Summary
Some players have found that they prefer theDark and DarkercloneDungeonborneto the original game due to some key differences. Originally, it looked likeDark and Darkerwouldn’t be released at alldue to the game’s legal troubles. Perhaps this inspiredDungeonbornedeveloper Mithril Interactive to release such a similar game. However, now that both games are out, players are trying to decide which is right for them.
SomeDark and Darkerplayers balk at the notion of playingDungeonborne, seeing it as a somewhat shameless ripoff of the former. That said,Dungeonbornehas made some quality-of-life improvementsthat others find make the game more appealing thanDark and Darker. The easiest way to choose between the two dungeon looters is to look at their major differences.
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10Dark And Darker Has More Class Customization
Dark And Darker Has 9 Classes To Dungeonborne’s 8
Players looking for more character customization options will likely gravitate towardDark and DarkeroverDungeonborne. At the moment,Dark and Darkerhas nine classes to choose from, whereasDungeonborneonly has eight. Additionally,Dark and Darker’s classes have a much wider range of skillsand passive abilities for players to choose from.
Using a class that is in both games as an example, Fighters inDungeonbornehave four skills and five passive abilities. Players can also only use two skills at one time. Meanwhile, Fighters inDark and Darkercan choose two of eight skills to equip, and have a list of 12 passive abilities. This increased range of customizable options makes it easier for players to create a character that best fits their playstyle.
It’s worth noting that the numbers here may change over time. Originally,Dark and Darkerhad far fewer class options than it does now. It isn’t out of the question thatDungeonbornecould catch up at some point, but for now,Dark and Darkergets the edge here.
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9Dungeonborne Looks More Polished
Dungeonborne’s Graphics Are More Sleek, But Lack Some Character
One noticeable difference betweenDungeonborneandDark and Darkeris how the games look.Dungeonborne’s graphics are undeniably smoother and more polished thanDark and Darker. The presentation style has been a little polarizing. While some players have noted that this makesDungeonbornelook like a generic mobile game, others have said they prefer themore photo-realistic graphics to those ofDark and Darker.
ThoughDark and Darker’s graphics may be slightly less polished, they do feel more unique. The uneven bricks of the game’s dungeon walls have a lot more character to them than the smoother textures ofDungeonborne. The difference in graphics isn’t so vast that there is a clear winner in this department; instead, it comes down to the player’s subjective thoughts on either game. Some may preferDungeonborne’s cleaner aesthetic, while others will find thatDark and Darker’s less polished graphics add atmosphere to the experience.
8Enemy AI Is Much Better In Dark And Darker
It Is Easy To Avoid Attacks And Cheese Enemies In Dungeonborne
PVE is a significant part of bothDungeonborneandDark and Darker. However, the PVE experience in both games is one of the biggest differences between them at the moment.Dark and Darker’s AI enemies pose a serious threatto the player, especially the boss monsters on each level. It’s not uncommon for players to die without even running into an enemy team due to a bad encounter with the game’s challenging AI.
Dungeonborne’s PVE,on the other hand,does not pose much of a challenge to players. The enemy AI is much easier to read, and players can easily take down a room full of enemies without losing much if any, health. This creates a very different experience, as players will likely be rushing to kill as many AI enemies as possible to stock up on resources for PVP. Meanwhile, players inDark and Darkerare forced to weigh when it’s worth risking PVE combat for loot, and when they need to conserve their strength.
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7Dungeonborne Gives Better Indications About Damage
Dungeonborne Uses Numbers To Show Damage
One nice featureDungeonbornehas overDark and Darkeris visual feedback about the amount of damage a given attack does. Each time a player hits an enemy, numbers will display how much damage was done. This allows players to track how effective their attacks are and get a good estimate of how much HP that specific enemies have. This is especially helpful for PVP, since knowing how close an opponent is to dying helps make good strategic choices.
Dark and Darker,on the other hand,keeps health and damage numbers obscured. There are some upsides to this. It creates a nice sense of tension in any battle, as players have to guess how much longer it will go on. The frame is also less busy, so players won’t get distracted by the numbers popping up on the screen. That said, having information about when an enemy will die is often more useful than having a better atmosphere, so competitive players will likely prefer having the numbers.
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6Dark And Darker Is Closer To Dungeons And Dragons
Dark And Darker Uses D&D Class And Spell Names
Part of the appeal ofDark and Darkeris that it feels likea real-time translation ofDungeons & Dragons’ mechanics. All classes inDark and Darkershare names and traits withD&Dclasses, making it an excellent way for players to visualize whatDungeons & Dragonscombat would look like if it weren’t turn-based. This also makes it easier forD&Dfans to hop into the otherD&D(Dark and Darker) and have a good baseline understanding of what each class will do and how to play them.
