Monsters' Den: Book of Dread

About

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 192 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

A nostalgic and addictive dungeon crawler that retains its charm from the original browser version.
Offers a variety of character classes and strategies, allowing for unique party compositions and replayability.
Simple mechanics make it easy to pick up and play, providing a satisfying experience for both casual and dedicated gamers.

Lacks depth in storytelling and visuals, making it feel outdated compared to modern games.
Repetitive gameplay can lead to boredom after extended play sessions, with limited variety in encounters.
Some mechanics, such as inventory management and class balance, can be frustrating and may detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
57%
11%
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and addictive loop, making it ideal for casual sessions, though it may not satisfy players seeking complex mechanics or a rich narrative. While the mechanics are solid and polished, the experience can feel repetitive and lacks depth in storytelling and atmosphere. Overall, it offers a minimalistic yet engaging dungeon-crawling experience that allows for hours of play without significant mental investment.
- “I love this game so much, the gameplay loop is addictive, and it does everything right thematically, simply, and I just love it so much!”
- “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.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The graphics in this 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 gameplay, 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 appealing to those who value mechanics over aesthetics.
- “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.”
story
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
68%
16%
The game's story is minimal and lacks depth, serving primarily as a functional backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. While there are multiple campaigns and a basic plot, players find the storytelling to be repetitive and underwhelming, with little atmosphere or engagement. Overall, the focus is more on mechanics and dungeon crawling than on delivering a rich or immersive story experience.
- “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.”
- “It is simple and functional but it is completely lacking in style, atmosphere, and storytelling qualities that would make for a compelling gameplay experience.”
- “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.”
music
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game's music is generally well-received, with some players appreciating the soundtrack and its nostalgic feel, while others note its repetitiveness due to a limited number of tracks. Despite the lack of variety, the music contributes positively to the overall experience, complementing the gameplay effectively.
- “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.”
- “Fullscreen, no ads, and a pretty decent soundtrack.”
- “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
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
40%
The game offers significant replayability due to its randomness and variety of classes, allowing for different playthrough experiences, especially for players who enjoy unique challenges. However, some users feel that the game's short length may lead to it becoming stale after a certain point, limiting long-term replay value unless driven by nostalgia. Overall, it strikes a balance between engaging gameplay and potential repetitiveness.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “Good replay value!”
- “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.”
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 overall experience of grinding levels can quickly become boring, especially since character progression does not introduce more engaging abilities. Additionally, inventory management adds to the sense of tedium.
- “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, while others note that it varies in style, ranging from lighthearted to darker tones.
- “This game is genuinely funny and kept me laughing throughout.”
- “I found this review hilarious; it perfectly captures the game's humor.”
- “The humor in this game is a delightful mix of clever and absurd.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization model is user-friendly, featuring a fullscreen experience without ads, which enhances gameplay, complemented by a decent soundtrack.
- “Fullscreen, no ads, and a pretty decent soundtrack.”

Buy Monsters' Den: Book of Dread

Monsters' Den: Book of Dread
$4.99
See offer on Steam

6h Median play time

16h Average play time

5-53h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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