Dungeon of Zolthan

About

Dungeon of Zolthan is a single player arcade action adventure game. It was developed by Robert Alvarez and was released on May 10, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Dungeon of Zolthan" is a first-person dungeon crawler game set in a dark fantasy world. The player must navigate through treacherous mazes, battling monsters and collecting loot to progress. With permadeath and randomly generated dungeons, each playthrough offers a new challenge.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 326 reviews

music12 positive mentions

story4 negative mentions

Dungeon of Zolthan offers a fun and challenging retro-style platforming experience with engaging boss battles.
The game features simple yet effective mechanics, allowing players to unlock new abilities and progress through the dungeon.
At its low price point, the game provides a decent amount of entertainment for fans of the Metroidvania genre.

The game is very short, often completed in under an hour, which may leave players wanting more content.
Controls can be frustrating, particularly the double-tap dash mechanic that can lead to accidental deaths.
Graphics and audio are basic and repetitive, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.

music
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
63%
17%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players noting its repetitive nature and limited variety, often describing it as grating after extended play. While some appreciate the retro 8-bit aesthetic and find it fitting for the game's style, others recommend muting the game in favor of personal playlists. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a forgivable flaw, with a few praising its charm despite its shortcomings.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Still, the gameplay is reminiscent of Mega Man, the soundtrack (although it's just the one song) is phenomenal, and the graphics rival that of a triple-A title.”
- “I also love the retro music, especially for the final boss.”
- “Every aspect from music to visuals to the basic controls feel like placeholders for assets that will be added later.”
- “The music is very grating after the first few minutes of hearing a single track, and the lack of save points in certain areas is pretty frustrating.”
- “Lack of variety, looping music, and poor platforming layout that make playing this feel like an absolute chore, sprinkled with game breaking bugs.”
gameplay
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of "Dungeon of Zolthan" is characterized by its simplicity, featuring basic mechanics such as running, jumping, and shooting, reminiscent of classic platformers like Mega Man and Super Mario. While the graphics are minimalistic and the challenges can be frustrating due to precise input requirements, players find the mechanics intuitive and enjoyable, with a nostalgic retro feel. Overall, the game offers a short but engaging experience, particularly for those who appreciate old-school design and mechanics.
- “The gameplay is fairly simple: you run, jump, and shoot.”
- “Most importantly, it does what old school games used to do right - it introduces a new mechanic then gives the player a challenge to overcome using that mechanic, then finally a boss battle where the player needs to use it in order to progress.”
- “Gives off a great retro feel while also providing the player with enjoyable and difficult gameplay.”
- “The platforming requires only the most basic of mechanical ability, the pitiful little gun you have can’t fire when there are three projectiles on the screen, and the enemies are just squares that move back and forth.”
- “Most of the difficulty comes from the fact that the very simple gameplay requires very exact input, and there are a few oddities there related to interactions with walls.”
- “Cons: fast gameplay, short game, ridiculously simple.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
62%
14%
The graphics of the game are predominantly described as basic and retro, often resembling 80s-style visuals that some players find charming while others deem them inadequate or painful. Many reviews highlight the simplistic and sometimes placeholder nature of the art, with comparisons to classic platformers like Super Mario Bros and Mega Man. Overall, the aesthetic appeals to a niche audience, but it may not satisfy those seeking more polished graphics.
- “This game caught my eye because of the graphic style alone.”
- “Not to mention I loved the old arcade style graphics and sounds.”
- “The graphics come in a clean, simple retro design.”
- “Every aspect from music to visuals to the basic controls feel like placeholders for assets that will be added later.”
- “The basic graphics are basic to the point of just being bad; even as retro goes, these are just painful.”
- “Won't recommend for the poor graphics.”
story
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
62%
25%
The game's story is largely considered minimal or non-existent, with some players noting that it feels superfluous to the gameplay experience. While there are mentions of a moral about perseverance, the overall narrative is described as short and lacking depth, with simplistic art and music contributing to the feeling of emptiness.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “The story is short but it is great, featuring 4 bosses including Zolthan.”
- “A story is pretty much non-existent but would also be superfluous.”
- “It has no story, the art is too simple, and the music is so plain.”
- “You don't get a story.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently highlight the humor in the game, describing it as both enjoyable and amusing.
- “Great game with a lot of humor!”
- “This game is hilarious and really enjoyable!”
- “I couldn't stop laughing while playing this game!”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players often find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and occasionally unfair, leading to frustration in their progression.
- “Grinding can feel tedious and unfair at times.”