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Caves of Qud

Caves of Qud is a genre-defining achievement in play, story, and roleplaying freedom.
Caves of Qud Game Cover
87%Game Brain Score
Most mentioned positive aspects:gameplay, story
Most mentioned negative aspects:grinding, stability
95% User Score Based on 11,271 reviews
Critic Score 74%Based on 6 reviews

Platforms

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Caves of Qud Game Cover

About Caves of Qud

Caves of Qud is a single player open world role playing game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Freehold Games and was released on December 5, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and overwhelmingly positive reviews from players.

Caves of Qud is a science fantasy roguelike epic steeped in retrofuturism, deep simulation, and swathes of sentient plants. Come inhabit an exotic world and chisel through layers of thousand-year-old civilizations.

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Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
Caves of Qud screenshot
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Reviews

95%Audience ScoreBased on 11,271 reviews
gameplay455 positive mentions
grinding134 negative mentions
  • Immense replayability with deep systems, vast character customization, diverse builds, and procedural generation creating unique playthroughs.
  • Evocative and immersive atmosphere enhanced by hauntingly beautiful soundtrack and rich retrofuturistic/post-apocalyptic worldbuilding.
  • Complex, rewarding gameplay with intricate mechanics, emergent storytelling, and standout character development featuring unique mutations and flexible builds.
  • Early game and procedural generation can feel repetitive and sometimes limit replayability; balancing issues in enemy difficulty and item effectiveness.
  • Frequent bugs, glitches, crashes, and poor optimization causing lag and frustrating performance on various systems.
  • Grinding can become tedious and repetitious, with some quests feeling like fetch tasks and difficulty spikes sometimes poorly telegraphed.

  • gameplay

    1,542 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    30% positive mentions, 67% neutral mentions, 3% negative mentions

    Caves of Qud offers an exceptionally deep and complex roguelike gameplay experience characterized by intricate mechanics, extensive character customization, and emergent storytelling within a richly crafted, procedurally generated world. While its turn-based, grid-based system and steep learning curve may feel daunting and occasionally clunky to newcomers, the rewarding combat, diverse mutation and cybernetic systems, and continual discovery of novel interactions keep gameplay engaging and highly replayable. The game prioritizes mechanical depth and player freedom over graphical polish, appealing strongly to fans of classic roguelikes and those who appreciate challenging, systems-driven RPGs.

    • “If you're not used to games of this kind - turn-based movement on a grid, etc. - then you may find it a bit clunky at first, but the charming and eccentric writing coupled with surprisingly intricate mechanics and simulated physics make for a truly memorable game.”
    • “The huge amount of depth to the gameplay mechanics should even surprise seasoned Dwarf Fortress players with how well polished they are.”
    • “Skills are simple but well differentiated, mechanics are deep and everything operates on a strange but consistent, legible, and exploitable physics which is the core fun of the game.”
    • “The gameplay leaves a lot to be desired.”
    • “Gameplay loop of "circling from merchant to merchant" can get tiring.”
    • “Basically, the end game is incredibly janky and unfun; you have to use the wiki constantly because the devs just refuse to tell you anything useful in-game, it doesn't even follow its own logic, and the whole game boils down to being a slot machine in terms of gameplay.”

  • story

    1,539 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    21% positive mentions, 75% neutral mentions, 4% negative mentions

    Caves of Qud features a rich, expansive world with a distinctive post-apocalyptic setting and a mix of handcrafted and procedurally generated content. The main storyline is compelling but currently incomplete, with difficult quests and occasional bugs that can challenge progression, while side quests tend to be repetitive or fetch-based. Despite some frustrations with pacing and quest variety, many players praise the game's deep lore, emergent storytelling, and the freedom it offers to create unique personal narratives within a complex, immersive world.

    • “Caves of Qud is a masterclass in generative storytelling, deep, immersive gameplay, and mechanics that are enjoyable to engage with. The quest generation especially makes the game virtually endlessly replayable, with handcrafted main quests and procedurally generated content blending seamlessly.”
    • “The game offers a strong, compelling central storyline with many side quests and activities. The lore and worldbuilding are rich and vivid, with each playthrough presenting a unique take on the story due to procedural generation, providing immense replay value.”
    • “Every playthrough is a story worth telling. Despite the main storyline being the same in broad strokes, the procedural content and emergent gameplay create uniquely different experiences and narratives for each character, engaging players with a blend of handcrafted story elements and dynamic world events.”
    • “The main quest is chock-full of colossal difficulty spikes, which I would say are poorly telegraphed, if they were even telegraphed at all.”
    • “Most of the story missions are hell-bent on showcasing the worst parts of the game.”
    • “The quests are nothing but 'go over here and do this for x reward', no story at all.”

