Crypt of the Serpent King

Crypt of the Serpent King is a dungeon crawler that fails to fulfil its potential. Sadly, the action is too easy, the mechanics understated, and it lacks finesse. It should have been fantastic but it lacks a spark and any difficulty. + Polished graphics. + Excellent atmospheric audio. + Simple to master controls. + A completionist's dream. - It is lacking in difficulty. - Mindless gameplay. - Repetitive. - Dull and simple mechanics. (Rating: PEGI 12 Moderate Violence Release date: 08/07/2022 Price: £2.49) (Reviewed on the Xbox Series X. Also available on PlayStation 5)

64%Game Brain Score

gameplay, music

replayability, stability

85% User Score Based on 323 reviews

Critic Score 48%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

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About

"Crypt of the Serpent King" is a medieval first-person dungeon crawler with roguelike elements, featuring large, randomly generated dungeons and a variety of enemies to fight. Players can wield melee and ranged weapons, navigate hazards such as lava pits and spike traps, and choose from three difficulty levels. The game emphasizes character progression, allowing players to level up abilities and specialize their playstyle.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 325 reviews

gameplay14 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Challenging gameplay with procedural level generation that offers replayability.
Simple yet effective progression system with a variety of weapons to collect.
Fun for casual play and a good time killer, especially for fans of dungeon crawlers.

Repetitive gameplay with limited enemy variety and basic combat mechanics.
Graphics and sound design are basic, lacking polish and depth.
Steep learning curve and frustrating jumping mechanics can detract from the experience.

