KeeperRL Preview

It would be a stretch to say that the dungeon simulation genre is currently booming. For most readers, the number of dungeon games that they might be able to name could be counted on one hand, and as for fans; the phrase 'slim pickings' comes to mind in regards to the current options available. However, Michał Brzozowski looks to change all that with his ambitious crowd-funded title KeeperRL, which aims to recreate the genre's heyday, being inspired by titles such as Dungeon Keeper. Strong interest has already been garnered, having raised over $7,000 on Indiegogo last year. Originally created as a hobby project, he now has his sights set on creating an even bigger game that doesn't just fit neatly in the 'dungeon simulator' category, but will also mix in elements of RPG and sandbox games.

For the uninitiated, dungeon simulators involve two things: strategy and micromanagement; in which you will have to manage a dungeon and a personal army of magical creatures, while coming up with the perfect strategies to take others' dungeons by force. This is a concept that could fit on the back of a postcard, and as such, you might be forgiven for thinking that this type of game is easy. KeeperRL, in the grand tradition, looks deceptively simple too. You'll begin with nothing more than your character, four imps, and a sense of confusion underpinned by the question, “Okay, what the hell do I do now?”. The only things to help you along are hints that flash at the top of the screen at random intervals, which only help to a certain extent; you really are on your own to figure everything out. This is a game with a slow pace which may not appeal to many people initially, but to really understand and get the best of it, you need to ease yourself in and give it a fair chance.

You'll be tasked with defending a dungeon and army as you'd expect, however, Brzozowski has expanded on the formula creatively. You get to make your own dungeon by mining in mountains, initially to find ores, but this will soon create a bit of space; the exercise effectively becomes interior design. You can build your dungeon exactly as you want it, delegating the space between training areas, treasure rooms, dormitories, and the like, all for the purpose of strengthening your fighters. You'll also need to scavenge for assorted materials so you can bolster your arsenal and craft weapons, in order to fend off attacks from other armies. As you build up your stronghold, more and more creatures, like orcs and ogres, will join your ranks. Once you've leveled up enough, you will be able to fend off attacks, or start wars with surrounding dungeons.

At its core, this will be a simulation game, and sending your troops into battle is exactly what you'd expect. Being a dungeon game, it only moves when you move; when you stand still, the game is paused, but when you move one step, so will everyone else. During your exercises in mining for gold or home improvement, you will be alerted of enemies in the area, and your forces can be sent to attack. You can either let the computer take care of everything, or you can take control of the leader yourself, and use either your weapons or your magic to lead the troops to victory. The combat is very fun and rewarding, either to watch or play, however, as this is a simulation game, you can't just hack and slash your way to victory. Everything must be well timed and well planned or you will be seeing the game over screen quicker than you can swing a sword. Once you get the knack of how battles are fought, the victories and the increased in-game income will be much more satisfying.

KeeperRL looks to provide a stern challenge to many – this is a 'one size fits all' videogame where the difficulty cannot be adjusted, and the only way to get good is to grit your teeth, die over and over again, and keep learning. That's not to say that this game is an exercise in masochism. It has a sharp and punishing difficulty curve, but you'll be more likely to keep coming back to try again, rather than to throw your computer out of the window in a fit of rage.

As the game is only in beta for now, not much comment can be made upon the game's presentation as everything is obviously subject to change. KeeperRL uses a lovely sprite-based art-style, giving the game a cute charm, like it would feel at home in the Game Boy Advance library. The chosen aesthetic even makes horrible beasts like ogres feel endearing. As it stands now, the music is decent, featuring a slew of reflective, lugubrious-sounding tracks that serve to further immerse us into the game; however, what might bother some is that they lack originality. While they are good tracks, they sound ripped-off, like they have been featured in generic RPGs or bad television shows in the past. You won't be able to shake off an odd sense of musical deja-vu, but this isn't likely to detract from the phenomenal playing experience – just play your own music or make peace with the stale soundtrack.

Strictly speaking, KeeperRL could be ready for release as it is now. This is a more fully-formed and appealing game than many full-release titles already available; it's only still in beta because Brzozowski is intent on adding more and more features, which only leaves us wondering what kind of game this has the potential to become. As it stands now, though, KeeperRL looks very, very exciting, and you'll want to keep an eye on this game over the course of the year.