Dark and Darker is a hardcore multiplayer dungeon-crawler developed by Ironmace. Players descend into dark, procedurally-generated dungeons to battle monsters, collect loot, and most critically — escape alive. Every session is a high-stakes extraction run where you risk your equipped gear against the rewards hidden in the depths.
The game blends first-person melee combat with classic fantasy RPG classes such as Fighter, Rogue, Wizard, Cleric, and Ranger. Players can go in solo or team up in groups of three, but must contend not just with PvE monsters but also with other player teams competing for the same loot and extraction points.
A defining feature is the permadeath risk mechanic: gear and items you bring into a dungeon can be permanently lost if you die before extracting. This creates intense tension around every encounter and makes the marketplace for high-quality gear central to the game's economy. Dark and Darker launched into early access in August 2023 via Chaf Games after a high-profile legal dispute prevented it from launching on Steam.