gameplay
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
The gameplay is characterized by a minimalist art style and procedurally generated dungeon-crawling mechanics, offering a mix of exploration, combat, and loot collection. While some players appreciate the challenging nature and depth of the RPG elements, others criticize the lack of detailed tutorials, shallow mechanics, and repetitive environments, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall engagement and complexity. Despite its flaws, the game has been praised for its smooth gameplay and potential appeal to fans of hack-and-slash genres.
- “The core gameplay revolves around exploring procedurally generated levels filled with traps, enemies, and loot.”
- “Crypt of the Serpent King delivers a solid dungeon-crawling experience for players who appreciate challenging gameplay and procedural generation.”
- “Its deep and intricate gameplay is finely crafted to make you feel like you are the hero of this tale.”
- “All I can say for sure is that this has all the same qualities that you expect from lazy asset flips... mismatched assets, godawfully bad, unpolished gameplay, and as much depth as a tech demo.”
- “Not enough depth, length, variety, or gameplay at all.”
- “The worst part is probably the pathetic bunny-hop jump mechanic that guarantees every time you try to jump over the lava, you'll fall in.”
music
54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
69%
6%
The game's soundtrack is praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the dungeon-crawling experience, though it can become repetitive during long play sessions. While the battle music is considered average, the overall sound design and soundtrack are highlighted as strong points, with some users noting issues with the music's intensity and timing, which can lead to unintended jump scares. Overall, the music is seen as a significant asset that complements the game's horror elements, despite some inconsistencies.
- “The soundtrack features atmospheric music that complements the dungeon-crawling experience, though it can become repetitive over extended play sessions.”
- “The music is excellent for such a low budget title, and it fits the environment very well.”
- “Deep RPG mechanics, heart-touching story with complex character backgrounds and the most incredible soundtrack ever composed (sit down, Hans Zimmer).”
- “The music in this seemed to be slightly confused, as on many occasions it got all excited over absolutely nothing, which really didn't help the tone at all.”
- “Sometimes there would be no change in music (there are also no footsteps or noise indicators until you're being stabbed in the back by a goblin), which I suppose added an element of 'jump scare horror' to the game when I turned around and realized three orcs were all up in my face.”
- “The music needs to calm down a little; I got scared so many times because the default soundtrack amped up for no reason.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
12%
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic yet functional, employing a minimalist art style that complements the gameplay without being distracting. While some players appreciate the smooth animations and decent textures, others note that the visuals can feel low-poly or amateurish, reminiscent of older gaming eras. Overall, the graphics effectively contribute to the game's atmosphere, particularly in creating a dark and eerie environment, though they may not be groundbreaking or universally praised.
- “Crypt of the Serpent King combines breathtaking graphics, seamless gameplay, and an unforgettable storyline, setting a new standard for gaming excellence.”
- “I have never seen something with so much attention to detail, fluid gameplay mechanics, and graphics that looked almost photo realistic.”
- “This game has to be one of the best experiences out there; I'd say this game is a perfect blend between Dark Souls and League of Legends, with its smooth graphics and intense gameplay, this is easily one of the games of the year.”
- “The graphics are so low-poly that I feel like I was playing a game from the PS1 era.”
- “Despite how bad the graphics look, and how buggy the game is, it is actually really fun to try and beat in hardcore.”
- “The game's graphics look preset, as if the developer didn't actually design any of the assets.”
story
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
58%
12%
The game's story is widely praised for its depth, emotional impact, and intricate character development, with many players noting its ability to evoke strong feelings and memorable experiences. While some critiques mention a lack of proper level design and reliance on procedural generation, the overall narrative is described as legendary, filled with unexpected twists and a rich lore that enhances the gameplay. Many reviewers highlight the combination of stunning graphics and storytelling as setting a new standard in gaming excellence.
- “The lore and story of this game is so mesmerizing I almost cried during the ending of the game. I'm just tearing up at the thought of the ending and the fact that I won't be able to experience this masterpiece for the first time again.”
- “The story of this game is so in-depth, with twists and turns that come out of left field, and the plot is something of legend.”
- “Deep RPG mechanics, heart-touching story with complex character backgrounds and the most incredible soundtrack ever composed.”
- “The game features no proper level design or game/story flow/plot, as they opted to try to use samey repetitive procedural generation algorithms as a substitute for adding such content to the game, to avoid doing the important job of level/map design.”
- “The storywriting is so complex and deep, with various characters like 'giant rat' and 'gnoblin' with their motivations tied deep in their character arcs.”
- “Plus, if you're creative, you can just sort of make your own story out of what's going on.”
atmosphere
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
27%
13%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by strong lighting and atmospheric music that effectively complements the dungeon-crawling experience, creating a tense and foreboding environment. While the soundtrack excels in setting the mood, it can become repetitive during long play sessions, and the transition between combat and ambient music could be improved. Overall, the sound design and atmospheric audio are standout features, contributing to an engaging old-school vibe.
- “The lighting is very good; it creates a foreboding atmosphere and I really like the way the creatures emerge from the shadows.”
- “The strong suite of these devs would definitely have to be the atmospheric sounds and soundtrack.”
- “Though the sound design and music could use some work as you switch between combat and creepy atmosphere music constantly.”
- “There's this tense atmosphere and old-school vibe...”
emotional
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players describe the emotional impact of "The Crypt of the Serpent King" as profound and moving, often leading to tears during gameplay. The game is praised for its deep RPG mechanics, complex character backgrounds, and a powerful soundtrack, all contributing to its status as a masterpiece that offers thought-provoking choices and a poignant commentary on modern society.
- “When I first laid eyes on this game, I cried.”
- “I genuinely sat on my cracked pleather couch, and I cried.”
- “Deep RPG mechanics, a heart-touching story with complex character backgrounds, and the most incredible soundtrack ever composed (sit down, Hans Zimmer).”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
50%
38%
The game features strong replayability due to its procedural generation of levels, multiple difficulty settings, and various weapons and attributes to enhance gameplay. While it may lack polish and narrative depth, it offers a challenging and engaging experience for fans of the genre, making it a worthwhile budget-friendly option. Overall, players can expect plenty of replay value from "Crypt of the Serpent King."
- “One of the notable features is the procedural generation of levels, which adds a layer of replayability.”
- “Crypt of the Serpent King succeeds in delivering what it promises—a challenging dungeon crawler with replayability, though it may not appeal to those seeking a more polished or narrative-driven experience.”
- “It's not a AAA game, but I think it's a very nice game for its asking price, and it offers plenty of replay value with randomized dungeon layouts, multiple weapons to buy, and three levels of difficulty, as well as three attributes that can be increased with experience earned.”
- “Its emphasis on difficulty and replayability makes it a suitable choice for fans of the genre looking for a budget-friendly and engaging experience on Steam.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game primarily stems from the hilariously poor enemy AI, which provides entertaining interactions and makes certain levels enjoyable to play. However, overall, the game is not considered a comedy, as it lacks a consistent humorous tone.
- “The enemy AI is hilariously terrible, making the enemies super fun to mess with in certain levels.”
- “Funny”
- “The enemy AI is hilariously terrible, making the enemies super fun to mess with in certain levels.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game exhibits occasional glitches, particularly on PC, but they are generally not severe enough to detract from the overall experience. While players note that the game is buggy and has subpar graphics, many still find enjoyment in its gameplay, especially in hardcore mode. Overall, stability issues are present but not game-breaking.
- “Despite how bad the graphics look, and how buggy the game is, it is actually really fun to try and beat in hardcore.”
- “Not a bad game, yeah it's really buggy and wonky, but I legitimately got some enjoyment out of this game because of how dumb it was at some points.”
- “Last thing, I noticed rare glitches when playing on PC but nothing alarming (got none on PS4).”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the repetitive dungeon crawling, the auto-kill mechanics related to jumping over obstacles can lead to frustration and tedium. Many feel that the game could benefit from more variety in weapons and enemies to enhance the grinding experience.
- “Since jumping over lava and traps are auto kills, and you can never improve your jump, and you have to jump multiple times in every level to succeed, this feature makes the game unnecessarily tedious and frustrating.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Users report significant improvements in optimization, allowing for smoother gameplay and the ability to play multiple rounds consecutively without performance issues.
- “Now, not only have I solved my performance issue, but I can go multiple rounds back to back.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely criticized as a blatant cash grab, detracting from the overall experience, yet it paradoxically contributes to its appeal as an unintentionally frustrating rage game.
- “As much as this game is a despicable cash-grabbing mess, it is the most intriguing accidental rage game I've ever played.”