One Deck Dungeon
- May 26, 2018
- Handelabra Games Inc.
- 13h median play time
One Deck Dungeon is a fast-paced dungeon crawler game for 1-2 players. Choose a hero, explore rooms, battle monsters, and level up with a single deck of cards and dice. With each play, heroes progress towards unlocking new abilities and items, providing a unique experience each time. The game offers a condensed roguelike experience, prioritizing quick and exciting gameplay.
Reviews
- Faithful adaptation of the board game with engaging mechanics and strategic depth.
- Offers a satisfying progression system that allows characters to level up and gain new abilities.
- Quick gameplay sessions make it easy to pick up and play, providing a fun experience for both solo and cooperative play.
- Heavy reliance on RNG can lead to frustrating experiences, especially in early runs.
- Limited variety in encounters and characters can make the game feel repetitive over time.
- User interface issues and a lack of clarity in tutorials can hinder the learning experience for new players.
- gameplay192 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple mechanics and a strong reliance on dice rolling, making it accessible yet occasionally frustrating due to RNG elements. While it mirrors the original board game well and offers engaging strategic decisions, players may find the experience repetitive and the tutorial lacking in clarity. Overall, it provides a fun, if not deeply complex, gaming experience that appeals to fans of dice-based mechanics.
“An interesting dice game with nice mechanics and plenty of scope for creativity in how to modify and maximize your dice pool, whilst managing your risks.”
“This is a really well done game with interesting mechanics, meaningful choices, and interesting tactical decisions.”
“The core gameplay loop is very engaging, with the key being to manage enemy encounters and skills wisely in order to mitigate the inevitable RNG of dice rolls, which gives a satisfying level of strategy.”
“Gameplay is highly repetitive after the first dungeon.”
“I hate to say it, but I want to play a game, not comb through pages and pages of written tutorials which fail to explain the mechanics in a logical way.”
“Gameplay is pretty boring -- roll dice with pips on them and match the numbers to slots.”
- music86 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received overwhelmingly negative feedback, with many players describing it as low-quality, repetitive, and reminiscent of cheap MIDI tracks from the early 90s. While some acknowledge that the music fits the game's retro aesthetic, most recommend muting it in favor of personal playlists. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from an otherwise enjoyable gameplay experience.
“The art and music fit the mood; they're reminiscent of 'retro but not too retro' RPGs of the late 90s and early 00s.”
“The music is captivating and fitting for the dungeon you are in, and the visual effects add a touch of dazzle that is enjoyable.”
“Minotaur maze music makes this game great to chill out to.”
“The game's music sucks, but the game doesn't.”
“It's written well, but they went with cheap MIDI sounding music that can be grating after a while.”
“However, it has some of the worst in-game music I've heard sadly, and therefore although I recommend you still play it, you should probably turn off the music and play your own soundtrack instead.”
- replayability80 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers a solid level of replayability, driven by a variety of characters, dungeons, and strategic options that encourage experimentation. While many players appreciate the depth and progression system, some express concerns about the influence of luck and the potential for the game to become too easy over time. The addition of DLC further enhances replay value, but opinions vary on the game's long-term engagement.
“Mixing and matching characters, dungeons, skills, gear, and difficulty levels makes for a ton of replay value, especially with the very modestly priced DLC.”
“The progression system and multiple characters give this game great depth and a high replay value.”
“I really like the roguelike aspect as well - it adds a lot of replayability, as your characters gradually get stronger and can tackle harder dungeons.”
“The implementation itself is pretty good though, it's just too bad the replayability is so poor that I cannot give this a thumbs up.”
“The game is very short and I see basically no replay value to it.”
“I've played this for around 10 hours, but I feel the replayability of this game is quite low after you've played long enough; the game becomes too easy as you level up your characters.”
- graphics44 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and functional, fitting the board game aesthetic rather than pushing technological boundaries. While some users find the art style appealing and easy to read, others criticize it for being bland or subpar, with occasional graphical glitches affecting gameplay. Overall, the visuals serve their purpose but may not satisfy those seeking high-quality graphics.
“Art style is visually appealing and easy to read.”
“The dice rolling sound effects are so satisfying, and the artwork is my jam.”
“The graphics and animations are clean.”
