Desktop Dungeons: Rewind
- April 18, 2023
- QCF Design
- 19h median play time
Get on Steam"Desktop Dungeons: Rewind" is a modern remaster of the award-winning dungeon crawler, where you descend into dungeons to steal riches and build your kingdom. Each dungeon is bite-sized, with terrain revealing health and mana, and the ability to rewind and try a different strategy after death. Trade trophies for gold and upgrade your settlement to attract skilled adventurers, and compete with friends.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game features a beautiful graphical overhaul that enhances the visual experience.
- The rewind function allows players to correct mistakes, making the game more forgiving for newcomers.
- The core gameplay remains engaging and challenging, with a variety of classes and strategies to explore.
- The new UI is cluttered and difficult to read, making it hard to track important information during gameplay.
- The game can feel overly challenging, even with the addition of a difficulty slider.
- Many players feel that the remaster lacks the charm and clarity of the original version, making it less enjoyable.
- graphics190 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the remastered version have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the overhaul to 3D visuals while others feel it detracts from the clarity and charm of the original 2D art style. Critics note that the new graphics can be harder to read and less engaging, often describing them as bland or generic, which impacts gameplay visibility. Overall, while some players enjoy the updated aesthetic, many long for the original's distinctive and clear visuals.
“The new graphics paired with the great soundtrack really puts you in the dungeon.”
“I think they have done a good job although I'm not the biggest fan of the art style, it's very readable, clean and not distracting which could easily happen with a more detailed art style.”
“The graphics got a very obvious overhaul - for better or for worse - but the gameplay remains exactly the same, offering players new and old the same plate of tactical deliciousness that the original had.”
“Love desktop dungeons, but those 3D isometric visuals, map that needs scrolling, and cumbersome UI are straight-up downgrades from the graceful original.”
“The graphics are decent, but the visual clarity of the original is now lost and you have to zoom in just to see the various objects in the level.”
“Much of the new graphics make objects in the game look muddier, smaller, or otherwise more difficult to differentiate than they were in the original game.”
- gameplay112 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the remastered Desktop Dungeons retains the core mechanics of the original, offering a familiar experience with some minor adjustments and a new rewind feature that some players find beneficial while others see as unnecessary. The game combines puzzle elements with RPG mechanics, challenging players to optimize their strategies in a roguelike format, and while the updated graphics enhance the visual appeal, opinions vary on whether these changes improve or detract from the overall experience. Overall, it remains a solid choice for fans of the genre, providing depth and replayability, though some may prefer the original version.
“The look of the game is much, much, much improved, while the fantastic and intricate gameplay is perfectly preserved.”
“As for the gameplay itself, Desktop Dungeon is a coffee break turn-based puzzle roguelite - a typical run will take you 10-15 minutes on average, and it will challenge you to optimize your resource usage to be able to defeat the boss of the dungeon... and later on even multiple bosses.”
“The game offers a unique blend of RPG-style mechanics and puzzle elements that requires you to carefully plan out each move, considering the strengths and weaknesses of your character and the enemies you're facing.”
“Not only that, but the 3D perspective actually makes the gameplay worse by introducing the game at a slight angle in order to show the 3D models.”
“The gameplay is unchanged from the previous games with a few minor changes that either worsen the experience or do not fundamentally alter the experience in a way that treads new ground for the series.”
“Edit after some gameplay though, this is actually a straight downgrade from the original - you're much better off just going with that.”
- humor36 mentions
- 89 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its funny writing, clever puns, and playful art style reminiscent of Terry Pratchett, making it a great choice for lighthearted gaming sessions. However, some critics find the humor forced or annoying, suggesting that it may not resonate with everyone. Overall, while the game retains the charm of its predecessor, opinions vary on the effectiveness of its comedic elements.
“Great puzzle game with a fun sense of humor and tons of replayability.”
“With their silly antics and playful personalities, they're sure to keep you laughing and feeling fawn-tastic all day long.”
