Pixel Boy and the Ever Expanding Dungeon
- May 30, 2014
- Giant Box Games
Get on Steam"Pixel Boy and the Ever Expanding Dungeon" is an action-RPG shoot-em-up with four dynamically generated acts, each featuring epic boss battles. Create over 6000 unique weapons by combining and stacking power-ups, and craft custom armors with different effects and levels. The game also includes character leveling, multiple vendors, a variety of enemies, survival mode, and controller support.
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Reviews
- The game features a colorful and vibrant art style, with great music that enhances the overall experience.
- The power-up system allows for creative combinations, providing a unique gameplay experience with each run.
- The randomly generated levels and variety of enemies keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
- The game suffers from repetitive gameplay and lacks depth, leading to boredom after a short period.
- Many mechanics feel underdeveloped or poorly balanced, such as the limited ammo on power-ups and the simplistic crafting system.
- There are numerous bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with enemy behavior and save data.
- gameplay32 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Overall, the gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it slow-paced, repetitive, and lacking depth, despite some interesting mechanics and smooth controls. While some appreciate the rogue-like elements and customization options, others criticize the lack of challenge and variety in enemies and environments. The game's potential is noted, but many feel it falls short of being engaging or rewarding.
“Somewhat low polygon graphics, interactive gameplay, beautiful music, and the price of one dollar – sounds like a great mix to enjoy for a few evenings.”
“The rogue-like gameplay is classically fun and exciting, complemented by the pairing of amazing music and the dazzlingly bright effects, making this an all-around win in my opinion.”
“If you like rogue-like games, this is your game, with lots of customization through armor crafting and a cool weapon combo mechanic that's really fun to play around with.”
“A lot of the mechanics don't seem like much work went into them, the pacing is much slower than you might think, and overall the game was super boring.”
“The gameplay itself is where the game is lacking.”
“The gameplay is very boring and repetitive.”
- music25 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives high praise for its quality and fitting ambiance, with many reviewers noting it as a standout feature that enhances the overall experience. While some find it repetitive after extended play, the soundtrack is described as beautiful, groovy, and engaging, effectively complementing the gameplay. However, the narration has been criticized for being cringe-worthy, which detracts from the enjoyment of the music for some players.
“The soundtrack is amazing and fits the game perfectly.”
“Great soundtrack that gets (pleasantly) stuck in my head and drags me back in to dungeon crawl again.”
“The music that is done by pyramid is outstanding and I find myself tapping my foot to the beat while sitting on the edge of my seat!”
“Music gives the same impression, and the narrator is extremely cringe-worthy with one-liners and outbursts that will leave you between boredom and irritation whenever he speaks.”
“The music gets repetitive super fast; after 10 minutes, I just muted it along with the narrator.”
“Honestly, I have to say that the music is very fitting for the world of Pixel Boy.”
- graphics16 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple yet aesthetically pleasing, featuring a voxel art style that, while not groundbreaking, is well-executed and colorful. Some players appreciate the vibrant lighting and overall visual appeal, though others criticize the excessive bloom and lack of originality in the low-poly design. Overall, the graphics are considered decent for a budget title, providing an enjoyable visual experience without demanding high system requirements.
“Despite the simple voxelized graphics, the devs clearly put in effort to make the game aesthetically pleasing.”
“The graphics, while simple, are pretty well done.”
“Great art style, very cool lighting, and it's such a colorful game.”
“The art style is cheap and simple; it's just voxels. Every single other indie title uses voxels as an easy way out... voxels have been done before and they are nothing special.”
“The graphics are basic; they have tried to make something of the lo-fi RGB theme, but in reality, it just looks like exactly what it is: low poly everything masked with too much bloom and an unimaginative color palette.”
“Visuals are pleasing as long as you can ignore the excessive bloom used.”
