Looking for an epic dungeon adventure?
Dungeon crawlers are all about maze-like labyrinths filled with monsters and treasure as seen in games like Diablo and Legend of Grimrock. As the graphics of these classic games began to improve, so did the need for developers to re-imagine the genre in creative ways. These are the top 25 dungeon crawling games for PC that are giving a new twist to this beloved genre or are simply so timeless that we can’t leave them out.
25. Diablo 3
“Diablo III Official Trailer"
Continuing where Diablo II left off, the third game in the franchise takes place 20 years into the future of Sanctuary. This time there's a prophecy of Diablo’s return from Hell to be wary of, and when the stars start to fall, it is up to the player character to stop it from happening.
First on this list, Diablo III's gameplay really doesn’t vary from the first two games. However, it's clearly had work put into the combat, more so than Diablo I and II. It’s a lot smoother and easier to get through, especially if you’ve never played before. The only real change is the addition of different classes such as Necromancer and Witch Doctor. If you like the classic feeling of this series and you'd like to see your most beloved npcs from Diablo I and II with higher resolution graphics than the first time you played in 1996, then this is the game for you. If you're new to the series – Worry not! Diablo III sports tutorials and forgiving levels of difficulty. The twist on this installation is that you can now play multiplayer, so you don't have to go crawling through the nitty gritty dungeons all by yourself anymore.
One of the most fun features of this game is the Reaper of Souls expansion that Blizzard released as part of an expansion set. A familiar face returns to the screen in this expansion, as the heroes are called to action to stop the fallen angel Malthael and his reign of destruction and bloodshed. Corruption is Malthael’s goal and he hopes to turn the council on itself. The heroes get ready to kick him into the dark from whence he came all over again with rewards such as a new level cap, dark and spooky environments, and new, grotesque looking monsters. Due to its age however, it’s last on the list because … most readers have likely already played it!
Though a bit dated now, Diablo III is one of the classics for a reason. With its original and unmistakable characters, great soundtrack, easy to follow combat system, and writing that made us love the first Diablo, it’s certainly earned its place as number twenty five on the list.
The rift to the underworld opens in the catacombs in this screenshot, prompting an enemy surge of spirits that are trying to stop you from taking their treasure.
This is a screenshot of how the Necromancer class works, and as you can see the character is siphoning life and energy both from all the baddies around her.
24. Tower of Time
“Tower of Time” gameplay trailer
This early access game has the player character traverse the world of Atara where magic meets technology and does so beautifully, creating a story that will have you hooked within minutes. The songs in the game are catchy too, and the voice lines are delivered without any awkward noises or stuttering.
Atara is a post-apocalyptic world that has been rendered empty and hollow from technology and magic’s interference. When the world met a cataclysmic end, the residents of the now desolate country chose to forget their past and wallow in the future’s grim ending. The world is dark and bleak, but the graphics are smooth and downright gorgeous. The writing is dark and quiet as the sound design, and it adds to the empty atmosphere of the ruined, once prosperous land of Atara. The only downside is that the full game is not released yet! There are however, five different playable races and a large number of diverse NPCS from each realm.
Unlike the previous game, Tower of Time’s combat styles can best be described as going in melee style and bashing your enemies into submission, or pausing and reading the battlefield in order to decide who goes where like a real-time game of chess except the pieces want to murder your friends, and then you. The landscape is full of brown and black tints and hues, and it feels a little bit like the Fallout series meets Final Fantasy. This game both looks and plays pretty, and its mysteries are waiting to be uncovered. The release date is scheduled for sometime this April.
I wonder if you threw a coin, would you be able to hear it hit the bottom? Here, the heroes are listening to the lore of the lost world and no doubt wondering about the loot down below.
This is how I’d often daydream about fantasy lands as a child and the heroes that explored them.
