Crawl Tactics
- December 8, 2022
- icefill
Get on Steam"Crawl Tactics" is a turn-based tactical RPG with roguelike elements, where you manage a party of adventurers and use the environment to your advantage to conquer procedurally generated dungeons. Customize your party with various skills and classes, and exploit traps and hazards to defeat vicious enemies. Explore a new dungeon each time, filled with perilous rooms and helpful NPCs, as you wield deadly weapons and powerful magic.
Reviews
- The game offers deep tactical gameplay with a variety of character classes and build options, making battles engaging and strategic.
- Regular updates from the developers have significantly improved the game, adding new content and addressing player feedback.
- The pixel art and sound design are well-executed, contributing to an enjoyable overall aesthetic.
- The game can be overly challenging, with some players finding the difficulty spikes frustrating and not always satisfying.
- Starting classes are considered boring and lack the excitement needed to keep players engaged early on.
- The random map generation can lead to cluttered and frustrating battlefields, making tactical gameplay feel less rewarding.
- music8 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players describing it as uninspiring and poorly suited for the combat-focused gameplay. Critics note that the battle music, in particular, fails to energize players, leading to a lack of excitement during key moments. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the overall experience.
“The battle music is the most important music in any game that's mostly combat, like this one is.”
“Apparently, many people appreciate the depth... but meh starting classes, meh music, and dead turns just moving characters repeatedly kills the excitement for me.”
“But much of what was chosen is just bad, especially battle music, which puts me to sleep instead of getting me in the mood to fight.”
“Dull gameplay and a boring soundtrack.”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay combines elements of randomly generated dungeon exploration and round-based isometric strategy, reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon and Final Fantasy Tactics, resulting in a satisfying experience. However, some players feel that the core content is largely recycled from the first game, with new mechanics that do not enhance the fun. Overall, while the mechanics are engaging, there are frustrations related to unit loss and the lack of fresh content.
“The game mechanics feel satisfying.”
“The quest mode adds a sort of Darkest Dungeon gameplay loop.”
“This game is a combination of exploring randomly generated dungeons (collecting items, skills, magic, and gold) and the mechanics of Final Fantasy Tactics (turn-based isometric strategy game).”
“I have no complaints about the core gameplay other than regretting my mistakes at later levels and losing a unit I liked.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game has been significantly enhanced with the addition of new classes, abilities, and a quest mode that introduces a compelling gameplay loop reminiscent of Darkest Dungeon, making the experience much more engaging and enjoyable than before.
“When I came back to see what was new, the developers had added so much to this game (many new classes and abilities, quest mode, I think maybe traits are new-ish?) that I found it literally about twice as fun as the first time around.”
“The quest mode adds a sort of Darkest Dungeon gameplay loop.”
“The story feels disjointed and lacks a coherent narrative arc, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“Character development is shallow, and I found it difficult to care about their motivations or outcomes.”
“The plot twists are predictable and fail to deliver any real surprises or emotional impact.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics feature simple pixel art that is accessible and easy to engage with, complemented by well-executed sound design.
“The graphics and sound design are well done, making it very easy to get into.”
“The pixel graphics are simple yet charming.”
“Simple pixel graphics.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players note that grinding is essential for farming points to unlock additional builds, indicating that it becomes a necessary part of gameplay progression.
“At some point, you realize you should be farming points to unlock other builds.”
“The grinding feels endless and becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”
“I spent hours grinding for resources, and it just felt like a repetitive slog with no real reward.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is reported to have some bugs, but it benefits from regular updates that may improve its stability over time.
“Unfortunately, the game is still a little buggy, but it receives regular updates, so that can change pretty quickly.”
“The stability issues are frustrating, as the game crashes frequently during gameplay.”
“I often experience lag and glitches that disrupt the overall experience.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its procedural generation and diverse character options, encouraging players to experience different outcomes and playstyles with each session.
“There's a lot of replayability due to the procedural generation and character variability.”
“The game offers endless replayability with its diverse character builds and randomly generated levels.”
“Each playthrough feels unique, thanks to the game's procedural elements and the variety of choices available.”
