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Caves of Qud

Caves of Qud Game Cover
95%Game Brain Score
gameplay, story
grinding, stability
95% User Score Based on 9,997 reviews

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Caves of Qud Game Cover

About

Caves of Qud is a single player role playing game with fantasy and science fiction themes. It was developed by Freehold Games and was released on December 5, 2024. It received 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
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95%
Audience ScoreBased on 9,997 reviews
gameplay408 positive mentions
grinding120 negative mentions
  • Caves of Qud offers an incredibly deep and immersive world with rich lore and unique character customization options, making each playthrough feel fresh and engaging.
  • The game rewards creativity and experimentation, allowing players to approach challenges in numerous ways, from combat to diplomacy.
  • Despite its retro graphics, the writing and atmosphere are captivating, drawing players into a bizarre and fascinating narrative.
  • The steep learning curve and punishing difficulty can be frustrating for new players, often leading to frequent deaths and loss of progress.
  • The user interface can be overwhelming and unintuitive, making it difficult to navigate and manage inventory effectively.
  • Procedural generation can lead to repetitive gameplay and a lack of coherent storytelling, as many encounters and environments feel randomly generated without meaningful context.
  • gameplay
    1,388 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Caves of Qud* is characterized by its deep mechanics, extensive character customization, and a blend of traditional roguelike elements with innovative features. Players can explore a richly detailed world filled with procedural generation, allowing for unique experiences in each run, while the complexity of the systems encourages experimentation and strategic thinking. However, the steep learning curve and sometimes opaque mechanics can be daunting for newcomers, making it essential to invest time in understanding the game to fully appreciate its depth and emergent gameplay.

    • “Don't get me wrong, the gameplay is fun, and a lot of the enjoyment comes with experimenting with a near-endless variety of potential builds.”
    • “The sheer amount of things you can do with the insane number of items in the game adds a level of gameplay depth you don't often see.”
    • “The depth of the mechanics and the shenanigans you can get up to are so funny and ridiculous.”
    • “There's almost no gameplay other than finding random ruins and killing ugly wolf sprites for no reason.”
    • “Overall, it's a very boring game with nothing to do because it has no gameplay.”
    • “I was under the impression the game was about exploring the world and engaging with it in any way you wanted, but unfortunately I was surprised to find out that most of the gameplay is just combat.”
  • story
    1,342 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in *Caves of Qud* is a complex tapestry woven from both a linear main quest and a wealth of procedurally generated narratives, allowing for rich emergent storytelling. Players encounter a bizarre post-apocalyptic world filled with unique factions, lore, and character interactions, making each playthrough feel distinct despite the overarching plot remaining consistent. While the main storyline is still being developed and can feel linear at times, the depth of character customization and the variety of quests provide a compelling experience for those who enjoy narrative-driven gameplay.

    • “Caves of Qud presents an intricately designed roguelike with a complex story about lost technology, spirituality, and community.”
    • “Every expedition into its bizarre, post-apocalyptic salt deserts feels like discovering a new story, with procedurally generated histories and faction relationships creating a narrative depth that most games can only dream of.”
    • “The story is great; it's quirky and unique and bleeds into so many of the core elements of the game that it truly serves to enhance the core gameplay loop; it's not just some painted paper mache flavor - it's clearly had an influence on the game design.”
    • “The quests are nothing but 'go over here and do this for x reward', no story at all.”
    • “The main quest is always the same and it's plot driven enough that replaying it is really not fun except for the first few times.”
    • “The main quest jumps in difficulty from a level 1 dungeon to a place where it's recommended to go at level 17 with a set of gear.”
  • graphics
    984 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Caves of Qud" are a polarizing aspect, with many players finding the retro, pixelated style reminiscent of old-school roguelikes charming and immersive, while others view them as simplistic or even off-putting. The minimalist visuals encourage players to engage their imagination, enhancing the game's rich storytelling and complex mechanics. Overall, while the graphics may not appeal to everyone, they effectively complement the game's depth and unique atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience for those willing to look beyond aesthetics.