“The graphics are like the game was created in Word Art in 2001; music and sound are really simple, yet there is something in this game that keeps drawing me back to fill more of those different colored fields by different colored numbers on dice.”
“If the connection isn't high quality, the game makes up for it by killing the graphics quality, which makes the cards - which are like half the game - unreadable.”
“Graphics: 3/10.”
- story38 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many reviewers noting that there is no campaign or meaningful narrative to engage with. Players express disappointment over the lack of character development and objectives, describing the gameplay as linear and repetitive. Some hope for future DLC to introduce a more substantial story and RPG elements, but currently, the experience feels empty and lacking in depth.
“At least 'Sentinels of the Multiverse', their other game, had the narrative aspect with some sort of emergent storytelling.”
“Long run, this will have much more replay value once the character/story features go live.”
“If there was a table of talents and a different storyline or something (like magic), it would have been a fantastic game. I hope they will consider it for a One Deck Dungeon 2!”
“There is no story, no map, and minimal character development that carries over from one 'adventure' to the next.”
“For a game with no real story, drama, or characters to invest in, it's a way of adding extra tension into what might otherwise be a completely throw-away experience.”
“This is not really a story-based game.”
- grinding26 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 92 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in the context of character progression and dungeon exploration. While some appreciate the challenge and replayability that grinding can offer, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, especially given the lack of distinct character progression. Multiplayer modes seem to alleviate some of the grind's tedium, but the consensus leans towards a desire for a more balanced approach to content unlocks and progression.
“Nice puzzle, but too much grinding required to see additional content.”
“One Deck Dungeon is a clever, yet poorly implemented luck-driven game with long, grindy, repetitive dungeons.”
“I hoped for some interesting unlocks but... all the characters have the same progression and it's pretty grindy.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is mixed, with some users reporting minor glitches and frustrating issues, such as freezing during encounters and the inability to undo selections. However, others have found the gameplay mechanics and card combinations to be solid, indicating that experiences may vary. Overall, while it offers light entertainment, technical issues can detract from the experience.
“The game does still have some graphic glitches, and it's really annoying that you can't undo after selecting a skill or end reward.”
“Every time I click on a door to encounter, it freezes. I have to restart the game and continue again to proceed with the encounter.”
“Some minor glitches and weird decisions hold this back, but if you're looking for something light and quick to entertain yourself with or do in the background, I very much enjoyed it.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is praised for its smooth performance and well-designed user interface, ensuring a seamless experience. While some players may find ways to optimize strategies for harder modes, the game remains enjoyable and well-presented, with no significant issues reported.
“I'm sure some accountant type could come up with an optimized, min-maxing way to do it that would let you tear through it on hard mode.”
“I've played the physical version since then, and there is nothing missing and the UI and performance of the game itself are great.”
“The game runs smoothly and while my dice roll ones and twos more often than not... well I think this is a very well presented game.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game includes in-game purchases and multiple DLCs, which players feel are essentially microtransactions that fail to enhance the overall experience. Many users express dissatisfaction, stating that the lack of engaging content leads to disinterest in spending additional money.
“They have in-game purchases, but I got bored after only a few unlocks, so why would I spend even more money on this game?”
“The game is already out of early access without much added content and has 5 DLCs already, which are nothing short of microtransactions without adding much to the game either.”
“The game is already out of early access without much added content and has 5 DLCs already, which are nothing short of microtransactions without adding much to the game either.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in the game is somewhat limited due to the repetitive nature of the dungeons, which utilize the same deck of encounter cards. Variations are primarily found in the final boss and their associated atmospheric effects, as well as optional "fiends" that can influence the ambiance. Overall, while there are some atmospheric elements, the lack of diversity in dungeon design may detract from the overall experience.
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is largely absent, with minimal progression or continuity between adventures, leaving players feeling disconnected from the characters and the overall narrative.
“There is no story, no map, and minimal character development that carries over from one 'adventure' to the next.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the emotional aspect of the game is perceived as lacking depth, with many players finding it plain and unengaging, resulting in a failure to create a sense of immersion.
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the reviews highlights a playful irony regarding EA's previous statements about the decline of single-player games, suggesting that the game's existence contradicts those claims. This self-referential joke resonates with players, adding a layer of wit to the overall experience.
“Funny, I could've sworn EA said single-player games were dead.”