Delver
- February 1, 2018
- Chad Cuddigan
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Delver" is a single-player, fantasy hack and slash roguelike game with 90s FPS combat and classic RPG mechanics. The procedurally generated dungeons and permadeath system make for tough, yet engaging gameplay, with no grinding to save you. Despite some bugs, the exceptional visuals and music create a dense and immersive atmosphere, offering lots of replayability. Your mission: delve into the shifting dungeons, find the Yithidian orb, and survive.
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Reviews
- Charming retro art style with vibrant colors and good sound design.
- Engaging gameplay with a mix of melee, ranged, and magic combat that encourages creativity.
- High replayability due to procedurally generated dungeons and randomized loot.
- Limited content and variety in enemies and items, leading to repetitive gameplay.
- Crashes and bugs, particularly related to inventory management and game stability.
- Permadeath mechanic can be frustrating, especially when deaths feel cheap or unfair.
- graphics682 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of Delver are characterized by a charming retro pixel art style that evokes nostalgia for classic 90s games, blending 2D sprites with 3D environments reminiscent of titles like Minecraft and Doom. Players appreciate the vibrant colors, smooth animations, and atmospheric lighting, although some note that the simplistic visuals can occasionally hinder gameplay clarity. Overall, the art style is well-received for its unique aesthetic and ability to create an engaging atmosphere, despite some criticisms regarding depth and occasional graphical glitches.
“The art style is cute and crispy and there's plenty of post-processing effects to choose from to alter the vibe of the game to your liking.”
“It's graphics style, although simple, is remarkably beautiful and is a nice change from the endless pursuit of realistic graphics even at the cost of performance that we so often see today.”
“The retro pixel art style is exquisite and the environments and atmosphere add so much more to the experience.”
“Unfortunately, the game's graphics are so pixelated that even with everything turned all the way up, it is very hard for me to discern between the different objects, making navigating through the different passages quite irritating.”
“To the game developer, I say make the graphics better and give people a choice between pixelated and smooth lines.”
“While some might like the early FPS style graphics and magical theme, I don't find this game appealing to look at nor to play.”
- gameplay568 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 61 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Delver is characterized by its classic roguelike mechanics, featuring procedurally generated dungeons, diverse loot, and a straightforward combat system. While many players appreciate the game's charming pixel art and engaging atmosphere, some criticize its simplicity and lack of depth, noting that it can become repetitive after a few hours. Overall, the game offers a fun, albeit basic, dungeon-crawling experience that may appeal to fans of the genre, but it lacks the complexity and variety found in more polished titles.
“There are many fun mechanics to play with, the levels of the dungeons are different enough, the loot is diverse and it feels like the game gives you more loot around your specific build (you play with a bow, you get more arrows and bows than otherwise etc) yet it still gives you a couple of items so you can change your build in case you want to do something else that run. The level-up system is great; each level really makes you feel like you got stronger yet it still feels like the mobs get a little stronger as you level up.”
“Challenging without being punishing, it is easy to get into the gameplay loop as you loot useful treasure and descend deeper into the depths.”
“Its simple yet satisfying gameplay combined with its charmingly cozy presentation makes Delver a delightful little dungeon-crawling experience.”
“The gameplay is too bland, it is boring, it lacks action and the combat is nice but pretty poor; it has potential but it missed it.”
“But quite soon you start to realize just how tedious the gameplay is and the flaws of the game rise to the surface.”
“There are no skill trees, there is no diversity in each playthrough, and the mechanical variety of the game is just so low -- it's hard to describe, but gameplay-wise, there's no meat to this game.”
- music388 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many praising its atmospheric and nostalgic qualities, likening it to classic titles. However, several players noted that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, detracting from the overall experience. Despite this, the music is generally considered to enhance the game's ambiance and is often described as relaxing and engaging, contributing positively to the gameplay.
“The music is absolutely fantastic.”
“Delver has a very entrancing, relaxing, and mystical soundtrack.”
“The music adds so much to it, without it, the game wouldn't be as good.”
“The music is very limited and loops constantly, so even though it sounds nice at first it gets tiring quickly.”
“Per level there is a loop of what feels around 45 - 60 seconds of music that just feels very very repetitive and out of place for the gameplay and is completely unable to create a good mood for the game.”
“The music also is a mess and gets annoying very very soon.”
- replayability182 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its procedural generation and variety, leading to high replay value, while others criticize it for becoming repetitive and lacking depth after a few runs. Many feel that the absence of meaningful unlockables and progression diminishes long-term engagement, although modding support offers potential for increased replayability. Overall, while some enjoy the game's charm and accessibility, others find it falls short of expectations for a roguelike.
“But what really sets Delver apart is its sheer replayability.”
“The dungeons are randomly generated each time you play, making the replayability value high.”
“Delver contains smooth RPG-like combat, where charging your attack makes it more likely to hit your target; a mysterious setting of an ancient tower holding one of the greatest treasures known; and oodles of replay value.”
“This game has almost no replayability whatsoever, is way too easy and unfair at the same time, unbalanced and overall lacking.”
“It lacks replay value as you are likely to see most of the content after a couple of deaths.”
“The gameplay seems too short and shallow; there's very little replay value.”
- atmosphere132 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its exceptional sound design, vibrant pixel art, and immersive environments that enhance the overall experience. Reviewers highlight the effective use of music and lighting to create a captivating ambiance, making each level feel unique and engaging. Despite some minor criticisms regarding content variety, the game's atmosphere is consistently described as charming, nostalgic, and a key factor in its replayability.
