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Dungeons 2

Some issues keep it from being a stand-alone great, but fans longing for a reboot of Dungeon Keeper could do a lot worse than this clever, enjoyable dungeon manager.
71%Game Brain Score
humor, story
optimization, grinding
78% User Score Based on 2,308 reviews
Critic Score 58%Based on 5 reviews

Platforms

Gog ComGog ComPCPCPlaystation 4Playstation 4WindowsWindowsPlayStationPlayStationLinuxLinuxMac OSMac OS

About

In Dungeons 2, players take on the role of the ultimate villain, commanding minions to build a dungeon and defend against heroes. A twisted fairy tale theme guides the campaign, as you wreak havoc aboveground and conquer new realms. Use strategic planning and humorous dark magic to outsmart the goody-goody heroes and ensure your reign of terror.

Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
Dungeons 2 screenshot
+18

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,313 reviews
humor546 positive mentions
optimization15 negative mentions

  • Hilarious dark humor and witty narration that keeps the gameplay entertaining.
  • Fun dungeon building mechanics combined with RTS elements, allowing for strategic gameplay.
  • Nostalgic feel for fans of Dungeon Keeper, with improved graphics and gameplay.
  • Clunky controls and a cumbersome UI that can make gameplay frustrating.
  • Repetitive mission structure that lacks variety and can feel tedious over time.
  • Some balancing issues, particularly with the difficulty of certain missions and the effectiveness of traps.
  • humor
    553 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Dungeons 2" is a mixed bag, with many players praising the witty narration and clever pop culture references, particularly to fantasy franchises like "Game of Thrones" and "Lord of the Rings." While some find the humor delightful and engaging, others feel it can be repetitive or forced, with the narrator's constant commentary sometimes becoming annoying. Overall, the game's comedic elements contribute significantly to its charm, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek approach to dungeon management.

    • “The humor is so bad that it made my IQ drop by 5 points every time a cringe joke attempt was made.”
    • “The narrator is especially funny, breaking the fourth wall and mocking you for your failures.”
    • “The campaign is hilarious, challenging 'enough', and Bullfrog's humor has somehow managed to travel into this release.”
    • “Ok game undermined by the most insufferable and unfunny narration ever.”
    • “One thing though... stop it, you're not funny.”
    • “Feels like a slow, boring and unfunny rip of Dungeon Keeper.”
  • story
    533 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Dungeons 2" is characterized by its humorous and satirical take on classic fantasy tropes, often filled with pop culture references and dark humor. Players enjoy the unique perspective of playing as the villain, guided by a witty narrator whose commentary adds charm to the gameplay, although some find the missions repetitive and the overall narrative lacking depth. While the campaign is engaging and entertaining, it is noted to be relatively short, with some missions feeling tedious or overly simplistic.

    • “The game's dark humor and rich campaign story mode, filled with references to fantasy lore, bring a level of depth and entertainment that sparkles like the icy stars of Howlstrom's night sky.”
    • “The writing of this game is one that I can only describe in one word: genius. It doesn't take itself too seriously while providing the player with a great story to look forward to.”
    • “The extensive campaign story mode is packed with even more of the dark humor which made the original Dungeons a hit and is peppered with numerous references to various fantasy books, movies, and TV shows.”
    • “The story is pretty much empty; there are only references to Game of Thrones and Lord of the Rings, no plot, no story, nor anything.”
    • “The story is a sarcastic-filled fest of jabs and slanders against every cliché fantasy, hitting things like World of Warcraft, Lord of the Rings, and more.”
    • “The story and RPG elements aren't on the same level as Warcraft.”
  • gameplay
    517 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Dungeons 2" is a blend of dungeon management and real-time strategy elements, reminiscent of the classic "Dungeon Keeper" series, but with a more casual and humorous approach. While many players appreciate the engaging mechanics and charming narration, criticisms arise regarding the game's simplicity, repetitiveness, and slow pacing, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit basic, gameplay loop that may appeal to fans of the genre but lacks depth for those seeking a more challenging experience.

