Dungelot: Shattered Lands Review (PC)

A lot of different games in recent years have targeted the roguelike genre, to appeal to fans who’ve grown up loving such experiences in their childhoods. Many independent studios have combined the genre with an array of mechanics, from side-scrolling platforming to isometric, top-down shooting, and much more.

Russian studio Red Winter has taken the roguelike experience into a pretty surprising direction, combining it with none other than Minesweeper. Their series, called Dungelot, has already amassed a following on mobile devices and now, with Dungelot: Shattered Lands, the team wants to bring its novel experience to the PC.

With all sorts of dungeons, crazy enemies, compelling RPG mechanics, and, of course, the ever-present danger of death, Dungelot certainly seems like a worthy investment. Does it have what it takes to emerge from the dungeon unscathed or should it be locked away? Let’s find out.

Story

Dungelot boasts a pretty decent, minimalistic story, in which you’re a warrior that must traverse the aforementioned shattered lands through portals and, of course, dungeons. The general tone is tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at medieval fantasy tropes as well as archetypical monsters, from zombies to skeletons, and so on.

The plot has a decent base and, thanks to the pretty fun dialog and the short cut scenes, you won’t feel the need to rush through the campaign. Unfortunately, at least in my play sessions, I wasn't able to fast-forward through the dialog, but at least many of the conversations weren't that lengthy.

Slay foes in Dungelot

Gameplay

Dungelot is a very solid mix of different gameplay experiences, and the result is deceptively complex and quite addictive. You first choose a character, and at the beginning you can only pick the Paladin. As you progress through the lands, you’ll gain access to other protagonists, such as a Vampire, a Witch, or even a Bard. Each represents different play styles, with special attacks and abilities.

Actual gameplay, however, revolves around completing dungeons made out of multiple floors. Every floor is a Minesweeper-style grid. You click on blocks to uncover that specific square. You can find that it’s empty, boasts different loot types, or – and this is where things get tricky – an enemy. You can then click on the foe and exchange blows. You both have attack and health stats, but also other attributes, like armor, weaknesses, and many other things.

The goal is to find the key to the portal on each floor and, ultimately, reach the final floor, where a boss enemy awaits your heroic character. Surviving a dungeon is essential, and consumables don’t carry over, so don’t be afraid to use the bombs, ranged weapons, or items you find throughout the different levels.

There’s a lot of variety in Dungelot, from all sorts of gear you can find or craft, to quirky consumables, outlandish allies, and, of course, imaginative monsters. This doesn’t mean that the action is mindless, as you need to strike a good balance between risking your health and getting to the next floor. You can try to defeat all the monsters on a floor to get extra gold and loot, or you can flee as soon as you get the key and preserve your health.

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There are also plenty of text-based random encounters scattered throughout the campaign, offering interesting choices with good or bad decisions. These range from choosing to investigate ancient crypts, to negotiating a truce between farmers and the scarecrows, thereby netting the sentient dummies new clothes, hats, and other advantages.

The lack of difficulty options means that some battles will really punish you and might be better left until you unlock other characters or get better gear. The game can also be a bit confusing in some situations, and the interface could be a bit more accessible. For example, trying to exit the game first means that you must return to the current realm, then click on your hero, and then push the up arrow to finally reach the main screen.

Visuals and Sound

Dungelot: Shattered Lands employs a gorgeous cartoonish visual style that’s polished, features sharp colors, and manages to make the monsters cute yet scary at the same time. The various items you use are also pretty well designed.

The soundtrack is atmospheric, making every journey into the depths of the dungeons a bit more intense. It can get a bit boring in extended play sessions, but you won’t have that many problems with it.

The Good

The Bad

Conclusion