The best turn-based dungeon-crawlers

Key takeaways

• Dungeon crawlers like Caves of Qud offer turn-based combat and strategic resource management in a low-pressure environment.
• Dungeons of Dreadmore stands out as an accessible and engaging roguelike with creative character creation and turn-based combat.
• Dicey Dungeons combines colorful art with gameplay that's easy to learn, rewarding and diverse, with unique playable characters.

Similar to the roots in tabletop role-playing games Dungeons and DragonsIt's no surprise that there are a plethora of dungeon crawlers that feature turn-based gameplay. From traditional roguelike dungeon-crawlers like retro-style Caves of Qud In back and forth slug-fests of A dark dungeonThere are many different types to choose from when it comes to this genre.

Unlike recent first-person dungeon crawlers Darker and darkerThe turn-based nature of these games allows players to focus a bit more on the resource management aspects of the genre. Combat is inherently more strategic than the fast-paced, skill-based action of real-time dungeon crawlers, and the slow pace allows players to take their time and explore in a low-pressure environment.

1 Dungeons of Dredmor

An old inventor who holds up well

Dungeons of Dredmor A classic title with an inventive character creator that's fun to interact with in and of itself, allowing players to create unique and highly stimulating adventurers to explore dangerous dungeons. Although it has been launched for ages, the game is very easy to learn and comfortable to play, despite the traditional approach to its design.

Dungeons of Dredmor The perma-death and turn-based combat that takes place in randomly generated dungeons is roguelike in the truest sense of the word. The creativity of the game's character creation, enemy design, and loot variety, as well as its tongue-in-cheek tone, make for a unique and often charming roguelike experience that's more accessible than it has any right to be.

2 Caves of Qud

A retro-futuristic roguelike RPG with sprawling dungeons full of danger

Caves of Kud is more than a dungeon-crawler; It's a classic roguelike, it's an RPG, it's an open-world sandbox steeped in retro-futurism. It's evocative, it's atmospheric, it's one of the genre's most profound character creators. There are very few games like it Caves of KudAnd for newcomers and veterans alike, the game constantly offers a new sense of wonder and exploration. However, a unique aspect of Caves of Kud It's a well-balanced combination of procedural and handmade content, with much of the procedural action taking place in its titular underground caverns.

These dark places are full of danger. Monsters, traps, or getting caught in the crossfire between a pilgrim and a lizard man are just some of the things that can spell the end for hopeful adventurers. Caves of Kud. Simplified turn-based combat emphasizes efficient management of resources and ability cooldowns, as well as careful assessment of potential threats, an experience that becomes more intense when playing when permanent death is enabled.

3 Cogmind

A challenging traditional Roguelike with a robotic theme

It's somewhat inaccessible, its beauty lies in ASCII (though brilliantly executed, perhaps not for some), and it's relatively difficult for newcomers until they get a handle on the basics. Cogmind is a traditional roguelike. It's also a dungeon-crawler, albeit wrapped in a computer-terminal sci-fi look, drenched in robotics.

Cogmind A deeply strategic experience that is rooted in old-school design while remaining fearless in stepping outside the boundaries and innovating one at a time. The gameplay loop is relatively simple, players work their way through a dungeon while building and modifying their robot character, constantly swapping offensive parts and adapting as best they can to each situation.

4 Dicey Dungeons

A bright and colorful deck-building dungeon-crawler

This quasi-deck-builder is instantly appealing for its bright and colorful art style and pedigree, developed by the innovative Terry Kavanagh (.VVVVVV, Super Hexagon). However, its gameplay is only promising. It's easy to learn, repeatedly rewarding, and offers enough challenge and variety to keep it fresh for a good while. A major factor in replay value Dicey Dungeons Its incredibly unique is the variety of playable characters, each of which offers its own unique powers.

in Dicey DungeonsPlayers battle through multiple floors of the titular dungeon, taking on hordes of grotesque enemies in turn-based combat using dice-based mechanics; Players roll dice, placing them in the appropriate equipment slots, which forms the deck-building aspect of the game. As players progress, they are able to discover new pieces of equipment and swap out their existing ones, improving their strategy over time. It all makes for a unique, replayable, and easy-to-lose experience.

5 A dark dungeon

A stress-inducing strategy dungeon-crawler with a gothic art-style

Black, scratchy, hand-drawn beauty A dark dungeon And its oppressive gothic tone and atmosphere are a perfect match for the game's harsh and unforgiving structure. A dark dungeon It's all about dungeon-crawling, managing a party of four heroes made up of a bunch of different classes, adventuring through a variety of dungeons with their unique Lovecraft-inspired enemies.

Players must manage an entire roster of heroes throughout the campaign, just like the games XCOM: Enemy UnknownLeveling them up and equipping them with new items throughout the game. However, when these heroes die in heroic (or, sometimes, not-so-heroic) battles, it stings even more. To make matters worse, it may not even be the monsters defeating a player's party, but the simple stress of sinking into the dungeon itself.