    • “The graphics strike a perfect balance between legible and unintelligible—just enough of a spark for your imagination to run wild with the textual descriptions.”
    • “The graphics may look old, but the music it has, and the atmosphere it creates, sucks you into the game, and you stop seeing retro, and start seeing Qud.”
    • “The aesthetic and art are simply stunning - the amount of feeling and depth the team's artists gave everything from tiles to two-headed hogs using only a few pixels is incredible.”
    • “The 'old time' graphics actually make it difficult to understand what the figure pictures are supposed to be - in most games of that time you could make out the figures.”
    • “The graphics are... too simple, the maps feel repetitive and boring, empty with nothing for me to find in them.”
    • “The graphics are prone to cause spontaneous eye bleeding, the controls are incredibly weird (who uses the number pad??), and everything is obtuse and confusing.”
  • music
    461 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Caves of Qud" is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, enhancing the game's unique alien world and storytelling. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from haunting and surreal to calming and engaging, making it a standout feature that significantly contributes to the overall experience. While some players noted a desire for more variety in the tracks, the existing music is often described as captivating and integral to the game's ambiance.

    • “The soundtrack is hauntingly good, perfectly supporting the alien, mystical world you step into.”
    • “The music is fantastic too: ambient noise that can either lull you into calm or make you tense up.”
    • “The soundtrack is all bangers.”
    • “The music varies between ignorable or annoyingly discordant.”
    • “My only real gripe with the game is the music.”
    • “The only complaint I might have is sometimes the music feels like it doesn't fit what is happening.”
  • atmosphere
    259 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of "Caves of Qud" is widely praised for its unique blend of post-apocalyptic and fantastical elements, creating a richly immersive experience that captivates players. Reviewers highlight the game's evocative writing, atmospheric soundtrack, and intricate world-building, which together foster a sense of exploration and discovery. Despite its retro graphics, the game's depth and charm shine through, making it a standout in the roguelike genre.

    • “The atmosphere, the lore, the overall execution are top notch.”
    • “Caves of Qud is a singular experience, bursting with personality and atmosphere; a captivating and unique world with mechanics and lore as deep as the caves themselves.”
    • “The graphics, music, and characters in the game provide an atmosphere that I haven't experienced in the genre - a lot of attention to detail was given and can be felt.”
    • “Unfortunately, I found it repetitive and poorly composed, ruining the game’s atmosphere and overall feeling.”
    • “The world is dripping with atmosphere and lore, chiseling away at layers and layers of eons-old civilizations long forgotten in a post-post-post apocalyptic world.”
    • “Even with minimal graphics and visuals, this game's atmosphere of scientific weirdness and whim is wonderful, and the stories built from its experiences are one of a kind.”
  • replayability
    233 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with users highlighting its procedural generation, diverse character builds, and deep gameplay mechanics that ensure no two playthroughs are alike. Many reviewers emphasize the game's vast content and customization options, which contribute to an immersive experience that encourages exploration and experimentation. Despite some concerns about fixed elements in the world, the overall consensus is that the replay value is immense, making it a must-try for fans of roguelikes and RPGs.

    • “The sheer open-ended possibilities of what to do, where to go, and how to build a character make the game infinitely replayable.”
    • “Endless replay value: procedurally generated maps, randomized events, and infinite character builds mean that no two runs are ever the same.”
    • “Caves of Qud is a unique and incredibly deep roguelike with insane amounts of replay value.”
    • “The game feels like it has endless content and replayability.”
    • “There's nothing else to the game besides combat: the only other significant content is the main quest which has little replay value.”
    • “I feel like I was fooled into thinking this game had some replayability.”
  • humor
    164 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Caves of Qud" is a standout feature, characterized by its sharp, sardonic writing and absurd scenarios that often lead to hilariously unexpected deaths. Players appreciate the game's blend of dark humor and whimsical absurdity, with many recounting their amusing experiences and the bizarre interactions within its richly crafted world. Overall, the game successfully combines challenging gameplay with a unique sense of humor that keeps players engaged and entertained.

    • “The lore is deep and fascinating, and the writing is sharp—funny, clever, and often surprising.”
    • “Caves of Qud is a game about dying in as many stupid, funny ways as possible.”
    • “The writing is sharp and filled with personality—it can be funny, tragic, or downright strange, sometimes all at once.”
  • grinding
    123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and repetitive, particularly in the mid to late game. While some appreciate the depth and complexity of character builds and the sense of achievement from grinding for resources, others feel that the gameplay loop becomes monotonous, often involving long hours of battling the same enemies and managing inventory. Overall, the grinding experience can detract from the enjoyment, making it feel more like a chore than a rewarding challenge.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “I found the game charming at first, but then the game loop started feeling really tedious without meaningful rewards.”
    • “Was fun at first, then got incredibly tedious and boring, especially when you have seen most of what the map offers. Although most roguelikes suffer from this, this one takes the cake.”
    • “The game gets grindy really fast; you end up autopiloting the first 1-3 hours of gameplay each run, killing the same enemies and knowing who to talk to and which dialogues to say to get the quest and never talk to them again.”
  • emotional
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a profound emotional connection to the game, often recalling nostalgic feelings reminiscent of their teenage years and highlighting moments that evoke tears, such as impactful story endings and character fates. The game is praised for its ability to touch on serious themes in a relatable manner, creating a rich tapestry of emotional experiences that range from joy to heartbreak. Many reviewers note the depth of character investment and the unique ways the game fosters empathy and reflection, making it a standout in emotional storytelling within the gaming medium.

