Darkest Dungeon®

Dear god this game knows how to make battles actually have stakes. Normally I don't quite care for games with permadeath mechanics as it's just a prefrence, but darkest dungeon's own is built into the system's core in such a way that it enhances the game's inherent grim tone that I can't help but actually love it. When your characters are on deaths door you feel panicked and worry at any attack coming there way, because any of those hist could be their last. Then we get my favorite mechanic... STRESS! The fact you need to not only manage the physcial health of your heros but also their mental health to ensure they can function cohesively is such an incredible way to increase the stakes it's freaking genius. You neglect your heros stress and they may die of a heart attack, develop conditions causing them to throw a wrench into your plans. Hell my favorite moment in one of my playthroughs was on a loss because it made me realize just how important all these mechanics are. My party's stress got so bad one of them had developed the abusive condition and one of my marksman had just taken a blow that got her to deaths door... and the abusive party member WAS THE ONE WHO SCORED THE DEATH BLOW! Like in the moment I was absolutely mortified 4 level 5 party members DEAD, because I FAILED to manage them properly. I had lost so much gear and equipment and that feeling of loss as I just went to the graveyard staring at their tombstones was the closest thing a game has ever gotten me to experiencing the actual feeling of loss. As a piece of artistic game design it's a freaking marvel that's for sure. I felt the compulsion to literally just click on the graveyard and mourn the loss OF PIXELS ON A SCREEN BECAUSE I FELT ATTACHED TO THEM THROUGH GAMEPLAY ALONE! That very factor makes is a very passionate recommend on my end. If someone like me who typically does not like permadeath mechanics in games is actually able to enjoy it, than they clearly are doing something right.