Dungreed - A Rogue-Lite Attempt at Flash Game Simplicity
If you're looking for an old-school style of platformer, you've got Dungreed to thank for it. Dungreed (also known as Dungeon Fighter: The Forgotten Halls on Nintendo DS) is an excellent-looking 2D side-scroller action game with 2D Rogue-lite elements. You play an adventurer defending the civilized town of Corah in ancient times by exploring a constantly evolving dungeons while combating evil and preventing the town from destruction. Use a wide variety of weaponry, weapons, magic, eat food to survive, fight bosses, and otherwise accomplish throughout the game to ultimately 'win' the game. It's pretty much like the old school Legend of Zelda, but you don't have to swing that sword!
The story behind Dungreed follows a group of young adventurers who find themselves stranded in an underground dungeon. There, they must fight through hordes of monsters, solve puzzles, find the key to unlock the door, fight bosses, and more to reach safety and make it out of the dungeon alive. The storyline is very well done and draws heavily from popular fairy tales. For instance, there's a fairy, a wizard, a talking cat, a lion, a unicorn, a dragon, and several other mythical creatures. The young heroes also have a dog, a rat, a horse, a cow, a goat, and a fox to help them in their quest.
Dungreed has received generally positive reviews from its players and those who've played it. Its simplistic side-scrolling action and emphasis on using weapons and fighting tactics to win fights make the game enjoyable for both veteran and new players. The game's dungeons tend to be challenging because of the enemies' tendency to get out of harm's way after just one or two hits. However, there are a number of side quests as well, which provide the players with a variety of goals and achievements. Overall, Dungreed presents an excellent mixture of rogue-lite and traditional platform gaming that's well worth your time.
