It Lurks Below
- April 25, 2018
- Graybeard Games
- 24h median play time
Get on Steam"It Lurks Below" is a 2D retro-style, sandbox, action-oriented dungeon crawler with heavy focus on survival elements. Play as one of several classes, delve into ever-changing dungeons, and battle a variety of monsters to survive. Gather resources, craft items, and make permanent upgrades to your character in this unforgiving, procedurally generated world.
PC
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox
Reviews
- The game combines elements of Diablo and Terraria, offering a unique blend of action RPG and survival mechanics.
- The developer, David Brevik, is highly engaged with the community and frequently updates the game based on player feedback.
- The character classes are diverse, each with unique abilities, and the loot system is satisfying, providing a rewarding gameplay experience.
- The survival mechanics can feel tedious, especially for new players, as managing hunger and fatigue can interrupt gameplay.
- Inventory management is cumbersome, with limited space leading to frustration when trying to keep track of items.
- Some players have reported issues with difficulty spikes and the game becoming repetitive after a while.
- gameplay227 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
Gameplay in "It Lurks Below" is a mixed bag, with many players finding it both addictive and repetitive. While the core mechanics blend action RPG elements with survival aspects reminiscent of Terraria, criticisms arise regarding the implementation of survival mechanics, which some deem tedious and disruptive. Overall, the game offers a fun experience with a solid loot system and character diversity, but it struggles with balance and polish, leading to a varied reception among players.
“Challenging but fair gameplay.”
“Absolutely addictive gameplay.”
“The core gameplay loop (slaughter monsters, gather loot, return to base, gather/plant crops, sort loot, repeat) is quite fun and each layer of the dungeon is short enough that I never really got bored.”
“Gameplay seems pretty boring so far, and you have to blindly fall into dark areas and take an unknown amount of fall damage before you can place a torch and see what is there.”
“The survival mechanics are... hit or miss right now, but the dungeon crawling is A+.”
“The survival mechanic seems more of an annoyance than an addition to the game.”
- grinding139 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 98 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in relation to farming, mining, and managing hunger. While some enjoy the depth of character progression and loot grinding, others feel that the constant need to farm and the lack of unique items detracts from the overall experience, making it feel empty and monotonous. However, players who embrace the grind often find satisfaction in character development and the thrill of obtaining better gear, especially in modes that minimize survival mechanics.
“The systems are simple to use, but deep; the survival is challenging but not tedious.”
“It isn't tedious and boring like Minecraft was.”
“This ruins it for me, the crops are one thing but having to deal with the commander constantly, and I do mean every couple of days, is tedious and unfun.”
“In the end, the game feels a bit empty as you end up spending most of your time grinding and re-beating the same (very short) game at three different difficulty levels while every difficulty level is itself split into five almost identical parts, which means you end up doing 5 * 3 times the same thing to beat the entire game.”
“The fact that I put 110 hours might contradict my review, but most of that time was spent getting tired of grinding while trying to beat the final difficulty on hardcore mode.”
- graphics89 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and reminiscent of retro pixel art, which some players find charming while others consider them lacking in detail and variety. While the visuals are serviceable for the gameplay style, many users express a desire for more distinct artwork for weapons and character customization options. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, appealing to fans of pixel art but potentially disappointing for those expecting more modern visuals.
“The graphics are great for this 2D retro side scroller.”
“The game looks amazing; it mixes 2D elements (doors, players, monsters, items) with 3D elements (blocks) to create some incredibly nice visuals.”
“The core mechanics, aesthetics, and music merge so well together to form a truly creepy yet relaxing and intriguing universe that players will sink into and never want to leave.”
“Graphics are simple but this doesn't have much impact on the fun!”
“The graphics are kinda bad.”
“Gritty, boring, and dull, the dark toneless graphics are not even on par with that of Starbound.”
- story72 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 78 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered lackluster, with a bare-bones narrative that relies heavily on a quest system that serves more as a tutorial than a compelling storyline. While there are quests to guide players and provide direction, many reviewers feel that the overall lore and character development are minimal, making the experience feel incomplete. However, the quest system does help new players navigate the game and offers a sense of progression, even if the story itself is not a strong focal point.
“He still works adamantly on this game to improve and add upon its story and mechanics, taking plenty of community feedback along the way.”
“There actually is a story to follow, but doing so requires finding the various lore shrines well-hidden in the dungeons below.”
“I felt the story aspect of the game was a bit lackluster, and the class identity was lacking a bit too.”
“Do not expect an elaborate lore or much to read about: even with these lore entries, the story is quite bare-bones as there are just around 20 or so of them, to give out a general idea of what is going on in the world.”
“It gives you objectives, quests, and goals to ensure that you stay on track and guides you into a compelling yet unfortunately incomplete story.”
- music66 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its relaxing and atmospheric qualities, while others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety. Many noted that the soundtrack often feels out of place or low-energy, failing to enhance the game's immersive experience. Overall, while there are moments of good music, the consensus is that the game would benefit from a more diverse and engaging soundtrack.
“The music varies from gloomy atmospheric sketches to some kind of neo-classical pieces.”
“The music is on point; it's so damn relaxing.”
“The core mechanics, aesthetics, and music merge so well together to create a truly creepy yet relaxing and intriguing universe that players will sink into the experience and never want to leave.”
“Secondly, the music is pathetically weak and low energy.”
