Darklands

Darklands
N/A
Metacritic
91
Steam
73.411
xDR
Our rating is calculated based on the reviews and popularity of the game.
Price
$4.54
Release date
17 October 2014
Developers
Publishers
Steam reviews score
Total
91 (190 votes)

Deep in the twilight of the Black Forest, you and your companions crouch before the robber-knight's tower. Hans, the alchemist, places his mysterious potion by the door. Ebhard the friar implores Saint Dunstan to bless your weapons and armor. And you and Gretchen grip naked long swords, praying your plate mail won't squeak.

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Darklands system requirements

Minimum:

  • OS: Windows XP / Vista / 7
  • Processor: 1.0 GHz Processor
  • Memory: 512 MB RAM
  • Graphics: 100% DirectX compatible graphics
  • Storage: 500 MB available space
  • Sound Card: 100% DirectX compatible card or onboard sound
Updated
App type
Steam APP ID
327930
Platforms
Windows PC
Mac
Linux
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TheBadness
TheBadness

played this when i was a kid in like 1994. One of the best rpg experiences i had at the time and even today is worth a try.

Be sure to look up the manual for this game online and save a copy of it before you start playing. Every time you leave a town, you might be asked a question which the answer to is only found in the manual.

When i first played this game i didn't have the manual and had to try through trial and error which symbols meant what and hand write them in a notebook. If you get the question wrong, the game will exit out, losing all progress unless you do what i did, which was to save the game every time you leave a town. This was essentially the game dev's version of piracy protection back then.

Sigmund de la Froid
Sigmund de la Froid

I have never spent more time in character creation than with this stupid game. I think making your party IS the game, all the boring crap that comes after that is just window dressing.

I love Darklands, I think it was ambitious and amazing, but if you aren't at least 40 you probably won't have the patience to appreciate it.

figureoflife
figureoflife

I played this game on PC almost 30 years ago. It has respectable depth, although even then it had some problems which would cause crashes. This port wasn't handled well and the game on Steam is too buggy to enjoy. As some other reviewers have mentioned, there is copyright protection on this which requires the manual. One of the issues that occurs is that you know where you want to click through the menus, so you're quickly navigating that, and then the copyright protection pops up and just closes the game. You lose a lot of time that way. Also, the game crashes sometimes when loading. The save/load system is difficult to navigate so you have to name your games precisely or you don't know where you were in some of the important areas. There is no quest tracking, so you have to write it all down (I don't mind that part too much, but it's worth noting). It still runs as though you're running it on a 486 DX: It's SLOWWWWWWW. The game really should have been cleaned up. The underlying gameplay could be quite fun, but the bugs and sloth of it all are too much. A rebuild would be worthwhile. (I played this for nostalgia and ended up giving up because of all the problems above. I definitely do not recommend.)

Battlemage
Battlemage

DARKLANDS deserves the DAGGERFALL Unity treatment, however most of the time I drop Dos games, but this one I couldn't resist it's charm even with all it's flaws from minor technical issues to it's (not so much) crashes, it's truly a magnificent experience that'll live forever. To me this game is the ideal historical simulator, it combines my favorite elements into one unique game.

The game director, Arnold Hendrick was working on a spiritual successor to DARKLANDS, but unfortunately he died recently in 2020, however the game development will continue according to his friend "https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/darklands-creator-arnold-hendrick-h…"

For those who want another historical experience sharing not much far location of DARKLANDS must play KINGDOM COME: DELIVERANCE, it's 15th century and it's the Holy Roman Empire.

rademachermatt
rademachermatt

I loved this game when it first came out. the style and the graphics were very good at the time. I, of course, had to download it and try it again when it saw it here. Unfortunately , it is dated and the controls are a bit difficult. Still, I wish that someone would update this game. The game play was great, and the alchemy was very good.

Langley
Langley

From the decade of ambitious RPG's. Enjoy the learning curve, having everything statted, and having your armor melted from your body because in the 90's, you weren't a special snowflake. 10 out of 10.

Agent_Blue
Agent_Blue

An old, but brilliantly detailed game; set in a darkly brooding low-fantasy setting that could perhaps be analogous with game of thrones' tone. A band of mercenaries work together to survive; and hope to grow wealthy and famous in a brutally dangerous medieval germany. Rumours of shadows in the sky. Unholy rituals by bands of demon-fueled witches; or are they simply pagans practicing their dying religion? The bankers of the Medici and the Hansceatic league pull purse-strings; but will they ask too much, or betray your trust?

The graphics are dated now, and the gameplay unforgiving; but in the early-mid ninties; DARKLANDS consumed so much of my time and focus because it is SO richly detailed, and the story both enormously open; and dazzlingly focussed. It was and is a magnificent game; and I'm so glad to see a port of it now.

Zedgamer
Zedgamer

This is an amazingly sophisticated game considering it dates back to the DOS operating system era. Graphics are primitive, but the gameplay and content more than make up for the lack of video dazzle. I still come back to play this game when I get tired of the newer RPG entries, and I have been playing this game for over 20 years. The Steam version of this game automates DosBox and makes it simple to play in a modern Windows environment. Also included in the Steam file folder are useful bonuses including the Original Manual, a Clue Book, and a Map.

The Steam version is stable, and I have not encountered any crashes in over 70 hours of gameplay. There are some bugs in the original game that still carry over, including a random change in the party's clothing color scheme, and some strange behavior in the inventory in certain circumstances if there is more than 254 of an item, but these are easily dealt with in-game.

pyeless
pyeless

This is old school gaming at its best.
What it's got...real story line and challenging replay ability.
What it doesn't have ...new graphics and sound.

