Indie dungeon crawler Dark and Darker has gone live for early access following a surprise announcement by developers Ironmace. At present, PC is the only platform you can play it on, so this article will guide you on how to best equip your PC with the best performance settings for Dark and Darker.
The game combines the classic elements of a dungeon crawler with a battle royale twist in one big PvPvE challenge that is, at times, unforgiving. But with a number of class options available, there is something for everyone.
For more Dark and Darker content, be sure to check out our Bard class guide. Additionally, we have the best builds in Remnant 2 as well as all the game's Archetypes.
Recommended PC settings for Dark and Darker
Developers Ironmace have provided some recommended PC requirements to get you on the right foot for peak performance in Dark and Darker. Check out the recommendations below:
- OS: Windows 10 (64-BIT required), 11
- Processor: 3.6 GHz Quad Core CPU
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce RTX or Radeon RX5600 or above
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 150 GB available space
Best performance settings in Dark and Darker
While a PC with the recommended requirements is a great place to start, there are a few adjustments that can be made within Dark and Darker's own settings that can improve the overall performance of the game. These can be found in the Options menu from the character select screen or by pressing ESC while in the player lobby.
So the game's settings are split into four categories: General, Video, Audio, and Inputs. For performance, General and Video will be most important, while Inputs can be adjusted according to your preferences.
General
In the General section, you will want to focus primarily on the mouse sensitivity option. This will vary according to your preference and may even need to be adjusted to suit the character being used, so be prepared to tinker with this setting a few times. The Ranger class, which uses a bow as a primary weapon, may benefit from a greater sensitivity than a melee-type class like the Fighter, for instance.
Video
The Video section of the game's settings is by far the most important when it comes to adjusting your gameplay experience to perform at its best. For optimal running of Dark and Darker, consider turning off Anti-Aliasing and turning Post Processing Quality to Low.
These settings are more cosmetic and turning them to low/off will improve the game's frame rate, however, you will be giving up some image sharpness. Additionally, the Display Mode should ideally be on Full Screen to avoid any external interruptions from your PC. But it can also operate on Windows Full Screen so players can Alt-Tab out of the game if needed.
Inputs
While not necessary for performance, players should also consider checking out the Inputs section of the settings menu, as it has the default button layout for the game. Consider how smoothly you are able to input the buttons in the game and take the time to decide if certain actions are better suited elsewhere.
So there you have it, that's our recommendation for the best performance settings to run Dark and Darker on your PC. If you're enjoying our content, we have a wide range of Baldur's Gate 3 guides to help you out. For instance, we have a romance guide, as well as a race tier list for your first run.