Psychological horror Stealth horror Horror escape Horror puzzle Surreal horror

DARQ: Complete Edition

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Walk on the walls of a nightmare you cannot wake from, and keep out of sight.

Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Stores: Steam
Price: Paid
Rated: Very Positive on Steam (94% of 4,202 reviews); OpenCritic average 76 from 24 critics; 4.6 of 5 on the PlayStation Store (123 ratings)
Length: about 2.5 to 4 hours
Players: 1
Controls: Keyboard and mouse or a controller.
Made by: Unfold Games
Released: 2019

No. 17 of the dream horror games · No. 18 of the stalker horror games

Get it on Steam PlayStation Store (PS4, PS5)Xbox Nintendo Switch Publisher's page

What frightens Lloyd, a boy who knows he is dreaming, is trapped in a grey, mechanical nightmare of skeletal statues, cages and humming machines; faceless creatures stronger than him roam its rooms, and he must sneak past them, holding still in the dark, because being seen means being caught.
Content: some violence, mild blood, mild language, use of tobacco, disturbing imagery.

DARQ is a side-view psychological horror puzzle game about Lloyd, a boy caught in a lucid nightmare. He walks on walls and ceilings, turns rooms around and sneaks past creatures he cannot fight while he looks for a way to wake up.

About DARQ: Complete Edition

DARQ was made by the independent studio Unfold Games and came out on Windows PC in August 2019. The Complete Edition on Steam adds two extra chapters, The Tower and The Crypt, each with new mechanics and locations. On PlayStation, Xbox and Switch it is now sold as "DARQ Ultimate Edition", published by Feardemic, which holds the same game and both chapters plus DARQ: Dream Journal, a 60-page digital graphic novel; the Xbox and Nintendo stores list it from March 2023.

Lloyd realises he is dreaming, and the dream turns bad. Every attempt to wake up fails, so he explores the darkest corners of his own mind, a world of grey corridors, gears, cages and strange statues, to work out what it means. There is no dialogue; the story is told through places and objects.

You move him through rooms seen from the side. He can walk up walls and onto ceilings, which turns the room with him, and he can shift parts of the dream: moving things, rotating rooms, and carrying and using items he finds. The puzzles are built from these rules. When creatures are near he must hide, wait and slip past, since they are stronger and faster than he is.

The horror is quiet and slow: a creepy mood and sound design by Bjørn Jacobsen, rather than gore. The developer puts the main game at about 2.5 to 4 hours, comparable in scope to INSIDE and LIMBO, and there are optional hidden secrets for players who want more. Some critics found the stealth and the carrying of items back and forth tedious, and one puzzle section can be hard on players prone to motion sickness.

Players on Steam have rated it highly, and the publisher lists twelve awards and nominations, among them Best Adventure Game and Best Game Music at Chainsaw Festival 2020. It suits players who liked Little Nightmares or LIMBO and want something stranger and more puzzle-led.

How to play DARQ: Complete Edition

Buy DARQ on Steam, or "DARQ Ultimate Edition" on PlayStation, Xbox or Switch, and start the main story.
Move Lloyd through each room and look for objects you can carry or use.
Walk onto walls and ceilings to turn the room and reach new paths.
Rotate and shift parts of the dream to solve each puzzle.
When a creature is near, stay in the dark, wait for your chance and sneak past.
Play The Tower and The Crypt chapters afterwards for more puzzles.

Screenshots

DARQ screenshot: Lloyd, a pale boy in a striped shirt, crosses a tilted room of pipes and machines as gravity turns

DARQ screenshot: Lloyd crouches and sneaks past a tall, beak-headed creature seated in a dim corridor

DARQ screenshot: Lloyd walking along a slanted wall beside huge gears and machinery

DARQ screenshot: a dim hall of carved skeletons and bones with a glowing puzzle panel on the wall

DARQ screenshot: Lloyd under a hanging bulb before shelves of masks and masked figures, a lit wire running across the wall

DARQ screenshot: Lloyd on a narrow log bridge in a dark forest of twisted roots and glowing spotted mushrooms

DARQ screenshot: Lloyd crouches on the tracks between two old railway carriages under a caged lamp in the fog

Tips

Watch enemy movement before you move; most are dangerous only if they notice you.
Try walking on every wall: many solutions come from turning the room.
Listen closely, since the sound often tells you where something is coming from.
Look for hidden secrets if you want more, they are optional.

Questions

Is DARQ scary?

It is psychological horror that relies on a slow build and creepy atmosphere rather than gore or jump scares.

How long is DARQ?

The developer puts the main game at about 2.5 to 4 hours, similar in scope to INSIDE or LIMBO. The Tower and The Crypt chapters add more on top.

What does the Complete Edition include?

The base game plus the two extra chapters, The Tower and The Crypt. The "DARQ Ultimate Edition" on PlayStation, Xbox and Switch has the same content plus DARQ: Dream Journal, a 60-page digital graphic novel.

Can you fight in DARQ?

No. The creatures are stronger and faster than Lloyd, so he avoids them with stealth and puzzles.

What platforms is DARQ on?

Windows PC on Steam, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch. The consoles sell it as "DARQ Ultimate Edition".

What age rating does DARQ have?

The ESRB rates "DARQ Ultimate Edition" Teen for violence, mild blood, mild language and use of tobacco. In Germany the USK rates it 12.