Curse of the Dead Gods

Great action, smart strategy, and random curses carry Curse of the Dead Gods to top tier of the action-roguelite genre.

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"Curse of the Dead Gods" is a roguelike action game where you explore an ever-changing cursed temple filled with deadly traps, monsters, and valuable relics. The "Curse of the Dead Cells" update added Dead Cells-themed content, including new curses, weapons, a challenge room, and a two-handed fighting style with bombs. The game offers a difficult and rewarding experience as you seek untold riches and power within the temple's depths.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

74%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,866 reviews

gameplay948 positive mentions

story230 negative mentions

Challenging and rewarding gameplay that encourages experimentation and mastery.
Unique light and darkness mechanic adds a strategic layer to the gameplay.
Deep progression system that allows for much customization and replayability.

The game's difficulty may be off-putting to some players, particularly those new to the roguelike genre.
The procedural generation can occasionally result in unfair or uninteresting temple layouts.
The game's reliance on RNG can sometimes lead to frustrating runs where players cannot acquire the resources or relics they need to succeed.

gameplay
2,367 mentions
40 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Curse of the Dead Gods" is characterized by its challenging mechanics, including a unique corruption system that adds both risk and reward to each run, and a light/darkness mechanic that influences combat and exploration. Players appreciate the depth and variety offered by the combat system, which emphasizes dodging, parrying, and strategic weapon use, although some find the mechanics can feel clunky or punishing at times. Overall, while the game is praised for its engaging combat and intricate mechanics, it faces criticism for repetitive gameplay and a lack of narrative depth compared to similar titles like "Hades."
- “The curse mechanic is really interesting, especially as you get later into the game and start to unlock some cursed weapons.”
- “The gameplay loop seemingly never gets stale, with three temples each with their own respective god, mechanics, traps, layouts, enemies, and so forth, I can simply never get bored.”
- “Curse of the Dead Gods offers an amazing variety of weapons, each with unique mechanics that make them feel unique.”
- “The gameplay is so repetitive that I can only play for like 30 minutes at a time.”
- “The only unique mechanic, curses, gets boring and annoying very quickly.”
- “The game itself is pretty irritating, progression is incredibly slow, controls are clunky and nonsensical, parrying takes away from combat flow, there aren't enough curses to make much of a variation, light mechanics don't add much to the game, and the hidden curse is just superfluous fluff.”
graphics
781 mentions
60 % positive mentions
39 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their stunning art style, which combines elements reminiscent of "Hades" and "Darkest Dungeon," creating a unique and immersive atmosphere. Players appreciate the detailed environments, fluid animations, and the effective use of light and darkness mechanics, although some have noted that the visuals can occasionally obscure gameplay clarity. Overall, the aesthetic is described as both beautiful and haunting, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The game's graphics are also impressive, with detailed environments and character models that bring the world to life.”
- “The art style is sublime, the animations are crisp and clear, the sound effects are solid and the overall look and feel just oozes style.”
- “The visuals are stunning and my only minor annoyance is the repetitive corruption animation, which takes a few seconds, so overall nothing major to dislike.”
- “Unfortunately, this game's visuals frequently make it difficult to even see what's going on: attacks with flashy elemental weapons frequently obscure the enemies being hit by them so much that one can't tell whether the enemy is in hitstun or winding up an attack unless one focuses so closely on that enemy that it becomes difficult to respond to threats from the periphery.”
- “I turned every graphics setting to the lowest possible value, made sure it's using my GPU, yet the frame rate is still so choppy that the game is completely unplayable.”
- “Graphically would be okay, but I feel like it was held back for some reason, generally oversimplified.”
story
778 mentions
12 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The story in "Curse of the Dead Gods" is largely absent, with many players noting a lack of narrative depth and character development compared to similar games like "Hades." While some lore can be gleaned from journal entries and monster codexes, the overall experience feels devoid of a cohesive plot, leaving players to focus primarily on gameplay mechanics. This absence of a compelling story may deter those who value narrative in their gaming experience, making it more suitable for players who prioritize action and combat over storytelling.
- “Addictive roguelite with great aesthetic, interesting theme and subtle worldbuilding that slowly reveals the story through journal entries as you defeat enemies.”
- “The storyline is captivating, with an intriguing premise that keeps players on the edge of their seats.”
- “With its excellent storyline, well-crafted characters, and impressive graphics and gameplay mechanics, this game is sure to keep players entertained for hours on end.”
