Die in the Dungeon: Origins

About

"Die in the Dungeon: Origins" is a deck-building, turn-based roguelite where you use dice with different actions and abilities to defeat monsters. Improve your dice, combine them, and acquire powerful relics to navigate the dungeon. This game offers unique and powerful dice sets, events, and relics to create diverse strategies and progress through the game. The full version of the game is set to release in 2024.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,485 reviews

gameplay110 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

Unique and engaging gameplay that combines dice mechanics with roguelike elements.
Charming art style and music that enhance the overall experience.
High replayability with various strategies and combinations of dice and relics.

Heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating runs where success feels out of the player's control.
Some events and encounters can feel punishing, often resulting in unwinnable situations.
Lack of variety in enemy types and relics may lead to repetitive gameplay over time.

gameplay
209 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
45%
2%
The gameplay of this game is widely praised for its unique and engaging mechanics, particularly the innovative use of dice in a roguelike format, which adds depth and strategic complexity. Players appreciate the fun and addictive gameplay loop, though some express a desire for more content and variety, such as additional bosses and enemy types. Overall, the combination of simple mechanics, beautiful art, and a compelling gameplay experience makes it a standout title, despite some concerns about balance and RNG elements.
- “I actually found this game to have an extremely fun gameplay loop!”
- “The strategic depth and unique mechanics kept me engaged from start to finish.”
- “Unique and endlessly fun gameplay, with a cute art style!”
- “Starting to become a trend: any time a game comes from itch to Steam, the gameplay suffers at the expense of slightly better graphics.”
- “However, to progress further, one needs to play multiple times to understand the workings of the dice mechanics.”
- “A demo, which honestly lacks any meaningful gameplay at this state as there's no single progression or anything that would let you continue playing it if the final release is at this state of complete luck-based game.”
graphics
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
50%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their beautiful art style, immersive atmosphere, and charming animations, with many players highlighting the pixel art and colorful designs as standout features. While some users appreciate the nostalgic feel and thematic integration of visuals and sound, a few express a desire for sharper, modern graphics. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- “Allow the eerie ambiance and immersive graphics to envelop you, setting the stage for your adventure.”
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning, and the mechanics are nothing short of impressive.”
- “The game's graphics are stunning, immersing you in the dark and moody atmosphere of the dungeons.”
- “Starting to become a trend: any time a game comes from itch to Steam, the gameplay suffers at the expense of slightly better graphics.”
- “A lot of potential, but please make the graphics more readable.”
- “I really appreciate the idea of where this game is heading, I really like the pixel graphics, and I really do like the charm, but the gameplay itself needs work – and without engaging gameplay, no amount of cute graphics will hook me in.”
music
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
41%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread praise for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with many players noting its immersive and nostalgic qualities reminiscent of classic titles. While the soundtrack is generally well-received, some users expressed a desire for more variety and dynamic tracks to match different game events. Overall, the music is described as enjoyable, fitting the game's atmosphere, and contributing significantly to its charm.
- “The music perfectly matches the atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is full of bangers too - overall just solid fun!”
- “Great music, art, and animation; I would love a map with branching paths for the final game.”
- “There's a bug where if you restart the game from the game over screen, the music stops playing.”
- “Must say the soundtrack is kinda boring.”
- “It would be nice to have a more diverse soundtrack; while the ones in place, with some resemblance to the classics of 'Undertale', are very nice, it would make sense to have different soundtracks for different events, bosses, and story bits.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
82%
9%
The reviews indicate a significant desire for a more developed story in the game, with many players expressing disappointment over its current lack of narrative depth and character motivation. While some appreciate the strategic gameplay and immersive elements, they feel that a richer storyline could enhance the overall experience, drawing comparisons to other games that successfully integrate story and mechanics. Overall, there is a strong hope that the full release will address these concerns by providing a more engaging narrative and character development.
- “Unfold the narrative: as you advance, uncover the layers of the game's story.”
- “A full story with the full game in 2024 would be so good, and I'd love to see what else they have planned.”
- “While I am a fan of 'Slay the Spire', I always felt this game would've been so much better if the characters were given more story and attention.”
- “More of a forward than a prequel, but even then there was no story.”
- “I never knew the name of my character, why I'm in the dungeon, how long I've been there, etc. Not that I really care, but I don't think it should be presented as if there is some grand story here.”
