For anyone who has played the Desktop Dungeons Alpha, you may think that you know what the game is all about. Sure, it’s still a rogue-like dungeon crawler, and some of the enemies and bosses are the same, but that’s where the similarities end. In simple terms, you play as a level one adventurer in each dungeon wherein you use skills and leveling up to defeat the high-level big bad, but that doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface of the game.

With seven races and 18 classes, there is certainly a lot of variety to Desktop Dungeons. Each class has unique characteristics, such as attacking first or healing from casing spells. In this way, a specific dungeon can be made more challenging depending on your gameplay style and class preferences. For example, I liked the fighter because they could see through the fog of war to where all enemies of similar or lower level are located. However, I often performed best with a sorcerer due to the increased mana and ability to heal by casting spells.

DD 01

The game gives you the opportunity to learn how to win more consistently by offering puzzle packs. Each puzzle pack explains functionality in the game. Through the Advanced Petrifying tutorial I learned that I could use petrifying to do more than just get rid of enemies – it improves your EXP gain and makes your adventurer level up even when defeating lower level enemies. Once I learned that, I thought I had the game down. Sure, that feeling didn’t last long, but each new skill adds to your own personal ability at playing the game. This offers you, the player, new ways to complete dungeons and gives you the tools to complete more difficult missions. Puzzle packs include introductions to the different races as well as gods.

Oh yes, there is religion in Desktop Dungeons. And trust me, you will find faith while playing, because wow do those gods make a difference sometimes. However, you will earn piety in different ways for each god. Some gods don’t want you to kill certain creatures, other gods might want you to use specific spells. Additionally, they will provide you with a range of rewards. I was so grateful for the Earthmother when I went against a boss that spawned weird mana-burning plants – she could get rid of the plants and give me mana at the same time. Of course, when I ran out of piety, she certainly punished me for hacking through those plants manually.

There is no doubt about it, Desktop Dungeons is difficult. Like, Dark Souls difficult. You will die or fail, a lot. Then you will have a breakthrough and get awesome at the game, at which point the difficulty ramps up again and you will die/fail again. It is actually a really strange experience as a player. Each time, your adventurer starts off at level one; each time you play, the game gives you an opportunity to win. This isn’t about grinding to improve your in-game character – you need to grind in order to learn more and level up as the player. I felt like I became a better human being by playing Desktop Dungeons.

DD 02

This is where the bite-sized lure of the game seems to fall apart a bit. Sure, each dungeon run is only about 10 minutes long. However, I have yet to manage just one dungeon run. I kept believing that I was so close to winning, surely I could beat it if I tried again. Hours later, still learning and grinding, that bite sized piece turned out to be more than I could chew. The reality is that it will take hours and hours to master Desktop Dungeons – yes, you can just pick up and play, but you can’t pick up and win.

The game is ridiculously clever and meticulously designed. In essence, it is a nerdy, math-based numbers game. However, it goes so far beyond that. The art has been lovingly created with each character getting a unique design. Yet the true brilliance lies in the soundtrack. Danny Baranowsky and Grant Kirkhope bring the game to life with their epic melodies that add mystery and adventure to each moment in the game. Having played the game in Beta, the music certainly take the game to the next level.

As one would expect from a rogue-like, each play through is different and provides a new challenge. In order to help the player through, you can spend your gold to bring extra items into the dungeon with you, or even add to the number of shops, or change the impact of glyphs (spells) on a given play through. This leads to some tough decisions about which items to use, what to convert and the order in which to make these choices. Again, it is a difficult numbers game as you strive to level up your adventurer and defeat each map’s big bad.

DD 03

Adding to replay value, you can earn specific badges depending on difficult things you do for each map such as killing all the enemies or not consuming any potions. The OCD among you will need to complete each dungeon with all badges and classes. Then again, there are often enough quests on the different maps to help you towards that end anyway. That said, I often found myself to frustrated on my lack of progress that I was just please to finally complete a quest or map – I had little interest in trying it again with a different class or making it even harder on myself. It is this frustration tempered with occasional (immensely satisfying) success that is the game’s selling point and let down. For those who can handle the growing pains and learning curve, this game is a real treat. However, I think it will alienate most gamers who seek instant gratification.

Finally, as much as I enjoyed the game, I really wished it was on a mobile platform. I really wanted to play the game in bite-sized chunks, something that would be much more manageable on a phone or tablet. The game is currently available on Steam for Mac and PC, but I can’t wait for the day it comes to mobiles.

