Ultimate ADOM - Caverns of Chaos
Update 8/26/2021: The game has reached version 1.0, and it’s still not fun.
Overall performance and stability have improved somewhat. There tends to be less lag when moving around, and autoexplore is quite fast. On the other hand, inventory performance has gotten worse. Opening the inventory screen can take a few seconds and switching equipment a second.
With the introduction of continuous buff spells, this is possibly the easiest version yet. Most buff spells now last forever at the cost of reducing maximum PP by a percentage. For casters this doesn’t matter too much since PP growth seems to have gone through the roof. For non-casters this doesn’t matter too much since they are killing things without spells.
– Real player with 92.1 hrs in game
Read More: Best Old School Retro Games.
Update: 04/23/21
Updated the Video showing off the current state of the game, as of Version 0.8.0.
Updated Gameplay! In-Progress Let’s Play video here: https://youtu.be/VRrMxf8hV-0
I record my playthroughs with Ultimate ADOM if you prefer a more visual format; take a look if you like.
I like Ultimate ADOM. I liked it during the Alpha, and I like it even more now. Much progress has been made, as more and more options are opening up, options like Limb Grafting! I shall be a Grafting God!
– Real player with 48.2 hrs in game
Bor
Link to my review: https://www.flickeringmyth.com/2020/09/video-game-review-bor/
Bor doesn’t offer anything game changing in the realm of platforming mechanics, but is still very enjoyable with enough content to back up its price.
– Real player with 5.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best Old School Action Games.
Plenty of better indie platformers out there. THis is nothing special if it isn’t in fact a asset flip.
– Real player with 0.1 hrs in game
Clans
The most underestimated game ever.
This game was heavily criticized back in 1999 for being poor Diablo 1 clone, but that only means shame for these critics. Because this game is nothing like Diablo.
Now a days I can compare this game most with Legend of Grimrock 1. In Clans you travel through series of small square rooms, grouped into several big locations, killing mosters, that give you no experience. In fact all the character leveling thing is done via collecting different equipment and potions. Very, very rarely they can be dropped by defeated monsters, but most of the time they are hidden in these rooms. Sometimes you can find a merchant, but they are very rare, and each carries only 4 items, which is not much. To buy stuff you need money, which is hiddent in the rooms as well. Selling loot won’t make you rich, so all the money you find matters.
– Real player with 24.4 hrs in game
Read More: Best Old School Action Games.
“You enter a new kind of hell."
Clans is a slightly bland name, isn’t it? Maybe that’s why it was called Satanica in Germany. Satanica, that’s more like it.
It came out during a time where everyone was waiting for Diablo II and every game that shared similar traits was quickly dismissed as a clone. Clans got slaughtered by the press, they hated the non-scrolling, square rooms with clearly marked exits and the static, pre-rendered graphics.
Well. I love them to death. All these wonderful shades of brown, grey and black. Almost every room/bit uniquely rendered. A sense of total bleakness without bragging about it. And then puzzles, like, proper puzzles that you would find in classic point-and-click adventure games. Kicking a door in with an axe, setting spellbooks on fire in a chimney to destroy them.
– Real player with 17.4 hrs in game
Might & Magic X - Legacy
This game has pro’s greatly outweighing the con’s and is worth even the full price (strongly recommend the Deluxe version including the genuinely great Might and Magic VI game). There is considerable depth and rewards from exploration, party play and skillful tactics to make the game enjoyable and (if the first “Con” is solved first) well worth it.
The story diverges from the other MM games and was made to kowtow to the MM Heroes games. It is neither interesting nor fun.
Cons:
Playing, even after purchasing on Steam, requires UPLAY and a Ubisoft account. Players have had numerous problems with this and 90% of the complaints are entirely based on this. Those complaints are valid. I recently read the riot act to one of the Ubisoft developers who viisited the forum for this game, making it clear that players require this to at least be seamless. I recommend opening a Ubisoft and Uplay account first, then, succeeding with that consider purchasing the game on Steam.
– Real player with 796.4 hrs in game
Summary: Modernized retro dungeon crawler
Multiplayer: No
Completion: 90 hrs
Cards: No
Cloud: No
Windows Save Location: Drive:\Program Files (x86)\Ubisoft\Ubisoft Game Launcher\savegames[random string]\403
Might and Magic X is a square-grid-based, turn-based dungeon crawler that exudes a strong classic vibe. While it’s the tenth entry into the series, this is the first (and possibly last?) main game produced by Ubisoft since its acquisition from 3DO. MMX takes place in Ubisoft’s world of Ashan, which started with Heroes V. All the sci-fi elements are still vacant, resulting in a typical fantasy setting, with a standard story to match. Perhaps to capitalize on nostalgia, this game brings back numerous names and references from previous games in the franchise, but as far as I can tell, they are connected in name only. For instance, you may see a quest to bring a young royal to a circus as a nod to MM6, but then the quest is jokingly removed.
– Real player with 372.3 hrs in game
Diorama Dungeoncrawl
Designed to be “NES Hard”, this game does indeed feel like an homage to NES Castlevanias. Occasionally, depth perception was tricky due to the perspective, but overall, I like what the diorama-like presentation adds to the formula. I’m not quite done yet, but I’m a fan of the way the challenges progresses. I’d recommend this if you have the patience for some challenging rooms with potentially “cheap” deaths (depending on your perspective).
– Real player with 8.7 hrs in game
One of the more challenging games by the developer. I can’t really think of another game like this on Steam that combines platforming and the sort of action here, but it was decent to play.
– Real player with 3.9 hrs in game
Avadon: The Black Fortress
IT’S ABOUT TIME!
Frankly this is probably old news to many of you reading this. I’m ashamed that I didn’t know about these Spiderweb titles previously.
