What you need to know
- Darkwood is a top-down horror game similar to Hotline Miami.
- The title requires you to escape a cursed forest before it consumes you.
- There is a strong focus on exploration and scavenging.
- The game is available for $15 on the Microsoft Store.
At Windows Central, we always try to bring you news about intriguing "AAA" games and smaller experiences. Today, a title called "Darkwood" launched on Xbox One for $15. It looks like Hotline Miami, but takes place in horror setting. According to publisher Crunching Koalas, the title is a "challenging survival horror" game that doesn't "rely on jump scares."
In order to succeed, you have to craft weapons, prepare traps, and fortify hideouts. The goal is to explore and scavenge the eerie forests of the Soviet Bloc by day, then hunker down in your hideout at night. Unfortunately, when the sun sets, nightmarish forces corrupt the woods. All you can really do at this point is to wait for the sun to come up the next morning. The team added, you have to make your way through the "bizarre world of Darkwood and delve into the secrets of its inhabitants to escape the infested land before it destroys your body and consumes your mind."
From the trailer, you can clearly see that there is an emphasis on strategy. Walking into the woods without being prepared — in terms of supplies — will result in instant death. Before you tackle the game's tougher challenges, you have to make sure that you're well-equipped to survive. This requires patience more than anything else. You can read about some of the main features below.
- No jump scares.
- Day and night cycle.
- Randomly-generated maps and events.
- Crafting, scavenging, and upgrading items.
- Skill and perks to develop your character.
- You learn as you go.
- The branching storyline allows you to shape the world.
Are you excited about Darkwood? Would you consider giving it a go on Xbox One? Let us know. There aren't that many top-down horror games out there, so it's definitely a unique experience.
How long can you survive?
Darkwood is a challenging survival horror game that does not rely on jump scares. Craft weapons, prepare traps, fortify hideouts — you will explore and scavenge the eerie forests of the Soviet Bloc by day, then hunker down in your hideout at night.
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