craftable items: Staff of Gluttony, Crystal Frost Ring, Tome of Sheol
Risk and Reward Rebalancing
To accommodate the new PvE focus, Ironmace has adjusted the risk-reward balance across all game modes. Monster difficulties, loot drops, and other settings have been modified to provide varying risk profiles depending on your chosen mode. This ensures that while Adventure Mode removes the threat of player ambushes, it still presents appropriate challenges and rewards to maintain gameplay engagement.
New Monsters and Bosses
Season 6 introduces significant new content to populate its dungeons. Four new Inferno monsters have been added: Demon Imp, Ghoul, Demon Fly, and Hell Maggot. Additionally, three new Inferno sub-bosses join the roster: Cerberus, Dreadspine, and Abomination. The update also includes new patterns for existing Nightmare creatures like the Ice Spider, Harpy, and Wendigo, ensuring that even veteran players will face fresh challenges.
High-Roller Boss Summoning System
A new boss summoning mechanic has been implemented for high-level play, allowing players to craft special items to summon powerful bosses including the Lich, Warlord, Ghost King, and Frost Wyvern. Ironmace has indicated that more bosses will be added in future updates, expanding the endgame content available to dedicated players.
Marketplace Closure and Economy Changes
In an interesting move to encourage self-found gameplay, Ironmace has temporarily closed the Dark and Darker trade market for the first two weeks of Season 6. This includes both the marketplace and trading post, pushing players to hunt for and protect their own loot rather than simply purchasing upgrades. This change suggests the developer is trying to emphasize the extraction aspect of their self-described extraction RPG.
Account-Wide Quality of Life Improvements
Several quality-of-life improvements have been implemented, including account-wide merchant services and marketplace access. This means players no longer need to switch characters to access their preferred vendors or trading services. Additionally, crafting limits for most items have been increased from 1 to 3 per crafting period, giving players more flexibility in gear progression.
Quality of Life Improvements:
- Account-wide merchant services
- Account-wide marketplace access
- Increased crafting limits (1 → 3 per period)
- Expressman service between dungeon floors
- Improved monster movements with new IK system
- Separated brightness options for more precise control
Pricing and Availability
Dark and Darker Season 6 entered early access on April 10, 2023. The base game is available for free, but players can purchase a premium Legendary upgrade at a 30% discount, currently priced at USD $21 / GBP £16.27.
Extensive Bug Fixes
The Season 6 update also addresses numerous bugs and technical issues, from skill activation problems to map collision errors. These fixes improve overall game stability and address exploits that affected gameplay balance, such as Sorcerers using Electric Dash to cross unopened drawbridges or Druids using Rat Form to escape map boundaries in certain locations.
Looking Forward
With the addition of PvE gameplay, Dark and Darker has significantly expanded its appeal to players who prefer cooperative experiences over competitive ones. This major update represents a new direction for the game that could attract a broader audience while still maintaining the challenging dungeon-crawling experience that core fans enjoy. As the early access period continues, it will be interesting to see how Ironmace balances these different play styles and expands upon the foundation laid by Season 6.