Win big or lose it all.
Roguelikes seem to be everywhere nowadays. Tons of game release with some kind of instant “lose everything upon death” mechanic that drives people to try harder the next go round. It is an interesting concept that has been capitalized on multiple times with different spins on it. Quest of Dungeons is more of a traditional roguelike; one where nothing carries over. It is old school in a way where a fresh start with no progression is inevitable.
Quest of Dungeons has players choosing one of four classes: the Warrior who utilizes melee attacks, the Wizard whose specialty is magic attacks, the ranged attacker, the Assassin, and the melee/magic user, the Druid. Each class has a special ability that either has a cool down or uses a mana meter. Utilizing these abilities and magic attacks are essential for surviving the dungeon.
Platforms: PC, XB1
MSRP: $8.99
Price I’d pay: $8.99
You sure you want to move there?
The game takes place on a grid. Each move is a turn, so moving to another block on the grid is basically taking a turn, so when I moved, the enemies moved along with me. The same goes for attacking – every attack I did then gave enemies time to attack or move. Choosing the next move is all part of the strategy.
Finding better loot from both loot drops as well as purchasing it using gold I had found helped me take down enemies faster as well as keep me alive for much longer. Every once in a while, I would run into a merchant I could buy health potions, armor, weapons, and even keys to help me along on my adventure. I had to be well equipped just in case I ran into a boss encounter. These fights do not mess around.
Dungeon of Questing
On top of finding better loot to equip, my characters would also level up by killing enemies as well as finishing quests that are spread through each level of the dungeon. These quests usually pertain to a certain part of the floor and results in some possible loot and experience points if I could take down the enemy.
My only real issue with the game is there is no progression at all. This is a straight up roguelike in the simplest sense. If I were to level up, gain a great sword for my warrior, and have a large amount of gold, and then died, I would start back at level one with the starting equipment. Other roguelikes usually have some sort of progression that makes the next trek a bit easier. Whether it be permanent stat increases or holding on to my gold for my next run. Quest of Dungeons is hardcore. There is no helpful progression. I just had to do the best I could and hope it all works out. The game is beatable, but it is very challenging.
It has an 8-bit or 16-bit look to it all and for the most part the art style works. One thing I do have to say, I was hoping for a more retro sounding soundtrack, but what the game has is a bit more drab. I never found a track that really stood out to me and with the style they were going for, I was hoping for a few catchy tunes here and there. Still, that’s beside the point.
Traditional RPG players will get a lot out of Quest of Dungeons. It’s not the best roguelike in the world, but it has some moments of fun and entertainment. Exploring can be rewarding or a curse if you’re not careful and planning your next move is essential. I found myself still wanting to complete the game even after making it far and losing all my progression. Keeping it simple while still having some strategy really helps out on that part. Roguelike fans will have some fun in Quest for Dungeons, just keep in mind, this roguelike doesn’t mess around and when you die, you start over from scratch.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.