The brutal survival horror Darkwood is getting a sequel with Darkwood 2 from Hooded Horse

Publisher Hooded Horse recently revealed Darkwood 2 is coming from the developers of the Pathologic series. It's being made in consultation with the original Darkwood developers Acid Wizard. No release date has been set for it yet.

Need a refresher first? Darkwood originally released in 2017, and went onto receive an Overwhelmingly Positive rating from players on Steam (over 20,000 users rating it). It's a dark and spooky top-down mixture of exploration, action, survival and horror. Darkwood 2 is set years following the first game but it's completely standalone, so you don't need to have played the first game. With a new story, new lands to explore, new horrifying creatures to evade and it looks just as terrifying.

The first trailer is below:

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From the press release:

"The original Darkwood is a unique experience in horror -- mixing resource management and strategic survival into a rarely used top-down horror format," says Hooded Horse CEO Tim Bender. "We’re honored to be part of the sequel, and to be working with such a great team."

"Crafting the world of Darkwood was a very challenging and long journey for the team," says Acid Wizard co-founder Gustaw Stachaszewski. "After an experience like that, you become emotionally attached to your work. We know that the fans have been eagerly awaiting a continuation of Darkwood. For years, the idea of handing over our baby to another studio was something unthinkable for us. But, after it became evident that working together is not viable anymore, we decided that Darkwood should live on, even if not directly through our work."

"We're genuinely excited to pass on the torch to Ice-Pick Lodge - creators whose work on Pathologic has inspired us for years. The team at IPL really gets what makes Darkwood a unique experience. We believe they will not only honor its spirit but will create something truly exceptional. As for us, we'll be in the background, making sure it stays true to the original vision."

"I believe the most interesting things are created when people with very different backgrounds work together on creative projects," says Alexander Souslov, Executive Producer on Darkwood 2. "Ice-Pick is known for its focus on narrative and on the design of semiotic systems. Hooded Horse, on the other hand, is renowned for its expertise in strategy. What kind of game could come from that? It has to be something so compelling that I’d want to play it myself. I’ve been genuinely impressed by their clear understanding of what developers face, their focus on success and mutual growth, and their dedication to long-term support for their games."

"Our collaboration is just beginning, but with people like this working together, I’m confident something truly special will come out of it," says Ice-Pick co-founder Ayrat Zakirov.