Dungeons of Blood and Dream

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In "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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

96%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,078 reviews

gameplay70 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

Unique and interesting setting with a captivating atmosphere.
Engaging gameplay loop that encourages experimentation with spells, rings, and potions.
Strong sense of discovery and mystery, with many secrets and lore to uncover.

Combat can feel janky and hitboxes are inconsistent, leading to frustrating encounters.
Performance issues, including frame drops and crashes, especially during intense moments.
Lack of variety in room design and enemy mechanics can make gameplay feel repetitive.

gameplay
176 mentions
40 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this roguelike dungeon crawler is characterized by a unique blend of mechanics, including an intriguing ring system and spellcasting that encourages exploration and experimentation. While many players appreciate the addictive gameplay loop and atmospheric design, there are notable criticisms regarding the shallow nature of some mechanics, frustrating combat, and a lack of engaging room design. Overall, the game offers a captivating experience but may require further refinement to enhance its long-term replayability and accessibility.
- “At first glance, it's a well-executed dungeon crawler with a unique aesthetic, an interesting equipment/ring system, and an overall engaging and addictive gameplay loop.”
- “The gameplay itself is incredibly satisfying for what is ultimately just fighting mobs and exploring, but the way you feel as you get deeper and deeper is unique and fascinating.”
- “The gameplay loop is satisfying, and the amount of that discovery feeling is very nice.”
- “The vibes are there, but the mechanics, overall, are just too frustrating for me to bother to continue playing.”
- “But what it does wrong it also does wrong in spades because there are some genuinely frustrating gameplay choices that even in a roguelike are hard to enjoy.”
- “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.”
graphics
116 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed but generally positive feedback, with many players praising its unique, retro-inspired aesthetic that blends elements of dark fantasy and psychedelic visuals. While some feel that the environments could use more detail and variety, the overall art style and atmosphere are considered engaging and fitting for the gameplay. The visuals, combined with a compelling soundtrack, create a memorable experience that resonates well with fans of roguelike dungeon crawlers, though the aesthetic may not appeal to everyone.
- “The atmosphere provided by the graphics and sound are absolutely perfect.”
- “The aesthetic is beautiful, the art makes it stand out so much - the ring and magic systems feel unique and interesting.”
- “Great little dungeon crawler-roguelite hybrid with an appealing lo-fi aesthetic and amazing synth soundtrack.”
- “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.”
music
62 mentions
68 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The music in "Dungeons of Blood and Dream" is widely praised for its immersive and fitting dungeon synth style, enhancing the game's mysterious atmosphere and complementing its unique art direction. While some players note that the soundtrack can be a bit 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 gameplay.
- “The world and lore are rich, the dungeon synth soundtrack is beautiful, and the characters are so esoteric and fun.”
- “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.”
- “Great little dungeon crawler-roguelite hybrid with an appealing lo-fi aesthetic and an 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.”
- “Dungeon's of Blood and Dream is a dungeon crawling romp that serves as a fair challenge and a delight to the senses, quite pretty and enjoyable to look at - my only complaint is that the OST is still yet to be put on Spotify.”
story
26 mentions
46 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The game's story is praised for its intriguing and mysterious setup, reminiscent of classic 90s dungeon crawlers, with well-crafted lore that encourages exploration and note-taking. Players appreciate how the narrative intertwines with the game's art direction and soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience. However, some find the lack of clear storytelling and environmental cues can make the gameplay feel unnecessarily challenging.
- “This game is really fun to play; there are pretty difficult puzzles, a well-written story, fun gameplay, and of course, amazing and fitting soundtracks.”
- “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.”
- “This is that bootleg copy of King's Quest II you buy outside the 7/11 parking lot at 1am.”
- “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.”
- “The story is another thing I should mention; it's pretty mysterious, but I really like the general setup for the setting.”
atmosphere
22 mentions
64 % positive mentions
23 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack that complements the dark and mysterious environments. Players appreciate the game's unique personality, with its grimy lore and disorienting elements contributing to a compelling experience. Overall, the combination of graphics, sound, and gameplay mechanics creates a top-notch atmospheric experience that resonates with players.
- “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.”
- “The atmosphere provided by the graphics and sound are absolutely perfect.”
- “This game has an amazing atmosphere and really cool disturbing lore; the world feels grimy and horrible.”
- “The first couple of hours may feel a little disorienting, but it goes with the theme and atmosphere of the game so well.”
- “The atmosphere provided by the graphics and sound is absolutely perfect.”
- “The music is appropriately dungeony and fits with the weird and dark atmosphere and environments.”
humor
20 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, scary, and unique moments that keep them entertained. The quirky character designs, such as the goblins and the litch, along with absurd situations like potion consumption, contribute to a comedic atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. Overall, the humor is described as a standout feature that adds excitement and satisfaction to the roguelike adventure.
- “Super super cool game with some really funny, scary, and unique moments.”
- “You will keep finding new funny characters and seeing so many things that genuinely made me laugh, feel surprised, and honestly just get excited.”
- “The residents of these dungeons think I'm a freak for drinking any potion (that may or may not contain urine) that I come across and then continuing to scream and swing my funny little broken sword at them.”
optimization
18 mentions
17 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players experiencing severe performance issues, particularly during intense moments involving multiple projectiles, leading to significant frame rate drops. There are limited in-game settings to improve performance, and many users report crashes and freezes, especially on the Steam Deck. Despite these challenges, some players remain hopeful for future updates aimed at enhancing performance and fixing existing bugs.
- “I have been playing exclusively on my Steam Deck, and have had a lot of very promising runs thwarted by crashes and freezes, but 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 (content expansions and performance optimizations especially).”
- “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.”
- “There's some very bad performance issues that I think happen when there's a lot of projectiles. If you decide to summon a lot of golems for some bosses or in the final area, the fps can often drop into the single digits.”
replayability
12 mentions
33 % positive mentions
42 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game offers solid replayability with a variety of unlockables, an engaging magic system, and numerous modifiers that enhance each run. While many players appreciate the frequent updates and the depth of secrets, some express concerns about its long-term replay value due to a lack of dynamic gameplay evolution compared to more established roguelikes. Overall, it shows promise, especially for a solo-developed title, but may need further refinement to sustain interest over time.
- “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.”
- “Replayability.”
stability
6 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 largely unplayable, particularly on the Steam Deck. However, players have noted that performance has improved with each patch, allowing for slightly better experiences over time, despite ongoing glitches and confusing mechanics.
- “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.”
grinding
4 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the concept of grinding in the game, but many find it to be dull and tedious, detracting from the overall experience despite high praise for the game's aesthetics and gameplay.
- “I liked the concept behind it, but I personally found this system to be the most dull and tedious of all.”
- “Between the learning curves, grinding to get upgrades, overall gameplay and aesthetic of the game, it's all 10/10.”
character development
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
100 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
While users appreciate the character designs and overall aesthetic of the game, there is no specific mention of character development or growth, suggesting that this aspect may not be a focal point in their experience.