  • graphics

    1,088 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    25% positive mentions, 70% neutral mentions, 5% negative mentions

    The graphics of Caves of Qud feature a minimalist, retro pixel art style reminiscent of classic roguelikes and ASCII art, which may initially deter some players but ultimately supports deep immersion and rich worldbuilding. While the visuals are simple and sometimes challenging to interpret, many reviews praise their unique aesthetic, atmospheric use of color, and how they foster imagination, balancing clarity with abstraction. Overall, the graphics serve the game’s complex mechanics and storytelling effectively, emphasizing substance over flashy visuals, though they may require a period of adjustment for newcomers.

    • “The retro graphics are amazing and the pixel art does a great job of communicating a decayed world.”
    • “Despite its rudimentary graphics, Caves of Qud actually manages to create an interesting and atmospheric world to take part in.”
    • “The minimalistic pixel-style graphics also look really good and the art and graphics have their own beauty when you get into it.”
    • “The visuals, sounds, gameplay mechanics are really basic and low quality.”
    • “Even if you like the retro aesthetic, the lack of sprite detail often leaves you with no idea what you're looking at.”
    • “The graphics are... too simple, the maps feel repetitive and boring, empty with nothing for me to find in them.”

  • music

    513 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    52% positive mentions, 46% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its evocative, immersive, and atmospheric qualities, often described as hauntingly beautiful and perfectly fitting the alien and mystical world. Composed with ambient synths, unique instruments, and intriguing sound design, the soundtrack significantly enhances the mood and depth of exploration, becoming a standout feature that many players find memorable and essential to the experience. Some note the soundtrack could benefit from more variety, but overall it is lauded as one of the best and most original in roguelike gaming.

    • “The last game I played with a soundtrack this perfect was Final Fantasy.”
    • “The music is evocative and perfect for the settings.”
    • “On top of the incredible systems and writing, the enchanting music and visual design elevate Caves of Qud to be not only one of the best games I've ever played, but one of the most engrossing pieces of media I've ever engaged with.”
    • “The music is terrible.”
    • “The music varies between ignorable or annoyingly discordant.”
    • “- In-game "music" can be pretty annoying at times, and it hardly qualifies as music too; I suggest you get some blues or some classical to listen to while playing, just make sure the volume isn't too high.”
    • “No music or sounds :(”
    • “There is no sound to speak of, no music, no midis.”
    • “Sound: there's no sound as of yet, I recommend using the Steam music player for now.”
    • “My only real complaint at this time is, there's no music / sound effects.”
    • “Before this game I had never thought about the criticality of music in a game; after playing this for several hours the deafening silence was maddening.”
    • “Now there are some hiccups along the road; for example there is currently no music and sound.”

  • atmosphere

    288 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    66% positive mentions, 33% neutral mentions, 1% negative mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised as unique, deeply immersive, and richly detailed, combining evocative writing, a haunting soundtrack, and a distinctive retrofuturistic/post-apocalyptic setting. Despite its simple graphics, the blend of sound design, lore, and worldbuilding creates an unparalleled and captivating ambiance that draws players into a mysterious, alien world. Some note occasional repetitiveness, but overall, the atmosphere is considered one of the game's strongest and most memorable aspects.

    • “The atmosphere in the game is worthy of the Hugo Award it received.”
    • “They've done a marvelous job to build the atmosphere and produce a level of writing to the point that the world exists in your mind so clearly.”
    • “One of the most atmospheric and creative RPGs of all time.”
    • “Unfortunately, I found it repetitive and poorly composed, ruining the game’s atmosphere and overall feeling.”
    • “Yes, the game has atmosphere, I'll give it that.”
    • “It doesn't go too much farther than its atmosphere.”

  • replayability

    264 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    53% positive mentions, 45% neutral mentions, 2% negative mentions

    Caves of Qud is widely praised for its immense and nearly infinite replayability, driven by deep systems, vast character customization, diverse builds, and procedural generation that ensures each playthrough feels unique. Although some note a fixed world map and repetitive early game as minor drawbacks, the overwhelming consensus highlights its rich content, emergent storytelling, and ongoing updates as key factors that sustain long-term player engagement. This game stands out in the roguelike genre for offering unparalleled freedom, depth, and endless experimentation that keeps players returning.

