Darkwood Review: The Survival Horror Game That Runs on Dread
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Short answer: Darkwood is a top-down survival horror game from Acid Wizard Studio. You scavenge a strange forest by day and barricade your hideout to survive the night, with no quest markers and no jump scares. Players rate it Very Positive on Steam (94% of more than 10,000 English reviews) and it holds a Metascore of 80 on PC. Critics praise its oppressive atmosphere and branching story, and nearly all of them call the combat clunky. If slow-burn horror appeals to you, it is an easy pick at $19.99.
What is Darkwood?
Darkwood is developed by Acid Wizard Studio, a small Polish team, and is now published on Steam by Hooded Horse and Acid Wizard Studio. Seen from above, you explore a forest that has swallowed the area around it, gather materials, craft weapons and traps, and meet strange inhabitants. When night falls you hole up in your hideout, run a generator for light and hope the doors hold. It left Early Access in August 2017.
| Developer | Acid Wizard Studio |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Hooded Horse, Acid Wizard Studio |
| Release | 17 August 2017 (PC) |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS and Linux; also on PlayStation, Xbox and Switch |
| Genre | Survival horror, adventure |
| Steam rating | Very Positive (94% of 10,000+ English reviews) |
| Metascore (PC) | 80 |
| Price | $19.99 |
What players and critics love
Dread instead of jump scares
Darkwood builds fear slowly. Destructoid singled out the nights spent defending the hideout by the light of a single lamp, and Nintendo Life praised the growing dread and the sense of isolation in the forest. Windows Central highlighted the unsettling fog and sound design, and even negative Steam reviews often praise the atmosphere and art.
A story you uncover yourself
There are no quest markers. The story is told through the world and its odd characters, branches with your choices and leads to several outcomes. Destructoid found the storytelling creepy and the characters memorable, and Steam players like how hidden lore rewards careful exploration.
Day and night survival loop
Days are for scavenging, crafting and fortifying; nights bring random events that keep you guessing. Nintendo Life liked the time pressure this creates, and Windows Central praised the balance between exploration and base defence. Mutations, unlocked at the hideout, give new abilities with a drawback attached.
A different world each time
Landmarks are hand-made, but the layout of the world changes each playthrough. Difficulty runs from unlimited lives to permadeath on Nightmare, and Steam reviewers often mention long playtimes and good value for the price.
What to know before you buy
- Combat is clunky. Destructoid called the melee unresponsive, and Windows Central and many Steam players describe slow attacks and sluggish movement. Fights are meant to be risky, but they can feel awkward.
- Little direction. Destructoid and Nintendo Life both found the game poor at telling you what to do next, and the map hard to read later on.
- Inventory trips. Steam players mention a small inventory that means many walks between loot spots and the hideout.
- Later chapters change pace. Some Steam reviewers say later nights feel more like tower defence, with repeating enemies and difficulty spikes.
- Extras. The only DLCs are a soundtrack and an artbook.
Who should buy Darkwood?
Buy it if you want horror that works on atmosphere, like figuring things out on your own and can live with stiff combat. If you need clear objectives or smooth action, it may frustrate you. Darkwood shares its PC publisher with several store games we have reviewed, such as Against the Storm and Battle Brothers, another game where survival is never certain.
Sources
- Steam store page and user reviews for Darkwood
- Destructoid: Darkwood review
- Nintendo Life: Darkwood review
- Windows Central: Darkwood review
- Metacritic and OpenCritic: Darkwood
- Gematsu and Wikipedia (console releases)
- Nexus store page for Darkwood
Last checked against sources: 12 November 2026.
