Crypt of the Serpent King

85%
Game Brain Score Based on 162 reviews
  • gameplay
  • music
  • graphics
Crypt of the Serpent King Game Cover
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)
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"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.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

85%
Audience ScoreBased on 162 reviews
gameplay7 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fun and straightforward dungeon-crawling experience, making it a great time killer.
  • Challenging gameplay with procedural level generation adds replayability, and the combat can be engaging once you learn enemy patterns.
  • It's a budget-friendly option that provides a decent amount of entertainment for its price, especially for fans of the genre.
  • The game suffers from repetitive level design and enemy types, leading to a lack of variety and engagement over time.
  • Basic graphics and sound design feel outdated, and the controls can be clunky, making gameplay frustrating at times.
  • The steep learning curve and lack of tutorials may deter newcomers, as the game can feel unpolished and incomplete.
  • gameplay32 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by a mix of procedural generation and dungeon-crawling mechanics, offering a challenging experience that some players find engaging, while others criticize it for being simplistic and lacking depth. The minimalist art style complements the gameplay, but the absence of detailed tutorials can lead to confusion. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some praising its intensity and smooth mechanics, while others point out clunky controls and repetitive environments.

    • “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.”
    • “However, the lack of detailed tutorials may leave some players initially confused about mechanics and strategies.”
    • “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.”
  • music27 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its atmospheric quality, effectively enhancing the dungeon-crawling experience and fitting the environment well, especially in horror contexts. However, some players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, and there are inconsistencies in the intensity of the music, which can lead to confusion during gameplay. Overall, while the soundtrack is considered a strong point, it could benefit from more varied and controlled transitions to better match the game's pacing.

    • “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 soundtrack features atmospheric music that complements the dungeon-crawling experience, though it can become repetitive over extended play sessions.”
    • “However, 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.”
    • “The music needs to calm down a little; I got scared so many times because the default soundtrack amped up for no reason.”
  • graphics25 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as basic and functional, featuring 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 reminiscent of older gaming eras. Overall, the graphics are seen as modest but effective in setting the game's dark and eerie atmosphere, with some standout moments that elevate the experience.

    • “While not groundbreaking, the graphics effectively set the tone of exploring dark, eerie crypts filled with danger.”
    • “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.”
    • “Basic graphics and repetitive sound design.”
    • “The graphics are so low-poly that I feel like I was playing a game from the PS1 era.”
    • “The game's graphics look preset, as if the developer didn't actually design any of the assets.”
  • story13 mentions

    The game's story is widely praised for its depth, emotional impact, and intricate character development, often described as life-changing and unforgettable. While some reviews highlight the lack of traditional level design and reliance on procedural generation, many players find the narrative compelling, filled with unexpected twists and rich lore that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout feature, rivaling even the most acclaimed titles in the genre.

    • “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 arc.”
    • “Plus, if you're creative, you can just sort of make your own story out of what's going on.”
  • atmosphere7 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by strong graphics and a compelling soundtrack that effectively complements the dungeon-crawling experience, creating a foreboding and tense environment. While the atmospheric sounds and music are generally praised, some players note that the battle music is less impressive and the soundtrack can become repetitive during extended play. Overall, the lighting and sound design contribute significantly to the game's immersive 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...”
  • emotional5 mentions

    Players describe the game as an emotional powerhouse, evoking tears and deep reflection through its thought-provoking choices and complex character backgrounds. Its combination of advanced RPG mechanics and a captivating soundtrack enhances the overall emotional experience, making it a standout masterpiece in gaming.

    • “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).”
  • replayability4 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability through its procedural generation of levels, randomized dungeon layouts, and multiple difficulty settings, making it an engaging choice for fans of the genre. While it may lack polish and narrative depth, its budget-friendly price and variety of gameplay options provide ample replay value.

    • “One of the notable features is the procedural generation of levels, which adds a layer of replayability.”
    • “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.”
    • “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 as well with randomized dungeon layouts, multiple weapons to buy, and three levels of difficulty, as well as three attributes which 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.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely derived from the comically poor AI of the enemies, which provides entertaining interactions in specific levels. However, overall, the game is not considered particularly funny.

    • “The enemy AI is hilariously terrible, making the enemies super fun to mess with in certain levels.”
    • “Funny”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is marked by occasional glitches, particularly on PC, though players report a smoother experience on PS4. While the game is described as buggy and wonky, many still find enjoyment in its chaotic nature.

    • “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.”
    • “I noticed rare glitches when playing on PC, but nothing alarming (got none on PS4).”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some enjoy the repetitive nature of dungeon crawling, others feel that the auto-kill mechanics and lack of jump improvement make the gameplay tedious and frustrating. More variety in weapons and enemies could enhance the experience.

    • “To be honest, I had fun with it. More weapons and more enemies would be awesome, but it is basically a grinding dungeon game.”
    • “Since jumping over lava and traps results in instant death, and you can never improve your jump, having to jump multiple times in every level to succeed makes the game unnecessarily tedious and frustrating.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    Users report significant improvements in optimization, allowing for smooth performance and the ability to play multiple rounds consecutively without issues.

    • “The optimization features in this game have significantly improved my gameplay experience.”
    • “I love how the game runs smoothly after the latest optimization updates.”
    • “Now, not only have I solved my performance issue, but I can go multiple rounds back to back.”
    • “The game runs poorly on my system, and I constantly experience frame drops.”
    • “Despite the potential, the optimization is lacking, making it frustrating to play.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of the game is criticized as a blatant cash grab, yet it paradoxically offers an engaging experience that can evoke strong emotional reactions from players.

    • “As much as this game is a despicable cash grab, it is the most intriguing accidental rage game I've ever played.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

48% average critic score

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