23. Dead Cells
“First 14 Minutes of Dead Cells”
Within the first five or so minutes, you’re thrown into an underground labyrinth of enemies and allies alike, armed only with the weapons that you pick off the bones of fallen adventurers. Not for the faint of heart or those who prefer to take their time exploring, Dead Cells is a high-octane breath of air that’ll make sure you don’t put your controller down.
With its graphic depictions of blood and gore using 2D graphics, Dead Cells is a combination of roguelike and dungeon crawling. Imagine if Dark Souls had a baby with Starbound and you'd get this challenging and unique game that has little room for players who simply rush into the dungeon without any idea of what they're gearing up to do. Open world, side-scrolling goodness, difficult bosses and difficult enemies leave the player learning to wait and memorize the fast-paced but equally destructive combat system in Dead Cells. Its release date is scheduled for 2018. It’s nothing short of rewarding when players manage to finally get the correct combination of hits in on the mega-sized bosses in this 2D, side scrolling dungeon crawl.
A lot of dungeon crawler games take their time and allow you exploration, but Dead Cells is unforgivingly fast paced. Taking your time to look around your surroundings is not encouraged and is sure to give you a game over. It’s a thrill through and through, and it’ll even be traveling to other platforms such as the Nintendo Switch and the XBOX One. The fast paced action and unforgiving enemy patterns makes this a game worth waiting for.
I’m not sure what the player character is doing here, but it looks like he’s teaching these enemies some funky dance moves.
The nostalgic feeling of this screenshot is reminiscent of the days when Castlevania was all the rage.
22. Nox
“Nox trailer”
Going old school for number 22, Nox was a contender of Diablo back in its day. Sporting a now archaic style of pixelated portraits of the world of Nox and its inhabitants, this game may be nostalgic for some, and completely new to others. Though it’s a bit old, don’t hesitate to give it a try.
In the style of true 80’s sci-fi fantasy, the premise for this game is that you’re just a regular guy named Jack Mower who gets transported into his TV set to save the virtual world of Nox because … someone had to! It’s a game that might not be for everyone, but don’t let these dated graphics and point and click exploration styles fool you, the story underneath is both entertaining and well worth the $5 price on gog.com. People often compare this to Diablo, but each have their unique way of engaging you in the underworld and the overworld of Nox. It’s like comparing an apple to an orange, and wondering why one of them is tangier.
However it differs from Diablo in that the RPG elements are not so much in your face and the dialogue is heaps and bounds different. Nox is old, but not forgotten. It earns its place as number 22 because of the intriguing and cheesy storyline combined with the rewarding class building and plus, it just sounds like it’s due for a remake judging by its cult classic following as one of the classic examples of a dungeon crawl.
Wizards rule, Warriors drool! You can choose between 3 unique classes for the main character in Nox.
Do you cultists take constructive criticism? No? Alright then.
21. Salt and Sanctuary
“Salt and Sanctuary - Currents Trailer”
Paying homage to the dark and gloomy journey to the unnamed player character, Salt and Sanctuary is often called “Dark Souls in 2D”. There are similarities for sure, but Salt and Sanctuary stands out from its dark mentor with its unique, hand-drawn tapestry looking style.
The world of Salt and Sanctuary is brutal, and without forgiveness. Set in medieval times, this dungeon crawling game is fast paced and as vast as the eerie dungeons it creates. While some would compare it to Dark Souls I, II, and III, the game is its own and it shows it through the horrifically graphic 2D side scrolling details and the dedication to the empty, fog-covered overworld. Like Dead Cells, the gameplay is fast and malicious, and the story is dark and twisted. Fans of horror will enjoy this game for its dread-filled atmosphere and dark, church-like settings.
Ska Studios, the independent game publishers that created Salt and Sanctuary also created Charlie Murder and The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile. Their style seems to be mostly goth-punk mixed with a little bit of tears of their audience for the difficult game mechanics they often program in.
This NPC is giving you a quest of some sort, inside of an abandoned church.
