Multi-player in Darkstone is horrifically bad. Darkstone supports TCP/IP and IPX network play. There is no in-game tracker, Heat.net is recommended instead. That is like saying "The car does not have wheels, but these square balsa wood blocks do a dandy job." We tried out Heat.net, and after spending far too long waiting for all of the Heat.net software to update, we were unable to join or start a game. After a lot of frustration and hair pulling, we managed to join a few TCP/IP games. We used Heat.net to find others who had similar problems and were posting their IP address so we could bypass Heat.net's broken software.

Once we managed to overcome the immense hurdles involved in actually starting a game of multi-player Darkstone, we were confronted with an interface designed for a single-player game with some poorly thought out multi-player additions. The minor problems include an interface that is far from intuitive, communication with other players is difficult, and other players jump around crazily from lag. The major problems are that there is no way to guarantee others are not cheating and there is no defense from more powerful players killing you in one blow because they feel like it. So someone who just bought the game and installed a cheat can, without any effort, defeat someone who has been playing for weeks building up strong characters. Darkstone multi-player is OK for those who have their own private network where friends who trust each other not to kill them can talk while playing. On the whole, multi-player in Darkstone is worse than a rabid weasel stuck face first in your trousers after getting its tail caught in the zipper.

Darkstone is a lot of fun. It's got its share of flaws that can be frustrating, but it still holds plenty of enjoyment. If you're looking for an addiction, get EverQuest. If you're looking for a fun single player role-playing game in the vein of Baldur's gate and Diablo, Darkstone is just the thing. Fun hack and slash with a generous dose of character building will keep you playing for hours. The lackluster graphics and sound don't take away from anything. Just don't expect to play with anyone else.