Dungeon Deathball

About

In 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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 298 reviews

gameplay20 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

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.

The game is relatively short, with limited content that may leave players wanting more after a few hours.
Some players may find the gameplay too easy or repetitive, lacking significant challenge or depth in strategy.
The randomness in enemy placements and level design can lead to inconsistent difficulty, making some runs feel unfair.

gameplay
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
64%
5%
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 tactical elements are praised, some players feel the gameplay can become repetitive after a few runs, with limited innovation in moment-to-moment actions. Overall, it offers a mix of fun challenges, unlockable abilities, and a fair balance of luck and skill, appealing to those looking for quick, strategic gameplay experiences.
- “It's an excellent example of simple mechanics for some complex strategy.”
- “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.”
- “Occasionally a game comes along that has a charming instant appeal, deep gameplay, strong metagame progression, and most importantly a just-one-more-turn factor.”
- “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.”
music
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
68%
25%
7%
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many reviewers praising its uplifting and engaging qualities, particularly the chiptune tracks that enhance the overall experience. While some found the music forgettable or less impressive compared to other aspects, the majority highlighted its charm and ability to keep gameplay fresh as players unlock new tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that complements the game's retro visuals and addictive gameplay.
- “The presentation is top notch and the music is genuinely uplifting as you close in on that touchdown line.”
- “The music is fantastic and you unlock more of it as you play which keeps it fresh.”
- “Great little game: extremely addictive, with adorable pixel filtered graphics, killer music and deceptively deep turn based strategic play.”
- “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 strategic depth and less interesting gameplay and basically no story.”
- “The art and music are extremely charming.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
65%
28%
8%
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 immersive. The evolving graphical elements and unique artistic solutions contribute to a captivating aesthetic that resonates well with fans of the genre.
- “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 aesthetic, although simple, is very visually appealing.”
- “- The graphics are cute and colorful, and have some funny, brutal animations as well.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
44%
19%
The game offers significant replayability through various unlockable teams, perks, and challenges, with players noting the potential for diverse strategies and gameplay experiences. While some players completed the game quickly, the inclusion of multiple game modes, rogue-like elements, and daily challenges contributes to its overall replay value. Overall, the variety of options and mechanics enhances the game's longevity and enjoyment.
- “Great replay value too with perks, challenges, unlockables, and the score system.”
- “I think there are close to 20 different teams, which adds a ton of replayability.”
- “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 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.”
story
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's story is described as simple yet effective, with some reviewers appreciating the unique storytelling elements in the combat scenes. However, there are criticisms regarding the overall lack of depth and engagement in the narrative, with some players feeling that it is minimal or almost nonexistent.
- “The story is, at the time, simple, but super effective.”
- “This game gets weekly brighter and more balanced... nice storytelling in the deathball pits, with generated bios of the deathballers that 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.”
- “The game lacks strategic depth, has uninteresting gameplay, and ultimately fails to deliver a compelling story.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the emotional experience of the game to be intense, as the simple goal of reaching the touchdown line is intertwined with moments of loss and triumph. The rapid pace of the game amplifies feelings of excitement and trauma, leading to a rollercoaster of emotions that enhances the overall gameplay experience.
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the game but note that after 8 or 9 hours, the primary activity left is grinding for leaderboard scores, especially 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.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a high level of stability, with no significant bugs or glitches encountered during gameplay.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by its cute and colorful graphics, complemented by amusing yet brutal animations that add a unique comedic flair to the overall experience.
- “The graphics are cute and colorful, and have some funny, brutal animations as well.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of Dungeon Deathball is characterized by its unique blend of dark dystopian fantasy and tactical gameplay, reminiscent of a brutal bloodsport. The fixed isometric arena enhances the existential tension, where a single hit from monsters can lead to instant death, creating a high-stakes environment that is particularly challenging for duo teams but still allows for solo victories.
- “Dungeon Deathball, as 'Pyre', without the stylized 'action', is a fantasy/dark dystopian, footballish tactical bloodsport with a unique atmosphere. The fixed isometric arena, with its zoom-flying in feature, creates an existential feeling where 'one hit and the monsters kill you'. This makes it pretty challenging for duo teams, but it's still doable to win alone, as one ball with a unit (better) or just a unit over the line wins the game.”