Monsters' Den: Book of Dread

About

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread is a single player casual role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Monstrum and was released on July 19, 2016. It received very positive reviews from players.

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread is a turn-based dungeon crawler with endless randomly generated levels and two campaigns. Lead a party of four heroes from seven distinct classes, battling five distinct enemy factions and collecting hundreds of loot items. New features include custom hero portraits and a less punishing "Softcore" mode. The game also supports multiple resolutions and fullscreen.

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Play Modes

Single-Player

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93%

Audience ScoreBased on 212 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

The game offers simple yet addictive dungeon crawling gameplay with deep character mechanics and intuitive combat.
It provides a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed the original flash version, with enough replayability through different class combinations and campaigns.
Despite its age, the game still holds up well, providing a fun and relaxing experience that can be enjoyed in short or long sessions.

The game can become repetitive quickly, lacking depth in storytelling and variety in gameplay mechanics.
Graphics and presentation are quite basic and may not appeal to players looking for modern visuals or complex gameplay.
Some players feel that the game is overpriced for what it offers, especially considering it was originally a free browser game.

gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
61%
10%
The gameplay is characterized by its simple yet addictive dungeon crawling mechanics, which blend well with intuitive combat and deep character customization. While it offers a satisfying experience for casual players, it lacks complexity and narrative depth, resulting in a repetitive loop that may not appeal to those seeking a more immersive experience. Overall, the game is polished and functional, providing a nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic RPGs, but it may leave some players wanting more in terms of style and storytelling.
- “The simple dungeon crawling gameplay meshes well with the deep character mechanics and the intuitive combat system.”
- “Though simple in appearance, the mechanics are phenomenal and more in-depth than a lot of triple-A games.”
- “The gameplay is minimalistic but complex and varied enough to allow you to waste multiple hours without even noticing it and allowing you to even play while doing another task.”
- “It is great for casual sessions and was probably the right call for a game with endless dungeon crawling, but it is not for you if you want complex mechanics.”
- “I tried everything I could to see if there was a conclusion, or a story that appeared somewhere along the grind... I now know that there is nothing else in this game than an endless loop of the same repeating gameplay with no imagination.”
- “No content, no interesting mechanics, horrible execution.”
story
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's story is described as minimal and lacking depth, with a simple and repetitive narrative that fails to engage players. While there are multiple campaigns and modes, the storytelling is considered rudimentary and underwhelming, serving primarily as a backdrop for the gameplay mechanics rather than a compelling experience. Players seeking a rich narrative may be disappointed, as the focus is more on dungeon crawling and combat than on an immersive story.
- “The original campaign, a dungeon quest campaign, or a survival mode that can get really intense.”
- “I finished the first of the story modes in about 2 hours and am looking forward to exploring the other two.”
- “It's when modern dungeon crawlers seem daunting with their hundreds of hours in perspective and complex story to follow all along that I find this kind of small game appealing.”
- “Could you imagine that a dungeon crawler and web game is light on story?”
- “Unfortunately, it has no story worth telling about.”
- “I tried everything I could to see if there was a conclusion, or a story that appeared somewhere along the grind... I now know that there is nothing else in this game than an endless loop of the same repeating gameplay with no imagination.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The graphics of the game are generally described as barebones and low-budget, with only a few standout elements like character portraits and menu drawings. While some players appreciate the simplicity and find it sufficient for the gameplay experience, others criticize the visuals as outdated and lacking in detail. Overall, the consensus is that the game prioritizes engaging gameplay over high-quality graphics, making it enjoyable despite its visual shortcomings.
- “What little animations exist are very impactful and satisfying, same for the sounds and the artwork is also really high quality and enjoyable to look at.”
- “Fun dungeon crawler that proves you don't need fancy graphics for an engaging game.”
- “Best game I ever played with these kinds of graphics.”
- “This is not a game with a focus on its visuals or its audio; they are there but it is typically barebones and not very high budget.”
- “So many better options out there... bland, boring, terrible outdated graphics - again so many other options out there.”
