Dungeon of Rikka

About

Dungeon of Rikka is a single player role playing game. It was developed by Poorly Drawn Squid and was released on December 7, 2020. It received positive reviews from players.

Dungeon of Rikka is a turn based Rogue-like game with the goal to save your village from the impending doom of the beast that's been left to rot in the deepest corner of the Dungeon. The beast will break his shackles and ascend the Dungeon, becoming stronger the longer you take to get to him.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

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82%

Audience ScoreBased on 22 reviews

music2 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Dungeon of Rikka offers a nostalgic experience with its traditional roguelike mechanics, including turn-based combat, procedural dungeon layouts, and a variety of character classes that encourage strategic gameplay.
The game features a unique mechanic where the sealed beast grows stronger over time, creating a sense of urgency and strategic pressure that enhances the overall gameplay experience.
With its simple yet charming retro art style and engaging gameplay loop, Dungeon of Rikka provides a satisfying blend of challenge and replayability, appealing to fans of classic dungeon crawlers.

The game suffers from a lack of depth and variety, with some players finding it simplistic and repetitive, leading to a feeling of exhaustion after a few runs.
Technical issues, such as bugs and a limited user interface, detract from the overall experience, making it feel less polished compared to modern standards.
The high difficulty level, especially for new players, can be frustrating, as it often leads to frequent deaths and starting over without significant progression or continuity.

graphics
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a modest, retro-inspired pixel art style that evokes nostalgia but may deter some players due to its simplicity and lack of customization options. While the environments are consistent and easy to navigate, the overall low-quality visuals are a significant drawback, especially when compared to other free alternatives. However, many players appreciate the clarity of the interface and the charm of the hand-drawn elements, finding that the graphics do not detract from the game's enjoyable mechanics and replay value.
- “The art style is modest and retro-inspired, making it easy to read combat situations and inventory details without distraction.”
- “It's a lot of fun, I admire the hand-drawn art style as well.”
- “As I told the dev when they mentioned this game on Reddit, the graphic style reminds me of an old roguelike called Castle of the Winds, so it has that nostalgic feel I love.”
- “A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel art as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
- “There's no options to change the resolution for the game or customize the graphics settings.”
- “There's no way for gamers to try to improve the low-quality graphics.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The gameplay of "Dungeon of Rikka" is characterized by a simple yet urgent premise that enhances decision-making and strategy, with a unique ticking clock mechanic that adds tension. While it may not boast high production values, its focus on mechanics and thoughtful choices offers a rewarding experience for fans of turn-based dungeon crawlers. However, some players find the controls awkward, and comparisons to other roguelikes suggest it may not appeal to those seeking deeper gameplay or better graphics.
- “While the premise is simple, it provides a clear sense of urgency that shapes both gameplay and decision-making throughout each run.”
- “One of the game’s most interesting mechanics is the ticking clock tied to the dungeon’s central threat.”
- “Progress feels earned rather than handed out, and even failed runs often contribute to a better understanding of the game’s mechanics and pacing.”
- “Gameplay is very similar to Nethack but slightly shallower.”
- “If you really, really want to play rogue, you can play Glhack, which is free and open-sourced software, and has better graphics and gameplay than this does.”
- “The gameplay is a little awkward, as you either have to get used to using waxd instead of the normal WASD, or use the number pad of your keyboard (if you have one).”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game's story is criticized for lacking proper design and flow, relying instead on repetitive procedural generation, which detracts from the overall narrative experience. While some players appreciate that the story grows stronger with time, many feel that the absence of a compelling plot undermines the game's potential. Overall, the narrative aspect is seen as a missed opportunity in comparison to other titles.
- “The exciting thing about the story is that the longer it takes you to get to it, the stronger and more powerful it becomes.”
- “The game features no proper level design or game/story flow/plot, as they opted to try to use samey repetitive procedural generation algorithms as a substitute for adding such content to the game, to avoid doing the important job of level/map design.”
- “While I understand that's in some ways the point of a 'roguelike', when roguelikes hit the ancient text displays of last century, there was no competition... gamers didn't have a game with a decent storyline to compare to it.”
- “Hardly a success story; gamers just weren't all that interested in the game.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that while grinding for better gear can provide short-term advantages, it may lead to increased difficulty in the endgame, making the overall experience more challenging.
- “Spending too long grinding for better gear may leave the player stronger in the short term but ultimately make the endgame more dangerous.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding feels like a chore rather than an engaging part of the game.”
- “Grinding for resources takes away from the enjoyment of exploring the game's world and story.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game offers high replayability through its roguelike mechanics, including procedural generation, varied item effects, and multiple classes, encouraging players to adapt and refine their strategies with each playthrough. While the simple graphics may be off-putting to some, the engaging gameplay loop and unlockable content provide ample motivation for repeated play.
- “The graphics are very simple and might put some off, but the interface is easy to understand. With 4 classes, procedurally generated dungeons, items that change effect with every playthrough (so you have to take a risk and test them first), plus an unlockable dungeon (that I have yet to beat—I liked the way the player is given the hint to unlock it), it has a good replay value.”
- “This randomness enhances replayability and reinforces the roguelike loop of learning through failure, adapting strategies, and gradually mastering the game’s systems.”
- “Players who enjoy roguelikes for their challenge and replayability will likely appreciate this uncompromising approach.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game experiences occasional bugs, but the developers are actively addressing issues and providing timely fixes, indicating a commitment to improving stability.
- “A bit buggy at times, but as seen in the news section, the developers have been very active in fixing issues that arise.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “I encountered several glitches that disrupted gameplay and made it frustrating.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing immersion without distracting from gameplay, and is well-matched with the graphics to create a cohesive experience.
- “The audio design follows a similar philosophy, providing atmospheric background music and sound effects that support immersion without overwhelming the gameplay.”
- “+ matching graphics and music”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by its thoughtful audio design, featuring immersive background music and sound effects that complement the gameplay without being intrusive.
- “The audio design follows a similar philosophy, providing atmospheric background music and sound effects that support immersion without overwhelming the gameplay.”