Great game for those looking for a challenge and not worried about graphics.

Phil85
Phil85

I played this game in 1992 and loved it. Great story, cutting edge combat engine, and large, detailed sandbox to play in. It's still one of my favorite games today, which is why I'm playing it again. The amazing thing is, that's it's still fun. I'm getting sucked back into the story and gameplay even today. The graphics and sound aren't modern, but that doesn't make it any less fun. We need more games like this today.
The bottom line is that if you like old school computer RPG's, this game will give you hours of fun.

Freedom1978
Freedom1978

Fun game but it has way to many bugs that need fixed so a person can play it .. I only recommend this game once the bugs are fixed so people can actually play the game without being booted off the game.

TurfSwinger
TurfSwinger

1st of all this game is VERY difficult to run, I mean... 1.5 ghz cpu??? I'm outta luck and 512 MB OF RAM ON MINUMUM???? DAMN, I was only able to run it on low at 30 fps, but the game is still great! I thought my pc was a beast of a machine, but this game has brought it to its knees and was fun

carlhh
carlhh

This is an excellent RPG for anyone, but the old-school who played it when it was still being included on CD collections are, sadly, the only ones who can look past the now-outdated graphics. This is an old-school game from back when it was not only normal, but expected, that you would need a legal pad by your mouse to take notes and keep track of your quests.

Set in 1400 Greater Germany, your party goes forth (after meeting in a tavern) to vanquish evil. However, this Germany is a place where every medieval superstition is real. Witches cast curses of terrible power, fell beasts infest the mines and dark forests, and alchemists brew wonderous potions.

I won't spoil the "plot", because the game is almost an open sand box. Aside from a shared vision-dream (when the game reckons you're strong enough to take on the Big Bad) and certain dialogue cues after tangling with satanists, there are no rails.

Whenever a new RPG-style game comes out, I go "Is it like Darklands with better graphics?" and am saddened when the answer turns out to be "No."

Huyderman
Huyderman

Darklands is one of those games I've just kept coming back to again and again over the years. I first found it in a bargin bin way back when, and I was hooked. It's an open-world game before 3D, and in the truest sense of the world.

The first screen of the game is of the party you've assembled discusing the possilbe adventures they may seek, and then you're of on your own. No hand-holding here, just a large map full off possibilities.

It may be a bit daunting by todays standards, but it's worth the investment. Just keep a notebook by your side, because you'll need it.

Choorus
Choorus

Darklandsy to gra prawie tak stara jak sam gatunek. Jest drużyna, jest rozwój postaci, jest historia, choć nie stanowi ona bynajmniej głównej atrakcji. To jednak, co tytuł absolutnie wyróżnia to mocne osadzenie w realiach historycznych piętnastowiecznej Rzeszy Niemieckiej i krain przyległych. Jest w grze trochę elementów nadnaturalnych, takich jak interwencje świętych czy duchy (i jak najbardziej materialni słudzy) zapomnianych pogańskich bożków, jednak pełnią one bardzo poboczną rolę i ogólnie rzecz biorąc stanowią w grze raczej wtręt i dodatek. Średniowieczne miasta z prawdziwymi kościołami, placami targowymi, zamkami i twierdzami do odwiedzenia (poza walką i przemieszczaniem się po mapie świata gra jest w wielu miejscach tekstowa, co jednak wcale nie przeszkadza w rozgrywce), rycerzami rozbójnikami, klasztorami i w ogóle mnóstwem prawdziwych miejsc, gdzie wiele się dzieje. Kupcy wożą towary, wilki napadają na wędrowców, flisacy pływają rzekami, a w lasach pracują drwale i smolarze. Poza miastami są mniejsze osady, miasteczkai wsie, a poza nimi głusza i knieje, w których jednak nie brakuje miejsc ciekawych włącznie z np. łysą górą czy Ślężą. Interfejs miejscami bywa archaiczny i polecam rozpocząć grę z zeszytem, gdzie będzie można spisywać zadania, ponieważ będzie ich absolutne mnóstwo.
Bohaterowie nie należą z początku do bogatych i powoli dorabiają się sławy, bogatych łupów wziętych na wrogach i doświadczenia. Mozna teoretycznie grać bardzo długo, ponieważ wszystkich członków drużyny, którzy zginą lub się zestarzeją (tak, tak, czas jest liczony w godzinach, miesiącach i latach. Spokojnie można odesłać jednego ze starszych członków na emeryturę i znaleźć następcę)
Ogólnie absolutnie polecam. W jakiej innej grze grupa wędrownych wojowników, alchemików, mnichów itd. może zetrzeć się z Zakonem Krzyżackim, wędrować po księstwach Śląska i przepędzić demona z góry Ślęży? No w której ja się pytam?

Opus
Opus

Played this when it first came out way back when we used 386 computers. Can get repetitive at times, but a great game none the less. Religion, alchemy and everything in between. If you need graphics this isn't the game for you, but I just love the old feel to it.

Thufir
Thufir

This is a niche game, old-school, published a long time ago (early 90s), and looks and plays like it. That having been said, I put hundreds of hours into my GOG copy of this game and bought this from Steam just to have it in my Steam library.

It's essentially roleplaying in a low-magic semi-fantasy world - imagine Germany in the 15th century if all the old myths were true, and that's your setting. Most of your opponents will be humans, but there's still some monsters out there. Magic is a tool of the devil, so your characters won't have it, but alchemy may serve you well, and if you know religion well enough you might be able to invoke saints too.

