Die within the Dungeon is a brand new roguelike deckbuilder that pulls some concepts from Slay the Spire, one among my favourite video games, however provides some dice-based twists which have me hooked.
In Dungeon, your purpose is to outlive by way of progressively more durable maps of enemies by constructing a deck — however as a substitute of accumulating playing cards, you’re accumulating cube. Throughout each hand, you may have a specific amount of power you should use to play your cube. And since you possibly can see each transfer your enemies will make on the following flip, the sport is generally about strategizing how one can assault the baddies whereas defending your self.
In the event you’ve performed Slay, this setup ought to really feel fairly acquainted.
However Dungeon’s intelligent twist is in how you play. At first of every flip, the sport will roll cube out of your deck into your hand, and also you’ll must resolve how one can play them on a board. Every die has a price, so the upper the worth, the extra injury you’ll deal or block you’ll set as much as defend your self.
There are a number of forms of cube, together with assault cube, block cube, therapeutic cube, and cube that may enhance the worth of different cube on the board. Every one prices a specific amount of power to play, which places limits on what number of you should use in a single flip. And typically, enemies will add modifiers to spots on the board.
Picture: HypeTrain Digital, INSTINCT3
That every one means you’ll must assume lots about how and the place you play your cube on the board. Do you go all in with assault cube to take a giant chunk of an enemy’s well being, however go away your self weak to assaults? Do you spend some power on a lift block to offer your self extra protection at the price of having the ability to use a well being cube? Nearly each flip in Dungeon requires some strategic considering.
The depth of the technique makes the Slay-esque trappings one thing of a consolation. I discover Dungeon to be very laborious; the enemies can actually pack a punch if you happen to’re caught off guard, and I haven’t been in a position to get previous the bosses of the sport’s first two worlds until I’ve a transparent concept of what my construct is.
However I already perceive how to consider constructing a deck from many hours of Slay. I’ve referred to as on a whole lot of these abilities to make issues simpler over the 10-plus hours I’ve put into Dungeon to date — and to perform my one and solely cleared run.
Whereas Slay is nice at conserving issues snappy with battles which can be simply lengthy sufficient — I might typically end a run in round 45 minutes — runs in Dungeon can drag. Particular person battles can take minutes on their very own due to how a lot you may simply sit and assume. Loading screens that take 5 or extra seconds add up over the course of a run. The dungeon maps even have a number of too many areas. My longer runs, the place I’ve gotten to the third and ultimate world, have taken almost two hours.
Dungeon is launching in early entry, although, so I’m hoping the rougher edges will get smoothed out over time. Even over the couple weeks I’ve been taking part in the sport, there have been some welcome updates, like one that provides you cash if you happen to select to skip an end-of-battle reward. The sport’s builders have posted a promising roadmap, too. That every one makes me optimistic for Dungeon’s long-term future.
And its basis is absolutely sturdy. I’ve had a blast with Dungeon, regardless of its faults and me solely having crushed the sport with one of many three obtainable characters to date. After I lose a run, I typically mull over how I might have accomplished issues in a different way, and I’m normally desirous to hop again in to roll the cube once more.
I’ve been actually trying ahead to Slay the Spire 2, which is meant to come back out in early entry this 12 months. However I may need already scratched the deckbuilding itch with Die within the Dungeon.
Die within the Dungeon is now obtainable in early entry on Steam. You may strive a model of it totally free on itch.io.
