Dungeon Keeper™ 2

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 774 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • story
Dungeon Keeper™ 2 Game Cover
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In Dungeon Keeper™ 2, you build and defend an evil underground kingdom, attracting devilish creatures to join your dark hordes. Use torture devices, traps, and magic to create a deadly dungeon, while managing and maintaining the morale of your minions. Play with up to 4 friends in multiplayer mode, proving who is the most ruthless dungeon keeper.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 774 reviews
graphics12 positive mentions
music3 negative mentions
  • Dungeon Keeper 2 is a timeless classic that combines strategy, humor, and dark fantasy, making it a must-play for fans of management games.
  • The game holds up remarkably well after 25 years, with engaging gameplay, charming voice acting, and a unique setting that still entertains players today.
  • Players appreciate the nostalgic value and the fun mechanics of building and managing a dungeon, with many expressing a desire for a remaster or sequel.
  • The Steam version has known bugs, including issues with summoning certain creatures and AI difficulties, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • Graphics are dated and may not appeal to younger audiences, and the game lacks support for modern resolutions without manual tweaks.
  • Some players have reported that the game can be unplayable on newer systems due to fast mouse scrolling and other compatibility issues.
  • graphics54 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated, reflecting its late 90s origins, yet many players appreciate the stylized art design that still holds some charm today. While the first-person mode and dungeon exploration are visually engaging, there are calls for a graphical refresh to better suit modern standards, as well as improvements in resolution and control responsiveness. Overall, the nostalgic appeal and depth of gameplay make it a worthwhile experience, despite its visual limitations.

    • “I was pleasantly surprised by the first-person mode when you possess your creatures; the graphics hold up very well for their age, and touring your dungeon and exploring the maps in first person is very cool.”
    • “While the graphics may show their age, the game's charm and depth make it a title worth revisiting for both nostalgic players and those new to the dungeon management genre.”
    • “Dungeon Keeper 2 is the successor of the original DK game with great improvements in graphics and gameplay mechanics for its time (released in 1999).”
    • “The graphics are outdated, sure, but the art design is executed so well, it still looks fantastic to this day.”
    • “However, it seems to lack some resolution modes and a lot of minor graphic problems.”
    • “Graphics might be off-putting for younger audiences.”
  • gameplay44 mentions

    The gameplay is characterized by its dark humor, simple mechanics, and a challenging difficulty curve that evolves throughout the campaign. While some mechanics may feel confusing or outdated, the game remains engaging and fun, particularly for fans of real-time strategy and dungeon management. Overall, it successfully combines entertaining gameplay with a unique setting, making it a nostalgic yet still relevant experience.

    • “This game has great dark, tongue-in-cheek humor along with simple-to-learn gameplay and a tough but fair difficulty curve.”
    • “It is still one of the best games ever made in my opinion, and I love it to death. The humor, the gameplay, everything is as close to perfection as it can be for such an old game. It is something I can recommend to anybody that likes RTS and dark humor.”
    • “Its innovative approach to the real-time strategy genre, coupled with entertaining gameplay and a unique setting, solidifies its status as a must-play for fans of management games.”
    • “Few gameplay mechanics that do not make much sense and make it hard to keep track; it kinda needs a remaster or remake. However, 'War for the Overworld' is identical and is way more modern, so go check that out.”
    • “For a game where one of the major mechanics is knocking out enemies and then deciding whether to leave them to die or take them to your prison to either let them die there - in which case they'll come back as skeletons - or heal them and dump them into a torture chamber to force them to work for you, the game has a delightful sense of humor and doesn't take the subject matter seriously at all.”
    • “It's just gameplay.”
  • story40 mentions

    The game's story mode features a substantial amount of content, including 20 main missions and 5 bonus levels, alongside a freeplay pet dungeon mode. While the missions are generally varied and enjoyable, some players find the endings anticlimactic and the gameplay can become repetitive halfway through. Overall, the engaging progression and sandbox options provide a satisfying experience, despite some minor critiques regarding mission tactics and graphical updates.

