Screenshots
Watch trailer on Steam ↗Darkwood 2
Ice-Pick Lodge · Published by Hooded Horse · Official site ↗
Last updated 9 Oct 2026
Roam freely around the scorched deserts of a dying sea as you secure resources and explore the mysteries of Darkwood. But beware nightfall – seek shelter, shore up your defenses, and pray for the morning light as the horrors of the world hunt the ill-prepared.
Action, Adventure, RPG, Strategy · More free games
Roam the desolate sands of Darkwood 2, an action-adventure RPG where strategy guides your survival. With Ice-Pick Lodge at the helm, secure vital resources and unravel ancient secrets as nightfall brings deadly threats.
About this game
Set merely a few years after the events of the critically acclaimed survival horror game Darkwood, the sequel brings with it new lands and waters to explore, new creatures to fear, and new reasons to pray for the morning light. Featuring an entirely new story and new characters, the unfolding events of Darkwood 2 stand on their own, and can be equally enjoyed regardless of whether you’ve played the first game in the series.
In the aftermath of the Soviet Union's collapse, the dying Aral Sea has become the site of an anomaly – an eerie forest that swallows everything in its path. No one knows where it came from, or why – retribution, perhaps, for humanity’s abuse of nature.
All around lie the ruins of a vanished world – deserted villages, rusting ships marooned in sand, derelict oil rigs, power stations, and factories on the verge of collapse. A secret biological lab sits in silence on a remote island as roving gangs of looters, bikers, and former soldiers control the remaining population through fear. Nomads travel through these lands with no rest or respite, day or night – even walls can't guarantee safety.
As the world loses its humanity, and as the so-called corruption of the forest spreads, one can't help but wonder – is it really better to remain human? Or would it be best to give in?
Only the heart of the forest holds the answer.
Darkwood 2 sends you on dangerous meandering paths across barren deserts, through thick marsh, and on deep waters alike. As the locals fight to keep the slowly spreading woods at bay, you must rely on your wits to overcome your fears and find your way – there are no quest markers or waypoints to guide you.
Scavenge for resources, craft weapons to protect yourself, and seek out shelter by night, building barricades and traps to hide behind, securing yourself against an enemy that can strike from any direction. Will you cower in a cellar as the doors creak open and close a few floors above you, or will you stand against the horrors that stalk the night? Or perhaps you'll choose to rely on strange concoctions to gain new skills and capabilities that may just keep you alive – in a manner of speaking.
Meet twisted characters, each with their own motivations – learn their dark backstories and make decisions that will determine their fates and impact the world itself, changing your story as you move through it.
System Requirements
Will my PC run this? →Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows® 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-6600 (quad-core) / AMD® Ryzen™ 3 2200G (quad-core)
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 970 (4 GB) / AMD® Radeon™ R9 290X (4 GB)
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 15 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows® 10 (64-bit)
- Processor: Intel® Core™ i5-9400 (hexa-core) / AMD® Ryzen™ 5 3600 (hexa-core)
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 1660 (6 GB) / AMD® Radeon™ RX 5600 (6 GB)
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 15 GB available space
Supported Languages
Latest news
Press Coverage
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. Read the full article here: https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/10/the-brutal-survival-horror-darkwood-is-getting-a-sequel-with-darkwood-2-from-hooded-horse/Read full article on GamingOnLinuxAnnouncementsOfficial
Ice-Pick Lodge is Making Darkwood 2
For nearly twenty-five years, Ice-Pick Lodge has explored what makes games a transformative medium. From the beginning, we chose video games as a means, not a market. We wanted to reach human emotions that no other form could touch. Had theater or cinema been able to move the soul as deeply and precisely as games do, we might have founded a film company or theater troupe instead. However, it was games that proved to be the most intimate form of communication between creators and their audience. Over the years, this pursuit has shaped our identity. Each of our projects has been an attempt to see how far a game can go in reflecting the inner worlds of its players. Our next project takes us into unprecedented territory. For the first time in our history, we’re stepping into someone else’s universe. It’s our pleasure to announce that we are making Darkwood 2. We will be working within the world created by Acid Wizard Studio, a team whose work we deeply respect. Set years later after the events of the first game, this is an unusual and exciting opportunity for us to interpret the vision of other masters through our creative process and see what new life emerges from that dialogue. Darkwood 2 will bring new lands and waters to explore, new creatures to fear, and new reasons to pray for the morning light. Check out the announcement trailer: We’re also thrilled that this collaboration is happening with Hooded Horse, an indie publisher whose expertise, understanding, and genuine love for video games are unmatched. We have great respect for the team that recognized the potential of projects such as Empires of the Undergrowth, 9 Kings, and Against the Storm and guided them to incredible success. There is definitely a signature style here. Together, we will work in consultation with the Acid Wizard team to ensure that Darkwood 2 is a memorable successor to the original game. What comes next is as much a mystery to us as it is to you—and that’s exactly why it’s worth doing! We’r...Read full article on Community Announcements (Matt)
