Dungeon Clawler

About

Dungeon Clawler is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Stray Fawn Studio and was released on November 21, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

A unique blend of roguelike, deckbuilder, and dungeon crawler mechanics.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,885 reviews

gameplay147 positive mentions

stability8 negative mentions

Unique claw machine mechanic adds a fresh twist to the roguelike genre, making gameplay engaging and fun.
Variety of characters and items allows for diverse builds and strategies, enhancing replayability.
Charming art style and enjoyable soundtrack contribute to a delightful gaming experience.

Game can feel repetitive after a few runs due to limited item variety and predictable enemy patterns.
RNG elements can lead to frustrating moments where players feel they have little control over outcomes.
Balancing issues exist, particularly with certain characters and items being significantly stronger than others.

gameplay
322 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
52%
2%
The gameplay of this roguelike title is characterized by its innovative claw machine mechanic, which adds a unique twist to traditional deck-building elements, making it both engaging and addictive. Players appreciate the variety of characters and items, as well as the satisfying physics involved in the claw mechanics, although some express frustration with the randomness and lack of control inherent in the system. Overall, while the core gameplay loop is enjoyable and offers significant replayability, there are calls for more variety and balance to enhance the experience further.
- “The gameplay loop is super satisfying, and I’ll for sure be unlocking everything possible.”
- “Its ingenious fusion of roguelike, deckbuilding, and claw machine mechanics creates a gameplay experience that is both familiar and endlessly surprising.”
- “The claw mechanics are really solid and allow for some skill while still retaining the fun gacha element, and the dev has done a good job of introducing novel mechanics like water in the machine and claws with different abilities.”
- “Sometimes that happens multiple times per run, and over the course of an hour, I'll find myself mindlessly wasting 10+ minutes on boring slot machine gameplay where I have no control and I'm just zoning out hoping it will be over soon.”
- “However, I'm a little disappointed at the lack of variety in the gameplay.”
- “That’s why this is so disappointing: the concept is solid, but the execution falls flat due to a lack of control over outcomes, making the gameplay feel meaningless.”
music
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
44%
4%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its catchy and engaging soundtrack, with many players describing it as a "banger" that enhances the overall experience. However, some users have noted a lack of variety, mentioning that the limited number of tracks can become repetitive over extended play sessions. Overall, while the music is praised for its quality and fit within the game, there is a strong desire for more diverse tracks to maintain long-term enjoyment.
- “The excellent soundtrack by the (apparently totally obscure) Nuketan, the first time I've ever actively tried to buy a game soundtrack, and resorted to rewatching the credits to find the genius behind the game's sweet sticky beats.”
- “Great concept, great gameplay, and amazing music!”
- “The gameplay itself is pretty addicting, but this soundtrack is on another level.”
- “Also, there's like 2 music tracks and they get old fast.”
- “It's still in early access, I can say that I truly like it, but the music has to be more diverse; it's been a long time hearing the same song on loop for hours at a time, which is suitable, but there should be some extra soundtracks to cycle through.”
- “The two songs are fairly repetitive.”
replayability
66 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
45%
5%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, driven by a variety of characters, build options, and difficulty levels that encourage experimentation. While many players find the gameplay addictive and enjoyable, some express concerns about balance and diminishing replay value after unlocking most content. Despite these criticisms, the game's charm and mechanics provide a solid foundation for repeated playthroughs, making it appealing to roguelike fans.
- “It's got charm, solid replayability, and that perfect mix of just one more run energy, though watching your dream gold dagger sink beneath a pile of useless trinkets hurts worse than any boss hit—but for roguelike fans, it’s a satisfying grind worth the bruises.”
- “The various characters you can play give it enough replay value to keep the game interesting.”
- “There are so many ways to build your run, the possibilities for replayability are endless.”
- “If they add a bunch of extra paws you can earn with smaller bonuses that can fill in the gaps in specific builds, this game will have more replay value.”
- “I'm not sure what they could possibly do to rectify this, but a roguelike with no replay value is a sinking ship that is rapidly taking on water.”
- “Overall this game has very little actual replay value in my eyes.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
42%
5%
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, which combines retro-inspired pixel art with detailed environments and fluid animations. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and engaging character designs, contributing to an immersive and enjoyable experience. Overall, the aesthetic is described as fun and appealing, enhancing the gameplay while maintaining a lighthearted vibe.
- “The game uses pixel art visuals that evoke nostalgia for retro RPGs, yet it pairs this style with detailed environments and fluid animations that keep the experience fresh.”
- “The colorful graphics and vibrant animations bring the dungeon to life, making every battle a spectacle.”
- “An absolutely excellent roguelike that mixes the joys and frustrations of a claw grabbing machine with excellent graphics, a fun gameplay loop, and really just one heck of a good time.”
- “The visuals are cute but the claw machine is so easy to use, there's no chance it'll drop something or you'll miss or there's any variety, it's literally a case of:”
- “My only (very minor) complaint is the art style, which is reminiscent of old flash games and at times feels placeholder-ish.”
- “Works well on Linux with occasional minor graphical glitches.”
humor
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its ability to evoke laughter through clever character designs, amusing cutscenes, and funny item interactions. Many reviews note that the game's lighthearted tone and comedic elements enhance the overall enjoyment, making it a delightful experience filled with unexpected and humorous moments. Overall, the humor is a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's charm and replayability.
