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 features a rich character customization system with a wide variety of classes and builds, allowing for unique gameplay experiences.
- It combines old-school dungeon crawling mechanics with modern twists, providing an engaging and addictive experience for fans of the genre.
- The developer is responsive to community feedback and actively works on improving the game, which is promising for its future development.
- The game suffers from balance issues, with some classes being significantly weaker than others, leading to a less enjoyable experience for players who prefer diverse party compositions.
- Repetitive dungeon designs and a lack of enemy variety can make gameplay feel monotonous over time, diminishing the excitement of exploration.
- The user interface can be clunky and confusing, making it difficult for players to manage their characters and equipment effectively.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The gameplay features a blend of old-school dungeon crawling mechanics with modern elements, appealing primarily to veteran players familiar with the genre. While exploration mechanics and character generation are praised, the game suffers from frustrating caster mechanics and a lack of depth in combat, leading to repetitive gameplay after extended playtime. Newer players may find the dated mechanics and complexity off-putting, as the game struggles to balance simplicity and depth.
“Old school type dungeon crawling mechanics with modern twists.”
“+ interesting exploration mechanics (torches, stamina, secret passages, altars for boons, and more)”
“I love the old school rolling mechanics for the character generator and the abundance of class choices available.”
“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.”
- story10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is generally well-received, featuring a solid narrative intertwined with grid-based exploration and turn-based combat. Players appreciate the engaging quests and the mechanics that unlock new features and layers as they progress, though some express a desire for more variety in dungeon designs and enemy types. However, the experience is somewhat hindered by excessive grinding and cumbersome menu navigation, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the story arc.
“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 did unlock 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.”
“Despite wanting to play through the story arc, I keep trying different classes to see what special abilities and spells each have access to.”
“Dungeon tilesets are also a bit limited as well; 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.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is a significant and often necessary component for progression, with players needing to repeatedly engage in battles to unlock new content and complete dungeons. While some players appreciate the depth and opportunity for character and equipment upgrades through grinding, others find it excessive and tedious. Overall, the game caters to those who enjoy extensive grinding, but it may deter players looking for a more streamlined experience.
“Grinding is a must; pressing 'U' repeatedly to trigger encounters is the secret forbidden technique to succeeding at this game.”
“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.”
- music5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while the soundtrack is praised for its quality, players find the combat music repetitive and stale, especially as the game progresses. Additionally, the lack of options to customize or mute the music has been noted as a drawback, contributing to a sense of monotony during extended play. Overall, the music enhances the experience but suffers from repetitiveness.
“The soundtrack is terrific and the risk-reward/push-your-luck nature of the dungeon exploration is fantastic.”
“Also, the music is all over the place.”
“Hearing the same combat music over and over got a little stale.”
“And not to mention a lack of settings to mute the repetitive music and adjust anything graphical.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their unique theme and impressive enemy artwork, contributing to an overall fantastic visual experience. However, some users noted a lack of options for adjusting graphical settings and muting repetitive music, which detracts from the overall presentation.
“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, especially considering the theme.”
“There is a lack of settings to mute the repetitive music and adjust any graphical options.”
- character development2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Character development is praised for its depth and intricacy, appealing to players who appreciate detailed progression and exploration. However, the process can be slow, as experience points are shared between leveling up and skill acquisition, potentially leading to a prolonged grind.
“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.”
“The character progression feels slow and tedious, making it hard to stay engaged with the story.”
“I found the character development to be shallow, lacking meaningful choices that impact the gameplay.”