Combat is properly deadly, and until you get some decent armor (which will take you a long time) you should be prepared to lose characters and suffer a lot of setbacks. Even after that, don't underestimate your enemies. You never get to a point in Darklands where you can consider yourself "safe" from most foes.

If you like old-school games this can be a ton of fun. It hit the same kind of sweet spot for me that games like Age of Decadence do. Not for everyone, but if my options are "recommend" or "not recommend", I'm gonna recommend it.

Merble
Merble

It's pretty much the ugliest, clunkiest and most rage inducing RPG I've ever played happily for hours at a time. I've easily played five hundred hours on the free versions before the netgaming behemoths bought it up. There are probably still free copies available but the Steam version runs neatly and deals with dosbox config for the braindead and technically illiterate.

    • The music will make your ears bleed, turn it off.
    • The font will hurt your eyes, pretend you're in it for the retro appeal.
    • The colors will bug out sometimes, burning variations of cyan and pink into your memories of childhood.
    • The game will destroy your party repeatedly. You'll get the hang of it and then the forest will politely explain it's idea of fantasy to you... then demons... then revenge demon-dogs... then ... wizards? ...

Some people may feel these are unfair points to hold against a game so dated... I say 'Right, but shove it because this is the best damn RPG ever made and thus deserves the harshest criticism one can muster.'

10/10

007DBR9
007DBR9

This is a 90s RPG that had a bad launch because it was littered with bugs. Eventually the game was patched to a very playable state, but just like many modern games, people forgot about it, and moved on. It is set in the medieval era in the Holy Roman Empire, or modern day Germany, Benelux, Switzerland, Czechia, and Austria. The map is very accurate, especially for the times. The equipment has an odd system, but eventually you get used to it. The game takes things that the common medieval person would believe in and makes them present in the game, such as certain monsters, blessings from saints, and alchemy. The amount of things to do in this game is vast, such as find every "robber knight" or evil landlord and kill them while hiking up your fame in every cit and town. You can go on religious quests to get "holy" items that are either of insane quality, or have special properties. Or explore abandoned mines and settle differences between, or kill dwarves and kobolds. Must play for people who can get past its age, because it does show.

cyxthtycyxthcyx
cyxthtycyxthcyx

Not for First-Person-Shooter fans! CLASSIC RPG with Complex Character Development.

Unique departure from the persisting fantastic mythos, and well-implemented.

Complex game dynamic; sufficiently open storyline for unique character skillsets and advancement.

A unique, extraordinarily rare magick system based in alchemy.

Primarily, historically accurate in both treatments of 15th-century-persisting mythics and magicks.

Gofofo Kefu
Gofofo Kefu

One of my first ever open world RPG from back in the DOS era.

Most of the choices are made trough a visual novel text based selection, there is a large world map you can explore, battle is kind of like a real time strategy with pause. There is a reputation system, you can be evil if you went to, its actually the first game i seen with that option back in the days, even if evil options are kind of limited... Game is really well made for a DOS game if i recall correctly it it was like 16 floppy disks to install that game back in the days lol

The Manual is also something, containing over 100 pages it was like a small encyclopedia, have a look.

Nostalgia

One of my top DOS classic ever.

Zero
Zero

Clunky, chunky, cumbersome? I guess.
A truly fun classic RPG in the grand style. What, it was written in 1992?! It is deeper and better games than many new titles. You have to play it for a little while to appreciate it.

There is a main story line, but, the whole thing is non-linear, and, you can play however you wish (you can even have characters, eventually, die of old age!). The magic system is unique (alchemy and prayers to saints). Comabt is fun (more complicated than it appears to be).

The game has a personality all its own. The quality that went into Darklands is suprising! If you enjoy single-player RPG, then, give this one a try!

[BTW, please read through the manual - it is thick but entertaining, and, necessary to understanding the game.]

Trash Wizard
Trash Wizard

I thought I would love this game. It looked awesome. It's really hard to figure out and get into, though. It does very little to explain itself to the player. Originally, the player was expected the read the manual and whatnot that came with the game. Thankfully, all such documentation comes with the Steam version of this game. However, having read all of that, the game is *still* not very transparent. It might be a good game for someone who has the hours to devote to learning it, but that person is not me (and I have devoted a lot of hours to several other classic RPGs).

Blackdeath
Blackdeath

One of the best Classic games ever made...Still playable and worth the price. Pick it up on sale for the best deal.

Bif Darington
Bif Darington

A sad ghost of a great game. The origional coppy protection was left in place, forcing you to check the manual on a regular basis. Hoswever, alt-Tabing to another screen, screws up the resolution, making the game unplayable.

Feral Jesus
Feral Jesus

A fine example of early 90s RPGs. Hasn't aged all that well, but I would definitely like to see an update of the idea.

LordFrobozz
LordFrobozz

I first purchased this game in 1992 and played it on my Samsung Sensor 386-15 using a 14" VGA monitor and my first-gen Sound Blaster. I had been playing tabletop dungeons and dragons for 10 years when I discovered this game. The introductory scene was great - following a gargoyle over a misty, moonlit night in the Holy Roman Empire, and peeping through the window, what does he see but a big-breasted sorceress welcoming you to Darklands. The character creation formula uses a system of occupations that each give you points to spend in your skills, as well as a system of starting status (from poverty to nobility) that gives you starting points (and base amounts) for your attributes. This game was created for use in MS-DOS, so the control system is very archaic. However, the writing is amazing, the story itself is biblical, and rather than magic, you have the skill of alchemy (why throw a fireball when you can throw the precursor of a molotov cocktail at a bunch of bandits?), and the power of prayer (need some extra skill in picking a pocket or a lock? Why not a prayer to the Patron Saint of Thieves - Saint Nicholas?).

