Developed by Behold Studios, the same awesome team behind Knights of Pen & Paper and Chroma Squad, this charming first-person dungeon crawler combines exploration, survival, crafting and, as if that weren’t enough, plenty of cooking into an unforgettable adventure. It’s a rather unusual cocktail, and while some of its mechanics could use further refinement, we’re enjoying our time underground.
Getting Lost Is Part of the Adventure
We’re searching for treasure and answers in an ancient dungeon. Every time we reach out for a helping hand, the game’s systems brutally slap it away. There are no convenient objective markers pointing towards the next discovery, and we don’t even have a traditional map. So, if you want to find your way around, well, you’d better start remembering corridors, recognising familiar rooms and paying attention to anything that might lead somewhere interesting. This hasn’t bothered us in the slightest, as the dungeon is handcrafted, and we were quite impressed by its interconnected areas, hidden passages and shortcuts that gradually become accessible. We loved the attention to detail and the strong emphasis on investigation. There’s so much freedom in deciding where to go and what to examine.
Sooner or later, you’ll come across a puzzle, and that’s where, we feel, most of the fun lies. We can move crates around to reach higher places, use planks to cross gaps and manipulate different mechanisms to open previously inaccessible routes. Tools that we discover along the way introduce additional possibilities, encouraging us to revisit areas that initially appeared to have nothing left to offer. It’s a great approach to exploration, and we loved how much it encouraged us to be curious and rewarded us for paying attention to our surroundings.
Of course, we wouldn’t complain if the game occasionally offered a smidgen of guidance, but no, God forbid we see an arrow or even a subtle glow! We’ve had our share of getting lost and wandering through the same corridors. We can see how this might become a tad tiresome for less patient gamers, but we understand that this is the developers’ vision. It’s meant to make us appreciate those moments when we finally notice that small detail and a wave of euphoria slowly washes over us. It’s a design choice that certainly won’t appeal to everyone, but then again, we weren’t pressed for time and jumped in knowing that it’s okay not to know where the next objective is.
An Adventurer Has to Eat
We did mention at the beginning that cooking plays an important role, didn’t we? We collect ingredients while exploring and bring them back to camp. Using different cooking methods, we prepare meals that improve our health, stamina and other attributes. Experimenting with ingredients and discovering useful recipes feels meaningful. It adds another layer of progression, further supported by crafting equipment and improving our little camp. We like how these activities fit into the overall adventure. Before heading deeper into the dungeon, we need to think about our supplies, prepare something useful and make sure we’re reasonably equipped for whatever unpleasant creatures are waiting for us. Hey, you try braving an adventure on an empty stomach!
Managing those supplies can be a little annoying, though, especially when you take into consideration that inventory space is limited. With so many ingredients, crafting materials, weapons and tools, it can become quite a chore constantly deciding what to leave behind and what to take with us. Care must also be taken when preparing food, since ingredients can spoil and meals can burn if we’re not paying attention. Just like with the lack of a map, we understand why these restrictions are included. They’re meant to make preparation important, but the constant need to organise our belongings can interrupt the joy of exploration.
Skeletons, Swords and Other Problems
Look at how much we’ve written, and we haven’t even mentioned combat, not even once. Talk about saving the best for last. Well, sort of. Of course, we’re not alone down there. Skeletons and other creatures are eager to shorten our expeditions, but our weapons and shields have something to say about that. It’s fun dealing with enemies while keeping stamina consumption in mind, but we feel that combat lacks variety and responsiveness. Attacks are straightforward, and some encounters can feel a little stiff, particularly when compared with the freedom offered by the environmental puzzles. We wouldn’t go so far as to call the fighting terrible, but it could certainly benefit from more satisfying feedback and some additional variety. Maybe it’s a good thing that exploration occupies such a large part of the adventure, since we’re far more interested in uncovering another secret than fighting every creature that dares cross our path.
We probably enjoy exploration so much because of how lovely Deep Dish Dungeon looks. The chunky, pixelated 3D graphics really make the environments pop, while torchlight, narrow corridors and ancient stonework establish an atmosphere that feels mysterious and occasionally unsettling. Darkness affects how we navigate, making our light sources particularly important, and the environmental sounds create the impression that we’re exploring somewhere ancient and long forgotten. Whatever we say, we’re certain we won’t be able to convey just how much charm the presentation has. Kudos to the developers, who have managed to make the dungeon feel inviting to explore while still reminding us of all the dangers lurking inside.
A Promising Expedition
We enjoyed the five hours we spent with the PC version, and we’re looking forward to exploring more of its mysterious world. The lack of handholding and some of its less forgiving mechanics will surely test the patience of some gamers, but the handcrafted dungeon, environmental puzzles and enjoyable cooking mechanics kept us going. All of these made our stay underground a lovely one. We still have plenty left to discover, so consider this an assessment of our experience so far rather than a final judgment on the entire adventure. But if you’re like us and enjoy exploring at your own pace, experimenting with different systems and finding joy in occasionally getting hopelessly lost, then Deep Dish Dungeon is well worth checking out.
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