- “The dungeon is primitive without graphics.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's music is generally considered decent, with some players appreciating the soundtrack while others find it repetitive due to a limited number of tracks. Despite the music's lack of variety, it complements the gameplay well, and some players even prefer to listen to alternative albums while playing. Overall, while the music may not be the standout feature, it contributes positively to the gaming experience.
- “For me this is the perfect dungeon crawler - plenty of upgrades, working shops, low graphics, great soundtrack (which I later tracked down on YouTube) and a decent plot.”
- “Omg great classic RPG here, fully recommend, music and sound effects are great.”
- “There is nothing wrong with the music, but it does get repetitive due to a lack of tracks and variety.”
- “To be honest, the OST is like 4-5 different tracks, there are almost no animations, and you are basically looking at still images, yet it's a fantastic game.”
- “To be honest, the OST is like 4-5 different tracks, there are almost no animations, and you are basically looking at still images, yet it's a fantastic game.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game offers solid replayability due to its variety of class combinations and randomness, which can lead to different experiences in each playthrough. However, some players feel that the game's simplicity and short length may limit long-term engagement, with a few noting that it can become stale after around 15 hours. Overall, it provides enough variety for those who enjoy experimenting with different strategies and challenge runs.
- “Simple, effective, entertaining, and has some replay value as you can use different class combinations.”
- “This game is short and very simple, but it also has a lot of replayability as it has enough randomness to make each playthrough different.”
- “There are enough classes to give the game a lot of replay possibilities, especially if you like gimmick parties or challenge runs.”
- “Replayability is kinda nuked though, unless you want nostalgia.”
- “On the other hand, it took about 15 hours for the game to get stale for me, and there are enough classes to give the game a lot of replay possibilities, especially if you like gimmick parties or challenge runs.”
- “And this is exactly what creates the replayability.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, as battles become monotonous once enemies exhaust their unique skills. While some achievements provide a bit of variety, the lack of engaging character progression and the burden of inventory management contribute to a sense of boredom during level grinding.
- “However, it's mostly the skills that separate enemies from one another, and once they run out of power (i.e., mana), they all start to feel the same, though with different stats, which makes drawn-out fights tedious and boring.”
- “Grinding levels gets boring relatively fast, especially as characters don't get more interesting abilities with higher levels.”
- “Gets repetitive, and involves a lot of tedious inventory management.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is criticized for being simplistic and functional, lacking the style and storytelling elements that enhance gameplay. Reviewers express a desire for a more immersive experience, comparing it unfavorably to other titles like Darkest Dungeon and Lords of Xulima, which offer richer atmospheres and deeper engagement.
- “Darkest Dungeon is a dungeon crawler that is dripping with style and atmosphere.”
- “Lords of Xulima has a similar combat system but is a much deeper game overall.”
- “It is simple and functional but it is completely lacking in style, atmosphere, and storytelling qualities that would make for a compelling gameplay experience.”
- “But I am looking for something more, and I see no reason to spend time on Monsters' Den when I could be playing Darkest Dungeon (a dungeon crawler that is dripping with style and atmosphere) or Lords of Xulima (which has a similar combat system but is a much deeper game overall).”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with some players finding it genuinely funny. It stands out among other games that feature various styles of humor, including both lighthearted and darker tones.
- “Funny!”
- “I found this review hilarious; it really captured the game's humor.”
- “There are other games with various styles, but this one stands out for its unique blend of humor.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model is well-received, featuring a fullscreen experience without ads, which enhances gameplay, alongside a commendable soundtrack that adds to the overall enjoyment.
- “Fullscreen, no ads, and a pretty decent soundtrack.”

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6h Median play time

16h Average play time

5-53h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread is a casual role playing game with fantasy theme.

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread is available on PC, Web Browser and Windows.

On average players spend around 16 hours playing Monsters' Den: Book of Dread.

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread was released on July 19, 2016.

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread was developed by Monstrum.

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread has received very positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its story.

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread is a single player game.

Similar games include Monsters' Den: Godfall, FATE, Epic Battle Fantasy 3, Torchlight, The Enchanted Cave 2 and others.

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