As you journey through the Holy Roman Empire at the start of the 15th Century (specifically, all of Germany and parts of Austria and Poland), you encounter bandits, monks, crusaders, and supernatural creatures of ancient lore all to find out that you are part of a much grander plan set in motion by forces well above your pay grade. Instead of galleons, sickles, and knuts, you can spend florins, groschen, and pfennigs using the old pre-decimalization system developed by Charlemagne himself (1 florin = 20 groschen = 240 pfennigs). Just be careful not to sell the stuff you want to keep or you're screwed!

And here's the best part: NO INVENTORY LIMIT! Carry as much or as little as you want! You just have to make sure your character has enough Strength to use heavier equipment, but otherwise you can carry everything you want in your inventory and not be slowed down. How's THAT for convenience???

Bottom line, this is an excellent first-generation sandbox RPG when a great storyline that takes you right into the heart of 15th Century Christian Germania and will teach you a heck of a lot about HRE politics, economics, socio-political structure, and the concept of what truly is good and what is evil. 24 years later, I'm still playing this game and will never get tired of it. Perhaps one day, some brave souls will bring this game into the 21st Century (perhaps with some real German dialogue!!). Until then, remember:

"A tale is but half told when only one person tells it" -- The Saga of Grettir the Strong

IceHippo
IceHippo

If you played this classic back in 1992, then definitely get the Steam version

This is the classic fantasy-historical RPG from Microprose that came either on a stack of 3.5" floppies or a CD-ROM and ran on IBM 486 PCs. If you are looking for something cutting-edge, then look elsewhere. But if you want to listen to MIDI renditions of "Salterello" and "Sumer Is Icumen In" then pick this up on discount.

It's hard to find a more historically grounded fantasy RPG than this one. The Hanseatic League, Fuggers and Medici all make appearances. The monsters are from the various tales of the time (i.e. how contemporary writers described the world around them). The graphics are of course dated and the gameplay has the rare bug (like the original game did). But it still is a great experience.So save often. I'm serious -- every time you enter a new city, make a difficult potion or get good combat swag, SAVE THE GAME.

EDIT: The game doesn't support SteamSynch. Check out the guide by Makraiz to character creation in the guides section -- it's loaded with useful advice. Also there are several webpages out there of diehard Darklands fans with their own advice on the game.

EDIT2: Playing through for the 3rd time, and here's some advice: SAVE OFTEN. Not just tha this is from 1992 and not forgiving of mistakes, but the code is from 1992 and buggy. Twice today the program quit and I had to backtrack the progress I made. So remember, SAVE OFTEN.

R.I.P. Arnold Hendrick (Darklands game designer)

Passed away May 25, 2020. He was active in the discussion section as "Yasha" in recent years, and many of us asked him what it would take to make a historically accurate game like this today. You are missed by all of us, thank you for hundreds of hours of enjoyment.

Nameless3W
Nameless3W

A fun classic. It's difficult and it doesn't hold your hand. To get anywhere you'll have to actually use the pdf instruction manual and you'll have to keep your own notes and game journal outside the game. It has some very tedious bits, and games certainly have improved a lot in 25 years, but if you want a fun challenge with some nostalgia thrown in, play this game.

B A I N E
B A I N E

This is the most procedurally dynamic RPG ever built and it almost bankrupted Miocrprose developing it 25 years ago.

Replaying this with a Roland MT32 emulator is highly recommeded.

Azrael
Azrael

This is one of the best RPGs of its time. Now, if only someone would remake it but not change it into another game.

Bozer Dispozer
Bozer Dispozer

It's simply a masterpiece of an RPG.

You have to understand that this game was made in 1992 and before the UI innovations that we take for granted today.

The character creation is unmatched after 25+ years. The immersion, historical depth and lovely oil painting style artwork for some bizarre reason have not be recreated. It has inspired great games from Pillars of Eternity to Mount and Blade. It's an old one but a very deep and rewarding game. Someone needs to remake this ASAP! *just a better UI and mod support. That's it.

Darkmoore
Darkmoore

I was amazed when I found STEAM had posted this great classic. A game from over 20 years ago that ate at least a hundred of hours back on my old IBM. When it was first released it was a groundbreaker for the open world and level of detail into each factor of the game including armor and arms quality and cultural detail for the setting.

Griding is a major factor in the game in the opening hours, building up the gear and skill needed for quests and gaining the reputation to have the more serious factions and political figures to take you seriously. Once you have built a serious team the issue becomes more of finding the challenges than beating them.

I have noted in the reviews there were many issues with the copy protection, but I myself have not run into this issue yet. One way of backing up is it possible to go into the files and copy the save for a backup.

mwirkk
mwirkk

Inspirational. It broke the mold for what was thought at the time to define what an RPG was supposed to be. If you love history... If you love historical fiction... If you love legends and mythology, you will love Darklands. It showed the way... How to meld the real with the fantastic in a way that was immersive and believable. Get it. Try it. Get into it, and really role-play. It will change the way you look at cRPG's and make you expect more from the genera from then on. -mwirkk

-=LCS=- nevermelt.
-=LCS=- nevermelt.

*SIGH* It was a simpler time back then. Not so many monsters in Germany yet.

