I wasn’t prepared for Dark and Darker Mobile to ensnare me like this

The extraction shooter genre is more saturated than ever, with everything from Delta Force to rival fantasy RPG Gold and Glory carving out their piece of the action. Admittedly, I was skeptical about Dark and Darker Mobile, but I’ve never been happier to eat my own hat. There are still some dents to iron out, but Krafton has crafted a gameplay loop I’m eager to jump back into.

Krafton’s free mobile game follows the foundations of its predecessor, tasking players with descending deeper into maze-like dungeons to recover gear, defeat bosses, and maybe even complete some side quests along the way. In the background of Dark and Darker Mobile, the looming presence of a supernatural threat – the darkness – threatens your chances of success. Stick around too long, and it’ll snuff you out, assuming another player doesn’t hack you down first.

Away from the swift grasp of death approaching, utilizing Dark and Darker Mobile’s marketplace to sell loot and grab better gear is essential for even a modicum of survival.

Pair this with a surprisingly robust progression system, and there’s freedom to turn your humble wizard or barbarian into a blood-guzzling war machine. In my case, my fierce character, Lord Blart, was ready to become more than just a fighter. Maps offer varying degrees of difficulty, with Hell difficulty posing an immense challenge. Krafton wants you to know you’re out of your depth, too, as characters like Kandrack the Guide say some areas “are far too massive for solo adventures.”

Before I could fully absorb exactly what Dark and Dark Mobile wants to be, the game bombards you with walls of text, accompanied by several menus to navigate with a buggy UI. Text often overlapped other pieces of key information, making it either near-impossible to swipe away or fail to respond to touch completely. It isn’t exactly the start I was hoping for, as I had to fully close down the app at least five times over the course of my adventures. Performance-wise, Dark and Darker Mobile does actually run great on the iPhone 16 Pro, staying close to the 60fps mark with visuals not too far off an early PlayStation 4 game in some cases.

However, the biggest sin that Dark and Darker Mobile is currently guilty of is the disappointing lack of support for many of the best phone controllers. I linked up my DualSense controller, the GameSir Cyclone 2, and the GameSir X3 Pro in an attempt to find some optimization, but at present, Dark and Darker Mobile is yet to offer alternatives away from purely touchscreen gameplay. The good news is that despite the hindrance of information overload in the game’s menu tabs, actual on-screen combat controls well. I’d like to sprint a bit faster and not have that ability mostly bound to the fighter’s second win skill, though.

Dark and Darker Mobile’s quests can ultimately boil down to busy work, which is part and parcel of any live service environment. Yet, there’s a way to make these chore-like activities engaging – an area that Dark and Darker Mobile excels in. The secret sauce here is the game’s ability to replicate the giggle-inducing fun of Ironmace’s PC iteration. Dark and Darker cultivated a loyal following thanks to its spontaneous scenarios, grimy atmosphere, and sensational hijinks.

Cut from the same cloth as multiplayer game gems like Rust, the sheer absurdity of what situation you might find yourself in is worth the download alone. Too many times I’ve felt a swift dagger in the back from a rival player while looting gear as gruesome goblins snap at my heels. But it doesn’t always end in tears because you can form with a simple nod if you’re lucky. For the most part, Krafton has transferred this energy over to Dark and Darker Mobile.

During my time with the new mobile game, I chose to squad up with NPC companions, known as mercenaries, or others attempting to concoct peace with rival players ready to reduce me to a bunch of bones. Mercenaries are more responsive than my initial impressions of soulless harbingers of death. As we charged beyond wet stone, lit torches, and muddy waters, they conquered minions as I took care of business. It isn’t quite on the level of something like Dragon’s Dogma 2’s excellent pawn mechanic, but the memories I forged with Shamir and Gabriel are tales ready to be told in my nearest real-life tavern: Wetherspoons.

These tales of victory are bolstered by a key element, and that’s walking away with loot that isn’t complete rubbish. A real improvement over its genre competitors is the quality of gear Dark and Darker Mobile seems willing to throw out. Of course, this is partially luck-based, but the sense of reward is often strong after traversing through the nearest escape headstone to safe haven. Even removed from the densest areas of the game’s arenas, loot is useful, incentivizing the urge to veer off the beaten path. It all proves to be a boon in the midst of fierce boss encounters. Equipped with solid odds of survival, throwing hands with Dark and Darker Mobile’s bosses is made better by the image of my mercenary buddies mashing any and all attacks in desperation.

Dark and Darker Mobile’s dependable loop of a mythical twist on the extraction space has something special. It’s the kind of experience that’s extremely easy to hop into, whether you’ve got 20 minutes spare or a couple of hours set aside. With further polish and major improvements for controller players, I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re still talking about Dark and Darker Mobile when it comes to the end of 2025.

The Dark and Darker Mobile launch goes live on Wednesday, February 5, 2025, in the United States and Canada, with a large rollout planned for later this year.

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