The Keep

About

"The Keep" is a first-person dungeon crawler with real-time combat, bringing the essence of classic RPGs to modern audiences. Explore mines and caves filled with puzzles, traps, and monsters, using strategic weapon-based attacks to defeat enemies. The game features a variety of surprises and challenges, ensuring that players will die frequently and be challenged to adapt their strategies.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 100 reviews

story6 positive mentions

gameplay10 negative mentions

The game features clever puzzles and a unique rune system for spellcasting that adds depth to gameplay.
It offers a nostalgic experience for fans of old-school dungeon crawlers, with a simple yet engaging combat and magic system.
The level design encourages exploration and problem-solving, making it enjoyable for players who appreciate challenging puzzles.

The combat system is clunky and poorly adapted for PC, making it frustrating to execute attacks and spells effectively.
There is only one save slot, which can lead to significant setbacks if players make mistakes or encounter bugs.
The game lacks depth in character customization and variety in enemies, leading to a repetitive experience.

gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
55%
25%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many players finding the combat mechanics clunky and less enjoyable when using a mouse compared to touch screens. While the game features unique combat and magic systems, the overall experience is often described as simplistic and unengaging, with a lack of depth in character development and a repetitive feel. Despite decent graphics and a solid concept, the gameplay fails to stand out, leading to a generally mediocre impression.
- “The keep is a decent dungeon-crawler RPG, with a nice graphical presentation and simple gameplay, despite the single character aspect.”
- “Great game, enjoyed the mechanics.”
- “It sure helps gameplay immersion!”
- “The battle mechanics are clunky, that's for sure.”
- “Controls were just too clunky and the swipe-to-fight mechanics just aren't good on PC.”
- “The game itself is mediocre; gameplay is okay, but the hardest impact makes the fighting system difficult. You can perform basic melee, but executing complex moves is almost impossible.”
story
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
55%
18%
The game's story has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it boring and predictable, lacking replay value and depth. However, others appreciated the narrative flow and engaging voice acting, noting that it adds an eerie atmosphere to the gameplay. Overall, while the story may not stand out significantly, it serves as a decent backdrop for the game.
- “Truth be told, I kept playing only for the story, the interesting rune building, and the final boss.”
- “Voice overs are excellent and the story is eerie: save the children, kill the monsters, and loot the dungeon!”
- “Story is told in a nice and gentle way after every level.”
- “Only criticism is the boring story and lack of replay value.”
- “The game has a predictable story about crystals corrupting stuff, which would be unremarkable were it not for the scenery-chewing, Shakespearean voice actor reading it out.”
- “Story itself is mediocre, same as graphics.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The graphics in "The Keep" are described as decent but ultimately mediocre, featuring simple designs and limited variety in environments, which can make the game feel dull. While the graphical presentation is adequate for a dungeon-crawler RPG, the lack of detail in backgrounds and monster designs detracts from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are functional but do not stand out, paralleling the game's basic sound design and gameplay.
- “The keep is a decent dungeon-crawler RPG, with a nice graphical presentation and simple gameplay, despite the single character aspect.”
- “It has decent graphics, but sounds are kind of basic.”
- “Like stacking potions and other stuff, much better graphics & sound of course, etc. there is a story and it flows well with the game.”
- “The graphics of monsters are middling and backgrounds are rude: few varieties of walls with the same module design each; so places look very dull because there is barely any furniture or decorative motifs: most are empty.”
- “Story itself is mediocre, same as graphics.”
- “The graphics were ok but the gameplay is stultifying.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game has been criticized for its boring story and minimal replay value, with players noting that the only incentive to replay is to achieve all achievements. Overall, it appears to lack the depth and engagement needed to encourage multiple playthroughs.
- “Only criticism is the boring story and lack of replay value.”
- “I don't have a lot of high expectations since I almost always buy my games seriously reduced (only a couple of bucks) and I started with serious old school games like Eye of the Beholder, Wizardry 6, 7, & 8, etc. This game won't win any awards and it has little replay value other than trying to get all achievements.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for being undermined by a boring story and a lack of replay value, leading some reviewers to feel disappointed and hesitant to recommend it at full price.
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is praised for its effective use of lighting, which creates a creepy ambiance that enhances the overall experience. Reviewers appreciate the smart level design and engaging puzzles, contributing to a fun dungeon-crawling adventure.
- “The lighting is good and sets a nice creepy atmosphere.”
- “Overall, I think it's a fun dungeon-crawler with good atmosphere, smart level design, and fun puzzles.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Character development in the game is notably lacking, as players are confined to a solo experience without the ability to customize their hero or engage in complex character progression. The absence of a party system and vendors further diminishes the depth of character interaction and growth throughout the game.
- “There's no proper party here; you're alone for the entire game and can't even customize your hero before starting. The lack of vendors and complicated character development makes the experience feel empty.”
- “The game offers no meaningful character development, leaving you feeling disconnected from your hero and the world around you.”
- “Without the ability to customize your character or develop a party, the gameplay feels monotonous and lacks depth.”