GameBoyColor
GameBoyColor

This game is worth it for the Soundtrack alone. However get it on sale unless you are truly a retro gamer fan. Epic medeival tunes, fun combat for 1959 computing. Great stuff

fargo
fargo

Fargo's simple review of MPS Labs (internal developer division at MicroProse). MPS was formed 1982 by two co-working nerds who job it was to develop cash register systems for department stores. Bill Stealey steered the MPS ship and Sid Meier designed a few of PC gaming's historic games during the 80' & 90s'.
My short list of MicroProse developed and or published titles I thought were, like, totally radical:
-Pirates! -Railroad Tycoon -Civilization
-Gunship -Master of Magic -Master of Orion
-MechCommander -UFO: Enemy Unknown -Machiavelli: The Prince
-Darklands.
Darklands will always be in my top 3. I was 15 In the winter of 1992/93. I remember sitting and watching my best friend trying to learn how to play Darklands on his dad's old 486 DX. My buddy didn't care too much for that game (he preferred playing on their Super Nintendo) but he kept loading it up because I kept coming over to watch him and read the game Manual.
It was Darklands printed manual that really got me into the 15 century, geographically & historically accurate (mostly, the game has supernatural elements of that time period).
One day I snuck the game manual and game map into my coat and left for home early.
I just stole some treasure for my imagination. I read that small book front to back, Some sections over and over. I also sat and tried to redraw the artwork that really got my mind running wild with adventure.
I fell in love with the world and I didn't even get a chance to play it. . .
That is until my Friends older brother got mad at us because he couldn't find the printed map. I had to sneak the book and map back into their fathers home office. I was sad to give up the loot, but it game me the courage to ask the older brother how much the game was and if my family PC could run the program.
This is also the time with I learn that you don't need to buy a copy of the game to play it. They lent me the disk and game me crude instructions on how to install it. Installation on my computer took forever.... I didn't know what I was doing. After many hours, my mom had to call her sister who lived states away because she was the only person she knew who worked with computers and might know what the issue was. . .
My issue, well, I didn't know about drive letters. I typed C:/install over and over and over and nothing was happening. Once my aunt told me that I had to tell the computer to direct the command to where the disk was at, I felt so defeated and embarrassed. I learned how to install my first program in DOS, A:/install. Getting the game to run was another monster task. Creating a boot diskette and trying to edit the CONFIG.SYS and AUTOEXEC.BAT files was daunting. But after Trial and Error I was able to get the program to boot! W00T!
I played this game off and on for years. Each time starting fresh by creating a new party and finding my group in a tavern of a random city.
I even kept that old Dos machine just so I could load up the game years later.

So, I give this game a pair of chopsticks and a bowl if rice. This review was creating so that I could unlock a badge within Steam.
Good night,
Fargo

Lancer VI
Lancer VI

I worked at a store called Software Etc when I bought this game when it was intitally released in 1992. Though there were some bugs and what-not, this game is a true cRPG masterpiece. Set in 15th Century Germany, with real cities and towns, keeps, robber knights castles and the ever present Catholic Church; it creates a realistic world where the legends and superstitions of the time come to life; with witches, demons and dragons. Alchemy replaces magic and prayer to saints replaces your spells that your usual clerics from other RPGs do.

You choose your characters background, whether he/she was a rural farmer, city family, part of the nobility, etc. You can then train in edged weapons, polearms, blunt weapons, artifice, healing, common speech, latin, wood wise, street wise, alchemy, the Church, riding, etc with your background contributing to how well they do in their chosen profession. The list goes on and on, creating a truly deep and unique character building experience. If a character you created for your party isn't quite working out or has died (yes. No resurrections here.) You can go to an inn and recruit another character which allows you to go through the character creation process again to fill the spot.

It all comes together in a real-time, pausable, deep and engrossing experience. I've been playing this game on and off for 26 YEARS! It's THAT GOOD. If you love TRULY deep cRPG experinces in an open world; this is a CAN'T MISS.

I've got my original box 5.25" floppy version with manual and map. I bought the CD version, the GOG version and now the Steam version. Why???? I wan't people out there making money on this game to know that there is still money to be had with a game like this. I've been praying for a faithful and true remake of this grossly underrated gem. Do yourself a favor and buy it. This is among the greatest cRPGs of ALL TIME. I can't think of a single RPG in the "modern gaming era" that comes close to the depth and openess of this game.

Will Kydd
Will Kydd

A brilliant game. But very frustrating. I guess I'll play this until someone spends 3 million dollars again to make games like this.

neochivalry
neochivalry

Not an easy guy by far and very punishing. Once you get your hands around the mechanics and understand what it takable and what isn't it gets more fun as you go. I have yet to beat it as of current review, but I do like the amount of detail, flavor, and color the world has. It is a rare thing to be wandering medieval Germany going from brigands one day to encountering monsters in the wood.

Fair warning though, this game does not hold your hand at all and will let you blunder yourself into perilous or downright unwinnable states. But, read a strategy guide or two, learn what all th abbrivations mean, and you'll have yourself a fun time if your into this style of old-school gaming.

Cpl. Hicks
Cpl. Hicks

This brought back so many memories. I was far too young to appreciate all the depth this game had to offer. So glad I have a chance to play it again.

rjk627
rjk627

I had the original Darklands back in 1992 and spent hundreds of hours playing it. It was so unique at the time - the characters age and become more feable, in which you then need to create new characters. This is extremely old school - you need to print out the map and keep notes in a notebook on quests. Reputation is huge because a bad rep will make the guards attack on site in a city. You can't get most quests (and therefore buy new items) in a city then except to try to sneak in.