    • “The missions are varied and exciting, and it's amazingly bug-free!”
    • “Blending FPS with base building, it blows my mind that this Bullfrog beauty is as old as it is... great progression through the story-based quests as well as sandbox options for those that want to build their ideal dungeon.”
    • “Once the main quests are complete, there are lots of interesting skirmish maps, and if you want to simply create at leisure, then there are sandbox maps where you can choose to be attacked when and how often.”
    • “My only real critique is that the end of each mission can feel a bit anticlimactic.”
    • “About halfway through, story missions can get repetitive in their completion.”
    • “It would be awesome if they could refresh the story and everything else while keeping the gameplay the same, but just make it more modern graphics.”
  • humor20 mentions

    The humor in Dungeon Keeper 2 is widely praised for its clever blend of dark fantasy and comedic elements, with players appreciating the game's ability to balance lightheartedness with serious themes. The cutscenes and character interactions are noted as particularly funny, contributing to the game's charm and timeless appeal. Overall, the humor is seen as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience, making it a classic recommendation for fans of RTS and dark humor.

    • “It is still one of the best games ever made in my opinion and I love it to death; the humor, the gameplay, everything is as close to perfection as it can be for such an old game. It is something I can recommend to anybody that likes RTS and dark humor.”
    • “For a game where one of the major mechanics is knocking out enemies, and then deciding whether to leave them to die, or take them to your prison to either let them die there - in which case they'll come back as skeletons - or heal them and dump them into a torture chamber to force them to work for you, the game has a delightful sense of humor and doesn't take the subject matter seriously at all.”
    • “Dungeon Keeper 2 is a timeless classic that successfully combines strategy, humor, and dark fantasy.”
  • stability9 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability, running smoothly on Windows with minimal crashes or freezes. Users reported only a rare freeze incident when using alt+f4, but generally found the experience enjoyable and glitch-free.

    • “Runs great, looks great.”
    • “Runs great on Windows.”
    • “Great classic, runs great and happy to report that language localizations from the original release are included!”
    • “It glitches at the worst time, but it's entertaining.”
    • “No crashes or freezes, except once when I pressed Alt+F4 and it froze so hard I had to reboot my PC.”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game, particularly the use of "Disco Inferno," creates a lively and engaging atmosphere, prompting characters to dance and enhancing the overall experience. Players appreciate the great music and voice acting, which contribute to the nostalgic and fun old-school gameplay.

    • “Great music, great atmosphere, great voice acting, fun old school gameplay, no EA launcher.”
    • “A monster winning the jackpot in your casino will cause every creature there to begin dancing to the song 'Disco Inferno'.”
    • “I have thought of this game my whole life every time I heard the song 'Disco Inferno', then I think about right-click slapping the snot out of my minions in the casino.”
    • “I hear music in the air.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting its fantastic music, voice acting, and immersive environments that encourage players to take their time and fully experience the world. The combination of challenging gameplay and a rich atmosphere makes it a standout title that players feel must be experienced firsthand.

    • “Most levels do allow you to take some time, which is great to soak in the fantastic atmosphere of the game.”
    • “It's such a wonderful, challenging, and atmospheric game that really has to be sampled to be understood.”
    • “Great music, great atmosphere, great voice acting, fun old school gameplay.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The game is well-optimized for the Steam Deck, running smoothly without any issues, making it a highly playable experience on the device.

    • “Game runs smoothly with no problems at all.”
    • “However, based on its performance, it seems it should be considered playable on the Steam Deck.”
    • “God bless you, Andrzej Butruk, for your outstanding performance!”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players indicate that grinding in the game is so demanding that it may require a second life, suggesting that the effort needed to progress can be excessive and potentially frustrating.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game boasts impressive replayability, remaining engaging and enjoyable even after two decades.

    • “Even after twenty years, this game has great replay value.”
    • “The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more.”
    • “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the dynamic story elements.”
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Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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