“The atmosphere, the lighting, the music, and the art are all spot on.”
“The gameplay is so smooth, there's always something interesting around every corner, the atmosphere is not only delightful but strangely comforting.”
“I should also mention the incredible atmosphere, which is held together by the aesthetically pleasing visuals and the fantastic soundtrack.”
“It runs great on any computer made this century, I have never had any sort of technical difficulty, 10/10 in every single department except for music and atmosphere, 11/10 music, and 12/10 atmosphere.”
“The combat is pretty simple and there isn't a whole lot of content at the moment but the atmosphere mostly makes up for it.”
“It gets a tad old with time, but I always ended up crawling back to it for its challenge and raw atmosphere.”
- story128 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered weak, with many players noting a lack of depth and clarity. While there are hints of lore through scattered notes and NPC interactions, the narrative feels fragmented and difficult to piece together, leaving players wanting a more cohesive and engaging storyline. Overall, the story serves as a minimal backdrop to the gameplay, which is more focused on action and exploration than on narrative development.
“All the areas feel unique and have their own bits of story through notes you can find from previous explorers of the dungeon.”
“This combined with the many notes scattered throughout the levels adds a strange bit of lore to the Delver universe and really makes you intrigued to find them all and learn of every little secret and story that the dungeon has to offer.”
“The storyline is just full enough to keep you interested and immersed; very artfully done.”
“The story doesn't really have much depth, but it has a story, and a randomly generated dungeon with simple controls and leveling up... worth the $5 I paid for it, but just barely.”
“Combat is clunky and off, sounds are ear grinding, and the story is basically non-existent.”
“Story: I understand this isn't meant to be a strong point, but the lack of details and lore makes it so I have no real interest in finishing/winning the game.”
- stability52 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches, including freezing issues and problems with the inventory system, particularly when using a controller. While some users experienced no major technical difficulties, others noted that the game can crash or freeze at critical moments, which is especially problematic for a roguelike where progress can be easily lost. Overall, while the game shows promise and runs well on modern systems, it is still considered quite buggy, leading some to recommend waiting for further patches before diving in.
“Delver is exactly what I was looking for, a super-rad, first-person, pixel art roguelite that runs great on my (admittedly) not-so-great setup.”
“It runs great on any computer made this century; I have never had any sort of technical difficulty. 10/10 in every single department except for music and atmosphere, 11/10 music, and 12/10 atmosphere.”
“The game is bug-free, for the most part (I didn't run into any, at least).”
“The game freezes at the 'press any key to start' screen.”
“Loaded.... I have never been able to use it since it freezes at loading.”
“Lot of promise but clearly a buggy mess.”
- grinding36 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 94 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while some appreciate the need for grinding to upgrade inventory and hotbar spaces, many describe it as tedious and repetitive. The combat and exploration can feel clunky and unoriginal, leading to a sense of monotony, especially during longer play sessions. However, some players enjoy the challenge of grinding through levels and battling bosses, suggesting that the game may be better suited for shorter, more focused play sessions.
“But quite soon you start to realize just how tedious the gameplay is and the flaws of the game rise to the surface.”
“Don't get me wrong, I love the look of the game and the flow of the game, but I feel like it is the most tedious game I have ever played!”
“There are no chests to open so far, only crates and pots to bash, and bashing them gets tedious real fast.”
- humor24 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its cleverness, charming art style, and amusing physics, which contribute to a lighthearted experience. However, some reviewers note that the repetitive nature of gameplay can diminish the initial humor over time, suggesting that the lack of unlockables leads to a sense of monotony. Overall, while the game starts off funny and engaging, its humor may wane with extended play.
“If you're looking for a random-gen roguelike dungeon crawler that's more about getting lost and laughing your way through, Delver is your ticket to pixelated mayhem.”
“It's very clever and the notes often have me laughing a bit.”
“Oh, and bats and caterpillars seem to drop hilariously large heavy items such as a mace or a complete set of mail armor.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 28 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on various systems, including older hardware, players have reported issues such as hitbox mismatches, enemies getting stuck, and occasional stuttering. The art style is praised for its beauty and simplicity, providing a refreshing alternative to hyper-realistic graphics, but there are calls for further optimization updates to address the existing glitches and improve gameplay consistency.
“Seems like a great game, with excellent performance even in 4K on an 8-year-old Intel graphics laptop.”
“It runs smoothly with very few glitches/bugs, and has a great art style and enemy design with excellent semi-randomized levels.”
“It is beautifully optimized, playing on my school's $100 10" laptops at max settings 60fps.”
“Enemies get stuck inside walls, hitboxes don't match their sprite, weird lighting and geometry, stuttering and hitching despite the game running on a modern system, water extinguishing bombs and burning entities but not lit candles, movement made possible with the inventory screen open but not the map UI, spritework making it hard to gauge whether you can hit an enemy or not, seeing and going through map bounds, etc.”
“At the very least, it needs some optimization updates.”
“Performance issues are prevalent, affecting the overall gameplay experience.”
- character development4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development in the game appears to stagnate in the late game, with players feeling that enhancements to attack or magic become ineffective. However, the charming music and character design are consistently praised, adding a positive aesthetic to the overall experience.
“The music and character design are very charming.”
“For character development, as far as I can tell, in the late game, increasing your attack or magic seems worthless.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game's narrative, highlighting the heartbreak of lost lives while also finding the resilience to continue their journey. This duality of sorrow and determination resonates strongly, enhancing the overall emotional experience.
“No lost life is so heartbreaking that I could not find it within myself to start another.”