Note - there is no magic, only alchemy, because magic was considered the devil's work by the church and you are supposed to be adventurers of faith.

On the steam version, i have over 700 hour logged.

Someone needs to buy the rights to this and upgrade.

Darkurthe
Darkurthe

I played this back in the 90s and it was way ahead of its time. There were so many wonder aspects to the game but the qality of life issues playing held Darklands Back. There was far too much manual tracking of information and a few systems (such as saints) were ham handedly handled. Character development is somewhat similar to Chaosium's system. You either had experienced characters (re old) or inexperienced (re young). Older was more survivability but less upside. Combat was brutal. The super natural elements of the game could have used a slightly bigger umph.

I have tinkered around with this on Steam/Gog but I am not sure I can really go back. Which is a shame.

If anyone who has power over this IP: It begs for a remake. I'd back that in a New York minute.

2nd Class Janitor - Wilco
2nd Class Jani…

Tags: Isometric RPG - Topdown RPG
Additional Tags: Delete Local Content & Remove from Library

TLDR: Hard to read font on choose your own adventure style segments mixed in with very clunky tactical combat with janky user interface in a very primitive engine.

Spiro Agnew
Spiro Agnew

I was going to post some rambling "back in my day" rant about RPG's but who's going to read it? TLDR, this game is special not just because of when it was made or how influential it might be but because it exceedingly well written. This game does for fantasy what the original Fallout did for science fiction. The people, history and folklore of Medieval Germany loom larger than life in this game, and you're free to explore all of it.

theo
theo

One of the best RPGs ever created. Thank you Arnold Hendrick and rest in peace.

To make audio work properly: run Darklands Configuration - Reconfigure Hardware Options - set to 'Soundblaster Pro (later)' and Speech IRQ to 7.

❊GaiustheStriker
❊GaiustheStriker

Darklands, and old rpg. possibly one of the best i've played and unique in the fact that i've never played anything else similar. lots of research into the holy roman empire has been put into this game, and I truly believe that the genre of historically accurate games it describes itself as is true, though there are fantasy monsters and demons they are from the lore of the people who would've lived in the area at the time, so its still accurate in the fact that the people would have believed these monsters and demons existed. There is also quite a bit of catholic symbolism in the game, (as obviously, catholicism was the dominate religion in the holy roman empire) with a vast array of saints that one can pray to for help in certain situations. Party based combat that has been (haphazardly) recreated in other titles that failed to capture the feel of it in this game, a big, open world to explore in a vast section of the holy roman empire, text based decision making, dungeon crawling, and an immensely complex character creation process have put this game very high on my list of favorites, and I would recommend this game to anyone who is into medieval history and culture, the holy roman empire, Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Dungeons and Dragons, Nethack, and other PC gaming enthusiasts.

Dux Fungus | Pax Romana
Dux Fungus | P…

This is an oldschool text based rpg. Way before my time and too hard for me, I'd need a guide but too lazy to set-up a 2nd screen, so there... GG HF tho!: )

DarienZero
DarienZero

Darklands, even after over two decades, has yet to be matched in scope, freedom or ambition of what a truly open world RPG can be. There is no game like it.

mountaindew268
mountaindew268

This is an old game. I enjoyed it very much when it came out. I spent hours playing it. While I give this game a positive review, it is a nostalgia positive check. I cannot recommend this game to young new gamers. It puts you into the world with no explanation of what is going on, or what you should be doing. You need to look at online resources (most of which were included in a fairly large manual of the original game). You will be sent on quests and tasks to cities with no reference to where it is at; just a city name.

There is no end to this game that I am aware of. You work up your fame or notoriety in a city, and then move on to the next one. After a while, your characters will grow old and die, and you will need to recruit (create) new characters. Over time, you built up fame and notoriety in previous cities will diminish, and eventually disappear. For some people, a never-ending game is a lot of fun. For others, the lack of a solid ending makes them feel like their actions are worthless, and do not enjoy it.

If you played it when you were younger, you may already have this through other dosbox methods. If not, pick it up when its on sale. I dont think the nostalgia is worth full price on this game.

Rish
Rish

In 1994, I used to play this game for hours on end. For me, this is one of the best RPGs that I ever played. I enjoyed the historical setting and the research that went into recreating the Holy Roman Empire of the 15th century. From character creation to combat, the mechanics were unique. Also, I think the encounters and the decisions that followed was one of the great aspects of the game.

third_of_trees
third_of_trees

I feel like a good percentage of gamers would rightfully pass this title over. It's not for everyone. To be honest, there's a lot of repetition, grinding, and occasionally overpowered enemies... BUT, for the subset of players who want immersive and well thought out gameplay, Darklands offers something that, as far as I know, has yet to be fully duplicated. It's a historical RPG set in medieval Germany. The locations are real. The cities, weapons, and various political entities are real. The monsters? Well... in the time and setting of this game, the monsters are creatures that people believed were real. This is the only game I have ever seen that included a bibliography in the original instruction manual. (I first bought this in the 90's and have played it off and on since.)

It's roughly an open-ended game. There is one major final quest but you can keep going after saving the world. The interface is mostly text/point and click while navigating around cities with beautifully rendered artwork in the background. Combat goes into a different mode where you can pause, give orders, and then watch your characters slaughter bandits, witches or wild wolves. Pro-tip- Grind LONG and HARD in the darkened back alleys of your starting city before you go adventuring elsewhere. Loot and sell everything and get better armor.

