Dark and Darker developer is 'looking to make amends' because its free-to-play model is 'not well designed'

Dark and Darker's return to Steam should have been cause for celebration. After a legal dispute with Nexon saw it removed from the platform in 2023, developer Ironmace was finally able to get it back on the store last week. Unexpectedly, it also shed its price, relaunching instead as a free-to-play deal. And that's where the trouble began. 

See, Dark and Darker isn't really free to play. What free players get is a restrictive mode that offers a stripped down version of the full Dark and Darker experience. It's not uncommon for free-to-play games to restrict free players in various ways, though many simply sell cosmetics and conveniences to earn revenue. But the free-to-play version of Dark and Darker feels more like a demo. 

Unless you buy the full version for $30 of in-game currency, you get one character slot and access to Normal mode. On the surface that doesn't sound too bad, except Normal mode is a bit of a misnomer. What it really means is that you can't bring most of the loot you find in a dungeon on the next run. 

After my first successful dungeon delve, I had a nicely kitted-out Barbarian. A meaty double axe, some fancy boots that increased my speed (Barbarians are slow as heck, so this was much-needed), and a few more odds and ends—I was feeling pretty good about my chances of getting through the next delve with my head still firmly attached. It wasn't to be, however, because none of those items were marked as 'common', the only rank of item you're allowed to bring into Normal mode. 

In a game that's all about fighting through dungeons in search of loot, it seems absurd to not be allowed to actually use said loot. Granted, you can use it during the delve in which you discover it, but afterwards? You're outta luck. It's contrary to the game's entire MO. As described on Steam, Dark and Darker is all about diving into dungeons with mates to «uncover mythical treasures». Unsurprisingly, removing this aspect has garnered it a «Mixed» rating on Steam. 

Ironmace