    • “The replay value is immense, there are countless builds to try, the world is fantastic, and there's simply nothing negative to say.”
    • “Endless replayability: procedurally generated maps, randomized events, and infinite character builds mean that no two runs are ever the same.”
    • “The freedom of choice and character customization make it incredibly replayable and enjoyable.”
    • “The game itself is okay; there are a few gimmicks that you might spend 50 hours trying out in total, but then you realize that the game is actually a story-based title used by the devs to push their political agenda through its mediocre story. The core game gets stale fast, so there's not much replayability past trying out gimmicks. If you want to buy the game because of its wacky happenings, you'll be disappointed; it's very overplayed.”
    • “I feel this game loses so much replayability because it doesn't do procedural generation right. So this hurts replayability, which is the bread and butter for roguelikes.”
    • “To sum up, the game has backloaded content (most fun content is past the early stage), terrible balancing of enemies (jungle regions occupy most of the map and are a death trap to the majority of characters), bad balance of items and abilities, stats that don't improve your survival chances against deadly enemies, bad replayability (early-game is a slog to go through and the procedural generation is boring and narrow), and it breaks too many permadeath rules.”

  • humor

    184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its bizarre, absurd, and often darkly comedic tone, with countless hilarious moments arising from its randomized events, unusual character mutations, and unexpected deaths. While some jokes and cultural references may feel overly random or obscure, the witty, sharp writing and emergent comedic scenarios contribute to a deeply funny and memorable roguelike experience. Players frequently praise its blend of satire, irony, and surreal absurdity that enhances both the narrative and gameplay.

    • “Caves of Qud is a game about dying in as many stupid, funny ways as possible.”
    • “The writing is consistently superlative, imbued with sardonic humor, enigmatic intrigue, and a liberal dose of the surreal, a testament to the creative prowess of the game's developers.”
    • “It is not too serious either, the RNG will make some of the most ridiculous things happen, leading to some hilarious, memorable moments.”

  • grinding

    137 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 2% neutral mentions, 98% negative mentions

    Grinding in the game is often described as tedious and repetitive, with frequent combat and resource farming dominating the experience, especially in mid to late game. While some players find the grind rewarding due to challenging achievements and deep mechanics, many criticize the extensive, sometimes mandatory, grinding loops and inventory management as frustrating, slowing down exploration and story progression. Overall, the grind can detract from engagement for some, though others appreciate the depth and eventual mastery it allows.

    • “You basically have two activities: grinding samey randomly-generated cave dungeons, or trying to advance the sparse main story, which is gated by brutal difficulty spikes that most of the time leave you with only one activity.”
    • “The gameplay consists largely of pressing auto-explore and bumping into inconsequential enemies, which gets tedious very quickly and never really improves.”
    • “After a few high level characters died I lost the patience to work through the initial grinding; I hope that in the finished product there will be as little grinding and as much exploring as possible, with more quests and alternative ways of doing things.”

  • emotional

    41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    100% positive mentions, 0% neutral mentions, 0% negative mentions

    Caves of Qud evokes a deep and complex emotional experience, ranging from moments of heartfelt companionship and nostalgia to intense frustration and spiritual challenge. Players frequently report feeling emotionally invested in their characters and the world, with many moved to tears by the game's poignant story, atmosphere, and thoughtful exploration of serious themes. Though sometimes psychologically taxing, the game's rich narrative and immersive design create a uniquely touching and memorable experience.

    • “I laughed, I cried, I befriended a chair.”
    • “Some guy from the forums said the ending is emotional, I was like how can this game make you cry, well, I didn't cry, but I did tear up in the end.”
    • “Every time I play this game, I end up getting emotionally invested in whatever character has managed to get past the particularly brutal beginning, when you don't have much but your fists and a cloak on your back.”

  • stability

    40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    8% positive mentions, -1% neutral mentions, 93% negative mentions

    The game is currently plagued by numerous bugs and glitches, including frequent freezes, problematic tutorials, save corruption, and unstable late-game quests, making it often unplayable or frustrating for many players. However, stability has improved over time with rapid developer responses, and some users report a relatively stable experience despite occasional issues. Early access status explains some instability, but persistent bugs remain a significant drawback.

    • “Good solid gameplay and remarkably bug free.”
    • “I would generally say the game is almost bug free from my experience but that also comes with early access.”
    • “And remember: it runs great on the Steam Deck!”
    • “Seems like an incredible game, but absolutely unplayable with glitches.”
    • “The tutorial is buggy and you can't even get through it.”
    • “Known glitches are resolved with 'use the debug console,' it lags far more than it should, and saves frequently corrupt: the current version may have a memory leak.”

  • character development

    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    30% positive mentions, 59% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth, flexibility, and uniqueness, featuring a complex mutation system, skill progression, and diverse playstyles. The game’s rich lore and innovative storytelling foster immersive and impactful character growth, allowing players to experiment with a wide range of builds and backgrounds. This intricate and punishing development system is a standout aspect that significantly enhances replayability and player engagement.

