Embark on an epic journey into "The Darkness Below", a homage to the golden era of 90's cRPGs, with grid-based movement, turn-based combat and 2.5D perspective. Wander a vast and colorful fantasy world filled with puzzles, exotic creatures, forgotten dungeons and ancient guardians.

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Reviews

“We are looking back on the dungeon era..”
Ringo playing

“..The Darkness Below gets a BIG update and it looks GOOD!”
Indie Retro News

“a game which really capture the essence and vibe of a classic dungeon crawler...”
Dungeon Crawlers

About This Game

A Classic First-Person Grid-Based CRPG — Rebuilt with Modern Depth

The Darkness Below is a large-scale, single-player dungeon crawler inspired by the golden era of 90s RPGs — Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder, Might & Magic III–V, Lands of Lore — rebuilt with deeper character systems and modern stability.

Explore a handcrafted fantasy world through first-person grid movement and fast turn-based combat.
Train skills by using them. Advance through expertise tiers. Shape your party through meaningful progression and choice.

This is a true old-school CRPG — without the old technical limits.

What Awaits You

• 40+ handcrafted maps spanning villages, cities, wilderness, towers and multi-level dungeons
• 34 quests (main & side), woven across an interconnected world
• 53 unique monsters, each with custom actions and tactical behaviors
• 43 spells across multiple elements and expertise tiers
• 33 trainable skills, improved through active use and specialized trainers
• 15 races (with selectable subraces) and 7 professions, each shaping long-term character growth
• 16 feats to refine your build

Deep Character Systems

• Skill-based advancement (use skills to improve them)
• Expertise tiers: Initiate → Apprentice → Adept → Master → Grandmaster
• D&D-inspired challenge checks (passive & active)
• Spell slot allocation system
• Elemental damage & resistance mechanics
• 8 battle conditions (Poisoned, Maddened, Cursed, and more)

Build carefully. Train deliberately. Specialize with intent.

Combat & Exploration

• First-person grid movement (mouse & keyboard, fully rebindable)
• Blazingly fast turn-based combat
• Recruitable NPC companions with distinct combat roles
• Interactable world objects: levers, locks, traps, banners, secret mechanisms
• Local map, world map, and completion tracking

Combat rewards preparation. Exploration rewards curiosity.

Itemization & Loot Depth

• 300+ handcrafted base items
• 50 enchantment types with dynamic magical item generation, creating thousands of equipment combinations
• Handcrafted relic items placed throughout the world, tied to quests and specific locations

Find rare relics. Forge powerful builds. Optimize your party.

Designed for Classic CRPG Fans

The Darkness Below is not a simplified retro experience.
It is a full-scale dungeon crawler built for players who enjoy:

• Structured progression
• System depth
• Tactical combat
• Exploration without hand-holding
• Meaningful character building

If you miss the weight and structure of classic dungeon crawlers — this is built for you.

AI Generated Content Disclosure

The developers describe how their game uses AI Generated Content like this:

Game is using AI generated pre-rendered imagery by Midjourney for title screen, intro and game cutscenes.

System Requirements

Windows
SteamOS + Linux
    Minimum:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS *: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10, 11
    • Processor: Intel Celeron
    • Memory: 1 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Desktop resolution 800x600 or higher. Graphic cards with OpenGL v2.0 (2004) or higher
    • Storage: 30 MB available space
    Recommended:
    • Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
    • OS *: Windows 7, 8, 10, 11
    • Processor: Intel Core i3
    • Memory: 2 GB RAM
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.
    Minimum:
    • OS: Ubuntu 16.04
    • Processor: Intel Celeron
    • Memory: 1 GB RAM
    • Graphics: Desktop resolution 800x600 or higher. Graphic cards with OpenGL v2.0 (2004) or higher
    • Storage: 30 MB available space
    Recommended:
    • OS: Ubuntu 20.04
    • Processor: Intel Core i3
    • Memory: 2 GB RAM

Customer reviews for The Darkness Below About user reviews Your preferences

Overall Reviews:
Positive (35 reviews)






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