You’re abandoned on an island for the entire duration of your journey through Salt & Sanctuary. You must strike first, or else the enemies can and will overwhelm you.
20. Dungreed
“Dungreed Trailer”
At first you might think this game was just another cute farming simulator with pixel graphics, right? Well, appearances are certainly deceiving.
Dungreed focuses on the journey of a young adventurer as he strives to save a town from a randomly generated dungeon system that threatens to engulf all the innocents within. Like most dungeon crawlers, there are no checkpoints in this 2D game, so any time you die, that’s it! However, Dungreed features other options if throwing yourself at its cute but deadly enemies won’t satisfy you.
Besides dungeon crawling, you can also manage and rebuild the town you’re trying to save, collect unique weapons and magical items, and search and search for that very last sniper rifle for your gun collection. Did I mention there were guns, too? There’s a lot to collect and even more to explore in this 2D platformer.
Here we go again! This hero is showing off his long-ranged gun inside of the newly-reconstructed dungeon.
You mean I can have this sword AND that gigantic shield up there? I’m sold!
19. Exanima
“Exanima Trailer”
Switching it up for the first time on this list, in Exanima the main character is female. She has been thrust into the Underworld with no means of escape from her death sentence. Everything in this game wants to kill you and if you can outsmart the brutal enemies, then their equipment is yours for the taking.
Continuing the theme of ‘you don’t know where you are but you must fight to survive,’ the enemy AI have but one command: Kill the main character in the most violent way possible. Combining puzzle elements with exploration and combat makes for an unforgettable game with a haunting atmosphere.
It remains at number 19 on the list because of its attention to small details and the attention to the storyline that the developer is clearly pouring a lot of time into. The combat is also based in physics, so if you’re looking to behead your enemy with a seriously cool and sweeping attack rather than simply kicking him into a rack of wine and knocking the entire display over, this is the game for you.
She faces down an enemy armed with a battleaxe with only her torch, but will she emerge victorious?
Wearing the armor and wielding the weapons of the enemies she’s already conquered, our hero is about to face her first real challenge.
18. The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing
“The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing Gameplay Trailer”
Swooping into number 18 with guns and grit is The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing, a PC game with a rather campy name but intense combat and waves of enemy AI reminiscent to a top-down strategy game. In the land of Borgovia, gothic-cowboy Van Helsing must save the world from the clutches of evil aside his ghostly companion, lady Katarina. But be warned … You might be slaying the monsters, or becoming them.
Combining the eerie atmosphere of gothic London and the drab backdrop of mad science, The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing hooks the player in with its unique looking main character and the bleak atmosphere that he runs around slaying enemies in. The monsters are ghoulish, and you are no better, having a morally grey relationship to the world around you.
Are you doing the right thing, or helping bring about the end of the world? That’s up for the player to decide, and including the development of your own anti-monster hideaway makes the game tailor itself to every kind of player.
Chain damage from your spells can take out multiple enemies at once.
Lady Katarina, your ghastly companion, shows these enemies what she can do.
17. Eitr
“Eitr Gameplay Demo”
Hacking and slashing her way through enemies in this beautiful 2D dungeon crawler, Eitr’s story follows that of the heroine who must save the world after the trickster God Loki corrupted the great tree Yggdrasil with the ichor known only as “Eitr.” This game features Nordic lore and an unforgiving respawn system.
Eitr is another pixelated game with beautiful graphics and an intriguing story. Normally, these hack and slash dungeon crawls feature European - Specifically English European - Influences, but Eitr is forged inside of a Nordic folklore and it shows with the dialogue and weapons that you can wield. The storytelling is epic, and each character adds to the lore. The Shield Maiden is also a powerful force of good against the invading darkness, and she never gives up on the world, even when it seems dismal.
The combat is quick paced yet again, and interestingly, the loot you can get from crawling the Nordic ruins is rather fragile. Your weapons can and will break if you die, so strategy is encouraged when faced with the grotesque Nordic corpses and frigid landscape.
