Dungeon Tycoon

About

Dungeon Tycoon is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Lunheim Studios and was released on September 25, 2024. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Dungeon Tycoon" is a dungeon-building and management game that gives you the freedom to design your own dungeon, place traps and monsters, and choose treasures to lure adventurers. Your monsters are like employees, and optimizing your dungeon's performance is key to attracting more heroes. The game encourages you to watch and analyze each hero's progress to improve your design further.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

76%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,102 reviews

gameplay47 positive mentions

stability32 negative mentions

Engaging dungeon-building mechanics that allow for creativity and strategic planning.
Charming pixel art style and lighthearted atmosphere enhance the overall experience.
Active developer support with regular updates and a roadmap for future content.

Limited content and replayability, with many players completing the game in under 10 hours.
Frequent bugs and AI pathfinding issues that can disrupt gameplay and frustrate players.
Slow progression and research mechanics that can lead to tedious gameplay, especially in the late game.

gameplay
184 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
69%
5%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it initially engaging but ultimately repetitive and shallow. While the core mechanics and building aspects are enjoyable, the lack of depth, poor AI, and numerous bugs detract from the overall experience, leading to a gameplay loop that often feels tedious and unbalanced. Players express a desire for more strategic elements, clearer mechanics, and additional content to enhance long-term engagement.
- “The gameplay loop might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but once it clicks, it’s hard to stop tweaking things 'just one more time.'”
- “The gameplay loop is that you have two phases: a build phase where you create your dungeon, and a 'day phase' where adventurers delve into it.”
- “Its gameplay is easy to pick up, requiring little effort while still offering enough depth to entertain for hours.”
- “Between the fail to progress playstyle and fail to communicate the core mechanics of the game, I'm not going to waste any more time on it.”
- “There is basically zero input from the player during the day phase, and there is a limit to the number of adventurers that come per day, which makes the gameplay loop quickly devolve into waiting at max speed for several days until research completes or you can afford to make another very minor change to the dungeon.”
- “The gameplay loop becomes repetitive fast; even though you're able to purchase upgrades and new assets for your dungeon, it feels less 'something new' and more 'it makes what you're already doing better.'”
story
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
79%
9%
The game's story is largely absent, with no overarching narrative or character development, leaving players to create their own experiences through a quest system that quickly becomes repetitive and lacks depth. While the mechanics allow for self-directed goals and creativity, many players find the absence of a compelling storyline or meaningful objectives makes the gameplay feel directionless and mundane after initial novelty wears off. Overall, the game is more of a sandbox experience focused on mechanics rather than storytelling, which may disappoint those seeking a rich narrative.
- “Instead of adventuring heroes being the stars of the story, they become your customers—paying for entry, buying supplies, falling into traps, battling monsters, and either emerging triumphant or falling victim to your carefully constructed challenges.”
- “The narrative isn't driven by dialogue or quests but by the satisfaction of watching heroes struggle through your carefully constructed mazes.”
- “But that's fine, not everything needs to be the greatest story ever told.”
- “There's no overarching story or real objectives.”
- “There is no overarching campaign or story-driven progression; the game instead relies on self-directed goals, economic benchmarks, and personal creativity to keep you invested.”
- “For others, the absence of scripted challenges, plot arcs, or defined objectives may cause the experience to feel directionless after the initial novelty fades.”
graphics
58 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
66%
5%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming, voxel-based art style that appeals to some players for its retro and cute aesthetic, though opinions vary widely. While many appreciate the simplicity and readability of the visuals, others criticize them for lacking depth, variety, and detail, with some experiencing glitches and performance issues. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, offering a nostalgic feel but leaving room for improvement in terms of variety and polish.
- “The art style is a clean, retro, pixel-ish look (8-bit-ish), and it’s genuinely easy on the eyes.”
- “Visually, the game employs a voxel-based art style, offering a charming and colorful aesthetic.”
- “The art style is charming and unique, and each monster and trap is wonderfully animated, adding to the immersion.”
- “It will sometimes glitch out when it's in a wall and the art style looks really weird.”
- “Too many glitches and terrible graphics.”
- “Overall, the game has a long way to go to truly be unique and overcome the simplistic graphics limitations, especially as this game is one where being able to see more with advanced graphics could make for epic moments.”
stability
33 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The game is widely criticized for its numerous bugs and stability issues, with players reporting problems such as broken AI, pathing glitches, and non-functional features like camping spots. While some users see potential in the game's concept, the overall experience is marred by these technical shortcomings, leading to frustration and a lack of polish. Despite occasional patches, many feel the game remains a "buggy mess" that detracts from its enjoyment.
- “This is a creative version of the genre; it is fun to be on the other side of the dungeon. The game runs great, and the game loop is enjoyable.”
- “Kinda buggy... campsites never worked from the get-go, then slowly other things started breaking, certain monsters stopped attacking, heroes didn't go far enough into the dungeon before starting to head to and stay near the exit (like for 3-4 minutes).”
- “The tutorial is practically nonexistent, dungeon design is extremely limited, the game is super buggy, and finally the hero AI is trash even though it is the most important part of the game.”
- “I got errors every time I tried to play (3 times) that told me I had crashes and the game would be buggy going forward; it was not joking.”