- “There are a few drawbacks, main of which I will put straight down: the lack of story.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
22%
17%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many users highlighting features such as randomized elements, varied strategies, and engaging mechanics that ensure a unique experience in each session. The demo itself offers unlimited replay potential, and players appreciate the game's ability to maintain interest through diverse encounters and challenges. Many reviews emphasize that the combination of these factors contributes to a compelling and enjoyable experience that encourages repeated play.
- “Loved this, I can't wait for the full game. It's replayable, dynamic, interesting, and you can try many different strategies. 9.5/10”
- “Randomized elements like dice outcomes, shuffled encounter decks, and varied dungeon layouts ensure a unique experience each session, enhancing replayability.”
- “This is a short, sweet, replayable indie game that is so good that from the moment I started my first run, I didn't want to stop.”
- “Has no classes which would bring replay value.”
- “Origins is the original version of ditd with small changes to item variety - the original was more challenging but this version makes up for it in replayability.”
- “Easily replayable, granted the difficulty is evident.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is primarily centered around the amusing antics of a funny frog character, whose quirky sounds and visuals contribute to an entertaining experience. Players appreciate the lightheartedness and comedic elements, suggesting that additional content like a storyline and customizable moments could enhance its appeal further. Overall, the game's humor is well-received, making it a fun and engaging experience.
- “I think this is a very fun game with a funny frog and nice visuals.”
- “If this game was longer, had a story to follow along with, and included some funny customizables/memeable moments, I could see a full version of this game becoming as popular as Undertale.”
- “The sounds the tutor makes (another frog) are hilarious.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is highly immersive, characterized by eerie soundtracks, stunning graphics, and thematic integration that enhances both cooperative and competitive play. Players appreciate the fitting sound design and music, which collectively create a dark and moody ambiance that draws them into the dungeon experience.
- “Thematic integration, through setting, narrative, and artwork, creates an immersive atmosphere, whether in cooperative play, where players unite against challenges, or competitive mode, where they race to achieve objectives.”
- “The sounds are satisfying, very fitting of the art style, and give the game an enjoyable atmosphere.”
- “The game's graphics are stunning, immersing you in the dark and moody atmosphere of the dungeons.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate a mixed experience with grinding in the game; while some players appreciate the minimal grinding and find it enjoyable, others feel that certain fights can become tedious and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. There is a desire for more varied enemy interactions to enhance combat dynamics and reduce the grindy feel.
- “I'd like to see a larger variety of enemy interaction with the board in the final game, as those presented the most interesting fights. Without those, the fights felt a little grindy.”
- “The gameplay leans towards tedious patterns.”
- “It feels very tedious.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while some users report it as buggy and unbalanced, others note that the issues are minor and likely to be resolved before the full release. There are no significant graphical glitches or major performance problems reported.
- “Buggy and unbalanced.”
- “Great game, still a bit buggy, but nothing that won't be fixed ASAP until the full release.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Character development in the game enhances depth by enabling players to acquire new abilities and equipment that tailor their play style. The stylish animations and vibrant character designs contribute to an engaging visual experience, making the characters both appealing and dynamic.
- “Character development adds depth, allowing players to gain new abilities and equipment that customize their play style.”
- “The game features stylish animations and character designs that are both cute and interesting, with a vibrant color palette.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have noted significant improvements in optimization, particularly highlighting the resolution of performance issues such as stuttering, which has enhanced the overall gameplay experience.
- “One last note for the developer: thank you for fixing performance issues!”
- “Stuttering stopped.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Reviews indicate frustration with the game's monetization strategy, particularly regarding the promotion of "demo" games as standalone titles, which some players feel misleads potential buyers. There is also a suggestion to leverage popular influencers for better visibility and marketing.
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it pushes players to spend more than they should just to enjoy the game.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many in-game purchases that are necessary to progress, making it feel like a pay-to-win scenario.”
- “The constant ads and promotions for additional content detract from the overall experience, making it feel more like a cash grab than a genuine game.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that while the die rolling mechanics appear straightforward, the layout and similarities among the dice create a sense of confusion and inadequacy, leading to an emotional experience of feeling underprepared during gameplay.