    • “The emotional rollercoaster when you get on a crazy run and then lose it all is like no other.”
    • “Seeing the reliefs gradually fall into ruin was heartbreaking, especially when I arrived at Resheph's tomb - and knowing that my character would become the final sultan of this world, it just made me emotional.”
    • “This game has made me cry on several occasions, 10/10”
  • stability
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, particularly in tutorials and late-game quests. While some users note improvements over time and commend the developers for addressing issues, others find the game unplayable due to frequent crashes and corrupted saves. Overall, the game is still considered unstable, especially in its early access phase, but some players have experienced fewer bugs than expected.

    • “And remember: it runs great on the Steam Deck!”
    • “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.”
    • “Seems like an incredible game, but absolutely unplayable with glitches.”
    • “The game is also a bit buggy: I checked the option to only color character sprites according to their damage taken, but this setting is not respected.”
    • “Got the game again and it's still too buggy to recommend.”
  • optimization
    29 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly during complex scenarios that can lead to slowdowns or crashes. While some improvements have been noted, especially in beta updates, the overall performance remains mediocre, with players expressing frustration over lag in seemingly simple environments. Despite its engaging gameplay and graphics, the need for further optimization is a common concern among users, especially as the game continues to evolve.

    • “No meta-progression (beyond achievements) so your performance is due entirely to your own skill, knowledge of the game's systems, plus a big heap of luck that can be mitigated in various ways.”
    • “The graphics are smooth, there are cool effects, you can chop off your own arms and regrow them with injectors and mutations, and many of the performance issues have been improved dramatically since I went to the beta branch.”
    • “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.”
    • “The game has some serious performance issues at parts due to some poorly designed scenarios, for example a scripted encounter with grenade-throwing enemies right in the middle of an area with active power lines and lots of machinery.”
    • “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.”
    • “Another issue I had with the game is the performance - you would think such a simple-looking game would run smooth as silk, but this game has to stop and think an awful lot.”
  • character development
    26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in "Caves of Qud" is highly praised for its depth and flexibility, allowing players to create unique characters through a detailed mutation and skill system. The game offers a rich narrative experience, with impactful decisions and diverse gameplay options that enhance immersion. Players appreciate the innovative storytelling approach, which combines sparse dialogue with extensive lore, making character development a central and engaging aspect of the gameplay.

    • “Managing these mutations and balancing character development is part of the game’s core challenge, making each decision impactful.”
    • “Caves of Qud is a truly unique roguelike, with a hugely detailed mutation system allowing for flexible character design and many different playstyles.”
    • “The character development and creation systems are really where this game shines.”
    • “"A [diabetic] [troll] attacked [you] so [you lost an arm]" is not character development; it's just word salad.”
    • “Whereas most games try to be a novel, with cutscenes and endless character development, Qud tells its story in what I think is a truly innovative way for a game, with sparse dialogue and lots of flavor text.”
  • monetization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism for excessive commercialization, with many players feeling that studios prioritize profit over creativity, leading to a decline in quality. Additionally, the presence of non-cosmetic in-app purchases and potential legal issues surrounding advertising practices further exacerbate concerns about the industry's direction and integrity. Overall, there is a growing sentiment that the current monetization strategies are detrimental to the gaming experience.

    • “The game offers a fair monetization model, with optional in-app purchases that enhance the experience without being necessary to enjoy the game.”
    • “I appreciate that the monetization is transparent, allowing players to support the developers through Patreon while still enjoying the game without spending money.”
    • “The non-cosmetic bonuses available through the Patreon subscription provide great value for those who choose to support the game financially.”
    • “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. 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).”
    • “The 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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57h Median play time
103h Average play time
11-168h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 92 analyzed playthroughs
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'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'

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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Caves of Qud is a role playing game with fantasy and science fiction themes.

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 103 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 overwhelmingly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Caves of Qud is a single player game.

Similar games include Tales of Maj'Eyal, Cogmind, Wildermyth, ADOM (Ancient Domains Of Mystery), Look Outside and others.