Extraction shooters feel great to play because they provide players with a tangible risk vs. reward system they’re in control of, but what happens when a game removes the guns from the genre?
In Dark and Darker Mobile, players are thrown into a low fantasy world and tasked with exploring dungeons deep underground, in search of treasure. Once they find it, they must decide whether to keep searching or make a quick escape with what they’ve got, though the best treasure is always the deepest-in. Dungeon delves can also see you joined by other players who can either help or hinder you, adding yet another layer to the tension between spoils and survival.
When is the release date for Dark and Darker Mobile?
At the time of writing, the release window for Dark and Darker Mobile has been confirmed to be sometime in 2024. Krafton hasn’t provided a more specific window or date, so we’ll have to hold tight and see when the game hits smartphones. My hope is that it launches soon because I love the concept and wouldn’t be able to put it down easily if it were on my phone.
What platforms will Dark and Darker Mobile be available on?
Dark and Darker Mobile will be exclusive to iOS and Android devices. This is a version of the infamous PC game that’s been specifically developed for smartphones, so it likely won’t ever be released on any other devices. With that said, the fact that it’ll be available on the App Store and Google Play Store suggests it will work on tablets, but we’ll need to wait to see the official list of supported devices before this is confirmed.
What is Dark and Darker Mobile?
Dark and Darker Mobile is a low fantasy dungeon extraction title that plays off the extraction shooter genre. Instead of picking up guns and upgrades in a massive map, you explore a dungeon for treasure with limited equipment, picking up more as you go to help you delve deeper and defend against the horrific skeletons and other monsters within.
The core gameplay loop revolves around you avoiding traps, killing enemies, and locating treasure. You can then decide whether to leave the dungeon with your loot, or keep pushing on to find more. If you die, you lose everything, but you stand a much better chance of gaining more treasure if you play in a dungeon for longer and risk everything you’ve found so far for the chance to find something even better.
Of course, there could always be a twist. Any players that join you on your quest could turn around, at any point, to stab you in the back and claim your loot. You’ve got to implicitly trust those around you or kill them before they turn on you, taking their loot in the process.
There are a few game modes to choose from to keep players entertained, including an endgame dungeon mode with the best loot and most challenging enemies and traps, as well as an AI-companion mode that will keep players company as they explore. Dark and Darker Mobile has the potential to nurture a broad community of both PvE-focused players and those who prefer the PvP elements of extraction titles.
All classes in Dark and Darker Mobile
There are five classes in Dark and Darker Mobile. I’ve listed each of these below. You’ll notice that, like the PC version at launch, it still lacks a warlock or mage class.
- Ranger
- Cleric
- Barbarian
- Rogue
- Fighter
Every class has unique weapon and armor specializations to help them in dungeons, as well as their passive and active skills. You can only equip two active skills before you head into a dungeon, but you can add more passive skills to your character as they level up along your journey. This should give you the freedom to craft a class that’s perfect for your play style.
Is Dark and Darker Mobile multiplayer?
Yes, there is a multiplayer mode in Dark and Darker Mobile. In fact, there’s a dedicated PvP mode for those who want to hunt and kill other players to take advantage of. The base game mode will also be multiplayer, though the goal here isn’t to kill every other player as it is in the PvP mode.
Can you play Dark and Darker Mobile solo?
Yes, there are two solo modes for players in Dark and Darker Mobile. One is a PvE mode where players go it alone against a dungeon, and the other is a Sidekick mode that adds AI companions so solo players don’t feel lonely but also don’t need to worry about other real life players.
All Dark and Darker Mobile Trailers
Below, I’ve listed every trailer we’ve had for Dark and Darker Mobile. The game is pretty similar to the PC title, so the trailers show much of the same gameplay, but I think it’s important to know what you’re about to get into if you’re looking at a more approachable version.
The When Dark Grows Darker trailer was released alongside a slew of new details for the game, and really shows off that heightened tension you should expect.
The Story Behind the Dungeons trailer doesn’t add much. It’s more of a little lore video.
The Into the Depths trailer has some gameplay of Dark and Darker Mobile, and it looks fantastic for a mobile game.
The game’s first trailer is the best look at gameplay you could hope for. If you want to know what to expect as you explore each dungeon, this is the video to watch.