Fighting for the weapons cache behind her, the Shield Maiden dodges a heavy swing from a lance.
This Lich is an unforgiving boss enemy, you can even see the pixelated bones of previous heroes on the ground in this battlefield.
16. Torchlight
“Torchlight Launch Trailer”
Sporting random dungeon layouts and waves of corrupted enemies, Torchlight takes place in a sleepy boom town named … well, Torchlight. It’s an unassuming city with a vast number of corruptive ore hiding beneath named Ember, which can either enhance or destroy all that come into contact with it. You are tasked with becoming the hero of this sleepy, yet enchanting world.
You can choose between three character classes in Torchlight, ranging from the destructive and powerful Alchemist, the spirit-guided Destroyer who specializes in melee combat, and the Vanquisher, a city guard who uses ranged attacks and traps to kill her enemies. Each dungeon is randomly generated, and each time you delve into the underground mines flowing with enemies corrupted by Ember, you’re not sure what you’re going to run into. It’s an addicting style of gameplay.
However if you’re also looking for mini-games, Torchlight features those too. You can go fishing and catch behemoths to feed to your loyal pet, strengthening them when they accompany you in battle. The game is also open to modifications, and even encourages it if you manage to get bored within a few hours of dungeon crawling. The opportunities are endless in Torchlight, and it shows.
The Vanquisher is done charging up her special ability and is about to explode holy light all over the foes that got a little too close for comfort.
The Destroyer has activated his spiritual shield, and now he’s ready to keep trekking.
15. Path of Exile
“Path of Exile: The Awakening - Launch Trailer”
Exiled to the lands of Wraeclast, you’re more akin to the villain than the standard dungeon crawling hero who fulfills an ancient prophecy. Revenge is your top priority, and gaining power and influence in order to topple Wraelast on its head is the main objective.
If you’ve always wanted to be a bloodthirsty criminal instead of the hero who must save the world, then Path of Exile is the perfect game to satisfy your villainous tendencies. Free to play, this game offers a lot of customization both with loot, armor, and overall character and class choices. Each player character starts out on the same level in order to ensure equal power distribution.
Reviews on Steam of this game call it “Everything you wanted from Diablo 3 and more,” and it’s not difficult to see why. This game goes where Diablo III should have gone with its storyline and gameplay, and making it a free to play online supported experience only adds to the experience as a whole.
This Marauder has spent valuable time getting his full armor set, and now he’s ready for revenge.
Sieging castles and becoming a one-man army is a rewarding feeling.
14. Titan Quest Anniversary Edition
“Titan Quest - Anniversary Edition - Release Trailer”
After a bloody war that predates humanity, Zeus sealed away the Titans - Gigantic monsters driven by the blood of the Gods - in an ethereal prison for all time. But when those prisons are breached, it’s up to humankind to slay these gigantic Titans or be wiped out entirely.
Fans of the classic dungeon crawlers will recognize this RPG-like dungeon crawler that allows you to fight against monsters at least four or five times the size of the player character. Titan Quest and Titan Quest Immortal are stacked together in this singular title, giving the experience of both to new players and the nostalgia of both to more seasoned ones. Bugs from the original 2006 release of Titan Quest have been fixed, the graphics have been improved, and the difficulty levels have been spiked up. Multiplayer is also encouraged, and with new enemies and bosses to fight, it’s a beautiful homage to the first Titan Quest.
This game is set in Greek mythology, giving the players the chance to fight against Cerberus, travel through the River Styx, and fight alongside Achilles and Agamemnon along with other Greek figures and Gods in order to save the world from the overpowered Titan threat. If you’ve ever wanted to play a game that followed Greek mythology, this one is perfect for you.
Giant scorpions of the pyramids are no match for this brave soldier.
The puzzle elements are interwoven nicely with the combat. Here, they’re trying to figure out how to open this door, perhaps by answering riddles.
