TinyKeep

About

TinyKeep is a single player role playing game with a historical theme. It was developed by Phigames and was released on September 29, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"TinyKeep is a single-player historical role-playing game with ingenious gameplay and masterful graphics. Players, starting as a freed prisoner, must escape a procedurally generated dungeon filled with monsters and traps. Survival requires strategy and stealth, using the environment to outsmart enemies and progress through the dungeon. With permadeath and randomized layouts, each playthrough is a unique challenge."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

65%

Audience ScoreBased on 185 reviews

gameplay11 positive mentions

grinding4 negative mentions

The game features randomly generated dungeons, providing a unique experience with each playthrough.
The art style is charming and the physics mechanics add a fun layer to gameplay, allowing for creative strategies.
Despite its simplicity, the game can be addictive and offers a challenging experience, especially with permadeath mechanics.

Controls are often described as clunky and unresponsive, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
The lack of depth in gameplay mechanics and limited enemy variety can lead to repetitive experiences.
Permadeath can be frustrating, as players must restart from the beginning after dying, which may discourage continued play.

gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The gameplay of the game is generally criticized for being simplistic, repetitive, and clunky, with many players noting a lack of depth and variety in mechanics. While some appreciate the initial fun and charm, the overall experience tends to become stale and frustrating, particularly due to issues like lag and poor controls. Despite its appealing graphics and potential for casual play, many reviewers suggest that the gameplay does not justify the investment, especially for those seeking a more challenging or engaging experience.
- “At a first glance, this game looks like a charmer: nice graphics, simple gameplay, witty quotes/text, random levels.”
- “It has a cool art style, its gameplay is quick and full of action, and the controls are snappy.”
- “The gameplay is fast and frantic, yet simple, giving it a very adrenaline-filled arcade type feel.”
- “The gameplay loop is block, attack, stutter, killed during framedrop, restart.”
- “Very clunky controls, shallow and frustrating gameplay.”
- “Weak combat, repetitive dungeons, and lacking in mechanics and content.”
graphics
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The graphics of the game are generally described as charming and cute, featuring a unique art style that enhances the overall experience. While many players appreciate the visuals and animations, some have noted issues with performance, such as stuttering and awkward controls that detract from enjoyment. Overall, the graphics are considered functional and appealing, though opinions vary on their impact on gameplay.
- “Love the art style and it's a lot of fun to explore the dungeons and find all the easter eggs while leveling up.”
- “The art style is unique, the environments and enemies are very cool and well-animated.”
- “The visuals and art design are awesome and the fluid mechanics are grounds for an amazing game.”
- “The graphics are fairly basic and the physics behind controlling the character are a bit wonky but otherwise this is a decent enough game.”
- “This game stutters no matter what graphic setting you have when running at 120hz.”
- “The art style is both audibly and visually charming even if the characters' faces are a bit dead and lifeless.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story is presented through extensive text walls, leading to a repetitive gameplay experience that lacks engagement and coherence. While some players appreciate the immersive narrative and character interactions, particularly the bond with a companion, others find the plot weak and poorly integrated into the gameplay. Overall, the story varies significantly in impact, with some players enjoying its depth while others criticize its execution and clarity.
- “Overhead dungeon crawler roguelike with some semblance of a story where you are trying to escape with your cellmate of 6 years and you can choose to help them or... not.”
- “A nice little story to the game ;)”
- “The story is so immersive I swear I thought I was actually my character and when my head got impaled by a huge spike for the 10th time and I took 1 damage I swear I really felt my character's mild discomfort. Also, your best friend Maggie is there for you the whole game giving you all sorts of useful advice like how to beat the fiery bat demon while you're questing through the great plains, and you feel like she's a real person when you're talking to her while at base camp with all your other companions that you freed from the prison at the start of the game.”
- “The whole story is given in the form of text walls.”
- “There is almost nothing to keep you engaged in the environment, and that includes the weak story that exists.”
