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Let’s face the truth: Dark and Darker is designed for you to die. A lot. It’s a challenging PvE and PvP high-fantasy experience that isn’t forgiving even if you are a beginner. There’s no guarantee you’ll even extract and get away at the end, and if you don’t make it, you’ll lose all that hard-fought loot. Even a loss can teach you something, however. If you want to get good at Dark and Darker sooner rather than later, you can follow this beginner’s guide to learn new tips and tricks.
Diversify Weapons and Classes
It’s common for people to find their main in games like this, but if you want to diversify your characters, you’ll need to practice. Weapons have different reach and animations. Some are ideal at close range, while others are perfect for swiping at large groups. You still have to control these weapons, understanding which ones are faster or slower. Another solid tip for Dark and Darker is to not be shy about using your alternate weapon slot. It’s a good way to bring in something different so you can adapt to changing circumstances.
As for classes, diversity comes into play if you’re going into duos or trios. You don’t want everyone to be a Bard, for instance. Balance is key to making it through a match. Someone who’s a straight-up fighter, someone with range, and someone with healing is an ideal lineup in any team.
Always Watch the Minimap
Similar to games like Fortnite, Dark and Darker features a “circle.” You don’t want to be outside the circle when it closes in or else you’re done for, and you lose that loot anyway. So, keep an eye on the ever-shrinking death trap as you navigate the dungeons.
Know When to Engage and Disengage
One of the best Dark and Darker tips I can offer beginners is that you don’t always have to engage. Just because you see something coming, don’t think you’re stuck. Classes like Rogues can go invisible, hiding away until it’s safer. Alternatively, you can use the shadows to stay hidden.
Sometimes it’s better to let the danger slip by, especially if your gear isn’t up to the challenge or your health is already low. This can even help if you see another player approaching you don’t feel comfortable confronting. Or maybe you just want to set up an ambush, which isn’t a bad plan either.
Pay Close Attention to Every Sound
One thing beginners will notice right away in Dark and Darker is that there are a lot of sounds to guide you through a match. It’s part of what makes the experience more immersive. The sounds differ, too. A Cleric player approaching won’t be as noisy as a Fighter in heavy armor, but sounds like this can help you prepare for what’s around the corner.
A good Dark and Darker tip is that sounds can also help you know when someone’s looting nearby. You can hear the sound of pots breaking, for instance. This also works against you, however, since everyone else can hear your sounds as well. If you want to reduce that, you can always remove your shoes. It will at least cut back the noise from your footsteps.
Don’t Let Your Extraction Portal Go to Waste
Let’s focus these beginner tips on the most important tool in Dark and Darker: the Extraction Portal. When you do stumble upon one, you’ll have to first activate it before you can use it. Once you jump through it, you’ve won, and you can leave with your loot intact.
On one hand, it’s a solid idea to pre-activate it and continue looting a little bit longer, more so if there’s nearby loot. On the other hand, enemies can take this portal from you, so take caution with that approach. You can always loot faster by right-clicking rather than dragging loot to your inventory.
Remember to Sell and Trade Your Loot
One of the best loot tips for Dark and Darker is to find as much as you can so that you have more to trade or sell. For selling, you can head to the merchant and get gold from the loot you don’t need. At the same time, check in with other players to see if you can trade for something even better. Remember that you can only do things like share loot between characters, have multiple characters, and become a trader if you have Legendary Status.
These are just a few tips that should guide beginners to a more successful run in Dark and Darker. Nothing can prepare you as well as hands-on experience though, so don’t hesitate to jump headfirst into some matches and try your luck. Maybe you’ll score an Extraction on your first go.
Dark and Darker is available on PC.