Darklands was a rare and precious gem from the past. If you can get past a slightly clunky interface and pixelated graphics, you owe it to yourself to play this game.

Campa
Campa

game is jsut too old, the design of the meachincs and the systems are just terrible. But if you want a game to try and learn, do it. oh yeah combat is horrible

♀⛤WitchyWoman⛤♀
♀⛤WitchyWoman⛤♀

This is one of those games I discovered in the 90's when I was a kid. This was not just an RPG, but a very accurate game of many historical aspects of the medieval times. The structure and art used was lovely for the times and it had a dark and realistic vibe, there were many random surprises and sudden dangers along the way. One hilarious aspect was walking into a village and having the option to accuse the town leaders of satanic practices which in some cases could turn out true or not.

floboug
floboug

A dos game with the irritating music, the painfull graphic of the first ages

CHOO CHOO
CHOO CHOO

The game is almost as old as I am, and it shows. It's painful to play, by any modern standards.

But if you can get over that and into the mindset of back when, it's genuinely in a class of its own.
And if you can't, then the manual alone is of sufficient quality of make it worth a read.

Either way, well worth the current asking price, though I wonder: who exactly gets the money?

Talgan
Talgan

Amazing game. And extraordinarily difficult if you don't pay attention.

Carrera3d
Carrera3d

Wow this game, so advanced for its time. There are so many stats and they level simply by using them, kinda like the elder scrolls games. The variety of weapons and equipment, the variety of random encounters with multiple options change how most encounters play out. You can just fight your way through, run away, threaten your enemies into running away from you or even talk your way out of a bad situation. The unique events like witch cults, demon alters and even dragons randomly show up in areas around the huge map of Germany. This game is like Skyrim if it was made in 1992 for DOS.

4powerd
4powerd

This is one of the many times I wish Steam had a neutral option, as the game concept and idea is very fun, and I had a lot of fun just setting up my party, but the game itself is a low frame mess that won't be very enjoyable unless you already play and enjoy DOS games. I'm sure that this was amazing back in the 90s and I'm confident that a modern remake with updated graphics and interface would change literally all the negative reviews to positive ones. As it stands right now, I can't in good faith recommend this to someone unless they already enjoy DOS games.

Ao
Ao

An excellent classic! No one should miss out on this gem!

raphael
raphael

Such a gem from the past.I remember playing it when i was in my teens and modems had a speed of 28.8k.

Complex environment for its time, richness of details, interesting game mechanics, a surprisingly high level of characters customization, rich story.Yes the graphics are outdated (1992 game, what did you expect), but its a real classic and still fun to play even during 2020).

(Ignore the registered gameplay time, I play almost exclusively offline and steam only registers online gameplay time, ive played this game for about 50 hours by now).

8/10.

magna
magna

Why noone is interested to make a modern version of this classic game is beyond me. From the detailed and original character creation to the researched background of history and tales of medieval central Europe there are a lot of aspects where this game shines. For me it's one of a kind and a classic rpg.

Jarneth
Jarneth

If gameplay and game mechanics are more your focus and you don't mind ancient graphics, this game can be many hours of fun.

wulimaster [MG]
wulimaster [MG]

If your a fan of early 90's games or good pixel art, then this is a MUST! This is THE game that brought the menu system into the forefront and made it a staple. Before this it was 'guess the word' adventures. The watercolor artwork is fantastic and the character generation is 20 years ahead of its time. The midi audio is of course outdated but l'homme arme is by far one of my most favorite and iconic game tunes of my youth. I remember this as being the first game in the era where instead of one floppy disk, it needed ten! and the map and book that came with it I treat like ancient priceless relics. Thankfully digital copies are avalible if you look hard enough.

You dont have to fiddle with settings or anything, just download and run the game. Some audio is missing in the intro but all in game music is there. I play it on windows 10 perfectly.

StormGuy85
StormGuy85

I've played this game since it came out twenty five years ago. It still continues to be one of the best RPGs ever created.

Oninoshiko
Oninoshiko

Darklands it a true classic sim-rpg. It takes place in a semi-historically accurate portrayal of the 15th Century Holy Roman Empire. It does have some religious, mystical, and fantasy elements, but these have all been painstakingly researched to be consistent with the beliefs of the period.

That said, this is on old game. It came out in '92, and the graphics reflect that. Also, some of the situations you'll face, when you know what to look for, become kind of easy. Still, it's probably the best game of it's type, I'd love to see a modernization of it.

azgrymnthepale
azgrymnthepale

I have been a fan of this game since 92. It is ancient like me, and it holds a special place in the blackest part of my soul! It has such innovative ideas in the character creation. The way random encounters happen is great, I design tabletop RPGs and this was an inspiration in many of my designs. Such a great game, just remember it IS old and the graphics will reflect that as you can see, but do not let that discourage you because the art is still amazing for its time.

ℜ𝔞𝔡 ℜ𝔞𝔤𝔢𝔯
ℜ𝔞𝔡 ℜ𝔞𝔤𝔢𝔯

Great early 90's DOS game. Brings back a lot of memories. If you think you'd like a semi-historical RPG thats part text based, part overworld travelling with really janky battle mechanics, give it a shot!

elementalsigil
elementalsigil

I have loved this game since it first came out. The character generation system was ahead of its time. A very large map with varied cities and POI make this game engaging. After very long play you will see some repetition so get your guys powered up and start getting the main missions done.

jackcanonach
jackcanonach

Heck of a good rpg, the party creation alone could keep me entertained.

kimjc
kimjc

It's been like over 30 years since I last played this game. What a blast from the past! The graphics are incredibly dated, but somehow it makes me feel so nostalgic. The game requires a bit of grinding at the start, but eventually the grinding fades away and the intensity of the storyline starts to build up. It's quite addictive, even after 30 years.

