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Dungeon Defenders

Dungeon Defenders is an addictive game that, while not a ton of fun when played alone, will provide you with several hours of entertainment.
Dungeon Defenders Game Cover
88%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
grinding, stability
93% User Score Based on 13,400 reviews
Critic Score 77%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

Playstation 3Xbox 360AndroidXboxiPhoneWindowsPlayStationLinuxPCTabletMac OSPhoneiPadMobile Platform
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Dungeon Defenders Game Cover

About

Dungeon Defenders is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a historical theme. It was developed by Chromatic Games and was released on October 18, 2011. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and very positive reviews from players.

"Dungeon Defenders" is a Historical Role Playing game that combines Tower Defense and Action-RPG elements, where up to 4 players can cooperatively save the land of Etheria from an Ancient Evil, either online or in local split-screen. Customize your character, forge equipment, and collect loot while fighting off enemies and plan strategies with friends. Additionally, PvP Deathmatch is available for competitive play.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Dungeon Defenders screenshot
Skip User Reviews

93%
Audience ScoreBased on 13,400 reviews
gameplay330 positive mentions
grinding429 negative mentions
  • The game features a charming, colorful art style and humorous characters, creating an engaging and whimsical atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
  • Gameplay is praised for its addictive blend of tower defense and RPG mechanics, offering a dynamic experience with diverse character classes and cooperative multiplayer options.
  • The music is lively and memorable, contributing significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere, particularly during combat sequences.
  • The grinding aspect of the game becomes tedious in the late stages, leading to frustration for players who dislike repetitive farming for gear and experience.
  • The game suffers from significant bugs and glitches, particularly on certain platforms, which can disrupt gameplay and detract from the overall experience.
  • While the story provides a lighthearted backdrop, it is considered simplistic and cliché, which may turn some players off.
  • gameplay
    720 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of Dungeon Defenders is widely praised for its addictive blend of tower defense and action RPG mechanics, offering a dynamic experience that encourages strategic planning and real-time combat. Players appreciate the variety of character classes, each with unique abilities, which enhances replayability and allows for diverse gameplay styles. While some reviews mention issues with balance and grindiness, the overall consensus is that the game provides hours of engaging and enjoyable gameplay, especially in cooperative multiplayer settings.

    • “The core gameplay loop is addicting – setting up your defenses, jumping into the action, and tweaking your strategy as waves get tougher.”
    • “Dungeon Defenders is an imaginative and highly replayable blend of tower defense, RPG mechanics, and cooperative multiplayer that has built a dedicated following since its release.”
    • “Its mix of strategy, customization, and real-time combat is handled with care, providing hours of satisfying gameplay whether solo or with friends.”
    • “I picked the huntress character because I remember her being fun in DD2, but holy shit she has the most tedious gameplay I've ever experienced anywhere. Every map starts off with a dozen places you have to defend, meaning you have to do several laps around the map just to keep all of your towers up, and if you can't do that, or the wave is too long, you lose them for good because every single one of her goddamn towers has a set amount of uses before they disappear.”
    • “The gameplay can feel clunky at times, but it is doable.”
    • “The gameplay was dull and repetitive, graphics uninspired; even playing in multiplayer didn't add a thing.”
  • graphics
    522 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of Dungeon Defenders are characterized by a charming, cartoonish art style that has aged variably over the years. While some players appreciate the vibrant visuals and find them appealing, others note that the graphics show their age, with occasional bugs and a lack of modern polish. Overall, the game's aesthetic is often described as nostalgic and fitting for its genre, providing a fun and engaging atmosphere despite its dated elements.

    • “The game's vibrant art style and charming characters immediately drew me in, creating a visually immersive experience that was a delight to explore.”
    • “Visually, the game’s cartoonish art style has aged well, with colorful environments and charming character designs that give it a lighthearted but engaging atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics are stylish to the point they really don't show much age, not like other games of this era do.”
    • “The cartoony visuals were charming back then, but they haven’t aged well.”
    • “The graphics are obviously dated by 2025 standards but it's a really old game.”
    • “The game hasn't aged too well; while the graphics are just okay, the UI and lack of resolutions above 1080p make it a nuisance for larger resolution monitors.”
  • grinding
    436 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention among players, with many noting that while the early game is engaging and fun, it becomes increasingly tedious and time-consuming in the late stages. Players often find themselves stuck in a cycle of repetitive farming for gear and experience, especially when attempting to tackle higher difficulties, which can lead to frustration. However, for those who enjoy grinding and loot collection, the game offers a rewarding experience, particularly when played with friends, making it a mixed bag depending on individual preferences for grind-heavy gameplay.

    • “All in all, the leveling is not grindy, and the characters are all cool in their own way, except the jester, who seems to spawn ogres with 100k HP in easy difficulty games, squashing all the sub-level 30 players in its path since their DPS does not even break a thousand.”
    • “The game is incredibly fun and even better in multiplayer, it's challenging while not being impossible and there is very little grinding which doesn't feel like grinding anyway.”
    • “The late game consists of grinding for those ult ++ items but with friends, the time passes by quickly.”
    • “The problem about this game is that it is very grindy.”
  • story
    400 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in Dungeon Defenders is generally considered simplistic and somewhat cliché, revolving around four children tasked with defending their castle and rescuing their parents from evil forces. While the narrative is not the game's main focus, it provides a lighthearted backdrop that complements the gameplay, with some players appreciating the charm and humor in its execution. Overall, the story is seen as adequate for a tower defense game, offering enough context to engage players without overshadowing the core mechanics.