- “The only thing holding this game back is a lack of story and other characters, with whom we could bond and get actually emotionally invested (see: Hades. There is no way of not comparing it to Hades, since it's the same formula, just with a removal of storytelling and all its emotional layers).”
- “This game has virtually no content (there's no story, no lore, no development of any kind).”
- “There is no story here, so your main motivation to keep playing is increasing difficulty and satisfying combat.”
grinding
240 mentions
2 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
97 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with players describing it as excessively tedious and unbalanced. Many reviewers express frustration over the slow progression and high costs associated with upgrades, leading to a repetitive experience that lacks meaningful content or rewards. While some players appreciate the challenge and the potential for skill improvement, the consensus is that the grind detracts significantly from overall enjoyment, making the game feel more like a chore than a rewarding experience.
- “In terms of difficulty, it's hard, but not tediously so once you get a feel for the combat.”
- “Not too fast but not tedious to get powerful upgrades.”
- “I have grown to dislike roguelites in general because of games like this where instead of meaningful content, it's just grindy repetition of the same thing and then you realize there's nothing to this and you're just going through the motions.”
- “Given the number of unlocks and the length of a run, I can only imagine it would take 100+ hours of grinding to unlock everything and without a story to hold the game together, I can't see grinding for that.”
- “This game is tedious and nothing feels fun, unique, nor challenging about it.”
replayability
226 mentions
41 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
Replayability in this game is a mixed bag; while some players praise its variety in weapon and enemy configurations, as well as the challenge of daily runs, others criticize it for lacking depth and becoming repetitive quickly. Many reviews highlight the potential for replay value through customization and randomization, but some feel it falls short compared to other roguelikes like Hades. Overall, the game offers a decent level of replayability, particularly for achievement hunters and those who enjoy experimenting with different builds.
- “This feature adds replayability, as players encounter different layouts, enemy placements, and loot distribution with each new run.”
- “The challenges add a lot of replay value, and trying out new weapon and blessing combinations always feels rewarding.”
- “Great visuals, thrilling and visceral combat with perfect dodging and satisfying parries and of course huge replay value - stands proudly among my favourite roguelites and deservedly so.”
- “I'd definitely recommend it on sale because the game is short, and I don't feel like it has much replayability.”
- “Sadly the lack of deep exploration, story, or any real 'character' to the game does kind of kill its replayability a bit for me.”
- “There just isn't enough to actually do in a rogue-like for this one, it just feels flat, no real replay value, no scaling, no fun.”
atmosphere
202 mentions
62 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in "Curse of the Dead Gods" is widely praised for its dark, immersive quality, enhanced by stunning visuals and exceptional sound design that evoke a sense of dread and tension. Many players appreciate the unique thematic elements of each area, though some feel that the gameplay can overshadow the atmospheric experience. Overall, the game successfully combines its haunting aesthetic with engaging mechanics, making it a standout title for fans of atmospheric roguelikes.
- “The game's environments are beautifully rendered, showcasing intricate details and atmospheric lighting.”
- “The sound design is equally immersive, with haunting ambient music and bone-chilling sound effects that perfectly complement the game's oppressive atmosphere.”
- “I am absolutely blown away at how atmospheric and immersive this game is.”
- “There's no real atmosphere and the whole experience feels very hollow.”
- “No story, no atmosphere, clunky controls, utterly unrewarding, no music, no level design, no character, does it have anything at all?”
- “Edit: ok I've played a few hours more and the game can get kinda fun sometimes, although it still completely lacks any atmosphere at all; I listen to music or podcasts while playing.”
music
176 mentions
25 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
Overall, the music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lackluster, generic, and forgettable, often leading them to mute it in favor of their own playlists. While some appreciate the atmospheric sound design that complements the game's oppressive environment, others feel that the soundtrack fails to enhance the gameplay experience, particularly in comparison to titles like Hades. The boss music is noted to be more engaging, but the overall consensus is that the game could greatly benefit from a more memorable and dynamic musical score.
- “The sound design is equally immersive, with haunting ambient music and bone-chilling sound effects that perfectly complement the game's oppressive atmosphere.”
- “The music is also amazing, perfectly fitting in with what's currently going on, especially against the champions and T'amok himself.”
- “Music and sound design are all deliberately engineered to deliver an immersive experience of exploring an abandoned temple haunted with cursed servitors.”
- “The music is also a little lackluster which makes the game feel kind of empty.”
- “The songs are just serviceable, nothing that'll get you pumped for a fight, which kinda sucks because to me the music is like 25% of a game.”