    • “Managing these mutations and balancing character development is part of the game’s core challenge, making each decision impactful.”
    • “The world is steeped in lore, and the directions you can go, both in the game world and character development, are incredibly diverse.”
    • “Caves of Qud is a truly unique roguelike, with a hugely detailed mutation system allowing for flexible character design and many different playstyles.”
    • “"a [diabetic] [troll] attacked [you] so [you lost an arm]" is not character development; it's just word salad.”
    • “Character development revolves around skill development, as well as choosing unique mutations (if you choose to play as a mutant) that give your character beneficial (and sometimes harmful) effects.”
    • “Mechanically the game is fairly in depth and you are not locked into any one path character development-wise.”

  • optimization

    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    15% positive mentions, 74% neutral mentions, 11% negative mentions

    Optimization in the game is generally poor, with frequent lag and slowdowns especially during complex scenarios, leading to frustrating performance even on modest tasks. While graphics are reasonably efficient and some improvements have been made, the game still suffers from inconsistent and sometimes unplayable performance, particularly as save files grow or with larger in-game events. Ongoing patches address some issues, but optimization remains a significant concern for many players.

    • “Performance is generally as one would expect for a game that looks like Caves of Qud does, though like Dwarf Fortress it hides its claws under its unassuming appearance, occasionally biting through your CPU and causing significant slowdowns as it struggles to calculate you and your 10 clones simultaneously summoning 100 various kinds of deadly flora, half of which then proceed to set your screen ablaze with smoke and fire effects for which you will pray for merciful self-immolation to end your confusion and restore your CPU to normalcy.”
    • “Learning the shortcuts on controller is a a steep learning curve but once it clicks it's very well optimized.”
    • “Items and enemies are easy to identify, there are various settings to tweak how it looks, and even a fair amount of performance options for players on older computers.”
    • “Terrible optimization, awful lagging.”
    • “It's crazy how horribly made and optimized this game is.”
    • “It's also ridiculous that the game will sometimes lag to the point of being unplayable in a town that is only two screens with maybe 25 NPCs standing around doing nothing, but on the other hand performance issues and bugs are actively fixed on a regular basis.”

  • monetization

    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
    0% positive mentions, 29% neutral mentions, 71% negative mentions

    The game features true-to-advertising monetization with no intrusive microtransactions, appealing to players tired of the heavy commercialization in modern gaming. However, some non-cosmetic bonuses are locked behind a Patreon subscription, reflecting a subtle but present paywall beyond the base experience. Overall, the monetization is considered straightforward and less exploitative compared to typical AAA trends.

    • “It might sound silly, but as every year passes by and video games keep getting commercialized into ridiculous levels of monetization stupidity, the budgets keep ballooning nonstop while many studios close down and as a result many publishers stop taking any kind of risk to do anything interesting and just release slop until the whole industry collapses (which to be frank we are almost there, at least with AAA games).”
    • “Game needs an 'in app purchases' tag - there are non-cosmetic bonuses locked behind their Patreon at $5 per month.”
    • “The makers of canned have-it-all realize this change to their formula renders their product in violation of advertising law, but 'canned have-most-of-it' didn't do as well in market research, so they're willing to take their chances in court.”
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Critic Reviews

74%Critics’ scoreBased on 6 critic reviews
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Play Times

55h Median play time
109h Average play time
10-166h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 95 analyzed playthroughs
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Game News

'I'm not sure it was a rational decision': Caves of Qud devs ported the roguelike to Nintendo Switch because they're 'interested in solving impossible problems'

March 25 on pcgamer.com

'We're playing game designs from 2005 still': Caves of Qud's co-creator wants to build new kinds of sicko gameplay systems that'll use all the processing potential being left untapped

March 19 on pcgamer.com

The co-creators of Caves of Qud, our favorite roguelike fever dream, worked as narrative consultants on Marathon—which mostly meant they 'got to sit there in the room and throw completely absurd ideas at the wall'

March 17 on pcgamer.com

Marathon's secret sauce has a special ingredient: the team behind masterful indie roguelike Caves of Qud

March 15 on pcgamesn.com

Review: Caves Of Qud (Switch) - A Roguelike About Making Stories Through Unfathomable Systemic Interactions

February 24 on nintendolife.com

After Multiple Delays, Cult Hit 'Caves Of Qud' Is Finally Hitting Switch This Month

February 5 on nintendolife.com
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Frequently Asked Questions

Caves of Qud is a open world role playing game with fantasy and science fiction themes. Common tags for Caves of Qud include turn-based, indie, traditional roguelike, pixel graphics, difficult and others.

Caves of Qud is available on Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac OS, Steam Deck and others.

The main story can be completed in around 10 hours. On average players spend around 109 hours playing Caves of Qud.

Caves of Qud was released on December 5, 2024.

Caves of Qud was developed by Freehold Games.

Caves of Qud has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked Caves of Qud for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Caves of Qud is a single player game.