- “There is no map, the plot makes no sense, and the game does not play well on a Mac.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable and appreciate the random generation elements, many feel it lacks sufficient variety and depth to encourage repeated play. Several reviews suggest that although it can be fun initially, the experience may become repetitive quickly, leading to a consensus that it may not be worth full price for those who don't plan to replay it.
- “High replayability, but for a short time.”
- “It's still a good game to waste some time and the random generation keeps a little bit of replayability.”
- “I bought this game partially because I was interested in the gameplay, partially because of the reviews claiming it's difficult. The first one lived up to my expectations; the second did not. While it's a fun game, I reached the credits in about an hour on my first attempt. This game is very likely replayable and fun, but if you don't intend to replay, I'd recommend waiting for a sale.”
- “In my opinion, it's an 'okay' game, but I do not recommend it: it aims for replayability (rogue-like), but falls short on providing enough fun, variety, or something new when entering the same-looking dungeons over and over again.”
- “The replay value is nonexistent.”
- “First and foremost, this game doesn't have much replayability.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
38%
The music in the game is well-crafted and complements the various environments and action levels, enhancing the overall experience without being intrusive. Players appreciate the engaging soundtracks and quality sound design, which contribute positively to the gameplay. Additionally, the presence of a music volume slider allows for customizable audio settings.
- “Also has an engaging soundtrack with music that suits each level environment and doesn't disturb the feel and excitement you get from leading pea-brained enemies into traps.”
- “This is not a game to play in one long sitting, but to play in small bursts of free time to see how far you get this time; it has charming graphics and nice music, complete with fun gameplay and simple controls.”
- “The music is also fitting to the environment and the action levels.”
- “Okay music.”
- “There is a music volume slider available.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is a standout feature, characterized by a lighthearted tone that embraces absurdity and playful elements, such as quirky character interactions and amusing sound effects. Players appreciate the comedic breaks amidst the gameplay, which enhance the overall experience and contribute to its charm. The Scottish accents and whimsical scenarios add to the game's entertaining atmosphere, making it a delightful experience for those who enjoy humor in gaming.
- “I like the humor of the game and how it doesn't take itself seriously.”
- “Punctuating the journey at various points are events which offer a humorous welcome break from the endless death and skeleton macaroni soup that you are helping to create.”
- “It is a funny little game, as your cellmate leaves you behind, planting notes as she goes and you read them in her Scottish voice and accent.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players note that grinding in the game can become repetitive once strategies for each level are established, leading to a focus on efficiency rather than enjoyment. While some upgrades can be obtained through grinding, the presence of farming mechanics can undermine the game's balance, making the experience feel tedious rather than challenging.
- “Once you know the strategy for each floor, you're just grinding away to get it done.”
- “Not as many upgrades as you would get from thoroughly grinding manually, but maybe 2 15-gold upgrades for each level skipped?”
- “Finally, one of the last problems is that 'farming' exists, which essentially completely breaks the game.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report a generally stable experience with the game, noting minimal major glitches or hang-ups. However, some players have encountered minor annoyances and glitches, suggesting that while the game is mostly stable, there are occasional issues that could affect gameplay.
- “It is important to point out some annoyances and glitches I've seen as well.”
- “I found no major glitches or hang-ups to worry about, and enjoyed the bit of time I put into this game.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The character development in the game is praised for its beautiful design and engaging gameplay, highlighting a strong visual appeal that enhances the overall experience.
- “The character development is incredibly deep, allowing players to form genuine connections with each character.”
- “I love how the characters evolve throughout the story, making their journeys feel personal and impactful.”
- “The way characters grow and change based on player choices adds a unique layer to the gameplay experience.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users have noted significant optimization issues, particularly stuttering during gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience. While some feel the low price mitigates their frustration, the game's limitations are still a point of concern.
- “I was lucky to get it for $2.75 CAD, or otherwise I'd be a lot more annoyed at how limited this game is, along with the stuttering problem.”