Dark Deitytakes place in a ravaged land that is seemingly now at peace. As is the case withmost strategy RPGs, though, that peace is not going to hold for long. The game begins at an academy wherein the main party is being trained for combat. After graduation, the team, led by Irving, is sent out to deal with some bandits for the king.
Are the crimes that these bandits commit one-off tragedies, or is there something more at play here? That’s the basic premise for this indie strategy RPG that is inspired byFire Emblem. Here are some mechanical things that players should be aware of inDark Deityto get the edge in battle.
8Consider Difficulty Options Carefully
Unlikemost modern RPGsthat let players change difficulty on the fly,Dark Deitydoes not. Players can choose between Mortal, Hero, and Deity, which range from typical easy to hard modes. There is also an adjustable slider players can use to fine-tune their experience. This slider can increase experience points and gold earned.
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If players are familiar with Fire Emblem difficulties and like them, try Hero or Deity. For those that want a more relaxed experience, go with Mortal and tweak those bars. There is no shame in going easy.
7Balance Characters
There is not much room for leveling up inDark Deity,as it is primarily alinear RPG experience. This means that every battle counts. While it may seem like a good strategy to beef up favorite characters, this will weaken the party as a whole.
Pay attention to character levels and try not to let anyone get too far ahead. Keep characters within two to three levels of each other. This means players need to rotate who gets kills.
6Try To Always Do Something On A Turn
There is a good way to continually level up characters even if they don’t participate in combat. On a turn, always be sure to take an action.
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This can range from healing a character to using a special skill to buff someone. Every little bit will help even if it is just ten points at a time. This is a good rule of thumb to follow forany strategy RPG, andDark Deityis no exception.
5Wait To Spend Upgrade Points
Dark Deityhas an interesting weapon system. Every hero in the game will come equipped with four weapons, each of which excels in certain combat situations. For example, a heavier sword may do more damage while another could boost speed.
These weapons can be changed in battle and upgraded while in camp via Tokens. Tokens aren’t rare, but they are expensive, so don’t spend them recklessly. When in doubt, go with the more balanced weapon. It should suffice in most battle situations.
4Make Sure Everyone Has At Least One Healing Item
Dark Deity’s inventory system is a bit tricky to navigate. While it may be a pain comparedto other RPGs, players should bear with it. Make sure to equip characters with at least one healing item, if not two, before combat.
There are healers in the game who come in handy. However, as they can only act once per turn, they need a little help. That’s where the items come in. Going into battle with tons of healing items also helps with taking actions and gaining experience points while not physically fighting.
3Look At Potential Bonds
The bond system inDark Deitywill not only help in battle, but will also expand the story of the characters. This is similar to the systems in theFire Emblemgames. Not every character can bond with every other, though. Some are very limited.
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Before going into battle, it’s a good idea to look at who likes who at camp. This will ensure players won’t waste turns fighting alongside another comrade who won’t say a peep to them. It can be a lot to keep track of everyone’s relationships, but players should at least try.
2The Weapon Wheel
The weapon wheel returns inDark Deity,as it doesin most gamesin theFire Emblemseries. Players should pay attention to the arrows before fighting an opponent. Green arrows mean players will have an advantage, while red arrows pointing down are bad.
A red arrow doesn’t mean players will lose the encounter, but they may not do as much damage. They might miss more often as well, but it is a real tossup. It’s hard to predict how stats truly affect combat in this game, and in RPGs in general.
1Pay Attention To Goals
One of the more flexible aspects ofDark Deityis the mission goals. Mostother strategy RPGsfocus on players wiping out entire maps of soldiers or taking down enemy bosses. While those goals exist in this game, more often than not, players just have to survive.
Kill as many soldiers as possible in a set amount of turns. That’s it. As long as one team member is left alive, players will win the match. Still, players should have personal goals to finish off everyone regardless to gain as much experience as possible.
Dark Deitywas released on August 06, 2025 for theSwitch. It was released previously in 2021 as aPCexclusive.
