DLC REVIEW: ‘Darkest Dungeon II: The Binding Blade’ Is The Best Of What’s To Come (PC)

Darkest Dungeon II: The Binding Blade returns players to the darkest hours of reflection in Red Hook Studios’ first DLC set in the familiar gothic hellscape of personal trials. The DLC continues to test players’ grit and determination with two new heroes. While the Crusader is a familiar hero rejoining the ranks with inspiring cries that ease weighted minds, the other is a completely new class. The Duelist is a new hero with fancy footwork accompanied by flexible fun and strategy.

Upon purchasing Darkest Dungeon II: The Binding Blade, players will immediately have access to the Duelist. This new hero immediately registers as stylish and poised in her character design. Armed with a rapier and a slung shoulder-draped green cloak, Sahar carries herself as disciplined and calculated. Fitted with a silver-plated face guard that contours her expression, she can read a situation and prepare herself to adjust accordingly.

Within the first few encounters as the Duelist, movements feel quick and light. Sahar weaves up and down the battle positions that make her feel truly versatile. The Duelist brings something unique to the series that hasn’t been explored before which is stances. Her playstyle alternates between Defensive and Aggressive Stances, each yielding different effects.

While she moves similarly to the Jester, her highly disciplined fencing background prompts her skills with conditions that give her such mobility. Touche, for example, allows Sahar to inflict damage while also moving back one spot if she is in a Defensive Stance. Alternatively, an Aggressive Stance moves her forward one spot. Players can alternate between Stances by using skills like Preparation which switches to Aggressive while granting her multiple boons: strength, speed, and riposte damage or extra crit.

The road in Darkest Dungeon II is harsh and unpredictable. Stories of our beloved heroes begin to unravel as we help them reach some form of inner salvation. Unlike the Duelist, we acquire the Crusader through our persistence. Reynauld is lost and in need, and players will have to find him. Darkest Dungeon II: The Binding Blade DLC introduces a questline for the Crusader which add a bit of world building.

To start this quest, players need to reach the first Inn. At the Inn players are presented with The Lost Crusade Quest and a Crusader’s Helm Trophy. To activate this quest, the Crusader’s Helm Trophy needs to be equipped to your Stagecoach. Through trying to recruit Reynauld, players begin to encounter a couple of newer enemies that align with Reynauld’s story in the world. How quickly players reach Reynauld depend on the player’s playstyle and, of course, RNG. Items will drop during combat against these newer enemies that will inch you closer to reuniting with the Crusader.

Just as we remember him, the Crusader, is geared in plated armor. His weapon is a long two-handed sword, marked by visible chips that indicate he’s seen one too many battles. He’s a frontline fighter much like the Man-at-Arms, ready to take the biggest blow for his fellow heroes. While he commands the front of the line, he also comes prepared to support and encourage his allies with skills like Rallying Cry. This skill removes Combo Tokens, Daze, and Stun status aliments while adding Stun Resistance for an individual. The journey to retrieve the Crusader can be a lenghty challenge but rewarding, as he offers a balance to any party set up.

The addition of the Duelist is one the best compliments to the series, capturing the departure and growth from Darkest Dungeon. Darkest Dungeon II: The Binding Blade highlights how the updated graphics echo more life and movement for these once-silent and stiff heroes by utilizing Stances. Mechanically, it adds a bit more chaotic fun to expeditions as playstyle with the Duelist moves like a dance between the hero and enemies, pulling them towards or pushing them away. The return of the beloved Crusader through a questline adds a bit of spice that isn’t quite linear, giving Darkest Dungeon II the potential to expand on its world and how players will embark on future expeditions.

One refreshing and less talked about feature is how these heroes we’ve grown with begin to step out of the shadows from their former selves in Darkest Dungeon. Their idle sways and combat movements add an overlooked, unspoken narrative to these heroes not easily expressed through words. Darkest Dungeon II continues to distinguish itself by understanding how body language holds importance just as much as its mechanics. Undoubtedly, “The Binding Blade” is an exciting first DLC for Darkest Dungeon II that had me along for every wobbly stagecoach ride.

Darkest Dungeon II: The Binding Blade is now available on Steam and Epic Games.