13. Legend of Grimrock
“Legend of Grimrock Release Trailer”
At the peak of Mount Grimrock, prisoners who have committed crimes against the empire are sentenced to death by the twisting and foreboding labyrinth underneath the stone behemoth. No prisoner has ever escaped the dungeon and reclaimed their freedom … until now.
This game is a remake of its older version yet again, with improved graphics and better storylines along with a unique feature: You can switch on “Old school mode” which removes the map entirely and allows you to freely explore the dungeon of Grimrock, relying on memory to guide you instead. Originally published in 1990, this 2012 remake remembers its roots by randomly generating each map layout every time you do a new playthrough and encourages you to solve the puzzles rather than muscling through the combat.
It’s easy to get lost in the sprawling underground prison, and getting to the end to earn your freedom is nothing short of rewarding. This 90’s era game still feels within its time period with a pure dungeon crawling experience that helped define the genre, and the enhanced graphics help bring Legend of Grimrock into the modern era.
The Minotaur, a classic labyrinth enemy, emerges from the darkness in order to stop the prisoners’ escape.
With all his friends felled in combat, the remaining character must defeat these mushroom-beasts, or it’s a game over.
12. Divinity: Original Sin II
“Divinity: Original Sin 2 Trailer”
As the title suggests, you become a God or Goddess in this game in order to stop the Veil from opening in Rivellon, which would allow the Void to vanquish everything. You begin as a prisoner destined for a horrible fate, but are saved when your prison boat is attacked by an unforeseen Kraken in the depths of the ocean.
Featuring unique races such as lizard people, skeletons, dwarves, elves, and humans each with their own unique buffs and weaknesses, everything is left in the hands of the player to determine who is going to save the world of Rivellon. Combining RPG elements with dungeon exploration, Divinity: Original Sin 2 continues the story and gameplay of the first Divinity, which featured the player character as a ‘Source Hunter’ (a hunter who tracked down Sourcerers in order to kill them and stop them from using an energy known as Source for evil) also ascended to Godhood. Divinity 2 takes place at the end when the Source Hunters leave the fabled First Garden in order to find a new adventure.
It’s also an open world game, so if you want to kill all the NPCS you encounter or save them, the decision is all yours to make. The game will react to your decisions, and either reward or punish you for them. You can also create your own maps, and download the maps that other players have made. It’s a rewarding series, and ascending to Godhood is only part of the endgame perks.
This lizard-man is only one of the four unique classes you can choose in game.
This dense map is stunning, isn’t it? It’s one of several environments present in Revellon.
11. Baldur’s Gate II: Enhanced Edition
“Baldur’s Gate 2: Enhanced Edition Launch Trailer”
This remake of Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn takes place in The Forgotten Realms and is a D&D Campaign in 3D. Baldur’s Gate 2 takes place after the ending of Baldur’s Gate 1, where the hero learns that Faerûn is in danger from the shadows seeping into the land.
Starting inside of a prison cell (a feature that’s becoming commonplace in a lot of these dungeon crawling games), the player character is soon freed only for their journey to continue to unravel the evil plot inside of the insidious shadows. This game feels reminiscent of the D&D era from the gameplay elements like character creation to the plot and storyline. If you like the old school feeling of going through a campaign with a Dungeon Master, then this will satisfy the need for both a set plot and predetermined storylines. If you’re new to the game, then perhaps consider playing Baldur’s Gate 1 first, so that you’re not entirely lost as to what’s happening in the plot.
There are four new party members and plenty of dungeons to loot in Baldur’s Gate 2, making it easy to navigate the dark dungeons while still having fun. This is as old school as old school gets, so if you’re a seasoned dungeon crawler looking for a unique challenge, this may be just right for you.
Time-based combat ensures that you keep on your feet in Baldur’s Gate 2.
This city is protected from the reach of the nefarious Shadows … for now.
