Dark Quest 4 Review

I loved HeroQuest. It was a wonderful way to waste hours while testing my imagination. Sadly, as I’ve aged, my time for board game adventures has dwindled. Thankfully, developer Brain Seal understands this issue, as they have added a 4^th instalment to their Dark Quest Franchise. Dark Quest 4 is a fantasy romp of the highest order. There are monsters, wizards, traps, and plenty of twists and turns. Furthermore, it has some nice progression elements to enhance tactical nuance.

If you’ve never played a Dark Quest game, it doesn’t matter. You can pick this one up and get cracking without worrying about lore or a deep-rooted story. Additionally, every mechanic is well explained as you start your journey across the 30 dungeon-diving missions.

Dark Quest 4 captures your imagination.

The evil Gulak is a force to be reckoned with. This dark and dangerous individual commands monstrous legions and strikes fear into the heart of mankind. Villagers are vanishing, and danger is lurking around every corner. Thankfully, a band of up to 10 heroes are willing to risk it all to bring peace to the kingdom.

The action opens with a small roster of characters. Each has unique strengths, and you’ll find the right combination that works for you. You may not exceed a party of 3, and this can cause headaches. Do you focus on melee and power, or do you send in the archer and wizards? Whatever you pick, you can run through each quest repeatedly. Accordingly, even if you fail, you can tweak your approach and be victorious. More heroes are unlocked as you progress. Therefore, a little patience is needed until you find the perfect hero for you.

Simple mechanics.

At its core, Dark Quest 4 is a turn-based experience. Each of the heroes moves through claustrophobic rooms and huge halls. If they encounter monsters, combat is initiated, and turns are allocated on a random basis. Once you understand the order of play, you are free to take your time to create the perfect approach. Do you retreat to give yourself some room, or do you go on the offensive and slice through your foes?

Whatever you decide has a massive impact on the outcome. Moreover, each hero can be armed with special skills and abilities to turn the tide of each battle. Whether you create a clone of a warrior, cast a spell, increase your strength, or add another ability to your move, it significantly changes your chances of success.

If you are not fighting, you must avoid traps, unlock doors, and search for treasure. However, not everything is how it seems, and not every door has to be opened. Once you understand the layout of each mission, you can streamline your moves to avoid unnecessary risk and maximise your rewards.

Dark Quest 4 looks great.

Although Dark Quest 4 will not appeal to everyone, if you love fantasy board games, you’ll adore the aesthetic. It is dark, eerie, and claustrophobic. Furthermore, each character has enough detail to keep you interested. The animation is pretty simple, but I didn’t care. Everything works smoothly, and the game flows without bugs or frame rate issues. The audio is a combination of grit, drama, and doom. The music is OTT, but perfectly formed. Additionally, the odd one-liners are incredible.

I think this would be better with a mouse and keyboard. However, I didn’t struggle with a gamepad. Although navigation was occasionally clumsy, everything worked to a good standard. Moreover, the UI is straightforward, and I never had an issue. Dark Quest 4 has a customisable difficulty setting to aid inclusivity. I tested it on the easiest and hardest settings, and this leaves plenty of scope for replay value and longevity. Additionally, you can team up with friends if you want to role-play and have some fun.

Dark Quest 4 is great!

Without a doubt, I loved every minute of Dark Quest 4. The story is great and the action is fun. What’s more, it is a great way to waste a few hours in the evening. My only complaint is the lack of creator input on the Xbox. This would enhance replay value further and give gamers the ability to create their own quests. Despite this complaint, it is fantastic, and you should pick up a copy from the Xbox store!