Gather round me children, for there’s a tale I’d like to share. Once there was a time when video games entertained the player an immersive story and provocative challenges that kept you playing for hours.
I’ve never liked the term “dungeon crawler”. To me the crawler part implies slow which let’s be honest, is generally associated with boring in the world of books, movies and video games. When was the last time you couldn’t wait to dig in to a slow book someone recommended?
– Real player with 100.6 hrs in game
Almost six years. That’s how long it took me to finally finish this game.
Not because of its difficulty, technical issues or anything like that. Instead, I have to attribute it to my own stubborn nature and the game itself disappointing me at first and, well, second glance. So yeah, with a third try last week I finally powered through and this time around my enjoyment was far greater.
The question then remains, what prevented me from doing so the first two times? Well, back then I was expecting an experience very similar to Avernum: Escape From the Pit. Oh boy, was I in for a surprise. Avadon: The Black Fortress changes up the Spiderweb Software formula on various levels. In some areas there are definite improvements to be found compared to the company’s older games. The dialogue and story are arguably better than that of the Avernum series. I would even go so far as stating that it can be more captivating than Avernum: Escape From the Pit at times.
– Real player with 85.3 hrs in game
Crystal Ortha
In Crystal Ortha we play a mercenary named Ross. Ross needs money to survive, fighting monsters for anyone willing to pay. When he gets the opportunity to work as a bodyguard for a lovely young lady named Margaret, he accepts the job instantly. Margaret dreams of finding the motherload of legends, namely the Crystal Ortha. The Crystal Ortha is a place full of magic crystals worth unimaginable amounts of money. If Ross joins her to find it he will be paid an ungodly amount of money for his protection. On the journey, Ross and Margaret are joined by two other companions and they learn how the Crystal Ortha came to be and why Ross somehow feels connected to the legend around it.
– Real player with 14.0 hrs in game
So, you probably already know if you will enjoy this game, but if you are on the fence, I have to say this game is pretty fun and the retro style plus the easy to use interface makes it really fun to play. I love JPRPG’s and this one is pretty fun.
– Real player with 7.5 hrs in game
The Bard’s Tale Trilogy
The Bard’s Tale Trilogy
Simply the best way to play these classic dungeon crawlers today
The Bard’s Tale Trilogy is a fantastic remake of the classic dungeon crawlers, The Bard’s Tale: Tales of the Unknown, The Bard’s Tale II: The Destiny Knight, and The Bard’s Tale III: The Thief of Fate. I’ll get right to the point—if you’re a fan of these games (maybe you played or even finished them back on your Commodore 64 or PC) or if you enjoy classic computer RPGs like Wizardry or Might & Magic, buy this game. It’s an amazing value for money, and if you enjoy RPGs like I do, you’re in for at least 70-80 hours of fun.
– Real player with 79.9 hrs in game
TL; DR the Bard’s Tale Trilogy, is cool and has a lot of content for the asking price, however, it can get tedious and repetitive especially the second game. Therefore, I mostly recommend it to people who already have some experience with dungeon-crawlers or otherwise know what they are getting themselves into.
One important feature to note is that the game can be played without the keyboard or without the mouse.
Be aware that the original editions of these games are from the 80s, and while one game-mode has a lot of QoL changes it is still noticeable at times.
– Real player with 59.3 hrs in game
Alterium Shift
Join three heroes in training as they learn to master their individual strengths and harness the power of Alterium Essence. With their training nearly completed, Dolion, their teacher, prepares them for the most important mission they’ve faced yet.
Story:
You’ll begin your journey with three heroes in training; Pyra, Atlas, and Sage. Their teacher, Dolion, strives to mold his students into heroes, ones better than himself. The three heroes are taking their final test before being sent off on an important and life changing mission. What fate awaits these heroes and can they accomplish the tasks set forth before them?
Characters:
Dolion: From war hero to teacher, Dolion seeks individuals to mold into heroes themselves.
Pyra: A strict and loyal leader, Pyra steers her team as straight as she does her spear.
Atlas: A young, shy, and nimble Archer, Atlas delivers every shot with deadly accuracy.
Sage: A very talented weaver of Alterium Essence, with an ego that matches their skill.
Combat:
Alterium Shift has a full featured turn-based combat system with a turn-order display for important decision making! Exploit enemy weaknesses and gain experience to grow your party into an unstoppable force! Of course, the loot you earn will also help you a long your journey as well.
Exploration
Explore the world of Alteria. Meet new and diverse people. Find loot and hidden treasure! Take on new quests. The decision is yours and every decision is important!
About Alterium Game and Developers:
Alterium Shift is a SNES JRPG inspired indie game developed by two friends (Mottzy and Drass_Ray) who want to share their love for games like Chrono Trigger and FFVI through their own games.
Avernum 4
A classic RPG set in an underground world, Avernum IV is a fantastic game. In it, you control a guild of up to four characters, which can be customized both in appearance as in abilities. Each character levels up individually, getting a few points which you can then spend in their abilities; and, as a classic RPG, there’s plenty of them: from combat abilites (including things as melee combat, ranged combat, etc) to magic (two types, actually, one focused on magical attacks, and the other in buffs and debuffs) and “social” stats like luck and charisma.
– Real player with 101.3 hrs in game
Just a short review, which I have to write, so I can recommend this game (and I will post the same review at Avernum 4, 5 and 6 pages).
After finishing the second Avernum trilogy (4, 5 and 6) I can honestly say, this was one of the most rewarding roleplaying experience I had in a long time. I played a lot of rpg titles, from classics like Eye of the Beholder, Ultima 7 and Infinity Engine games to newest games like Skyrim, Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, and although Avernum does not have fancy graphics, I still think this series is one of the best rpgs ever.
– Real player with 100.0 hrs in game