The Fall of the Dungeon Guardians - Enhanced Edition

I played this on Steam and wish it came to GOG earlier. It's your traditional grid-based blobber/dungeon crawler with switch puzzles and the like. It does two things that sets it apart. One is the combat. It's reminiscent of MMO's like World of Warcraft, but also an option of real-time-with-pause or slowdown-time. The classes have your traditional tank, healer, and dps roles with cooldowns on the skills, but you don't necessarily have to adhere to that depending on your party makeup. There are various classes and subclasses to add variety to subsequent runs or restarts. The second thing it does well is the difficulty settings. They are very in-depth, and you can customize the combat to be as easy or hard as you want. Don't get this game if you are looking for a deep narrative. It also runs a bit longer than it probably should considering what's there, but don't dismiss this game. If you want to crawl dungeons in a grid to see that grid map fill out, and you want a combat system that isn't seen in this type of game, give it a try. This was done by a lone dev, but it was clearly a passion project of the time.

My favorite dungeon crawler of all time is FTL's Dungeon Master on the Apple IIGS. I remember playing it in the dark and having some jump scares, and fighting the dragon (well, kiting him around the pillar) was thrilling for teenage me. FotDG is close enough for a modern version. I fell in love with it years ago when I originally bought it on Steam. It wasn't on GOG, so I went to the developer's web site and bought it directly there as well, so I could have a downloaded DRM-free version. And now, it's finally on GOG... so I've purchased it yet again to support the dev. That's how much I love this game. Even better, it's totally cross platform, so Mac and Linux users don't need to feel left out! "Fall of the Dungeon Guardians" captures the spirit of classic dungeon crawlers like FTL's Dungeon Master, while adding modern enhancements that make it a standout experience. The grid-based movement and first-person perspective evoke nostalgia, but the real-time-with-pause combat introduces a level of strategy and depth that feels fresh and engaging. The game’s focus on party management and class customization is a major strength. With various classes and specializations, it offers much more flexibility and replayability than older titles, allowing for unique strategies and party builds. The dungeon environments are rich and atmospheric, filled with puzzles and traps that challenge your problem-solving skills. Exploring these labyrinths feels rewarding, just as in the classic games. Visually, the game combines retro charm with modern aesthetics, offering crisp graphics that still feel familiar. The atmospheric soundtrack further enhances the immersive experience. "Fall of the Dungeon Guardians" honors the legacy of classic dungeon crawlers while standing out on its own. Whether you're a longtime fan of the genre or new to it, this game offers a rich, satisfying experience.

I've got some 30+ hours into Fall of the Dungeon Guardians on Steam and it's one of my favorite dungeon crawlers. It's really well made, the combat is unique for this type of game and the boss fights are consistently challenging as well as varied. Instead of spamming a button to swing your sword, fire an arrow or cast a spell, your four party members -- all controlled by you, Dragon Age style -- use abilities. They gain points as they level and spend them to obtain the abilities, giving you more choice and flexibility on your playstyle than any dungeon crawler I've played. You've got a tank, two DPS and a healer, and each class has three different specializations you can put points into. In that sense, yes, it's like WoW or other MMOs, but it's also got a tactical pause that's really necessary when fighting some of the more difficult bosses, especially since you're controlling an entire party. That part of the combat is like the Dragon Age series. The game also has a robust loot system with epic weapons and gear dropping from bosses. Instead of generic weapons with different numbers on them, like you'd find in most dungeon crawlers, these weapons are named, thoughtfully designed and have unique attributes. The result of all these unconventional -- for the genre -- features is a dungeon crawler in which the combat is a lot more difficult and fun than similar games, requiring you to think about how you're going to fight bosses and which abilities you'll choose. Likewise, the puzzle elements are intuitive, and hints reveal themselves if you really look at what's in front of you and pay attention to details. If you like dungeon crawlers and you like the combat of Dragon Age with the specialization fexibility of an MMO, you'll probably really enjoy this game.

Wanted to like this one as it seemed like the best LoG inspired crawler. It was smooth and didn't seem particularly buggy like some other knockoffs. I also like the fact that party members aren't completly silent, and participate in the story once in a while, like starcrawlers. Unfortunely, the balance is a mess and if you aren't into MMO style combat, then it becomes very difficult to manage very quickly. Even with the tactical pause. Bosses are total HP sponges, which feels off for the genre. Worst of all, XP is effort base, meaning the dps and tank will quickly start outpacing the healers or rangers level wise. Give this one a pass unless you really want WOW in a dungeon crawler.