Dungeonborne,on the other hand, has mostly unique class names that differentiate it from bothD&DandDark and Darker. Apart from Fighters, Rogues, and Druids,Dungeonborneshares no class names with the other game. This is in part tied withDungeonborne’s more stripped-down class options. For example,Dungeonbornehas Cryomancers and Pyromancers, spellcasters focused on ice and fire spells respectively. Meanwhile,Dark and Darker’s Wizards can cast a wider range of spell types, including both ice and fire spells, which is more similar to Wizards fromD&Dand other TTRPGs.
5Dungeonborne’s Spellcasting Is Limited
Dungeonborne Spellcasters Have Only Two Spells At Once
BecauseDungeonborneclasses are limited to fewer skills,spellcasters have a much more limited capacity to use magicthan theirDark and Darkercounterparts. Priests, for example, have only the ability to cast four different support spells. This makes them a much less versatile class thanDark and Darker’s Clerics, which can choose from both support spells and powerful damage skills like Holy Purification, which is commonly used to clear rooms of undead enemies.
Dark and Darker’s spell wheelallows players to choose from up to five spellsbased on their character’s ability to memorize them. This gives spellcasting classes a wider range of utility, both during a single game and from game to game if players want to respec. That said, some players may prefer a more streamlined experience, even if that means fewer options.Dungeonborne’s style of spellcasting does mean a lower skill ceiling, which may make it inviting for less experienced players.
4Dark And Darker’s Combat Mechanics Are Deeper
Dark And Darker Pays Attention To Where Players Hit Enemies
It isn’t justDark and Darker’s classes and abilities that go deeper thanDungeonborne’s but also in its basic combat mechanics.Dungeonbornedoesn’t really care where a player hits an enemywith an attack, so long as they make contact.Dark and Darker,on the other hand, changes the amount of damage done based on different parts of the body. This means players with better aim can score extra damage by hitting enemies in weak points like the head.
Aside from aiming being more important inDark and Darker, its combat is also a bit trickier to figure out in general. Combat animations vary wildly from weapon to weapon and can take some time to get the hang of. This almost gives the combat a similar feel to a Soulslike, where understanding the timing of moves is very important before launching an attack. In contrast,Dungeonbornehas more straightforward combat timing, which can make its combat a bit more forgiving.
3Dungeonborne Has More Open Environments
Players Never See The Sky In Dark And Darker
One thing players will see inDungeonbornethat isn’t inDark and Darkeris larger outdoor areas.Dungeonborne’s maps include things likeopen-air courtyards in addition to interior parts of the map. This is a big change fromDark and Darker’s maps, which all take place inside, and presumably far underground.Dark and Darker’s maps don’t have windows or a skybox, instead they are simply a series of indoor rooms.
This difference gives the environments in both games a markedly different feeling.Dungeonbornefeels a bit more like a fully realized space, as players see both the inside and outside of buildings.Dark and Darkerhas a much more claustrophobic feel, and players have a sense that they are just exploring a very small part of a larger world. Some players may like the atmosphere of being trapped in a dungeon better, while others likely preferDungeonborne’s mixture of interior and exterior locations.
2Dungeonborne Is More Beginner Friendly
Dungeonborne’s Simplified Gameplay Makes It Less Frustrating For New Players
Dungeonborne’s simpler mechanics and less complex character classes serve to make the gamemore accessible for newer players. Having less to figure out about each class means it takes quicker for players to experiment with everything they can do and find the one they want to master. It also means that newer players aren’t starting off as far behind the competition, since they don’t have to worry about leveling up to access better spells or active skills for their character.
In this type of game, some players may preferDungeonborne’s more beginner-friendly atmosphere. Starting out inDark and Darkercan be frustrating for some players, and the game’s added complexities mean it takes longer for them to feel comfortable. Higher-level players will also have more of a leg up inDark and Darkerbecause they have access to better skills. If players simply want to hop on and play casually,Dungeonborneis likely the better option of the two, as it takes less commitment to get good at it.
1Dungeonborne Is More Dependent On Gear
Dungeonborne’s Characters Don’t Gain As Much While Leveling Up
Characters inDungeonborneonly ever have the same two skills. Though they will gain some new passive abilities from leveling up, level progression doesn’t have as much impact as it does inDark and Darker. That means players inDungeonbornehave to rely a bit more on finding and keeping good gear to advance.
Luckily,Dungeonbornemakes acquiring gear and escaping with it easier thanDark and Darker. For one, the easier-to-defeat enemies inDungeonborneprovide players with more opportunities to loot something valuable. There are also more portals to escape a dungeon than inDark and Darker, making it easier and less competitive to find a way out.
While these differences in gameplay are not substantial enough to stop players from accusingDungeonborneof simply being aDark and Darkerclone, they are meaningful enough that players will likely have a preference between the two games. It will be interesting to see if this means thatDungeonbornewill double down on simpler classes and lean into the major differences between itself and its inspiration. With both games offered for free on Steam, players are free to decide for themselves which they like better.
