Dungeons of Blood and Dream
- November 11, 2024
- Lori Vornoy
- 9h median play time
Get on SteamIn "Dungeons of Blood and Dream," players assume the role of Blood Wizard, who is trapped in a dangerous entity's Mind Prison. To escape, they must navigate through treacherous, procedurally generated dungeons filled with enemies, treasures, traps, and secrets. Along the way, players can collect and utilize a variety of unique weapons, cursed rings, and spells to defeat enemies and uncover secrets, with the freedom to upgrade abilities and equipment across multiple playthroughs.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Unique and engaging gameplay mechanics, including a ring system that offers different effects based on which finger they are worn on.
- The game features a captivating atmosphere with a distinct art style and a haunting soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
- The sense of discovery is strong, with numerous secrets, spells, and lore elements that encourage exploration and experimentation.
- Combat can feel janky and unresponsive at times, with hitboxes that are difficult to gauge, leading to frustrating encounters.
- Performance issues, including frame rate drops during intense moments, can detract from the gameplay experience.
- The learning curve is steep, and some players may find the mechanics convoluted or overwhelming, making it hard to get into the game.
- gameplay88 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this roguelike dungeon crawler is characterized by its unique mechanics, such as the ring system and spellcasting, which offer depth and encourage exploration. However, many players find the systems to be somewhat shallow and repetitive, with procedural generation lacking variety, leading to frustration in combat and navigation. While the addictive gameplay loop and intriguing lore keep players engaged, the overall execution suffers from janky mechanics and a steep learning curve that can deter newcomers.
“Overall, I strongly recommend exploring this game's mechanics and delving into its lore and world.”
“The gameplay loop is satisfying and the amount of that discovery feeling is very nice.”
“The unique mechanics like writing up spells in my notes and ring slots giving different effects really got me hooked.”
“I bought this game captivated by the mechanics behind spells and rings, but got somewhat disappointed by how shallow the systems can be.”
“The vibes are there, but the mechanics, overall, are just too frustrating for me to bother to continue playing.”
“Throughout my time playing, I am just simply struggling to get anywhere or really enjoy the game through all the janky combat and convoluted mechanics.”
- graphics58 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique, retro aesthetic that draws inspiration from various sources, including PS1 visuals and indie classics, creating a distinct atmosphere that resonates with fans of dungeon crawlers. While some players appreciate the consistent art style and its macabre whimsy, others note a lack of detail and variety in level design, leading to a sense of repetitiveness. Overall, the visuals are polarizing; they are celebrated for their charm and creativity, but may not appeal to everyone.
“The aesthetic is beautiful, the art makes it stand out so much - the ring and magic systems feel unique and interesting.”
“The atmosphere provided by the graphics and sound are absolutely perfect.”
“Incredible art style coupled with challenging and rewarding combat make my experience truly enjoyable.”
“As for the walls of the levels, they are decent, but I feel they could benefit from a bit more detail or variety to enhance the overall aesthetic.”
“There's no interaction with them, no change between levels, just different assets and visuals - which already help, but once you've grown accustomed to those, every room in every level looks the exact same to you.”
“There is no way to adjust graphics and frame drops can happen at random.”
- music31 mentions
- 68 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The music in "Dungeons of Blood and Dream" is widely praised for its immersive and fitting dungeon synth soundtrack, which enhances the game's mysterious atmosphere and complements its unique art style. While some players note that the music can be repetitive, it is generally described as captivating and memorable, contributing significantly to the overall experience. Many reviewers express a desire for the soundtrack to be more accessible, highlighting its quality and the way it ties into the game's lore and aesthetics.
“Dungeons of Blood and Dream is a rogue-like that captivates right from the start with its immersive atmosphere and a soundtrack that truly enhances the sense of mystery.”
“The soundtrack is appropriately dungeon synthy, the graphics fit the vibe amazingly well, and there's a general gloomy moodiness that helps the great gameplay even more.”
“Great little dungeon crawler-roguelite hybrid with an appealing lo-fi aesthetic and amazing synth soundtrack.”
“The music is appropriately dungeony, and fits with the weird and dark atmosphere and environments.”
“I would definitely buy the soundtrack if it was on Bandcamp.”
“My only complaint is that the OST is still yet to be put on Spotify.”
- story13 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its engaging and mysterious narrative, reminiscent of classic 90s dungeon crawlers, with well-crafted lore that encourages exploration and note-taking. Players appreciate the seamless integration of story with the game's art direction and soundtrack, enhancing the overall atmosphere. However, some critiques mention that while the story is compelling, the gameplay mechanics can detract from the experience, making it feel unnecessarily challenging.
“An amazing roguelike with an old 90's feel, paired with grim art and a cool story to tie it all together.”
“I also want to mention the presentation, as the story and lore tie in perfectly with the music, art direction, and characters scattered throughout the dungeons.”
“The story is another thing I should mention; it's pretty mysterious, but I really like the general setup for the setting.”
“The story is another thing I should mention; it's pretty mysterious but I really like the general setup for the setting.”
“I won't spoil it as there isn't a lot of text that defines the plot or lore, but I can say it made me want to know more about the world, the jesters, the feast and what the real world looks like compared to... wherever we are right now.”
