I am always looking for little casual games that look interesting, and that I can play to kill 15 minutes before it’s time to leave for something or other. Seriously, the number of times that I’ve been late to a social outing of some sort because I stupidly decided “Oh, I’ll just play this big shooter for 15 minutes and then save and leave!”, and end up playing for an hour and a half…kind of embarrassing.

This game definitely fits the bill.

The graphics are simplistic. The sounds effects are minimal. It doesn’t matter. It’s fun, it’s designed to be a quick play, and it’s never the same game twice.

Above is the game menu. Pick a race, pick a class, pick a game type. That second row of classes (Berserker, Rogue and Monk) I’ve actually unlocked by finishing the game with the basic classes above them. Gauntlet and Snake Pit modes were also unlocked through play. The other pic is the basic game screen, as I try (YET AGAIN) to finish it as a Wizard who looks like Santa (I got your Christmas right here, denizens of evil!). Every time you start a game, a dungeon is randomly constructed for that run through. It ends when you either die or retire. Next game, new random dungeon. You collect gold to spend on items at one time use shops, gather attack and defense bonuses and health and mana boosts, collect healing and mana potions, find spells, and can declare yourself the servant of one of many gods if you encounter altars. Each God will give you piety for certain things, and remove it if you go against it’s will. Piety can be exchanged at that God’s altar for character bonuses. Run around, fight shit, kill or be killed, level up and gain new abilities.

Every dungeon has a level 10 boss (In the above case…Medusa). You have to defeat the boss to defeat the dungeon. More often than not, you will be crushed like a bug. Frequently, you won’t even get that far and be slaughtered as you’re penned in to your starting area by 2 Level 7 zombies and a Level 8 Meatman. Yes…Meatmen are an enemy class.

Anyway, it’s fun, it’s tough, it’s easy, it’s fast to play, and it’s free. If you’re looking for a diversion, grab Desktop Dungeons.