- “The weakest department is indeed the soundtrack - there's pretty much nothing going on for the most part.”
optimization
42 mentions
48 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and no significant issues, others experience frustrating frame rate drops, stuttering, and bugs that affect gameplay, particularly with controller use. The recent updates have introduced both improvements and new problems, leading to concerns about weapon and combat mechanics that require further optimization. Players who prioritize performance and strategy may find the current state unsatisfactory, especially given the reliance on RNG for run outcomes.
- “Great running game and well optimized.”
- “The latest adjustments, new content and optimizations are marvelous, go for it!”
- “It runs smoothly, the graphics are easy on the eyes and functional, none of the mechanics are frustrating, and skill really matters.”
- “Game optimization literally was thrown out of the game after the Temple of Air patch.”
- “And there are non-adjusted mechanics that don't make any sense and the weapon system is not optimized; some weapon classes just don't deal any damage to certain enemies, leading to situations where you end up just pressing attack a thousand times to defeat one boss, which is 30% of a temple out of three temples.”
- “Performance is kinda wonky; the FPS constantly jumps between 72 and 144, which leads to a noticeable jitter all the time, very annoying.”
stability
20 mentions
30 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
70 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with no significant bugs, others highlight persistent glitches, such as weapons passing through enemies and input delays. There are calls for updates to address these issues, particularly a critical black screen problem that renders the game unplayable for some. Despite these concerns, many appreciate the game's solid mechanics and graphics, indicating that it has potential if stability issues are resolved.
- “While the game does have some balance issues (spears are overpowered), it is a very solid, bug-free game that will most definitely challenge your twitch skills.”
- “I also cannot name a single bug encountered; the game is just super polished and runs great.”
- “Runs great under Proton and with no input delay on a DS3.”
- “There are glitches, like having weapons pass through enemies and dodge and parry don't always fire on time.”
- “But the game is in some definite need of updates, still has some glitches and bugs, no new content since 2021, it's just... a bit disappointing.”
- “Most glitches or bugs are fine with me in early access games, but the black screen issue makes the game literally unplayable, so that’s a negative recommendation from me on those grounds.”
character development
20 mentions
30 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely criticized, with many reviewers noting a significant lack of depth and narrative, which detracts from the overall experience. While the stylish character designs and visual effects are praised, the minimal character development and story elements leave some players feeling unsatisfied. For those who prioritize gameplay over narrative, the absence of character growth may not be a major concern, but it remains a notable shortcoming for others.
- “Engaging story and character development.”
- “Character design is great, bosses feel like bosses.”
- “The stylish character designs and captivating visual effects enhance the overall experience, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue.”
- “The gameplay in itself is interesting, but the complete lack of story and character development kills it for me.”
- “Zero character development and you have to scrape for what little story you can out of the rambling codex entries.”
- “Very similar to Hades, with slightly different mechanics, and not nearly as much character development.”
humor
20 mentions
90 % positive mentions
-5 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is polarizing; while some players find it amusing, particularly through the curse system and funny dialogue that elicits genuine laughter, others criticize the lack of a cohesive story or consistent comedic elements. Many reviews highlight a sense of frustration with gameplay mechanics that seem designed to hinder fun rather than enhance it, leading to a mixed reception regarding the overall humor experience.
- “I actually caught myself chuckling like a madman when I died.”
- “At night, when I sleep, I hear the game laughing... laughing at me...”
- “The curse system is a really good way to mix up runs with a lot of interesting modifiers that can be anything from terrifying to downright hilarious.”
- “The humor in this game falls flat; it feels forced and lacks genuine wit.”
- “I expected some laughs, but the jokes are stale and often miss the mark.”
- “The attempts at humor are more cringeworthy than entertaining, making the experience less enjoyable.”
emotional
8 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Reviews highlight a significant emotional gap in the game due to its lack of story and character development, which prevents players from forming meaningful connections and becoming truly invested. Comparisons to "Hades" emphasize that the absence of narrative depth diminishes the emotional experience, leaving players feeling detached despite engaging gameplay. Overall, while some moments resonate, the emotional impact is largely hindered by the game's shortcomings in storytelling.
- “666/10 would cry again”
- “Navigating the traps in order to find the gold and artifacts made me feel like Imbiamba himself.”
- “Who would possibly give their heart and soul wholesomely to an entity with little to no significance to them?”