    • “It has great game mechanics that have held up over the years and stand out from other games, and a cute story with awesome and unique characters.”
    • “The story of Dungeon Defenders is a great example of storytelling through gameplay, and because of that, this game has a high reputation. I recommend it to everyone.”
    • “The maps are gorgeous, the range of playable characters and abilities are interesting, and I love the little adventure story that goes along with the main boss maps.”
    • “The story is somewhat poor, but what really makes this game is the gameplay itself.”
    • “The story of Dungeon Defenders may turn some people off, since it's a pretty basic storyline of four kids trying to rescue their parents and save the kingdom.”
    • “Once you blaze through the story missions, there isn't much else to do aside from challenges, and even then the only thing left would be to grind levels.”
  • replayability
    204 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Dungeon Defenders is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, attributed to its diverse character classes, multiple difficulty levels, and cooperative multiplayer gameplay. Players enjoy the endless opportunities for grinding, character progression, and strategic experimentation, making it a game that can be played for countless hours without losing its charm. Despite some reports of potential repetitiveness at higher levels, the overall consensus is that the game offers a rich and engaging experience that keeps players coming back for more.

    • “Dungeon Defenders is an imaginative and highly replayable blend of tower defense, RPG mechanics, and cooperative multiplayer that has built a dedicated following since its release.”
    • “The replayability of this game is virtually endless, with no point in the game where you cannot progress in some way.”
    • “With four (or more with the DLC) characters to choose from, each hosting a variety of towers and abilities, this game is a ton of fun with a lot of replayability.”
    • “The game seemingly has no ceiling, which is what makes it so replayable.”
    • “However, nearly no replayability... once you reach the top, it loses all fun and turns into long level grinding for hopeful RNG drops.”
    • “The game has a decent bit of replayability, but can get a bit repetitive at times.”
  • humor
    112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek style that enhances the overall experience, especially in multiplayer settings. Many reviews mention the game's funny characters, costumes, and easter eggs, contributing to a comedic atmosphere that keeps players engaged and entertained. Overall, the humor is considered a significant strength, making the game more enjoyable, particularly when played with friends.

    • “Amazing maps, funny easter eggs, fun characters.”
    • “The hilarious costumes and DLCs they come up with just make it so addictive and always pulls you back in.”
    • “This game combines classic tower defense with RPG elements, cute and lovely graphics, humor, and addicting gameplay.”
  • music
    72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its lively, memorable, and fitting soundtrack that enhances the overall gameplay experience, particularly during combat sequences. Many players find the music to be catchy and nostalgic, contributing significantly to the game's charm and atmosphere. While some note that the music can become repetitive over extended play sessions, the overall consensus is that it is a standout feature that complements the vibrant visuals and engaging gameplay.

    • “Complementing the visuals is a lively, upbeat soundtrack that matches the game’s tone while ramping up during combat sequences to heighten the tension.”
    • “The music is some of my favorite pieces in gaming; they are intense and suit the atmosphere well.”
    • “This game's soundtrack is one for the ages, and continues to be my favorite.”
    • “If you play for hours on end in the same mission, the repetitive music can become annoying.”
    • “There is music, but I never really paid attention to it.”
    • “- the music is repetitive.”
  • stability
    48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly on certain platforms like Linux and macOS. While some players enjoy the experience despite these issues, others find the game to be a "buggy mess" with frequent crashes and performance problems. Overall, while it runs well on lower-end hardware and offers enjoyable gameplay, the persistent technical issues detract from its overall stability.

    • “Runs great on Steam and can run at 120fps!”
    • “This runs great on lower-end hardware.”
    • “Considering how long this game has been out, it is very good and not very buggy.”
    • “The game is very buggy and there are quite a few exploits that players have abused over these long years, but if you're just playing with friends, it is an enjoyable experience.”
    • “I have been having to deal with a lot of issues with bugs and glitches that occur every second, like my character being invisible to me, character models disappearing randomly, and graphics going invisible or flickering so fast that it gives me a headache.”
    • “Screen shake, collision detection issues, and the developers of this game quit working on it to work on the sequel, leaving this one in a buggy, unfinished state.”
  • optimization
    33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game is mixed, with some players reporting decent performance on lower-end systems while others experience significant issues, particularly on Steam Deck and Mac. While the game can run well on older hardware, many users note problems such as frame rate drops, crashes, and poor graphics performance compared to Windows. Overall, it seems to cater to a range of systems, but optimization remains a concern for many players, especially in more demanding scenarios.

