Pixel Dungeon

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 241 reviews
  • graphics
  • music
  • gameplay
Pixel Dungeon Game Cover
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"Pixel Dungeon" is a traditional roguelike game with pixel-art graphics. The player explores randomly generated dungeons, battling enemies, collecting items and leveling up their character. With permadeath and many different heroes to choose from, each playthrough is a unique challenge.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 241 reviews
graphics7 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Pixel Dungeon offers a challenging and rewarding roguelike experience with a good variety of classes and items.
  • The game is highly addictive, providing endless replayability with randomly generated levels and item effects.
  • Many players appreciate the nostalgic pixel art style and find the gameplay engaging, making it a great time killer.
  • The Steam version suffers from significant bugs, including a persistent issue with the mouse cursor disappearing, making it difficult to play.
  • There are complaints about the game's high difficulty level, which can be frustrating for new players, often relying heavily on luck.
  • The game lacks updates and mod support compared to free mobile versions, leading some to question the value of the paid Steam version.
  • graphics17 mentions

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a simplistic pixel art style that is functional and nostalgic, appealing to fans of retro aesthetics. While not groundbreaking, the visuals effectively convey gameplay elements and contribute to the overall charm, making it a solid choice for a rogue-like experience. Players appreciate the cute design and the attention to detail in backgrounds and lighting, though expectations for high-end graphics should be tempered.

    • “The pixel graphics are far from the best ever, but the visual cues tell you what's coming, what's happening, and what you're getting clearly and easily.”
    • “The graphics are charming and look great even for pixel characters; if you have been with this for a while, you know the extra efforts put into little things like background, lighting, and etc. over the bunch of updates it had since being created.”
    • “The controls are simple, the graphics nostalgic, and the soundtrack superb.”
    • “This is a simplified rogue-like with simple graphics thrown on it, because things here being simple is the idea.”
    • “Artwork is standard.”
    • “This game tries to be a simplified Nethack with a graphic interface.”
  • music15 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it repetitive and simplistic, often expressing a desire for more variety. While some appreciate the soothing quality of the soundtrack and the sound effects, others prefer to play without background music altogether. Overall, the music is seen as a significant drawback for some, despite a few positive mentions of specific tracks.

    • “The controls are simple, the graphics nostalgic, and the soundtrack superb.”
    • “This is an awesome game, from the soundtrack to all the mysterious items you can find.”
    • “Personally, I find the music to be really soothing and the graphics remind me a lot of those from the era of Ultima V.”
    • “The music, however, is banal and repetitive.”
    • “One major con is the music... there is only one song for all levels in the dungeon.”
    • “Music is middle-of-the-road.”
  • gameplay12 mentions

    The gameplay is reminiscent of classic mystery dungeon games, featuring turn-based movement and combat that encourages strategic thinking. While it offers a familiar experience with streamlined mechanics and a strong RNG element in item and enemy generation, some players feel it lacks innovation. Overall, it combines addictive roguelike elements with traditional mechanics, making it accessible and enjoyable, especially for mobile users.

    • “You could compare the gameplay to a mystery dungeon game - the movement and combat is all paced by turns, and you're welcome to think combat through and weigh your odds.”
    • “Streamlined mechanics means less time in inventory and more time adventuring.”
    • “Even though I haven't found many mobile games that I actually enjoy because of touch controls, this game was fun, easy to play, and easy to pick up and put down with fairly short gameplay sessions.”
    • “The base gameplay is fine, but there is literally nothing new here.”
    • “An actual game on my phone that didn't try to drown me in microtransactions and had decent roguelike gameplay, though the difficulty is highly luck-based more than any skill or strategy whatsoever.”
    • “It's quite traditional in its mechanics and is most comparable to the original Rogue and Brogue.”
  • story8 mentions

    The story in the game is described as obscure and lacking a compelling overarching quest, which detracts from the overall experience. While players enjoy the unique narratives and gameplay styles in each session, they express a desire for more structured quests and a deeper storyline, similar to classic RPGs. Some players appreciate the inclusion of backstory in other pixel dungeon games, suggesting that a more developed narrative could enhance engagement.

    • “The fun of finding a high-quality weapon, wand, armor, or ring always keeps me coming back for more, and how each game is really its own story with a different play style required from the player every time.”
    • “I like that this game reminds me of good old RPG types of games without forced quests to win the game and non-stop NPCs.”
    • “Even though the story is a bit obscure and difficult to grasp.”
    • “However, some hints of an overarching quest or purpose for going into the underworld would help; it is just not compelling enough to continue playing.”
    • “It even has a little bit of backstory that doesn't impose on the gameplay itself.”
  • replayability6 mentions

    The game offers high replayability, with many users praising its endless gameplay and fun mechanics, particularly for roguelike fans. However, some players find it frustrating to master, and there are free alternatives available that may provide a better experience. Overall, the reasonable pricing and added Steam features like achievements enhance its replay value.

    • “Great replay value.”
    • “I'm glad the developer incorporated some Steam features such as achievements for additional replayability.”
    • “It has tons of replayability.”
    • “The price on Steam is very reasonable for the replayable nature of the game.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect enjoyable initially, but it quickly becomes tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the manual binding of controller controls, which adds to the overall sense of monotony.

    • “It's fun for the first few hours, but then it gets tedious and annoying.”
    • “It is very tedious, to say the least.”
    • “First off, I'm told I have to manually bind controller controls, which is tedious, but I'm okay with that.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, the game demonstrates strong stability on iOS and Android platforms, with users reporting no glitches. However, the Mac version suffers from frequent crashes and issues with corrupted game saves, making it less reliable for PC players.

    • “In addition, the mobile versions seem to be bug-free, so if you want an up-to-date version of this game, download those.”
    • “This game is incredibly fun and runs great, and is one of the few mobile ports that I have bought for PC.”
    • “I've played on iOS and Android without glitches, but the Mac version crashes constantly and game saves become corrupted.”
    • “The game is incredibly unstable on my PC; it crashes every few minutes, making it nearly unplayable.”
    • “I experienced frequent crashes and performance issues, which ruined my overall experience.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized as funny and hilariously cynical, though some players find it initially frustrating until they grasp the mechanics. Overall, it offers a unique comedic experience that enhances gameplay once understood.

    • “Funny game, it can be frustrating until you understand how to handle it.”
    • “I find it hilariously cynical.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and ads, providing a fully free experience while delivering enjoyable roguelike gameplay. However, players note that the difficulty relies more on luck than on skill or strategy.

    • “An actual game on my phone that didn't try to drown me in microtransactions and had decent roguelike gameplay.”
    • “This game is riddled with microtransactions that ruin the overall experience.”
    • “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's frustrating how much content is locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game is noted for its smooth performance, indicating effective optimization that enhances the overall gameplay experience.

    • “It runs smoothly.”
    • “The optimization is top-notch, making gameplay seamless.”
    • “I appreciate how well the game performs on lower-end systems.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players highlight the game's ability to evoke strong emotional responses, often leading to feelings of turmoil. One humorous suggestion for coping with these intense emotions is to assert control through playful expressions, such as making "constipated gorilla noises." Overall, the emotional impact of the game is significant and multifaceted.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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