The first expansion for The Darkest Dungeon wants your blood today

"Action and consequence will invariably have their dreadful reunion" in Darkest Dungeon's first expansion, The Crimson Court. Ever since I got a taste of its tough, abandon-all-hope universe last year, Darkest Dungeon's brooding dungeon master, deeply shadowed artwork, and intentionally maddening gameplay seared a scar right down the center of my brain pan. I haven't been able to shake my memory of the time I spent crawling in those crypts. I'd retreat to the churches and the brothels, neither of them being able to save me completely. Just like in real life.

The Crimson Court expansion is a little bit more of everything:

• A new hero class: The Flagellant (not to be confused with the "flatulent") 
• A new wandering boss: The Fanatic
• A new dungeon region: The Courtyard
• A full new faction of bad guys
• Four new, unique Courtyard bosses
• A new affliction: The Crimson Curse (warrior needs blood badly)
• New prestige buildings offering permanent, estate-wide bonuses
• Lore-driven trinket sets for all heroes, with set bonuses

Not bad for $10. It'll be a long, harrowing road, I'm sure. All of these updates will incorporate seamlessly into your existing playthrough, or will work their way into a new game; your choice.

Darkest Dungeon: The Crimson Court is out today, June 19, on PC. No hard date for PSN owners yet, though developer Red Hook Studios wants PS4 and Vita owners to benefit from all the hot fixes that'll be pushed quickly to the PC version. Updates are a longer, slower process on PSN; that's just the nature of that business.