Ludus Mortis

About

In 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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

grinding14 negative mentions

The game features a unique Roman setting and offers a plethora of character customization options, making it engaging for fans of dungeon crawlers.
Combat is strategic and challenging, with a variety of classes and skills that allow for diverse party compositions and tactics.
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 repetitive grinding, as players are forced to replay the same dungeons without significant changes until they unlock randomized dungeons.
Balancing issues exist, with some classes being significantly weaker than others, leading to a lack of viable options for party composition.
The user interface can be clunky and confusing, with important mechanics poorly explained, making it difficult for new players to fully grasp the game.

gameplay
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
73%
12%
The gameplay features a blend of old-school dungeon crawling mechanics with modern elements, offering interesting exploration options like torches and secret passages. However, players have noted significant issues with caster mechanics, particularly early in the game, which can detract from the experience. While seasoned players may appreciate the depth and variety, newer gamers might find the dated mechanics and repetitive combat less engaging as they progress.
- “Old school type dungeon crawling mechanics with modern twists.”
- “+ interesting exploration mechanics (torches, stamina, secret passages, altars for boons, and more)”
- “Every mechanic has a reason and it's brilliant.”
- “Terrible caster mechanics (especially early on, apparently) 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.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The story is generally well-received, featuring a solid narrative intertwined with grid-based exploration and turn-based combat, though players express a desire for more engaging story elements and outdoor environments in future updates. While the main quest dungeons offer a variety of challenges and unlock new features, the grinding required to progress can be tedious, and the menu system is seen as overly complicated. Overall, the game provides enough content and intrigue to keep players invested, despite some limitations in dungeon design and character progression.
- “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.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 the amount of time needed to grind for experience points.
- “There is too much grinding required in old dungeons even with optimal stats before you can complete the next story dungeons.”
- “Meaning endless grinding if you wish to progress when all doors are locked with secrets.”
- “A bit too grindy for me, but others will like that.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while the soundtrack is praised for its quality, 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 contributed to a sense of monotony, particularly in the latter half of the game. Additionally, the absence of options to adjust or mute 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.”
- “Everything from the awesome mechanics to the music.”
- “The music enhances the overall experience, adding depth and excitement to the gameplay.”
- “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.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
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 options to adjust graphical settings and mute 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.”
- “And not to mention a lack of settings to mute the repetitive music and adjust anything graphical.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
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 more prolonged development experience.
- “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.”

Buy Ludus Mortis

Ludus Mortis
$17.99
See offer on Steam

18h Median play time

15h Average play time

10-20h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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