Dungeon of Zolthan

About

"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 Play through the game's story or campaign solo

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 259 reviews

graphics13 positive mentions

music12 negative mentions

Fun and challenging gameplay that appeals to fans of precision platformers.
Cute retro graphics and a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic games.
Short playtime makes it a good option for casual gamers looking for a quick experience.

Controls can be frustrating, especially with the double-tap dash mechanic leading to accidental deaths.
Repetitive music and minimal sound design detract from the overall experience.
The game is very short, with some players feeling it lacks depth and replayability.

graphics
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
60%
16%
The graphics of the game are predominantly described as simplistic and retro, often likened to placeholder art or reminiscent of 80s titles, which some players find charming while others criticize as low-quality and unattractive. Despite the mixed opinions, many reviewers appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and the straightforward design, suggesting that while the visuals may lack detail, they do not detract significantly from the overall gameplay experience.
- “The graphics come in a clean, simple retro design.”
- “Dungeon of Zolthan is a great platform action adventure with a cool old vector graphics style.”
- “This game caught my eye because of the graphic style alone.”
- “Simple metroidvania with ugly graphics and a difficulty which will lead you to rage.”
- “Most of them at least put a token effort in and include some graphics/artwork despite not having the talent to do so; here, Robert Alvarez didn't even bother with trying. It really is 2 minutes with MS Paint and straight to production.”
- “The basic graphics are basic to the point of just being bad; even as retro goes, these are just painful.”
music
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
60%
23%
The music in the game is frequently criticized for being repetitive, often consisting of a single melody that becomes grating over time. While some players appreciate its retro aesthetic and find it forgivable, many express frustration with the lack of variety and the monotony of the soundtrack, which can detract from the overall experience. A few users noted that the ability to swap out music files offers a potential workaround for those who find the in-game music unappealing.
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- “Cute 8-bit music/10”
- “Enjoyed the soundtrack, the boss fights were right on spot, and spike traps are just in the right spot.”
- “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.”
- “Shitty controls, bad monotone music and it is not even fun to play.”
- “Lack of variety, looping music, and poor platforming layout that make playing this feel like an absolute chore, sprinkled with game-breaking bugs.”
gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
68%
8%
The gameplay of "Dungeon of Zolthan" is characterized by its simplicity, focusing on running, jumping, and shooting, with mechanics that are easy to grasp but require precise execution. While the graphics are basic and the game borrows heavily from classic platformers, it offers a nostalgic experience with creative twists and challenging boss battles that utilize the introduced mechanics. Overall, players find it enjoyable and fun, despite some frustrations with its simplistic design and occasional control issues.
- “The gameplay is fun and the music is good.”
- “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.”
- “The mechanics are simple but they are implemented well and they are intuitive.”
- “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 related to interactions with walls.”
- “The gameplay is very simplistic.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The game's story is largely absent, with many reviewers noting that it feels superfluous to the gameplay experience. While some appreciate the simplicity, others criticize the lack of narrative depth, stating that players are left without context or motivation beyond defeating enemies. Overall, the minimalistic approach to storytelling detracts from the game's potential for memorable content.
- “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.”
- “But what I dislike the most is that it doesn't have a story at all; you're just a little character killing enemies.”
- “And there's no story about how you got there or anything.”
- “It follows every metroidvania guideline perfectly, but doesn't add much flavor of memorable content in its own in artwork, story, music, design, or gameplay.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game offers minimal replayability, with most players noting that the only incentive to revisit it is to achieve 100% completion. Once the main objectives are completed, there is little else to engage with, leading to a lack of ongoing interest.
- “The game's length and replayability are impressive, offering countless hours of enjoyment with different choices and outcomes.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh and engaging, thanks to the diverse paths and character interactions that keep you coming back for more.”
- “With multiple endings and varied gameplay styles, the replayability factor is off the charts, making it a game you can enjoy repeatedly.”
- “There is no replayability value for this game except if you're aiming for 100% achievements.”
- “The replay value is also practically non-existent as besides getting all of the achievements, there really isn't much to do after completing the game.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, players report mixed experiences with stability; while some experience occasional frame drops that cause temporary freezes, others have enjoyed a smooth gameplay experience without any bugs or glitches.
- “There are unexplainable frame drops every few minutes where the game almost freezes and then resumes.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and occasionally unfair, leading to a negative perception of achievement progression.
- “Grinding can feel tedious and unfair at times.”
- “The grind for achievements is not worth the effort.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game less enjoyable.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the game to be enjoyable and humorous, highlighting its comedic elements as a significant aspect of their experience.
- “Great game with a lot of humor!”
- “The humor in this game is top-notch!”
- “I couldn't stop laughing at the witty dialogue!”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by the tension and frustration players experience when navigating challenging obstacles, as failing to avoid them often results in a restart from the last checkpoint, creating a sense of urgency and heightened stakes.
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
While the graphics style is appreciated, many users feel that the dungeon lacks depth in art, decoration, and overall atmosphere, resulting in a less immersive experience.
- “I love the graphic style, but there really isn't much to the dungeon in terms of art, decoration, and atmosphere.”