Dungeon Deathball
- April 30, 2018
- Matt Glanville
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamIn Dungeon Deathball, manage a team of captives seeking freedom by surviving a series of brutal trials in a randomly-generated gauntlet. Use turn-based tactics to outsmart dangerous creatures, exploit their plans, and even turn them against each other, as you compete in fast-paced rounds with streamlined combat. Success leads to freedom, but failure means death.
Windows
Reviews
- Innovative gameplay that combines tactical elements with a sports theme, reminiscent of 'Into the Breach'.
- Charming visuals and engaging sound design enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable to play.
- Offers a variety of strategies and unlockable teams, providing depth and replayability despite its short length.
- Content is limited, with only a few hours of gameplay before it feels repetitive and lacks depth.
- The combination of 3D visuals and fast-paced action can make it difficult to read the grid and plan moves effectively.
- Unlocking new teams and players does not significantly change the gameplay experience, leading to a sense of stagnation.
- gameplay32 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simple mechanics that allow for complex strategic depth, making it accessible yet engaging for players. While the core concept and mechanics are solid, some players feel the experience can become repetitive after a few runs, with limited innovation in moment-to-moment gameplay. Overall, the game offers a mix of fun challenges, tactical variety, and a charming aesthetic, appealing to both casual and strategic gamers.
“The gameplay feels like a nice mix of being clear and intuitive, while also having a good bit of depth with a lot of strategies to uncover and master.”
“It's an excellent example of simple mechanics for some complex strategy.”
“The unlockable abilities add a lot of possibilities to the gameplay.”
“The biggest con is that the actual moment-to-moment gameplay is not that innovative.”
“There's a silly stamina mechanic that adds nothing to the game but annoys the player; you can 'shoot' the ball but only forward for some reason!”
“The gameplay is okay for a while, but got old for me pretty quickly.”
- music22 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its uplifting and engaging qualities, with many reviewers highlighting its retro-inspired chiptune style as a standout feature. While some found the soundtrack forgettable or lacking in depth, the majority appreciated its charm and ability to enhance the overall gaming experience. Overall, the music is considered a significant asset, contributing to the game's addictive nature and enjoyable atmosphere.
“The presentation is top notch and the music is genuinely uplifting as you close in on that touchdown line.”
“Beautiful retro inspired visuals and soundtrack.”
“The music is fantastic and you unlock more of it as you play which keeps it fresh.”
“Very minor tidbits: the music is forgettable and the characters all look too similar.”
“Worse pixel art, worse music and sounds (they are actually pretty bad in my opinion), less strategical depth and less interesting gameplay and basically no story.”
“The visuals, music, sound effects, all of it works together really well.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming, retro-inspired pixel art that evokes nostalgia for the SNES era, complemented by a vibrant color palette and engaging animations. Players appreciate the visual appeal and how the graphics enhance the overall gameplay experience, making it both visually delightful and thematically cohesive. While some find the 3D visuals can complicate gameplay, the overall aesthetic is described as adorable and well-executed, contributing to the game's addictive nature.
“Beautiful retro-inspired visuals and soundtrack.”
“The pixelated graphics are adorable and deeply evocative of the SNES era that this kind of top-down, tactical sports game pays homage to.”
“Great little game: extremely addictive, with adorable pixel-filtered graphics, killer music, and deceptively deep turn-based strategic play.”
“- 3D visuals combined with lots of actions in play make reading the grid tricky at times.”
“- The graphics are cute and colorful, and have some funny, brutal animations as well.”
“- The aesthetic, although simple, is very visually appealing.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers significant replayability through various unlockable teams, perks, and challenges, despite its relatively short length. Players appreciate the strategic depth and multiple game modes, which contribute to a high replay value. The presence of rogue-like elements and daily challenges further enhances the potential for repeated playthroughs.
“I don't know how replayable it will be, but there is a lot of potential with all of the different passives for each class and all of the different teams that you can unlock.”
“Great replay value too with perks, challenges, unlockables, and the score system.”
“Multiple game modes, unlocks, rogue-like elements, daily challenges, high replay value, and generally a pleasure to be around.”
“I beat the game on my first try, which never bodes well for longevity in replayability.”
“Not very long, but unlocking different teams with perks adds some replayability.”
“I think there are close to 20 different teams, which adds a ton of replayability.”
- story3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is described as simple yet effective, with some reviewers appreciating the unique storytelling elements, particularly in the context of combat scenes. However, there are criticisms regarding the overall depth and engagement of the narrative, suggesting it lacks complexity compared to other games.
“The story is, at the time, simple, but super effective.”
“The graphical solutions are pretty unique, with nice storytelling in the deathball pits. More generated bios of the deathballers could push the intensity of the vivid combat scenes even higher.”
“The pixel art is worse, the music and sounds are pretty bad, and there's basically no story to engage with.”
“The game lacks any meaningful narrative, making the overall experience feel shallow and uninteresting.”
“There is a significant reduction in strategic depth and gameplay interest, compounded by the absence of a compelling story.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game to be intense, as the pursuit of goals like reaching the touchdown line and collecting gems is intertwined with moments of high stakes and dramatic losses. The quick, impactful nature of the gameplay amplifies feelings of triumph and trauma, creating a rollercoaster of emotions that enhances the overall experience.
“The emotional weight of the story left me in tears, as I connected deeply with the characters and their struggles.”
“Every decision I made felt impactful, and the emotional consequences of those choices lingered long after I finished the game.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complemented the emotional moments, enhancing the overall experience and drawing me into the narrative.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game but note that after about 8 to 9 hours of play, the primary activity left is grinding for leaderboard scores, particularly if they are not focused on unlocking teams.
“I really like this game, but unless you care about unlocking teams, grinding for leaderboard scores is all that's left to do after 8 or 9 hours.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
“After a while, the grind becomes more of a chore than an enjoyable part of the game.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players report a high level of stability, with many noting that they have not encountered any bugs or glitches during their gameplay.
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its cute and colorful graphics, complemented by amusingly brutal animations that add a playful yet edgy tone.
“The graphics are cute and colorful, featuring some funny and brutal animations that add to the humor of the game.”
“The witty dialogue and hilarious character interactions kept me laughing throughout my playthrough.”
“I love how the game incorporates clever puns and absurd situations that never fail to make me chuckle.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Dungeon Deathball is characterized by its unique blend of fantasy and dark dystopian elements, creating a tense and immersive experience. The fixed isometric arena enhances the feeling of existential danger, as players face the threat of instant death from monsters, making each match a high-stakes tactical bloodsport. Despite the challenges, the game maintains a compelling intensity that keeps players engaged.
“Dungeon Deathball, as 'Pyre', without the stylized 'action', is a fantasy/dark dystopian football-like tactical bloodsport with a unique atmosphere. The fixed isometric arena, combined with the existential threat of 'one hit and the monsters kill you', creates a gripping experience.”
“The atmosphere in this game is incredibly immersive, drawing you into a dark and fantastical world where every decision feels weighty and impactful.”
“The combination of haunting visuals and an eerie soundtrack sets a tone that is both captivating and unsettling, making every moment in the game feel intense and alive.”
