Dungeon Antiqua
- October 9, 2024
- Shiromofu Factory
Get on Steam"Dungeon Antiqua is a 2D, dungeon crawl-type RPG with nostalgic 80s/90s aesthetic and chiptune music. Its replayability is enhanced by varying professions, free party formation, and auto-generated maps. The game focuses on hack-and-slash mechanics and exploration, avoiding repetitive scenarios. It offers modern, comfortable controls and is available for handheld consoles."
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Dungeon Antiqua offers a charming blend of classic JRPG elements from Wizardry and Final Fantasy, featuring enjoyable pixel art and nostalgic chiptune music.
- The game is a fun, short dungeon crawler that respects players' time, providing a straightforward experience with engaging mechanics and a unique alignment system.
- Despite its brevity, the game has replay value through different class combinations and randomized treasure, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of retro RPGs.
- The game is quite short, with many players wishing for more content and depth, leading to a feeling of limited replayability after completing it once.
- Some mechanics, such as the alignment system and class changes, are not well-explained, which can lead to confusion and frustration during gameplay.
- There are several technical issues, including bugs, awkward controls, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience.
- music10 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 30 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate its retro charm and fitting battle themes, others find it repetitive and derivative, with some tracks feeling like direct copies of classic inspirations. Overall, the soundtrack is described as enjoyable yet lacking variety, with a nostalgic appeal that may not resonate with everyone.
“Super addictive with great music and pixel art.”
“The battle music works quite well considering how often you get to hear it should you wish to grind.”
“It definitely scratches that itch if you're looking for a retro JRPG with retro music to match.”
“I love a good dungeon crawl, but the boring and repetitive tilesets, sounds, and music wear away the charm fast.”
“Music is really bad, even considering it's supposed to sound 8-bit.”
“I actually like retro music when done well, but here it drones on repetitively, giving a literal headache.”
- gameplay8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally enjoyable, particularly for fans of classic JRPG mechanics and dungeon crawling, though some players find the alignment system and certain mechanics to be frustrating or poorly explained. While the focus on dungeon exploration is appreciated, many feel that the lack of depth and clarity in gameplay elements detracts from the overall experience. Overall, it serves as a solid introduction to old-school dungeon crawling, with commendable pacing.
“Definitely a fun roguelite for people who love classic JRPG mechanics and dungeon crawling.”
“Outstanding gameplay and pacing.”
“Need more real gameplay and not fake waste of time mechanics like that.”
“Mechanics aren't explained very well, and little to no information is given by the UI or tooltips.”
“It's not gonna blow anyone's socks off, but it is a very good onboarding for old school dungeon crawling mechanics.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and straightforward, focusing primarily on dungeon crawling rather than complex narratives or character interactions. While the main quest is short and lacks high stakes, it offers enjoyable gameplay with secrets and items to discover, though side quests can become tedious. Overall, players seeking a deep story may be disappointed, but those looking for a fast-paced experience will find it competent and entertaining.
“The main quest was a fairly short but sweet experience.”
“All in all, while I can appreciate that the devs put story aside to focus on the dungeon crawl, there just aren't enough pieces to play with to make any aspect of the gameplay feel satisfying.”
“There's no high stakes story or complex character interaction, but it's good fun and fast-paced and offers enough secrets or interesting items to pick up to not get boring.”
“That being said, it is very competent and straightforward; side quests can become overly cumbersome if you let yourself get caught up in them, but given they provide you with excellent items, it adds to the playtime while hunting for items.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics are reminiscent of classic titles like Final Fantasy 1, delivering a nostalgic old-school vibe that appeals to fans of retro pixel art. Many users appreciate the well-executed visuals, which complement the game's dungeon-crawling mechanics and enhance the overall experience.
“Like the sound, the visuals give me that old-school vibe and I'm always down for that.”
“Again, I like pixel/retro graphics when done well.”
“A pretty brilliant dungeon-crawling high fantasy RPG with a classic Final Fantasy aesthetic.”
“It's like a blobber except it has Final Fantasy 1 graphics.”
“The visuals give me that old-school vibe, but they feel outdated.”
“The graphics are reminiscent of early RPGs, which may not appeal to everyone.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with most players completing the main content in about 2-3 hours. However, some aspects, such as randomly generated dungeons and varying team compositions, offer a degree of replay value for those interested in exploring different strategies.
“Rolled credits pretty quickly at 2 and a half hours, but seems to be replayable due to a randomly generated dungeon on launch and conflicting class options.”
“Because of the party creation, there is replay value in the game.”
“Unfortunately, there isn't much replay value at the moment. Once you complete your 2-3 hour playthrough, there isn't much else to it.”
“I rolled credits pretty quickly at 2 and a half hours. While there seems to be some replayability due to a randomly generated dungeon and conflicting class options, it feels limited.”
“There is some replay value in terms of different team compositions, but that's about it.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players note that while battles are generally quick, there is a significant amount of grinding required for gear and levels, particularly in the early stages. This grinding can become tedious, even though the combat itself is not overly challenging.
“Battles normally go pretty fast, but there is a fair amount of grinding for gear or levels.”
“It's not as if the fights are difficult, but it can get tedious at times.”
“There is a lot of grinding in the beginning.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game's stability is lacking, with players experiencing numerous bugs that detract from the overall experience, leading to disappointment compared to expectations of a polished title.
“I expected a polished Final Fantasy V dungeon crawler, but instead I got a buggy, NES-style game.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“There are constant glitches that disrupt the gameplay experience.”
