A huge new Darkest Dungeon 2 update has landed in the game's experimental branch, bringing with it a massive overhaul to progression in the form of the Altar of Hope system, a new ally to help you on your way, and lots of gameplay and balance changes.
What's in the latest Darkest Dungeon 2 update?
Since its Early Access launch back in October last year, Darkest Dungeon 2 updates have been regularly released in accordance with player feedback. This latest update aims to address player progression through a new system called the Altar of Hope. It might seem a little complex to understand at first, but it's fairly simple when you break it down.
The Altar of Hope will give you the chance to collect Candles of Hope throughout your adventures. At the start of each adventure, you'll be given the opportunity to spend these Candles on a number of permanent buffs for areas and heroes. These buffs could include bonuses on reaching certain areas, for instance, or boosts for your heroes.
As well as these buffs, the Altar of Hope also gives you the chance to give your heroes Memories, which will persist beyond the final battle of a run. Your heroes will keep their Hero Path, quirks, and name if they've got Memories, and you can unlock Memories for your heroes using Candles of Hope. Make sure to take a look at Red Hook's full explanation for a complete breakdown of this new progression path.
It's not just the new progression path, though. You're also getting a new ally in the form of the Bounty Hunter, who is essentially Shadow from Final Fantasy VI. He's wandering from inn to inn, looking to get paid to complete a job. While he can still get Stressed, he won't gain or lose party affinity; he's here to get paid and nothing more.
The Bounty Hunter has a range of abilities including painful Caltrops, a ranged Hurlbat axe, and the ability to Stare Down monsters in order to weaken them. He'll be a valuable addition to your team, but remember: he's not here to make friends. The new update also adds a range of balance changes for general gameplay and specific heroes, so make sure to give the latest Darkest Dungeon 2 patch notes a look for more info on that.
You can grab Darkest Dungeon 2 on PC right now via the Epic Games Store, where it's in Early Access. The game is also due to make its way to Steam in February next year, when it releases in full. Just setting out in Darkest Dungeon 2's harsh, unforgiving world? Make sure to have a look at our guides so that navigating those eldritch labyrinths is just a little easier.
