This adds a random mutual buff to two of their abilities. If two of your heroes gain a positive affinity by fighting together, keeping stress low, and doing stuff at the inn between each region, there's a chance they form a bond. Relationships also seem to push you towards being more flexible. It's a fun tactical experience on the whole, but it can border on being a bit of a slog at times.

But at the same time, it's placing a final boss at the end of each run that you're striving to defeat, and the fastest way to do that isn't to experiment and invest with lots of heroes, but to prioritise strengthening a single party. On some level it wants you to cast the net wide experiment with multiple characters, and it incentivises this by giving each hero specific goals for candle rewards, paths that focus their role, and random starting quirks.

But that's where Darkest Dungeon 2 is confusing, especially for those who played the first game. Admittedly, that's my own fault for not playing many other characters and prioritising abilities for a single team of heroes I like and want to make strong.

Darkest dungeon 2 affinity