Pro:
+ unique dice system with puzzle and strategic elements
+ addictive gameplay loop that is easy to learn but hard to master
+ chance effects are smartly obfuscated
+ every character offers a different playstyle
+ large variety of usable equipment
+ enemies are challenging and use their dice efficiently
+ enemies have elemental weaknesses and strengths
+ dice element effects are surprisingly complex
+ limit breaks offer tactical choices
+ save scamming is possible (and I would encourage it)
+ final episode is a smart and fitting end to the game
+ DLC offers even more playstyles and more complex puzzle episodes
Cons:
- a full run can take over an hour on later episodes
- difficulty is generally brutal and one bad fight can end a run
- some episodes require long-form planning and a lot of luck
- randomness inherent in dice games can become frustrating
- lack of meta-upgrades is a questionable design decision
- UI is confusing and dice tend to cover the play area
- visual style is flatout ugly
- enemy design is terrible and most are carricatures (gay wizard? smartphone witch?)
- sound design is equally awful
- writing is forgettable and dialogue cannot be skipped
- shop item costs are randomized for no reason
- not all relevant information is available during fights: no exp level etc.
- pause button does not actually pause the game
- you never get to win the car!
Playtime: 73 hours with all episodes, all hardmode levels plus all DLC episodes finished and 90 percent of achievements acquired.
Magic Moment: Showing the game to my partner for the first time and them falling in love with it much more than I did. My partner did not even want me to uninstall it after we finished it.
Favourite character: The thief. Feels very different to play and stealing items is fun.
Worst episode: Episode four of the inventor. Finishing it is an excercise in futility.
Verdict:
I am fully aware that one's taste for the aesthetics of a game are highly personal, but I have to come right out and say it: Dicey Dungeons is an ugly game with an ugly presentation that is best played with the sound of and a trigger finger on the button whenever characters start talking. With that in mind, the underlying combat mechanics are extremely strong, the different characters feel very differently from each other, and the real sense of progress from one episode to another quickly leads to the infamous loop of "one more run" that will cost you more than just a few hours of sleep.
Play it if like dice games and crave a challenge. Playing through all the episodes and additional DLC challenges is not necessary to enjoy this game and doing so will lead to a lot of frustration, which is mitigated by save scamming and restarting boss fights, which I would highly encourage.
+ unique dice system with puzzle and strategic elements
+ addictive gameplay loop that is easy to learn but hard to master
+ chance effects are smartly obfuscated
+ every character offers a different playstyle
+ large variety of usable equipment
+ enemies are challenging and use their dice efficiently
+ enemies have elemental weaknesses and strengths
+ dice element effects are surprisingly complex
+ limit breaks offer tactical choices
+ save scamming is possible (and I would encourage it)
+ final episode is a smart and fitting end to the game
+ DLC offers even more playstyles and more complex puzzle episodes
Cons:
- a full run can take over an hour on later episodes
- difficulty is generally brutal and one bad fight can end a run
- some episodes require long-form planning and a lot of luck
- randomness inherent in dice games can become frustrating
- lack of meta-upgrades is a questionable design decision
- UI is confusing and dice tend to cover the play area
- visual style is flatout ugly
- enemy design is terrible and most are carricatures (gay wizard? smartphone witch?)
- sound design is equally awful
- writing is forgettable and dialogue cannot be skipped
- shop item costs are randomized for no reason
- not all relevant information is available during fights: no exp level etc.
- pause button does not actually pause the game
- you never get to win the car!
Playtime: 73 hours with all episodes, all hardmode levels plus all DLC episodes finished and 90 percent of achievements acquired.
Magic Moment: Showing the game to my partner for the first time and them falling in love with it much more than I did. My partner did not even want me to uninstall it after we finished it.
Favourite character: The thief. Feels very different to play and stealing items is fun.
Worst episode: Episode four of the inventor. Finishing it is an excercise in futility.
Verdict:
I am fully aware that one's taste for the aesthetics of a game are highly personal, but I have to come right out and say it: Dicey Dungeons is an ugly game with an ugly presentation that is best played with the sound of and a trigger finger on the button whenever characters start talking. With that in mind, the underlying combat mechanics are extremely strong, the different characters feel very differently from each other, and the real sense of progress from one episode to another quickly leads to the infamous loop of "one more run" that will cost you more than just a few hours of sleep.
Play it if like dice games and crave a challenge. Playing through all the episodes and additional DLC challenges is not necessary to enjoy this game and doing so will lead to a lot of frustration, which is mitigated by save scamming and restarting boss fights, which I would highly encourage.