One of the best Roguelike RPGs today, Dungeon Crawl is a brainchild of Linley Henzell, who first released the game into the public domain in 1995. Many years later, Dungeon Crawl today is a regularly updated, open-source game that is arguably the most balanced Roguelike game ever created. The game is created in the tradition of Roguelike classics such as Rogue and Moria. Your goal is to traverse the subterranean underground to retrieve the Orb of Zot, fending off countless menacing creatures along the way. Once you get the Orb, you must return it safely to the surface world. Similar to classic Roguelikes, the dungeon of Dungeon Crawl is large and highly random, with devious traps and maze layouts. There is a huge range of races/classes you can choose from, a comprehensive skill system, and (my favorite), a complex magic system with over 140 spells. In the same zany vein as Zangband, the game has plenty of religions to choose from, and cool features such as mutations and clouds. All this in addition to hundreds of monsters you can expect to find in a typical Roguelike. What sets Dungeon Crawl apart from the other Roguelikes is a very well-balanced gameplay. Anyone who has tried to beat NetHack as an Orc Tourist knows all about the frustration and challenge associated with playing 'weak' characters in Roguelikes, but Dungeon Crawl is good news for anyone who wants the game to be more fun than work. If you are the kind of die-hard RPGer who gleefully fights impossible odds at every opportunity, Dungeon Crawl is probably not for you. On the other hand, if you prefer a deep Roguelike that offers a fair challenge no matter what race or class you play, check out this underrated Roguelike that is getting better with every new release. Two thumbs up, way up!



Reviewed by: Underdogs