    • “I love Dungeons 2's mix of overworld and dungeon gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is smooth, but the campaign is way too easy; it feels like the game is holding my hand and dragging me along to show the evil story they made.”
    • “Dungeons 2 is a worthy heir to the Dungeon Keeper legacy and also throws in some Warcraft-style RTS gameplay.”
    • “Uninstalled after 3 agonizing hours of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is awfully designed and progression was taking too much time, not much to explore in the faction's tech-tree (only few standout options) and once you realize that higher damage is the only way to victory, other upgrades are just futile.”
    • “Despite its attempts to blend strategy and simulation elements, the gameplay feels stale and repetitive, failing to engage players for long periods.”
  • graphics
    272 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the colorful, cartoonish art style reminiscent of Warcraft III, while others find it too simplistic or janky. Overall, the visuals are generally considered charming and well-executed, with some noting that they hold up well over time, despite occasional performance issues and a few graphical glitches. The game's aesthetic, combined with engaging animations and a humorous narrative, contributes positively to the overall experience, making it visually appealing for fans of the genre.

    • “For its time, Dungeons 2 set a high bar, delivering visuals that are both stunning and immersive.”
    • “The graphics are charming and whimsical, with bright colors and cartoonish characters that give it a lighthearted feel.”
    • “The art style is gorgeous and very well executed.”
    • “The graphics are quite basic; the game uses the exact cartoonish style (and quality) as the one seen in Warcraft 3 from 2002.”
    • “The graphics, gameplay, and UI leave you wanting more out of the game.”
    • “The graphics are pretty, but the FPS is unreasonably low.”
  • optimization
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, including stuttering and frame drops, particularly in larger dungeons or on lower-end systems. While some users have experienced smooth gameplay without noticeable bugs, others have found the game poorly optimized, leading to frustration and a diminished experience. Overall, it appears that while there are instances of good performance, the game requires further optimization to address the widespread complaints.

    • “Not only are there optimizations for room size, but the rooms themselves are upgradeable via research.”
    • “This game comes across as a well-polished title overall, and despite some people having performance problems, I can report that it runs very smoothly and I have yet to experience a lockup or crash with graphics maxed out.”
    • “As many say, there are some optimization tweaks that need to be done where the game lags hard on large dungeons, but I'm running max settings and have encountered very few problems, none of which were game-ending.”
    • “Pretty badly optimized; there is no optimization at all in this game!”
    • “Unfortunately, poor performance on Linux in the overworld.”
    • “The game seems to have optimization issues and uses the CPU very inefficiently, leading to a lot of framerate stuttering, particularly with digging and selecting units in the dungeon.”
  • grinding
    43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and repetitive, often revolving around a slow loop of resource management and unit upgrades. Many reviews highlight the lack of engaging gameplay, with missions feeling monotonous and requiring significant time investment for minimal reward. The mechanics for controlling units and managing resources are described as unintuitive, further contributing to the frustration with the grinding experience.

    • “The gameplay is quite easy and relaxed, no grinding or hectic click fests.”
    • “The game grows tedious pretty fast with the same slow loop of 'mine gold, upgrade, buy a few units, upgrade the population cap, farm gold, build units, upgrade cap, upgrade spells & gear, buy units, stomp, next map.' The game is really slow and maps can take hours to complete from just waiting to upgrade and farm gold.”
    • “Overall I wanted to like the game, but after a couple of missions it just got tedious to keep playing.”
    • “The campaign gets seriously tedious the longer it goes on.”
  • music
    37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its orchestral quality and ability to complement the gameplay, while others criticize it as generic and lacking originality. Many reviewers note that the soundtrack does not stand out and can feel like stock music, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the humorous narration and sound design, suggesting that while the music may not be exceptional, it still contributes positively to the game's atmosphere.

    • “The in-game sounds and soundtrack have been implemented just as well to bring us a masterpiece.”
    • “Orchestral music, captivating voice narrator, and funny worker animations.”
    • “Great music and I like the narrations (great voice).”
    • “The music and ambience was... pretty generic, I feel.”
    • “Add to all this a lackluster suite of music, barebones and basic assortment of sound effects and a narrator who tries, oh how he tries, and sadly fails to deliver on the level of quality as seen in the Bullfrog classic.”
    • “Music: 1/10 - sounds like cheap stock music which can barely be heard throughout the whole game.”
  • replayability
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating the variety offered by different factions and skirmish maps, while others criticize the limited content and short campaign, leading to a lack of incentive for multiple playthroughs. Although there are additional DLCs that could enhance replay value, many reviewers feel that once the campaign is completed, the game loses its appeal for repeated play. Overall, while some elements provide a degree of replayability, many players find it lacking in long-term engagement.

