Ludus Mortis
- March 6, 2024
- 68k Studios
- 18h median play time
Get on SteamIn Ludus Mortis, set in 4th century Rome, the Senate's use of necromancy has created an army of undead and demons, leading to a rift among the Roman population. As a gladiator from a surviving school, your mission is to eradicate the undead and restore Rome's former glory, engaging in grid-based, first-person dungeon crawling gameplay. Fight to save your city from the Senate's gruesome creation and deadly control.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game offers a great variety of character classes and deep customization options, allowing for unique builds and strategies.
- It features an engaging Roman-themed setting with interesting exploration mechanics, including secret passages and a crafting system.
- The developer is responsive to community feedback and actively works on improving the game, which shows promise for future updates.
- The game suffers from balance issues, with some classes being significantly weaker than others, leading to a less enjoyable experience.
- Repetitive dungeon designs and grinding can make gameplay feel tedious, especially as the game progresses.
- The user interface is clunky and lacks clarity, making it difficult to manage characters and understand certain mechanics.
- gameplay22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 73 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Gameplay is a mixed bag, featuring old-school dungeon crawling mechanics with some modern twists, which may appeal to veteran players but could frustrate newcomers due to dated systems and overly complex mechanics. While exploration and character generation are praised, the combat becomes repetitive and lacks depth over time, with caster mechanics particularly criticized. Overall, experienced players may find enjoyment despite the flaws, while newer gamers might struggle with the learning curve and simplicity of tactical options.
“I love the old school rolling mechanics for the character generator and the abundance of class choices available.”
“Each main quest dungeon so far did unlock a new building or feature for your school and opens up new layers or mechanics to toy around with.”
“Old school type dungeon crawling mechanics with modern twists.”
“Terrible caster mechanics (especially early on) literally ruin the game.”
“The game is too front-loaded with mechanics you need to understand almost from the get-go.”
“At first, exploring and fighting is fun, but after 10 hours of gameplay, it becomes repetitive. Leveling up just makes the fights longer, as skills and spells are pretty weak and tactical options don't develop; that's the main con of the game.”
- story20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The game's story is engaging, featuring a solid narrative intertwined with grid-based exploration and turn-based combat, though players note a significant amount of grinding is required to progress. While the dungeons offer a variety of puzzles and secrets, the indoor-only environments and cumbersome menu navigation detract from the overall experience. Players express hope for future updates to enhance the story and introduce more diverse dungeon designs and character customization options.
“Been following the developer for a very long time; his games are always excellent and have the same formula: good old grid-based exploration with turn-based combat and a solid storyline with a hint of legacy/roguelike elements.”
“I will say that there is definitely enough to do in a given story/optional dungeon, whether it's solving puzzles, trying to find secrets like illusory/breakable walls, or being on the lookout for traps.”
“Each main quest dungeon so far has unlocked a new building or feature for your school and opens up new layers or mechanics to toy around with.”
“There is too much grinding required in old dungeons even with optimal stats before you can complete the next story dungeons.”
“Dungeon tilesets are also a bit limited; all available dungeons are indoors (think caves, temples, etc.), so I'm hoping that there will be some outdoor areas down the line when it makes sense in the story.”
“Despite wanting to play through the story arc, I keep trying different classes to see what special abilities and spells each have access to.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Grinding is a significant aspect of the game, often required to progress through locked doors and complete dungeons, which some players find excessive. While it can be enjoyable for those who appreciate leveling up and upgrading their characters, others feel it detracts from the overall experience due to its intensity and time commitment.
“Meaning endless grinding if you wish to progress when all doors are locked with secrets.”
“There is too much grinding required in old dungeons even with optimal stats before you can complete the next story dungeons.”
“A bit too grindy for me, but others will like that.”
- music10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while the soundtrack is praised as terrific, players find the combat music repetitive and the overall musical experience inconsistent. Many noted that the lack of variety in both music and gameplay elements led to a sense of monotony, particularly in the latter half of the game. Additionally, the absence of options to mute or adjust the music further detracted from the experience.
“The soundtrack is terrific and the risk-reward/push-your-luck nature of the dungeon exploration is fantastic.”
“The music is all over the place.”
“Hearing the same combat music over and over got a little stale.”
“There's a lack of settings to mute the repetitive music and adjust anything graphical.”
- graphics8 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their unique theme and impressive artwork, particularly the design of the enemies, which adds to the overall aesthetic appeal. However, there are criticisms regarding the lack of graphical settings and options to mute the repetitive music. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's charm.
“The artwork of the enemies looks great, so I think that deserves some praise.”
“Fantastic four-party blobber with an absolutely unique theme and awesome art style.”
“The graphics are just bad with the theme.”
“There is a lack of settings to mute the repetitive music and adjust anything graphical.”
“The graphics are disappointing and do not meet expectations.”
- character development4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its depth and intricacy, appealing to players who appreciate detailed progression. However, the process can be slow, as experience points are shared between leveling up and skill acquisition, potentially prolonging the journey.
“A fantastic delve for those who enjoy the gritty details of character development and dungeon exploration.”
“Character development takes a long time because the same experience is consumed for both leveling up and acquiring skills.”
