[PREVIEW] Dungeons Deep – Very promising ARPG

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Dungeons Deep is a dark fantasy action RPG that is currently a Kickstarter project with a playable demo on Steam. The game draws inspiration from classic dungeon crawlers like Diablo, but reimagines the genre with a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective and a more methodical, skill-based combat system. While impressive for a solo project, the demo version is quite janky, especially when it comes to movement, dodging, and blocking.

Promising New Spin on a Familiar Genre

Your goal in the demo is to reach and defeat a very formidable dragon. You can deal with it by blocking its attacks with a shield and dodging its fire. The game has a Souls-like feel, where every enemy, especially the larger ones, will give you a hard time and deal a lot of damage. The combat is a key feature after all, removing the common lock-on mechanics of many modern ARPGs. Instead, it uses a more tactile, omni-directional aiming system with precise hitboxes. This system forces you to learn each enemy’s attack patterns, like those of the easy-to-deal-with skeleton archers and swordsmen.

However, the gameplay is still very buggy, especially with the camera. It often blocks the left side of your view, so you can’t always tell if you’re hitting an enemy. Despite this, you have plenty of ways to deal with enemies, including shield-bashing, stunning them when they run out of stamina, rolling to dodge, parrying, and using magic. I do wish there were fast-access buttons for healing and mana potions, as the game can be very punishing if you’re not careful.

The game features three planned classes: Warrior, Ranger, and Highlander, but the progression system is designed to be open, allowing for a high degree of character customization with no weapon restrictions. My favorite part of the game is the “bloody dismemberment system,” which is a useful mechanic that gives you more options for dealing with enemies.

Grim Aesthetic, Empty Pockets

But one thing bothers me: what are we supposed to do with all the money and loot we get? The rooms feel empty, and we don’t get nearly enough loot. It’s not fun to smash all the boxes and vases just for minimal gold, and even chests are disappointing. I wanted more of a risk-and-reward feeling, but only enemies seem to drop good items.

Dungeons Deep has a grim, dark fantasy aesthetic. The visual style isn’t polished like a AAA game, but that’s by design – the art direction is moody and realistic, which improves the grim atmosphere. As mentioned before, this title looks promising, and the big question is whether it will be polished enough to keep you hooked from the start.

In any case, be sure to check out the game on Kickstarter and consider supporting it, as it is close to its $15,000 goal. If you are a fan of classic dungeon crawlers and are looking for a challenging, uncompromising experience with a strong focus on gameplay, Dungeons Deep is a title you should definitely keep an eye on.