    • “It does have replayability and offers the skirmish maps, so you will have something to play after finishing it for the first time.”
    • “The replay value is pretty solid, too, because the different playable factions also have different traps, so dungeon defense requires different strategies.”
    • “It has a lot of replay value and if you ever get bored with the base game, there are two DLCs with three skirmish maps each available as well as one DLC with a completely new narrated campaign and two new playable factions.”
    • “Good for only one playthrough and a skirmish map or two, but replay value is low.”
    • “Yet... once you master it, it starts to lack replayability.”
    • “There is very little replay value, and the single player campaign takes maybe 5 hours to complete.”
  • stability
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including crashes and freezing during missions. While some users noted that the game remains enjoyable despite these issues, others expressed frustration over the frequency and severity of the bugs, suggesting that it requires substantial fixes to improve stability. Overall, the game is described as "buggy" and "unpolished," with varying experiences depending on individual setups.

    • “You want a bug-free dungeon game that runs fine, hardly crashes, goes pretty smoothly, and doesn’t really ever let you down or block its own progress?”
    • “Pretty much 100% bug-free for a day 1 release, nothing anyone with a brain can't work around.”
    • “Despite being bug-free for me, had I experienced a crash or lockup, I could have lost 2+ hours of gameplay by the time I realized I had been playing for so long (a positive sign lol) and decided to save on my own.”
    • “Under Linux, I experienced some bugs, and the last part of the last mission freezes every time - but let's assume I beat down Kronos with my horde of fellas.”
    • “After all this time, even with a reduced price, it's too buggy to play.”
    • “The only issue is that it seems very buggy, with GUI problems as well as a few UI improvements needed, along with a recent error that made the game crash without any reason!”
  • atmosphere
    22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its immersive and charismatic qualities, effectively drawing players into a dark and fantastical world. However, some reviews note inconsistencies, such as a lack of "evil" ambiance and missing sound effects that detract from the overall experience. While it offers a unique atmosphere that stands out in certain aspects, comparisons to classic titles like Dungeon Keeper highlight its shortcomings in depth and detail.

    • “The ambient atmosphere is incredible, drawing you into the dark and fantastical world with ease.”
    • “That sorta demi-realism where you don't hit uncanny valley, but there's enough atmosphere and detail to where you feel immersed in it.”
    • “Wonderful atmosphere and narration.”
    • “You do kind of feel evil after some time, and then he talks making a reference to Warcraft or Twilight, and the atmosphere quickly dissolves.”
    • “Lacking a dungeon atmosphere.”
    • “Wait for a sale or a bundle offer, or better yet play Dungeon Keeper 1 and 2, both of which have better gameplay and atmosphere.”
  • monetization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy in the game has drawn criticism for incorporating embedded advertisements in a full-price title, which many players find unacceptable. While some appreciate the humor in the ads, the novelty wears off quickly, leading to frustration among fans of the franchise. Overall, the approach is seen as a cash grab that detracts from the gaming experience.

    • “Embedded advertising is not acceptable in a full-price game and should be removed.”
    • “The narrator has presented subtle advertisements under the ruse of a humorous context.”
    • “These are ads, not images for buttons, by the way.”
  • emotional
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game emotionally engaging, as it rewards them even for losing the tutorial level, fostering a sense of investment in the narrative. The clever design elements, such as transforming the environment from "sickly sweet" to more wholesome themes, enhance this emotional connection to the game's characters and their journey.

    • “One of those games where you get emotionally rewarded for losing the tutorial level.”
    • “These clever nods kept me entertained and, dare I say it, emotionally invested in the fate of my minions.”
  • character development
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is enhanced by an engaging narrator and appealing character designs, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.

    • “The narrator is fun to listen to while you are playing, and I enjoy the character designs.”
    • “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character.”
    • “I love how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each decision feel impactful.”

Buy Dungeons 2

20h Median play time
36h Average play time
15-25h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 36 analyzed playthroughs

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