Greetings, fellow dungeon taskmaster! Are your skull-adorned candleabras not providing enough visual zest? Does your blood-filled reflecting pool tiredly drip when it should boldly flow? Are heroes turning up their noses in indifference as they cross your dank halls?
If you answered yes to any of these questions (or if you're shaking your head in confusion), then read on for some valuable lessons on Dungeons, Realmforge's upcoming dungeon simulator and strategy mix. Managing Director Benjamin Rauscher was kind enough to enthusiastically demonstrate the game for me, showcasing what it's like to step into the plated boots of the evil Dungeon Lord.
As its apt name implies, Dungeons is all about the care and feeding of your underground labyrinth. At first glance, the game oozes a heavy likeness to Bullfrog Productions' 1997 hit Dungeon Keeper. Sure, Dungeons replicates many of the old classic's features — such as a real-time strategy interface, colorful graphics, and a huge item library — but it also takes a vastly different approach when it comes to dealing with those pesky heroes who seem to enjoy snooping around your lair so much.
"In Dungeons, you don't want to kill off heroes right away," cautions Rauscher. "Instead, you need to entertain them as long as possible." And before you start thinking your dungeon exists purely for the enjoyment of heroes — well, first of all, that's mostly true. But more importantly, luring heroes with a clever dungeon layout and smart monster placement will eventually allow you to trap them and (what else?) suck out their souls for valuable resources.
To accomplish this, your dungeon will need to be customized for the needs of each hero brave enough to (foolishly) appear. Waves of heroes spawn at specific "hero gates" dotted throughout the map; in a nod to tower defense games, each hero follows a specific lane as they wander your dungeon. Your job, of course, is to place suitable distractions in their path in order to jack up that sweet, sweet soul essence.
For example, a particular hero might have a predilection for treasure hunting. If you place a glittering mound of gold where he can see it, he'll stop to greedily fill his pockets, boosting his overall happiness. You also earn prestige points, which are used to purchase additional items or upgrade your Dungeon Lord. (Each item, or "gimmick" as Rauscher calls them, comes with its own customizable light source, throwing your dungeon into a moody, multicolored glow.) After your minions beat him into submission, one of your dull-witted goblin lackeys quickly carries him off to a cell to be reaped of his soul.
What happens if your "guests" become bored, you ask? Simple: They'll vent their frustration directly on you. Unsatisfied heroes will beeline for your Dungeon Lord and the Dungeon Heart, the source of your dungeon's power. "If a hero succeeds in destroying the Heart, it's game over," says Rauscher.
Thankfully, you can assume direct control of the Dungeon Lord any time you wish. The gameplay resembles a typical third-person action role-playing game, complete with stats, spells, and clunky armor, natch. While vicariously offing heroes via hordes of monsters is always nice, having the option to deliever a personal beatdown with the hulking Dungeon Lord was an especially welcome treat.
Ultimately, juggling the needs of Dungeons' 15 hero classes — ranging from battle-hardened fighters to knowledge-hungry magicians — presents a palpable challenge. Luckily, sprucing up your dungeon with more items extends your Dungeon Lord's area of influence, enabling your goblins to knock down walls and expand your territory — up to a staggering 400 tiles. This, in turn, dissuades heroes from bunching up in cluttered hallways and becoming a fickle problem for your monsters' spawn points.
Tread lightly while excavating additional rooms, though — you have a chance to inadvertently encroach upon a rival Dungeon Lord and his own dungeon. As you've probably predicted, Dungeon Lords don't exactly knock on each other's portcullis asking for spare sugar. If you manage to emerge victorious in the exhilirating faceoff, the vanquished Dungeon Lord's domain becomes your own. If you lose, no sweat — you'll simply respawn at your Dungeon Heart and try again.
I didn't get the chance to fully experience Dungeon Keeper way back in the '90s, but I'm pleased that Dungeons' fresh take on strategy presents another opportunity to unleash my inner overlord with its planned February 2011 release on the PC. Time to brush up on my sinister laughter.