Desktop Dungeons - Beta Preview @ RPS

If you were hoping the move to a paid game meant whoopdedoop 3D graphics, you’re outta luck, sunshine. DD remains resolutely 2D and even unanimated, and that’s just how I like it – emphasising that it’s a highly tactical affair whose every move requires patience and forethought. It is to something like Diablo what Chess is to Pictionary. The only extent to which chance comes into it is in what items the game deposits into each dungeon when you first enter them, and even then you’ll often need to weight up pick-ups’ advantages, long-term and short term. This is particularly true of spells, only a couple of which you can hold at any one time. Is instantly turning an enemy into stone better than mildly bullying it with a fireball? No, because you won’t get any experience points for the former. But: yes, because it does give you a 50% experience boost on your next kill, and if your next kill is of a monster of higher level than you, that means mega-points. Or maybe you could just trash both spells, which if you’re a Human warrior will give you a permanent boost to your attack power. Choices, choices, agonising choices. Important choices, every one of them.

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