- humor13 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding the narrator's jokes and commentary genuinely funny and engaging, while others describe it as cringeworthy and overly forced. While the narration and music are often praised, many feel that the humor lacks depth and can become repetitive, detracting from the overall gameplay experience. Overall, the humor is a highlight for some, but it may not resonate with all players.
“The tutorial is good, the sound is catchy, the instructions and humor are funny, and the game is addictive.”
“The narrator is also very funny, throwing great jokes and being quite silly with his neutral tone.”
“Castle Crasher humor: even if it's not the same style, I have to admit this is the good part of the game, the voice is amazing and the jokes are cool.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the procedural generation and potential for varied experiences, others find it lacking due to its short length and limited content. The promise of future updates, such as daily dungeons, has raised hopes for improved replay value, but many still feel the current offering does not fully satisfy. Co-op play is also suggested as a feature that could enhance replayability significantly.
“A fun action RPG dungeon crawler with procedural generation, offering a great deal of replayability.”
“Pixel Boy is a great roguelike RPG with top-down dungeon crawling and a random generation system that creates endless possibilities and incredible replay value!”
“Also keep in mind these developers are adding more content in the future for free, adding even more replay value for a game that's only $9.99.”
“I had a lot of fun with this game, though there isn't much replayability.”
“I beat it in the first week I had it and was a little sad as I didn't think that this had the replay value I was seeking.”
“The first bad thing, for me, is that the game is short, only 4 acts, and has little replayability, for me of course, but the devs said they are gonna add daily dungeons, so look up on that.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have several bugs and glitches, leading some users to question its stability and whether it should still be in early access. However, players have noted that the developers are actively addressing these issues, which has resulted in a generally positive response regarding the game's ongoing improvements.
“Pixel Boy runs great on it.”
“The game maintains a smooth frame rate, even during intense action sequences.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs, which makes for a seamless gaming experience.”
“I can’t believe that it’s not in early access since there are a few bugs and glitches that I’ve encountered.”
“I have read the forums, and it looks like the game is buggy as well.”
“Those are the bad things for me; now onto the glitches that you may encounter, and the ones I experienced.”
- story4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story in "Pixel Boy" is largely criticized for its lack of depth and direction, with many users noting that it feels more like a punchline than a cohesive narrative. Despite the effort put into world-building, the absence of meaningful quests or goals leaves players feeling unfulfilled.
“The story is engaging and well-crafted, drawing players into its rich narrative.”
“The world is beautifully designed, showcasing the effort put into creating an immersive experience.”
“The narrative elements add depth to the gameplay, making each moment feel significant.”
“There's no real quests or goals, which is weird since they put so much time into the world.”
“There hardly is a story in Pixel Boy, as the entire town and dungeon appear as just another punchline.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is criticized for its frequent stuttering and overall poor performance, despite some players noting that leveling up can provide performance boosts. Bugs are also prevalent, contributing to a frustrating experience.
“You also gain experience and level up as you go, which offers significant performance boosts.”
“The optimization features in the game allow for a smoother experience, making it easier to enjoy the gameplay.”
“I appreciate how the game encourages players to optimize their strategies for better results.”
“Has constant stuttering every 5 seconds or so, no matter what settings you play.”
“Extremely poor performance and bugs abound.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's roguelike and dungeon-grinding elements, noting its affordability and solid design. However, many find the repetitive nature of the dungeon levels tedious, as they feel limited in utilizing their full power and often focus on grinding for resources, which can detract from the overall experience.
“If you're not grinding for your ultimate weapon to complete it, you're constantly worried about ammo costs.”
“The grind is rewarding; every hour spent feels like a step closer to achieving my goals.”
“Grinding in this game is satisfying, as it allows me to fully explore the mechanics and unlock powerful abilities.”
“But the dungeon levels just make it tedious, and you never get to use your full power except on the four bosses.”
“If you're not grinding for your ultimate weapon to complete it, you're using it while worrying about ammo costs.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the excellent music and vibrant colors that enhance the overall experience.
“The music is great, and the atmosphere and colors are fantastic as well.”