“Fun, bitesized roguelike puzzler with a mountain of puns and other hilarious references.”
“It tries really hard to be funny, but maybe it's intentionally unfunny.”
“Either way, extremely unfunny is still extremely unfunny.”
“It tries really hard to be funny, but maybe it's intentionally unfunny.”
- story26 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The story is described as light but charming, with cute characters and humorous dialogue that enhance the overall experience. However, the absence of a codex and reminders about quests and lore detracts from the depth of the narrative, leaving some players wanting more. While the gameplay remains enjoyable, the lack of substantial story elements may not satisfy those looking for a richer narrative experience.
“The gameplay is the same and the story is the same, and those are still awesome, of course.”
“And the story/characters are cute.”
“The chuckles from the story dialogue alone are worth the purchase price, but the gameplay is an extremely enjoyable take on the dungeon crawl experience.”
“Only con would be the story is light, but I feel this is offset by the game's overall charm, style, and delivery.”
“- Reminders of what quest you're on and how the gods work have also been removed, and those were much less superfluous.”
“But, past the tutorials and around 4-5 missions since the beginning, I have spent about 6 hours, not able to score one win.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its roguelike mechanics, varied dungeons, and the ability to unlock different classes, races, and quests. Players appreciate the adjustable difficulty and the engaging gameplay loop, which allows for both short and extended play sessions. Overall, it is highly regarded for its depth and the numerous options available for replaying, making it a compelling choice for fans of puzzle roguelikes.
“Great puzzle game with a fun sense of humor and tons of replayability.”
“Play it for 20 minutes or for several hours at a time, the randomly-generated dungeons ensure there's plenty of replayability and the town building/upgrading will keep you diving for treasure.”
“Lots of varied dungeons together with many different class and kin combinations leads to a lot of replayability.”
“The game also has a lot of replay value, as you can unlock different classes, races, and quests.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is heavily grind-focused, requiring extensive playtime to unlock new content, which many players find tedious and uninteresting. While some appreciate the removal of traditional grinding mechanics from classic roguelikes, the overall sense of progression feels sluggish and overly reliant on repetitive tasks. The grinding experience is described as a core aspect of the game, often leading to frustration rather than enjoyment.
“The game is 100% designed to be very grindy; unlocking new stuff can easily take 10 full runs, so the sense of progression is very sluggish.”
“This game takes grinding to a new level... and really, the game is the grind.”
“Game is reasonable until the tutorial stuff is over; with the amount of min/maxing I need to do to beat any level, I may as well just be doing math worksheets since it just amounts to tedious math for a very specific outcome, if not outright failure.”
- music8 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many users noting that the soundtrack is both fitting and immersive, effectively complementing the new graphics and overall dungeon experience.
“The new graphics paired with the great soundtrack really puts you in the dungeon.”
“Great music and atmosphere.”
“The music is also great and very fitting for the feel of the game.”
- stability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has been noted to have several bugs, which is unexpected for a straightforward remake. However, players report that it performs well on the Steam Deck, with good visuals and smooth gameplay.
“I play it mainly on my Steam Deck, and it looks and runs great.”
“The game is surprisingly buggy, considering it's a straight remake.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its great music and immersive qualities, though some reviewers feel that the remake missed the chance to enhance the overall ambiance and humor, opting instead to simplify certain features.
“Great music and atmosphere.”
“Despite having the opportunity to remake the game and improve the atmosphere and humor, the only changes seem to have been to pare down a few features.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is crucial to its enjoyment, as players must strategically manage various resources, including hitpoints, mana, and the fog of war, which not only aids in recovery but also influences enemy behavior. This dynamic encourages players to think critically about their actions, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
“The optimization aspect of the game is the center of what makes it fun - your resources are not only your hit points and mana, but also the fog of war (discovering it restores your HP and MP, as well as allows monsters to regenerate) and the enemies themselves (setting up your experience to level up mid-battle for a full heal).”
