Red Hook Studios revealed Radiant Mode for Darkest Dungeon today, which is coming to the game next year.

Radiant Mode will shorten the game's completion time from around 80 hours to 40 by making various tweaks to bring the playtime down. You can read the mode's description below:

We are planning an alternative game mode (RADIANT), which will have balance changes and rule tweaks aimed at bringing the completion time down to approximately 40 hours. Rest assured that even in this alternate campaign ruleset, we won’t be compromising on some of the core ideas that make DD what it is (e.g. permadeath, autosaving). However, we will flex here and there on some things and generally structure it so that a reasonable investment of time and effort can see things through to the deepest parts of the Ancestor’s trail. This also paves the way for additional modability, via exposing more options.

That being said, Red Hook will lock some achievement behind normal mode in order to encourage players to celebrate the efforts of more dedicated players. They will also make the game's New Game + mode even harder to challenge the game's more experienced players.

A new update was also released for Darkest Dungeon today on PC, Mac, and Linux which brings the game up to par with all of the features of the PS4 and PS Vita versions, including controller support. You can read the full patch notes below:

  • Added basic Controller support.
    • Currently only uses PS4 Icons. Will add Xbox glyphs in the future.
    • Added new control options category to options menu, which includes:
      • Enable Controller (Default: On)
      • Vibration (Default: On)
      • Hold Required in Dungeons (Default: OFF)
        • While in dungeons holding L button is required before you can swap hero positions, change hero selections, or view character sheets. Turn this on if you frequently start swapping a hero’s position when you don’t intend too.
      • Interact with L Stick Up (Default: ON)
        • While in dungeons, pressing up on L Stick can be used to enter doors, open curios, and similar actions. (This duplicates Cross Button functionality.)
  • Vvulf now won’t invade until at least week 35. Note: we are considering some possible further changes to this.
  • Highwayman riposte nerfed some
  • Abomination transformation will now properly give a blight buff, which increases duration with skill level
  • Abomination transform back will now properly give debuff, which increases duration with skill level (harder comedown)
  • Activity log and graveyard should know handle unknown character classes gracefully.
  • Added 3 new trinkets to PC build (from PS4): fortifying_garlic, ethereal_crucifix, tempting_goblet
  • Journal pages (written by KS backers) will now appear more frequently!
  • DD Talisman now reduces damage from Revelation skill by 100% instead of adding 100% protection. The latter wasn’t working because of the internal PROT cap.
  • Added new syntax for Ability tool-tips with self buffs (buffs that last x/rounds), and removed syntax for instant-buff abilities (i.e. +%DMG to Mark)
  • Added new Loot Window Text for recovering fallen hero trinkets after retreating from battle. (No longer says: VICTORY!)
  • Fix for crashes related to Razer headset drivers.
  • Fix to % Move modifiers not working properly.
  • Fix to map boss tooltip and scouting and checkmark.
  • Fix to graveyard not showing dead heroes.
  • Fix to bug involving wearing to -100% food consumption trinkets on one character affecting all party members.
  • Fix to incompatible quirk problem.
  • Fix for crash related to dragging heroes to the party from town event window.
  • Fix to Blurry drag objects and other images that are of odd widths drawn on centre.
  • Fix to remove buffs that persisted after death when resurrecting heroes.
  • Fix to Level 6 heroes getting benefit from Town Event resolve levels.
  • Fix to Hag’s Cauldron activity log text.
  • Fix to tutorial cursor changing.
  • Fix to the mysterious mini-map tiles disappearing or traps being shown as scouted when they aren’t.
  • Fix to map not being forced during scouting curio result.
  • Removed ability to target / select move when classes are immobilized.
  • Render announcements over character barks.
  • Added pulse animation on controller highlight for skills in character sheet.
  • Realm inventory UI cleanup
  • Various tool-tip fixes.
  • Various UI changes/updates.
  • Various new icons for pop-up windows (loot/hunger/curio/quest complete).
  • Added option to disable party first sort in roster list.
  • Fix for crashes related to Razer headset drivers. (This _should_ also help those affected by nahimic crashes).
  • Fix closing hot key sub menus help/glossary.
  • Updated journal fonts.
  • Fix to riposte tooltip.
  • Fix to inventory tooltips that overlap.
  • Fix to map hitboxes.
  • Fix to the background image in DD Quest 3.
  • [MODDING] Exposed ability for plot quests to be repeatable. ( “.is_repeatable” in quest.json)

Now that the PC version of Darkest Dungeon is up to par with the PS4 and PS Vita version, the developers are looking into bringing the game to additional gaming platforms, although they did not specify which ones.

Darkest Dungeon is currently available on PC, Mac, Linux, PS4, and PS Vita. The developers promised to get Radiant mode out before The Crimson Court DLC launches next year.