DungeonUp
- September 4, 2015
- Clewcat Games
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"DungeonUp is an adventure, single-player dungeon crawler with a good story and a lot of grinding. The game features 50+ procedurally generated levels across 5 zones, each with different monsters, themes, and a boss battle. It also includes 40+ unique items, 40+ monsters, and 10 levels with secrets and plots. With 3 difficulty levels and a maze mode, DungeonUp offers fun and challenges for both casual and hardcore players."
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- DungeonUp offers a unique blend of puzzle and RPG elements, making for engaging and strategic gameplay.
- The charming retro pixel art style and nostalgic soundtrack enhance the overall experience, appealing to fans of classic games.
- Many players find the game surprisingly addictive and enjoyable, often spending hours immersed in its mechanics.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs and technical issues, including game-breaking glitches that hinder progress.
- Many players criticize the lack of depth and repetitive gameplay, with some levels feeling tedious and unbalanced.
- The pricing model is seen as exploitative, as the game is available for free online but is sold on Steam, leading to frustration among players.
- story23 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 48 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The story in "Dungeonup" is described as light and intriguing, with elements of lore and NPC interactions that enhance the experience, though many feel it lacks depth and suffers from repetitive beats. While some players appreciate the fun and surprising plot twists, others criticize the random generation of levels in story mode, which detracts from the narrative flow and can make progression frustrating. Overall, the game has potential for a compelling story, but its execution leaves much to be desired.
“The storyline and world-building in 'dungeonup' offers more than just gameplay; it's imbued with a light yet intriguing storyline.”
“Has a fun little story and is a tad silly, but not too silly to make the game ridiculous.”
“Great plot; I was surprised to see the amount of plot in this game, it definitely piqued my interest more than it had the right to!”
“I was looking past typos, terrible story, tedious backtracking, being screwed out of currency because I spent it all on an item that was on the next floor, and more... but the above was the kicker.”
“What really bothers me about it, besides repeating its lame story beats over and over, is that there's the germ of a good idea in here.”
“The fatal flaw is that, in story mode, most of the floors are randomly generated the way a roguelike would be.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's graphics are polarizing, with some players appreciating the nostalgic charm of its retro pixel art reminiscent of classic 16-bit games, while others criticize it as outdated and lacking in resolution options. While the visuals can be engaging and thematically distinct across different dungeon zones, there are complaints about clunky interfaces and bland elements that detract from the overall aesthetic experience. Overall, the graphics evoke a sense of simplicity that appeals to some, but frustrates others seeking modern visual quality.
“The game sports a charming pixel art style, reminiscent of classic 16-bit games.”
“Each dungeon zone boasts distinct thematic elements, keeping the visuals fresh and engaging.”
“As someone who appreciates the beauty in simplicity, I found the game's visuals to be both nostalgic and pleasing to the eye.”
“It's a lazy 2D retro pixel trashware 'dungeon crawler' themed game, like a really dumbed down version of rogue/hack, but with worse graphics somehow (I'd rather be looking at ASCII instead of yet more pixel crap).”
“A choice was made to use obsolete, decades-old retro pixel 'art' as a substitute for contemporary PC graphics.”
“Sadly, the level editor harkens back to the pre-rendered graphics era in that it is incredibly clunky and awkward to utilize to its full potential and doesn't seem to render enemies like the giant scorpion or blue dragon properly.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "dungeonup" features a unique blend of roguelike and puzzle elements, emphasizing strategic decision-making within a procedurally generated environment. While the core mechanics are well-designed and engaging, players have noted issues such as lack of variety, repetitive gameplay, and some frustrating design choices that detract from the overall experience. Additionally, technical shortcomings like the absence of volume sliders and key rebinding have been highlighted as drawbacks.
“Dungeonup presents a unique blend of roguelike and puzzle gameplay, set in a dynamic, procedurally generated dungeon.”
“The core gameplay of Dungeonup revolves around making strategic choices at every step.”
“Engaging and strategic gameplay.”
“This boss is a total failure of a mechanic when the hint guy isn't even always findable.”
“Edit: after about 2 hours the game lost its charm because no real new mechanics were opening up, just bigger hitpoint bars on the monsters and more attack damage for the hero.”
“There is zero reason to buy it as it is almost completely identical in gameplay.”
- music12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game's music features a charming 8-bit soundtrack that enhances the overall experience, with many players finding it relaxing and well-composed. However, it is often criticized for being repetitive and simplistic, leading some to mute it during gameplay. Overall, while the music has its fans, its repetitiveness detracts from the experience for others.
“The game's soundtrack, with its 8-bit charm, complements the visual aesthetics perfectly.”
“The music enhances the dungeon-crawling experience, though I occasionally muted it for a more serene gaming session.”
“I love the music a lot and often listen to it at work.”
“Unfortunately, the music, as fun as it is, gets very repetitive very quickly.”
“Very simplistic mechanically, easy to play, interesting use of tactics to get through it, very repetitive, tedious; the music makes you want to be deaf very quickly.”
“Other more minor grievances include the bland graphics and crappy music.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be overwhelmingly tedious and frustrating, often requiring extensive backtracking and repetitive tasks that offer little new experience. While some appreciate the tactical elements, many feel that the grind detracts from overall enjoyment, making the gameplay feel simplistic and monotonous. The combination of maze levels and the need to re-grind progress contributes to a generally negative perception of this aspect.
“Eventually 100% tedious and a pain in the ass.”
“Re-grinding 1-2 hours of progress does not provide much more new experiences, if any.”
“Very simplistic mechanically, easy to play, interesting use of tactics to get through it, very repetitive and tedious.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is considered quite replayable due to its effective RNG system and varied floor layouts, which enhance the experience despite some bugs and problems. Many players find it more interesting and engaging than other titles in their libraries, highlighting its simplicity as a strength.
“Quite replayable (if not taking the bugs/problems into account).”
“Nice RNG system; most of the generated floor layouts are playable.”
“Despite its basic simplicity, this game has proven to be more interesting and replayable than most other games in my library.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Dungeonup is criticized for its monetization strategy, as it is perceived as a cash grab by developers who have repackaged a free browser game for sale on Steam, seeking to profit from players despite its lack of depth and quality as a full PC game.
“Dungeonup is a free-to-play Adobe Flash/Air browser game that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a fully fledged PC game. It's not; it's a cash grab from greedy web developers who want your money for a free browser game.”
“The monetization in this game is outrageous. It feels like every corner you turn, there's a paywall blocking your progress.”
“I can't believe how much they charge for basic features that should be included in a free game. It's frustrating and feels exploitative.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game exhibits some stability issues, including minor bugs and lag when transitioning between floors, leading to concerns about ongoing developer support.
“The game is a bit buggy, with minor lag between floors, and I'm unsure if it still receives developer attention.”
“There are frequent crashes that disrupt gameplay, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
“I've encountered several glitches that affect my progress, and it feels like stability is not a priority for the developers.”
