Die within the Dungeon is a brand new roguelike deckbuilder that pulls some concepts from Slay the Spire, certainly one of my favourite video games, however provides some dice-based twists which have me hooked.
In Dungeon, your aim is to outlive by way of progressively more durable maps of enemies by constructing a deck — however as a substitute of amassing playing cards, you’re amassing cube. Throughout each hand, you’ve a certain quantity of vitality you should use to play your cube. And since you may see each transfer your enemies will make on the following flip, the sport is usually about strategizing tips on how to assault the baddies whereas defending your self.
When you’ve performed Slay, this setup ought to really feel fairly acquainted.
However Dungeon’s intelligent twist is in how you play. Initially of every flip, the sport will roll cube out of your deck into your hand, and also you’ll must resolve tips on how to play them on a board. Every die has a worth, 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 kinds of cube, together with assault cube, block cube, therapeutic cube, and cube that may enhance the worth of different cube on the board. Each prices a certain quantity of vitality 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 should assume rather a lot about how and the place you play your cube on the board. Do you go all in with assault cube to take an enormous chunk of an enemy’s well being, however go away your self susceptible to assaults? Do you spend some vitality on a lift block to present your self extra protection at the price of with 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 onerous; the enemies can actually pack a punch if you happen to’re caught off guard, and I haven’t been capable of get previous the bosses of the sport’s first two worlds except 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 known as on a whole lot of these expertise to make issues simpler over the 10-plus hours I’ve put into Dungeon up to now — and to perform my one and solely cleared run.
Whereas Slay is nice at retaining issues snappy with battles which can be simply lengthy sufficient — I might usually 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 couple of too many areas. My longer runs, the place I’ve gotten to the third and remaining 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 actually robust. 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 up to now. After I lose a run, I usually mull over how I might have carried out issues in a different way, and I’m often desperate 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 return 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 possibly can strive a model of it without cost on itch.io.