replayability
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
52%
26%
Overall, the game's replayability is widely criticized, with many players noting a lack of depth and variety that diminishes the incentive to return after completing it. While some mention the potential for random layouts or farming rare monsters, the consensus is that the game feels short and lacks meaningful long-term content, leading to a significant drop in replay value after initial playthroughs. Suggestions for improvement include adding extra modes, map customization, or new scenarios to enhance replayability.
- “I wasn't bad (usually obviously some inconsistencies) and the game had a decent amount of replayability via making new random layouts or just trying to create the most wacky dungeon possible.”
- “Extra modes or map customization options would do wonders to enhance replayability.”
- “This is a cute little game with progression features that promise good game length and potential for high replayability.”
- “Replayability is 0 because it's always the same, only with random success in some things.”
- “The most significant issue is its limited replay value; once you’ve unlocked everything and earned the achievements, there’s little incentive to keep playing.”
- “The lack of long-term replayability may disappoint players.”
grinding
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
Reviews highlight that the game's grinding aspect becomes tedious and monotonous over time, with players often feeling stuck in repetitive tasks without meaningful rewards. While the early game offers some enjoyment, the late game is criticized for its lack of creative freedom and the cumbersome nature of upgrading and managing dungeons. Overall, the grinding can be a relaxing experience for some, but many find it ultimately uninspired and frustrating.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The more you play, and the more you unlock, the more tedious this game becomes.”
- “Namely how grindy it is, oftentimes you'll have to go through day after day without much progress (besides research) until you can get what you need to just make a little bit more progress.”
- “The game right now is tedious and repetitive and not in a fun grindy way.”
optimization
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
63%
16%
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly for some players, others report significant performance issues, particularly in larger dungeons or when many characters are on screen, leading to frame rate drops and stuttering. Many users suggest that the game is CPU-bound and could benefit from additional optimization, especially regarding particle effects and memory management. Despite these concerns, most players find the game enjoyable, with no game-breaking bugs reported.
- “If I had to put a number on it, the game is about 80% dungeon design and optimization, 20% heroes—and that balance is perfect for me.”
- “There are a few bugs and performance issues, but nothing game-breaking.”
- “It runs smoothly and looks amazing while doing so.”
- “Also takes up way too much processing power for such a simple game the further you go -- could use more performance settings for things like particles (and probably animations).”
- “Also after about 22 rooms for me I start getting a bad stutter when moving the camera. I have a pretty high spec computer, so I suspect a memory leak, but it could just be poor optimization.”
- “Unfortunately, completing all the research and finishing the bestiary were both around 50% by the time I maximized the dungeon's performance.”
humor
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its lighthearted and chaotic nature, with players enjoying the unexpected stories and mishaps that arise during gameplay. The cartoony graphics and tongue-in-cheek flavor text contribute to its charming vibe, while some players note that certain bugs add an amusing twist to the experience. Overall, the game balances humor with challenge, though some feel it may lack depth after extended play.
- “Each run generates stories—unexpected successes, tragic missteps, humorous mishaps—that make your dungeon feel like a chaotic stage play where you are both director and profiteer.”
- “It offers an inviting platform for those who enjoy optimizing layouts, fine-tuning difficulty curves, and exploring the humorous cruelty of dungeon management.”
- “✔ Lighthearted art & humor – the cartoony graphics and tongue-in-cheek flavor text give the game a charming, tongue-in-cheek vibe.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
14%
29%
The music in the game is generally well-received, complementing the theme and enhancing the overall ambiance, though it may not be groundbreaking. Players appreciate the balance between music and sound effects, with some noting that while it serves its purpose effectively, it can be muted during multitasking. Overall, the soundtrack is enjoyable and contributes positively to the game's experience.
- “Great balance, awesome art/music, and overall a really fun experience.”
- “I love the concept, the art, music, and just general feel of the game.”
- “The music, though not groundbreaking, fits the theme well and adds to the overall ambiance.”
- “For example, the game has 2 sound sliders, one for music and another for sound effects.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a playful yet cunning tone, immersing players in the role of a mastermind behind an underground empire. While the attention to detail in aesthetics and sound design enhances the experience, the requirement for full lighting in rooms limits the ability to create more atmospheric, dimly lit environments.
- “The sound design is decent, with atmospheric dungeon background tracks and effects that fit the tone.”
- “From the outset, the game establishes a playful yet slightly devious atmosphere, casting you as the mastermind behind a growing underground empire where every trap, monster, treasure chest, and corridor you place becomes part of a carefully orchestrated ecosystem.”
- “Aesthetic and atmosphere: the use of lighting to change the ambiance of the space, offering different wall types and flooring options, reflects the attention to detail.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers feel that the game's monetization model is overly aggressive, suggesting it should be priced at a maximum of $5 or offered for free with ads, similar to quality mobile games that avoid pay-to-win mechanics and intrusive advertisements.
- “The game would be worth $5 max or free on mobile with ads.”
- “It's like one of those good mobile games without the pay-to-win mechanics or annoying ads.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a desire for more flexibility in room placement, indicating that while the current limitations are not overly distressing, they would enhance the emotional connection to the game by allowing for greater creativity and personalization.