- “I mean this game had me and my partner smiling and laughing for the first 2 hours, so I'm going to preemptively give it a thumbs up.”
- “The simplicity on the surface, so much actual replayability, lovely humor, fantastic animated videos, actually great balanced gameplay, and reasonably hard achievements.”
- “Garbage Greg + vampire teeth = hilarious immortality.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
53%
18%
The game's story is minimalistic, primarily conveyed through environmental storytelling and brief cutscenes, which may not satisfy players seeking a deep narrative. While some appreciate the simplicity and effectiveness of the plot, others express a desire for more substantial world-building and story content. Overall, the narrative complements the gameplay but leaves room for expansion in future updates.
- “Additionally, the narrative is minimalistic, focusing more on environmental storytelling and player interpretation rather than a deep, scripted plot.”
- “Especially with the narrative intro, I was expecting a resolution to the story, but I imagine that's planned for the full game and I very much look forward to seeing where it goes!”
- “An absolutely delightful, addictive game with a fun storyline and an engaging dev team and community!”
- “The story is just two 5-second videos; can't squeeze more out of it.”
- “Interesting game, but my only complaint is that there isn't much story content. Most of what we know is in the bios and the opening stop-motion scene. I would really enjoy more world-building, like how the claw machine got there.”
- “While I do wish there was more of a story mode (even if it were similar short cutscenes like the intro when booting up the game), it's a perfect game to pick up and play a round or two.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, the game's stability is generally solid across platforms, with most users reporting smooth performance on PC, Steam Deck, and mobile devices. Minor visual glitches are noted, particularly on Linux, and some players experience occasional issues with item interactions and grabbing mechanics. However, these bugs are often described as minor and do not significantly detract from the overall gameplay experience.
- “Dungeon crawler is well supported, runs great on my Steam Deck, PC, and phone.”
- “Runs great on my Steam Deck.”
- “Love this game! I love it so much I got it on mobile... buy this game... also buy it on mobile, it runs great!”
- “Way too buggy and companies shouldn't be supported for putting out betas and expecting customers to pay for beta testing.”
- “Cool game, but a little problem is when I grab something with the claw hand, it sometimes glitches the items out and then I don't do any damage or block.”
- “Game can become slightly 'buggy' when it comes to grabbing mechanics.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and slow-paced, often leading to frustration rather than enjoyment. The repetitive nature of early runs, combined with the need for specific builds to succeed, makes the experience feel monotonous and unengaging. While some mechanics are intriguing, the overall grind detracts from the fun, with many players feeling that the game requires too much time investment for minimal reward.
- “Grindy, slow, and repetitive.”
- “While the concept and the classes are interesting, the game is just way too slow-paced and instead of it being easy or difficult, it's just tedious.”
- “Restarting runs, which you'll do a lot, is excruciatingly tedious with most starting loadouts being similar and early fights taking far too long to get through before things start getting interesting.”
character development
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The character development in the game is highlighted by its charming and diverse designs, which are described as cute, cartoonish, and engaging. Players appreciate the intuitive gameplay and the distinct playstyles of the various characters, making the experience enjoyable and fun. Overall, the art direction and character designs contribute significantly to the game's appeal.
- “The vibes are really fun for the game, the art direction is cute and cartoonish, the cast of (quite a lot of) playable character designs are super charming and exciting to try out, the enemies and NPCs are all cute and cool.”
- “I feel like the character designs are all very different in how they play, so far I think Dolly is my favorite.”
- “The character designs are so cute, super fun.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on most systems and has no major performance issues, some players experience frequent stuttering despite meeting recommended specs. The upgrade system is crucial for gameplay balance, but the repetitive nature of acquiring upgrades can detract from the fun. Frequent updates aim to address bugs, but as the game is still in development, some issues persist.
- “You can win up to 3 upgrades from the machine, and the game is balanced around you taking every optimization you can get. You really don't want to skip those upgrades entirely, especially since there are rare opportunities for perks. However, sitting and just spamming while the slots slowly spin isn't fun.”
- “There's been no problems whatsoever with performance; the game runs super smoothly.”
- “Really fun game worth the price. The game frequently gets updates, but it's in development, so there are a couple of bugs. It runs smoothly on any laptop.”
- “You can win up to 3 upgrades from the machine (and the game is balanced around you taking every optimization you can get), so you really don't want to just skip those upgrades entirely. However, sitting and just spamming while the slots slowly spin just isn't fun.”
- “It's stuttering all the time and I am running it well above the recommended specs.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users expressing frustration over permanent ads on the homescreen and the expectation of paying to see ads. However, others appreciate the game's gacha mechanics without in-app purchases, though there are concerns about potential microtransactions following its mobile release.
- “Scratches the gacha itch beautifully, with no in-app purchases.”
- “With it going to mobile really quickly—which fits it very well, look and theme-wise—I'm a little worried about it becoming something with microtransactions.”
- “Permanent ads on the home screen.”
- “I resent paying to see ads on my laptop.”
- “With it going to mobile really quickly—which fits it very well, look and theme-wise, not knocking that—I am a little worried about it becoming something with microtransactions.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is highlighted by its retro-inspired visuals and immersive design, which effectively combine with thoughtful gameplay mechanics to create a captivating experience in perilous underground environments.
- “One of the standout features of the dungeon crawler is its atmospheric design.”
- “Its retro-inspired visuals, atmospheric design, and thoughtful gameplay mechanics come together to create an immersive journey through perilous underground worlds.”