Last Updated: November 29, 2013

Desktop Dungeons
Desktop Dungeons is a fantastic rogue-like ideal for gamers who have some masochistic tendencies and don't mind spending hours to achieve the personal growth required for success. Those looking for quick and easy rewards should look elsewhere. You'll never look at a goat the same way.
7.5
Desktop Dungeons was reviewed on PC
82 / 100

25 Comments

  1. TiMsTeR1033

    November 29, 2013 at 15:36

    Will never play this… I need goof graphics in some way or another..

    Reply

    • Nick de Bruyne

      November 29, 2013 at 15:41

      Number 1: That’s ridiculous. Number 2: Hand crafted pixel art not considered good graphics? Number 3: Why don’t you go watch movies instead, because they have better graphics than the games you participate in.

      Reply

      • TiMsTeR1033

        November 29, 2013 at 15:43

        so much HATE! yoh yoh yoh. Dude I was trolling.

        Reply

        • Nick de Bruyne

          November 29, 2013 at 15:49

          Hehe. But dude seriously, you must see the real shit people are saying like that in the Steam community page I checked the other day. Literally guys saying “A game must at least have better graphics for me to pay $15 for it”. It scars my brain that the same person would go and throw the same money at the SAME game, maybe even more money, just if the game had some 3D models, lighting and effects. Game not changed one bit, then its worth its money. Idiots.

          Reply

          • TiMsTeR1033

            November 29, 2013 at 15:50

            I don’t know if I would play this, but looks interesting though and original which is a very good thing!

          • RyseandRepeat

            November 29, 2013 at 16:24

            That is shocking bro. People bitch and moan for years for the game and then have that to say? Fuck that. Wish this game was on Xbox 🙁

      • Brian Murphy

        November 29, 2013 at 15:47

        Couldn’t agree more, it’s why I absolutely LOVE King of Fighters XIII and absolutely DESPISE the new Street Fighter engine. You can see the love and attention to detail that SNK Playmore put into their title, 3D models with hand drawn sprites…absolutely amazing. Street Fighter…..not so much.

        Reply

    • @splooshypooh

      November 29, 2013 at 15:45

      Goof indeed… Cant live without it

      Reply

  2. Vampyric Squirrel of the Sith

    November 29, 2013 at 15:40

    I think I’d enjoy this game… but I’ve got enough distractions and addictions already thanks…

    Reply

  3. Nick de Bruyne

    November 29, 2013 at 15:42

    I’ve put around 40 hours into this and I’m finding it incredibly rewarding. I think its one of those games thats tough to explain quickly, but really meaty once you get into it. The only problem I have with this game is that I want to have it with me on the go. It feels like it was born for Tablet play.

    Reply

    • Nick de Bruyne

      November 29, 2013 at 15:57

      Shameful admission that I hadn’t read the full review yet and I basically said the same thing as Zoe about the mobile thing

      Reply

      • Gavin Mannion

        November 30, 2013 at 07:10

        lol, but I bet you read the score before commenting…

        Reply

      • Her Highness the Hipster

        November 30, 2013 at 08:50

        haha, at least it proves i’m right… and that you agree 😛

        Reply

  4. Unavengedavo(aka. MadeYouLook)

    November 29, 2013 at 15:52

    I’ve never looked at a goat the same way since Goatse 😐

    Reply

  5. Weanerdog

    November 29, 2013 at 16:22

    Messed around with the Alpha a very short bit and I just don’t know if it was fun or just frustrating. It is proper hard and time consuming.

    Reply

  6. RyseandRepeat

    November 29, 2013 at 16:26

    So want this game!

    Reply

  7. Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

    November 29, 2013 at 16:40

    This game makes me feel dumb..but in that good, rewarding way. Also, really feel that it’ll really find it home on a tablet.

    Reply

  8. Umar Seeker of Truth

    November 29, 2013 at 16:45

    It’s hard to critisize the grinding aspect of a game when it was designed to be that way. I don’t think this game was going for mass appeal in any case, so I don’t thinj it should be viewed in a negative way. That said, this type of game would flourish on a mobile platform, short bursts of grinds are much more suited for mobile play imo

    Reply

  9. Umar Seeker of Truth

    November 29, 2013 at 16:49

    Used to be addicted to the alpha, def picking this one up in support of the devs for job brilliantly done even though the took forever :p

    Reply

  10. Dylan

    December 3, 2013 at 17:01

    South African dev’s FTW!

    Reply

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