    • “Graphics hold up very well and it's overall very well optimized considering all of the units on screen at one time.”
    • “On the other hand, if you're a meta-loving high-end efficiency gamer, this game also offers a large level of optimization that will keep hardcore players coming back to optimize and perfect runs and builds while grinding out good items.”
    • “Well-optimized so if you're playing on a potato you can get good frames.”
    • “It really needs to be optimized for the Steam Deck in order to be a perfect score for me.”
    • “Game is incredibly poorly optimized.”
    • “The graphics performance is incredibly bad compared to Windows on identical hardware.”
  • monetization
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its lack of intrusive microtransactions and reliance on DLC and cosmetic skins, unlike its sequel, which is criticized for being a cash grab filled with pay-to-win mechanics. While some players appreciate the absence of aggressive monetization tactics, others find the presence of DLC ads and in-game purchases off-putting, leading to a perception of the game as a cash grab in its later iterations. Overall, the original game is favored for its gameplay experience without heavy reliance on in-game purchases, contrasting sharply with its successors.

    • “The monetization is done right, in the form of DLC and skins, unlike its successor, Dungeon Defenders 2, which is a downright shadow of a game compared to this.”
    • “This game can be grindy (especially in the late game), but can be completed solo, and the game doesn't rely on in-game purchases.”
    • “It's one of those games that you can stay immersed in for months, even though it doesn't have a bunch of cheesy tricks that 'force' you to keep playing every day like World of Warcraft or many popular microtransaction games do.”
    • “Shame the subsequent versions were cash grabs.”
    • “This game wound up being a cash grab with some decent DLC, some terrible DLC, hacked items/characters, and a lack of bug fixes.”
    • “It feels like playing a free game on a phone; every time you start the game, it bombards you with DLC ads, and in the character selection screen, it will even show you the characters from the DLCs.”
  • character development
    25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is praised for its versatility and depth, blending RPG elements with tower defense mechanics to create a balanced and engaging experience. Players appreciate the charming character designs and the progression system, although some note that it can become grind-heavy over time. Overall, the combination of strategy, action, and character customization contributes to a fun and immersive gameplay experience.

    • “The character development has a lot of great versatility, the action and strategy elements are solid and enjoyable, and the progression is very well balanced - especially for an indie game.”
    • “This game is too cool for school: it's the best of RPG character development, tower defense, and 'horde mode' all rolled into one.”
    • “A challenging (and I do mean challenging!) co-op title that blends tower defense, third person shooter, phat lewt, RPG character development and cartoon visuals within a variety of fantasy environments.”
    • “I have to warn though progression as far as character development goes is heavily based on grind and repeating but don't let this sway you from playing as you hardly notice you're doing this with all the action going on.”
    • “If there was more of a random element to this game, and if players were given incentive to experiment with character design, this game would be one in a million.”
    • “It starts slow, just like most games with Diablo-like character development and there's loads of different tricks and strategies to learn.”
  • atmosphere
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by its charming, colorful art style and whimsical environments that create a lighthearted yet engaging experience. Players appreciate the variety in atmosphere across different maps, enhanced by fitting audio tracks and the ability to enjoy the game with friends, which amplifies the fun. Overall, the combination of delightful visuals, immersive sound, and a comedic tone contributes to a unique and enjoyable atmosphere.

    • “Visually, the game’s cartoony art style has aged well, with colorful environments and charming character designs that give it a lighthearted but engaging atmosphere.”
    • “The game's charming, colorful graphics create an engaging and whimsical atmosphere that draws players in.”
    • “If you love tower defense, and a lighthearted and magical atmosphere, you're going to love this game.”
    • “The atmosphere and the gameplay just evolve the more gameplay and time you put into it.”
    • “The music is some of my favorite pieces in gaming; they are intense and suit the atmosphere well.”
    • “Comedic environment and atmosphere make wiping a laugh more than a rage.”
  • emotional
    13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a wide range of emotional experiences with the game, from exhilarating highs and heart-wrenching challenges to feelings of disappointment and frustration regarding progression. Many highlight the game's ability to create a strong emotional connection, with some describing it as a transformative journey that evokes deep feelings, while others lament the lack of fulfillment after the main story. Overall, the emotional impact varies significantly, with some players finding it profoundly gripping and others feeling let down.

    • “This game has put me through an emotional roller coaster; I have learned so many real-world skills by playing this game.”
    • “With every keystroke, my heart beats faster, and my spine tingles from the endless adventure and heart-wrenching story.”
    • “Eight years on, I can still recall how profoundly that game gripped me, and I am not an overly emotional person.”
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77%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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147h Median play time
361h Average play time
15h Main story
459h Completionist
52-500h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 52 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Dungeon Defenders is a role playing game with historical theme.

Dungeon Defenders is available on iPhone, Windows, PC, Mac OS and others.

The main story can be completed in around 15 hours, while the entire game is estimated to take about 459 hours to finish. On average players spend around 361 hours playing Dungeon Defenders.

Dungeon Defenders was released on October 18, 2011.

Dungeon Defenders was developed by Chromatic Games.

Dungeon Defenders has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

Dungeon Defenders is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Orcs Must Die! 2, Sanctum 2, Torchlight II, Dungeon Defenders II, Heroes of Hammerwatch and others.