Affinity is an integral mechanic in Darkest Dungeon II, carrying the torch from the first game while iterating on its foundation. There has been a number of tweaks and balancing touches throughout the game's early access period, and The Void Between Us update is shaking things once more.

If you have been away from the game for a while and you're curious about how the punishing RPG is doing at the moment, this is a great moment to return. This guide dives into how affinity works in Darkest Dungeon II after the January 2023 update, and everything you need to keep in mind before embarking on this maddening journey.

Darkest Dungeon II Affinity explained - how does Affinity work?

Affinity is a scale-based points mechanic that is directly tied to the Relationships aspect of Darkest Dungeon II. Each pair of characters has an Affinity scale (which you can see at any point by opening the character screen and choosing the left tab) from 0 to 20 points. While they all start in a neutral state, gaining or losing Affinity points will tip the scale towards a negative or positive relationship.