“For the first few hours in the earliest section, the music is one track and it is scored by someone who keeps falling asleep and hitting the same two keys on the piano every few seconds.”
“Worst of all, the one background music track that plays is a piano that seems to play the same batch of notes over and over, and given the game's aesthetic, it makes me wonder why the music isn't dark and brooding like Diablo.”
- replayability30 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players highlighting its engaging gameplay, diverse classes, and a robust loot system that encourages multiple playthroughs. The inclusion of various game modes, random world generation, and frequent updates from the developer further enhance its replay value, making it a worthwhile investment for players seeking long-term enjoyment. Overall, the combination of RPG elements and build diversity promises countless hours of gameplay, ensuring that no two experiences are alike.
“Very engaging gameplay, an incredible loot system, and a lot of replayability with the great difference between classes.”
“Another positive thing to note about the game is that it has tremendous replay value.”
“With infinite replayability, no two games will ever be the same.”
“Not sure how much replayability there is, but for a single pass through a difficulty, it was loads of fun!”
“That itself gives you an infinite amount of replayability and many hours of gameplay; not to mention the build diversity the game offers is immense.”
“Mr. David Brevik has truly created a simplistic looking game (which I love the pixel art style!) but has packed in tons of RPG elements which will warrant hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of replayability.”
- atmosphere11 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its dark, brooding qualities complemented by a mix of gloomy and neo-classical music, effectively capturing a classic Diablo vibe. Players appreciate the charming pixelated art style and the game's sandbox nature, which fosters a friendly and engaging environment. However, some reviews note that while the atmosphere is strong, it may not fully compensate for gameplay shortcomings.
“The atmosphere is dark and brooding, but doesn't take itself too seriously.”
“What's also amazing is the atmosphere, because David was really able to capture the classic Diablo atmosphere. The pixelated art style is also great; I love the 3D-ish effects it has, which is quite charming.”
“I can deal with the gameplay; it keeps you interested, but the atmosphere is lacking.”
“It's worth picking up if you're into Diablo-style loot and upgrades with a Terraria atmosphere.”
“The sandboxy nature of the game gives it a rather friendly atmosphere and lets you approach the game in whichever way suits you best.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it requires low visual settings for smooth performance, it remains engaging and replayable even on low-end hardware. Recent updates have improved stability and performance, making it more accessible, but initial optimization issues persist. Overall, players can enjoy the game for extended periods, though some may need to adjust settings for optimal play.
“Great game that isn't high-performance required and draws you in for hours and hours - but you can even play for a few moments and pause the game, picking back up when you can play again.”
“The game has a lot of replayability thanks to the former and has incredible performance and can be played on a toaster thanks to the latter.”
“Since the last update, great performance, absolutely playable.”
“The game is poorly optimized and is playable only if many visual settings are turned off or turned down to their minimum settings.”
- stability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability is mixed; while it runs well on older hardware, users report significant bugs, particularly with the jumping system and freezing issues after extended play sessions. Troubleshooting steps have been necessary for some players to achieve a stable experience, indicating that the game may require further updates to address these problems.
“Runs great on old hardware.”
“The game maintains a steady frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which is impressive for a game of this scale.”
“Kind of buggy.”
“The jumping system is buggy at times and it's easy to not be able to get even the first jump off at all.”
“Amazing game, one problem: played for 6 hours and quit. I came back 2-3 hours later, entered the game, pressed play, and the app freezes. I waited 10-15 minutes, still frozen. All other buttons work on the start menu, so I would like either advice on how to fix it or an update to stop this from happening, please.”
- character development6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find it enjoyable and innovative, particularly with its item-based progression system, others criticize its heavy reliance on RNG, which can undermine the effort put into building specialized characters. Overall, the focus remains on dungeon crawling and looting, with character development being a secondary but still significant aspect.
“Character development is amazing.”
“It's not worth putting hours into a game that will randomly invalidate your character development.”
“The character development this game proposes is quite different than most ARPGs, sacrificing skill trees in favor of a completely item-based progression, which gives too much leeway to RNG dependency to create specialized builds.”
“But the focus of the game primarily lies in dungeon crawling, looting, and character development.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by its quirky grammatical errors, which can be amusing but do not detract from the overall experience. Players find the attempts at humor, particularly in the context of its genre classification and unexpected in-game deaths, to be entertaining and add a layer of charm to the gameplay. Overall, the humor is a mix of unintentional comedy and clever situational gags that enhance the fun.
“The game tries to be funny at some points, and it really works for me.”
“It's just a totally different animal altogether, and it shouldn't even be compared or categorized as an ARPG, which is amusingly hilarious.”
“Once you have some good gear and think you're pretty tough, the game has a funny way of killing you if you're not paying attention, leading to a strategic corpse run depending on the situation you find yourself in.”
- monetization3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While some players express frustration with the trend of greedy monetization in the gaming industry, this particular game has been praised for not falling into the cash grab category, offering a legitimate experience despite initial concerns.
“I've been so bored and disappointed with games over the last few years, especially now with all this greedy monetization that I've kept a bit of distance.”
“I'm afraid that this is a cash grab more than a legitimate game where the developers leverage a new and interesting genre and slap 'Diablo' on it.”
“After putting in 20 hours so far, I can definitively say this isn't one of those cash grabs.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express frustration over emotional attachment to their saved progress, as technical issues prevent them from revisiting the game after a long break. This highlights the emotional investment in their gaming experience, which is disrupted by the need for updates.