10. Rogue Legacy
“Rogue Legacy Gameplay Trailer [E3 2014]”
Rogue Legacy is a game that has one set objective: conquer the dungeon. There are randomly generated dungeon levels, interesting boss fights, and loads of treasure inside of each map. The replay value of this 2D game is very high and enjoyable each time.
Featuring several unique characters to choose from every time you respawn, Rogue Legacy’s wit and humor alongside its 2D side scrolling platform graphics makes this game both interesting to look at and easy to keep track of your character on screen. Whenever your character dies in Rogue Legacy, his son or daughter will take his place, making for randomly generated gameplay that ensures that no two playthroughs are the same. Each child also has different quirks that make the experience fun and new each time, ranging from a knight with ADHD that makes him move faster to a colorblind child who only views the game in black and white. With an infinite amount of characters to go through, Rogue Legacy leaves just about everything up to RNG (Random Number Generation.)
You can also upgrade the manor that your character resides in to ensure that your children’s children’s children will have the best childhood. This ensures that they will grow up brave enough to enter the dungeons, like their family before them. Nine classes to choose from also encourages expanding your regular playthroughs and challenging yourself to try something new.
This is the character profile screen, showing you every detail you need to know about who you’re going to brave the dungeon as.
This knight is blind, and can only see with magic. Be strategic in order to ensure his survival!
9. Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms
“Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms Gameplay”
An uneasy peace falls over the Heretic Kingdom in this top-down dungeon crawl. Among the civil wars of Corwenth, Taymuria, and the Sura Wastes arrives the Devourer, a demon who can traverse between the human and Shadow realm. Yes - This demon is you!
Controlling up to four characters including the Devourer, the choice between good and evil is once again in the hands of the player in Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms. You must devour each soul of the enemies you defeat, and the downfall or rise of your character is entirely due to the choices you make. Without much hope in the world of men, orcs, and beasts, the Devourer sets out to either right or conquer the already fragile Heretic kingdoms. Rife with civil wars, side quests, unique party members, and of course, loot, Shadows: Heretic Kingdoms allows you to play as a necromancer … with friends!
This game looks good and plays good, giving the players rewarding loot and exciting dungeons to travel through, all while growing strong enough to either swallow the world and plunge it into darkness, or save it.
Magic used on the battlefield against bone raptors.
The realms of the Heretic Kingdoms are both beautiful and rife with secrets. This is the town of Katatonia, hidden in the mountains.
8. Magicka
“Magicka: Official Release Trailer”
If you need a break from dark and intense medieval graphics and storylines, Magicka is the game for you. Based on Norse mythology and interwoven with satire upon the dungeon crawling genre, it ranges from anywhere between hilarious and cheeky in its writing. Each fireball and spell your wizard casts is quick and devastating, making for streamlined gameplay.
Unlike most dungeon crawling games, Magicka features something unique: There are no mana or health bars, and everyone has access to magic. The twist is that you have to be able to fire your magic off quickly or you’ll be overwhelmed by the mobs of hostiles that come after you. Sporting 3D graphics and a clean and bright style, Magicka is a break from the usual dungeon crawl in that it’s pretty to look at and it's interwoven with comedy to keep the overall feeling of the game lighthearted.
Loot is not the most important feature of the game either, prompting players to look for story clues and progress along the plotline instead of trailing to the side in order to get an extremely overpowered item. Cute and lively, Magicka can be enjoyed by beginners and experienced gamers both.
This wizard is showing off his frost spells.
Chain lightning spells like this can be learned by anyone … and still look cool.
7. Pillars of Eternity
“Pillars of Eternity Gameplay Teaser”
Eora is a realm that encompasses many within its vast landscape. You play as a foreigner who becomes able to read souls because of a cult’s curse. Each time that you drain souls because of it, they begin to resonate in your player character’s head. Time is ticking as you try to track the cult down and end your curse, or go mad trying.