Absolute Mite
Absolute Mite

Darklands is one of the few retro games that I recommend for today. Well written and original style. How was this game not copied or duplicated by later gaming companies? If they ever make a worthy sequel with today's graphics it would make gaming history.

Scrotum
Scrotum

this game is more fun than any modern RPG

Sacamato
Sacamato

This may be an old game, but I have been playing it since my dad and I played together when it came out in 1992. It still holds up well, which is insane for a game this old.

I think the fact that this game is still fun to play is a testament to how few games there are like this. Sure there are other open world games out there, but they always want to hold your hand, and tell you what to do next. Even recent attempts at offering options to tone down the hand-holding (like Exploration Mode in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey) fail to meet the standard set by Darklands. This game tells you nothing. You are expected to go out and find adventure on your own. There is a "main quest", but you'll only find it if you follow the clues. You actually have to read the conversations and events. You actually have to take notes (though I wouldn't mind if the game had a journal, even if it's one you have to type in yourself).

The only complaints I would have are that it seems like you really have to grind some of the skills before you can face the late-game quests, and that the random events, while plentiful, do seem to get repetitive later in the game.

But you could easily update the sound, music, graphics, and interface, touching nothing else, and have a fantastic modern game. It's absolutely worth checking out, and I love the fact that it's available on Steam.

Seriously though, someone needs to remake this. But if they do, it needs to be faithful to the original in the most important respect: no hand-holding!

nauvoo
nauvoo

MicroProse

Snyderman
Snyderman

Epic classic. The pinnacle of 90's PC games. You like immersive? Only a senso-dep tank could get you deeper.

You're going to have to tinker with the DosBox settings. Especially the Framerate. Luckily, there's a guide uploaded here, somewhere.

Vinnie Mack
Vinnie Mack

Join a group of adventurers in an alternate universe where the alchemy and religion of the middle ages actually works. Great concept. Unfortunately most gamers will find this game unplayable. The graphics make Mario look AAA. Using the controls simulates trying to eat a four course meal while wearing plate armor. The game needs to be rebooted because it offers everything a fan of rpg and squad games wants: character customization, a unique and detailed worldscape, freedom of action, character progression, exploration, loot, combat....A real great game. I dare you to give the game a try. Just a few hours. It won't cost you more than a few bucks. WIll cost you less than coffee at Star bucks.

clipped_wolf
clipped_wolf

The game handles like crap on my machine. Unresponsive. Unplayable.

SnakeEyedBlaze
SnakeEyedBlaze

One of the best games I've ever played. Reading games are greatly under valued.

cola
cola

unfortunately this game is old

grendel19320
grendel19320

All time classic game! Real historical depth mixed with medieval fantasy.

EpicSWANDIVE
EpicSWANDIVE

its the OG CRPG it may be old and a lot of people may pass this up due to it looking boring, old etc i had the same attitude until i actually gave it a few hours of my time also while playing PWoTR which is amazing and i would honestly say this is one of the most freeform crpgs ive ever played and worth the time!

orion_winterheart
orion_winterheart

Yes it lags. Yes it crashes. Yes my childhood is recaptured.

Lazarus
Lazarus

Old school RPG with great depth. The graphs may not be for anyone, but the depth of this game make it a classic.

Warboss Git Krumpa
Warboss Git Krumpa

This whole game is amazing. Some indie company needs to remake this isometric style with slightly better graphics, and more water colour art work.

Fartlek Spizzle
Fartlek Spizzle

Darklands was a game ahead of its time in many ways, with an innovative character creation system, a vast, detailed historic setting to explore and even some fresh gameplay elements like semi-real-time tactical combat. However, that also came with disadvantages; the technology just wasn't there yet to realize a fully-fledged world of this scale and scope, necessitating that its interactions be largely reduced to sequences of generic pre-generated events. That, in addition to a plethora of annoying bugs, some generally clunky design and underwhelming aesthetics all contributed to the game getting a muted reception and caused a planned follow-up to be scrapped due to underperforming sales. Still, its innovative design elements helped it to amass a small but dedicated fanbase, and even with all its faults it's served as a major inspiration to later games like Elder Scrolls and Wartales. So for RPG history buffs or just die-hard DOS gamers, it's one that's at least worth a look.

Spyder913
Spyder913

It's old, but it's still a lot of fun. I played this game obsessively when it first came out in the '90s. It's still, even though the graphics are very primitive.

badger2305
badger2305

It's an amazing sandbox, with a lot of hidden elements that make it fun to play. It's a '90s DOS game, which means it doesn't have the graphics of later games, and game play itself can be a bit of a grind. BUT! It has a complex, interesting main quest, and the background is truly evocative, especially if you have the capability to play the original MIDI files in their fullest form. (You used to be able to install MUNT to get this; haven't checked more recently.)

Thoronbar
Thoronbar

The only reason people like games this old is for nostalgia.

jarrodaj
jarrodaj

Very basic graphics and minimal outcomes for events, but I have been playing this game since the early 90's and I still pick it up from time to time. Learning hotkeys can be difficult but I'm sure there are websites to help. Make sure you save often as there is no telling when you will lose party members or ruin your reputation by mistake, and while you could just hire new party members or fix your reputation, these can take many tedious hours of monotonous grinding.