4 Hardcore games like Darkest Dungeon® that you should try

It shares the essentials of what Darkest Dungeon® does: punishing difficulty, tactical combat and a medieval setting. Both also lean on single-player focus and 2D presentation. The distance is in setting — its own ground is a cartoon aesthetic.

What brings it close to Darkest Dungeon® is punishing difficulty, tactical combat and a medieval setting, and the two track each other on genre, game mode and tone. The common ground extends to single-player focus and 2D presentation. Where the two diverge is setting: a cartoon aesthetic.

It comes from the same genre as Darkest Dungeon® and shares strong narrative focus, procedural generation and tactical combat. To that it adds fantasy world and single-player focus. They part company on visuals and setting: this one brings a sci-fi setting and skill tree progression.

If Darkest Dungeon® worked for you because of punishing difficulty, procedural generation and tactical combat, the same is here. Both also lean on 2D presentation and single-player focus. The distance is in tone and visuals — its own ground is pixel art.