An RPG game, the choices you make in Pillars of Eternity are entirely determined by the main player. With several unique endings and a pretty landscape to look at, Pillars of Eternity draws you in with the knowledge that you can either become violent and evil or just and kind, despite your curse of insomnia and visions akin to hallucinations. It’s either a redemption story arc, or a revenge one. You can also play as six unique classes, making for each run through the game an experience you won’t soon forget.
Obsidian Entertainment delivers a timeless story and beautiful graphics in this game, and though the combat system is complex, mastering it and watching your character grow and become stronger is so worth it.
This dungeon is ripe for the looting. Graphics like this are what you have to look forward to.
Resting in a town? Sort of. The player character is most likely looting it instead.
6. Gauntlet: Slayer Edition
“Gauntlet: Slayer Edition Trailer”
Gauntlet made its debut in 1985, and this remake of the old school fantasy hack and slash top down original leaves fans and new players exploring dungeons and fighting enemies like it was the 80’s all over again.
In true old school fantasy, the four classes in Gauntlet: Slayer Edition are Wizard, Barbarian, Knight, and Archer. They are redesigned in smooth 3D in this remake of the first Gauntlet, an arcade game with pixelated graphics and intense time constraints in game that will push you to make decisions on the fly. You can co-op between these four or play it solo, and the experience is still the same. This remake is a love letter to the original, and it shows in the writing and singular goal of the characters: Escape the gauntlet.
Audiences who played the original agree that this restyled version of Gauntlet makes it both look pretty and play better, and newbies to it find it engaging and fun for a weekend playthrough, especially since you can do local or online co-op.
This is just one of many maps in Gauntlet: Slayer Edition, and is a graveyard for ancient dragons.
Merlin clears the path of these little spiders with his magic beam, keeping the party safe.
5. Vagante
"VAGANTE | TRAILER"
A cave at the edge of the woods is rumored to have great treasures, and so our unlikely heroes set out to claim a piece of it. None have ever returned from said cave, and you’re dying to be the first.
Allow me to get this out of the way first: Vagante features permanent death. Still reading? Good, because the other features include local and online co-op, character customization, unique challenges related to the storyline, and fast-paced and strategic combat. This 2D dungeon crawler is reminiscent of diving deep into dank caves and crawling through unforgiving tunnels equipped with a lantern, a sword, and your wits.
Vagante will test you. You’ll need to learn and understand enemy attack animations, evade deadly traps, find merchants in the dark, and platform all at the same time in order to survive. But the sweet feeling of emerging from the malicious caves with gold in your pockets is no alien feeling to players of this game. Even if it sounds difficult, I encourage you to try it out.
The player character attacks enemies with lightning, creating a stark contrast with the dark overtones.
The player character stands atop a cloudy village, staring at their fairy companion.
4. Warhammer: Vermintide 2
“Warhammer: Vermintide 2 | Gameplay Trailer”
The end is nigh. That is the idea that weaves throughout the narrative of Warhammer 2, the direct sequel to Warhammer: Vermintide - End times. Ubersreik’s journey to prevent the end of times continues in this 3D game, and your ultimate goal is to kill Rasknitt, leader of the rat-men in this Swedish folklore inspired dungeon crawler.
Warhammer: Vermintide 2 is a first person game with dungeon crawling elements comparable to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, but it differs in that the combat is faster, the graphics are lighter, and the loot is overall better. You can choose between fifteen unique subclasses and up to four people can play at once. Fighting gigantic rat-men, ogres with spittle on their lips, and men who are after the crown and glory of Ubersreik’s death, you’re thrown into the action and barely given time to breathe.
Also to keep in mind is the four different factions of the Skaven and the Chaos groups, who will both try to dominate our heroes through waves of enemy combat. There’s strategy, quick paced action, a great soundtrack, and a storyline comparable to an ancient Nordic battle folktale.
This dwarven man is going all-in against this Chaos aligned enemy.
Look out, here she comes! You and your ally in this photo are teaming up to fight Chaos and Skaven factions.