“This is that bootleg copy of King's Quest II you buy outside the 7/11 parking lot at 1am.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 64 % positive mentions
- 18 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and unique art style. Players appreciate the dark, mysterious environments and the game's ability to evoke a sense of personality and lore, making it a standout experience in the dungeon crawler genre. Overall, the combination of graphics, sound, and thematic elements creates a compelling and atmospheric gameplay experience.
“Dungeons of Blood and Dream is a roguelike that captivates right from the start with its immersive atmosphere and a soundtrack that truly enhances the sense of mystery.”
“If you're looking for a cryptic first-person dungeon crawler oozing with personality and atmosphere, you've come to the right place!”
“The atmosphere provided by the graphics and sound are absolutely perfect.”
“The atmosphere provided by the graphics and sound is absolutely perfect.”
“The first couple of hours may feel a little disorienting, but it goes with the theme and atmosphere of the game so well.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its blend of funny and absurd moments, such as quirky character designs and unexpected interactions. Many reviews note the comedic elements in combat and character encounters, contributing to an overall enjoyable and entertaining experience. The game's ability to balance humor with its darker themes adds to its unique charm, making players feel both amused and empowered as they progress.
“Super super cool game with some really funny, scary, and unique moments.”
“It's always a very funny surprise to find the lich with his goofy little robe. I feel like he should drop some kind of unique item as he is kind of a rare appearance.”
“You will keep finding new funny characters and seeing so many things that genuinely made me laugh, feel surprised, and honestly just get excited.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players experiencing severe performance issues, particularly during intense moments involving multiple projectiles, leading to significant frame rate drops. Many users report crashes and freezes, especially on the Steam Deck, and express disappointment over the lack of in-game settings to improve performance. While some patches have shown incremental improvements, the overall consensus is that the game requires further optimization and bug fixes to enhance the gameplay experience.
“I have been playing exclusively on my Steam Deck, and I have had a lot of very promising runs thwarted by crashes and freezes. However, even if the game isn't officially supported on the Deck yet, every patch has improved performance to where I can get a little further every time.”
“Even if I haven't succeeded in getting to the end in spite of my playtime due to the aforementioned performance issues, I have yet to feel frustrated to the point of wanting to stop playing.”
“Very excited for further updates focused on the things mentioned in the recently posted roadmap, especially content expansions and performance optimizations.”
“There's some very bad performance issues that I think happen when there's a lot of projectiles, so if you decide you want to summon a lot of golems for some bosses or in the final area, the FPS can often drop in the single digits.”
“There are no real in-game settings to optimize the performance, which is very disappointing.”
“The performance is absolutely horrible; from smooth 90+ FPS, the game can suddenly drop to 10. The slime caves are broken, especially the enemies that shoot slime at you and leave toxic trails behind. Their AI loves to jank out, rendering them unhittable due to their hitbox starting to breakdance and mock you. The game is cool, but it needs more time and issue fixing.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers solid replayability with a variety of unlockables, an engaging magic system, and numerous secrets to discover, making it enjoyable for repeated playthroughs. However, some players feel it lacks long-term replay value due to a lack of dynamic gameplay evolution compared to more established roguelikes. Despite some bugs and being in early access, many appreciate the game's scope and potential for future updates.
“There's a solid roguelite here with good replayability, fun unlockables, a really interesting magic system, and so many rings that modify your run.”
“The game is fun, very replayable with a ton of secrets, and is frequently updated.”
“The replay value, the concepts, and the game cycle and systems all work together amazingly. Some bugs here and there, but it's an astounding scope for a solo developer, so it's completely valid. I'm sure you are going to keep working hard on it; it's an amazing piece of weird and bloody art.”
“I enjoyed my time, but I don't think it has long-term replay value because it lacks a dynamic evolution of gameplay that greater roguelikes have.”
“Still in early access, I did have a softlock and had to force close, but it's already more playable than certain PSX era dungeon crawlers.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant issue, with frequent frame drops and crashes making it nearly unplayable, particularly on the Steam Deck. While performance has improved with patches, players still encounter frustrating glitches that hinder gameplay and understanding of mechanics. Overall, the stability concerns detract from an otherwise promising experience.
“The game looks really interesting, but extreme frame drops and freezes every few seconds make it unplayable, sadly.”
“I have been playing exclusively on my Steam Deck, and have had a lot of very promising runs thwarted by crashes and freezes. Even if the game isn't officially supported on the Deck yet, every patch has improved performance to where I can get a little further every time.”
“While I do understand that the game is basically an old school dungeon crawler version of Cruelty Squad, and is attempting the structure of 'throwing you in' and having a ton of mechanics be shown but not exactly 'accessible' at the start, it just becomes extremely confusing when you can eventually access these mechanics and they don't work due to small glitches, and/or the way they're explained by the manual is just plain confusing.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
While some players appreciate the underlying concept of the grinding system, many find it to be dull and tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game despite its high-quality gameplay and aesthetics.
“I liked the concept behind it, but I personally found this system to be the most dull and tedious of all.”
“Grinding to get upgrades feels excessively repetitive and detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
“The grinding aspect is so monotonous that it makes the game feel more like a chore than a fun experience.”
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers appreciate the character designs and overall aesthetic of the game, highlighting that the music and atmosphere contribute positively to the character development experience.
“The character designs are stunning, and the music perfectly complements the overall atmosphere.”
“I appreciate how each character evolves throughout the story, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
“The depth of character development really draws you in, allowing you to connect with their struggles and triumphs.”