3. Grim Dawn
“Grim Dawn - Gameplay Trailer”
The apocalypse has already happened, and now you have to fight and kill to survive. Cairn is a gritty and war-ravaged land with little hope in its walls, and humans are on the verge of extinction. There is no hope for redemption of the already dying human race. Only adaptation, and survival.
Grim Dawn is just as dark as it sounds. This game takes you along a journey into an apocalyptic wasteland filled with blood, despair, death, and higher beings threatening your life at any given moment. It’s not for the fainthearted, as the graphics and the story are both bleak and really give away to the inner workings of the ruined world of Cairn. You can help the humans rebuild and adapt, or you can ignore them all and focus on yourself.
If you’re a fan of the Fallout series, then this game is right up your alley. Apocalyptic doom hangs on each breath of Grim Dawn, and it leaves you rooting for the survival of humans. Or, you end up on the enemy’s side and think they should all be exterminated. It’s all down to player interpretation.
Players work together to defeat minibosses before tackling the real deal.
A shrine to the dead that acts as a save point. Seems friendly, right?
2. Darkest Dungeon
“Darkest Dungeon - Release Trailer”
Darkest Dungeon is exactly how it sounds. This game explores the intense psychological effects of killing waves of enemies and the despair of fighting for a world already ruined. Hope and joy are hard to come by emotions of Darkest Dungeon, and with turn-based combat and unique character buffs and damage modifiers, this game is hard to forget from the get-go.
You manage a party of heroes in this RPG who are tasked with exploring the dark and foreboding dungeons beneath a gothic estate that the player character has inherited. Your unnamed relative has opened portals and rifts to the demonic forces of the underworld, and these heroes must not only close them, but also keep watch of their own stress levels. Strategy, careful planning , and knowledge of each hero’s buffs and stressors are required in order to keep your party alive. It’s dark, it’s a dungeon, and the true horror comes at the cost of your party’s sanity. You have the choice to either drive them into complete madness, or to save them from their cruel and unwarranted fate.
The affliction system is the gameplay feature that makes Darkest Dungeon so unforgettable. Your heroes will react to not having enough food and facing starvation, being left in the dark, witnessing the death of a party member, and blights brought upon by your ghastly enemies. Horror fans will love the intense despair featured in this game, and casual players will find a new challenge in keeping your party members alive without afflicting them too badly. With the grotesque, hand-drawn graphics style and the dark and disparaging plot and writing, it’s easy to see why this game makes number two on the list - It lingers in the back of the mind like the monsters in the dark it throws at your unknowing party.
This hero has lost her hope. This is one of the afflictions that heroes face in Darkest Dungeon, and now she will become weaker until she regains her morale.
These heroes rest aside a campfire in the dark dungeons and try to invigorate each other with stories of happier times and morale-boosting speeches. Managing stress levels like this is essential to gameplay.
1. Bastion
“Bastion Gameplay Trailer”
And finally at number one on the list of the 25 best dungeon crawlers is the critically acclaimed Bastion. In the aftermath of the great Calamity that fractured the city of Caledonia, you control the unnamed Kid as he works to repair the broken parts of a falling-apart world. It’s narrated beautifully, and the two years it took to make were well spent.
Bastion is nothing short of a genius sort of game. The graphics are detailed and the storyline has you hooked. You end up wanting to see what the world was like before the Calamity and pondering what it’ll be like after. Each weapon you gain and upgrade feels like a triumph, and the sheer beauty of the hand-painted graphics will leave you stunned and for good reason.
It’s a beautiful game in story and gameplay alike. If you haven’t played Bastion before now, I highly encourage it, because it’s an indescribably melancholic experience.
The Kid is in the hub world, a floating remnant of his homeland of Caledonia.
Each level feels fresh and great on the eyes. The Kid is gearing up against a phantom in order to continue on his journey to find the Core piece in this dungeon-esque setting.
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