As part of the Steam Next Fest, fans of dungeon crawlers can get a glimpse of the upcoming game Dungeonborne. As is typical for the genre, there will be a lot of fighting, looting, and leveling up, and yes, also dying. MeinMMO author Christoph Waldboth looked at the demo of the game and shares his impressions.
What game is it about? Dungeonborne is the name of this PvPvE game, which at first glance might remind connoisseurs of the controversial genre representative Dark and Darker. In Dungeonborne, players either venture alone or with up to two companions into a dark fantasy dungeon. There, they fight from a first-person perspective against various opponents and human players, loot treasures, and ultimately leave the dungeon through one of the rare portals.
Only then is the loot theirs. This means Dungeonborne, similar to Dark and Darker, can be classified into the extraction subgenre. In contrast to games like Escape from Tarkov, there are no firearms here. Combat is based on class, using swords, daggers, staves, and more.
A Matter of Class
Who can you play as? Before the adventure begins, I create a new character in the rudimentary editor. The chosen class is especially important. The options are: Warrior, Priest, Rogue, Swordmaster, Fire Mage, Ice Mage, and Death Knight. I decide to go with the Rogue because I like to be sneaky.
In the menu, I can adjust my equipment. I can add new weapons, armor, or items to my inventory, improve my gear with a blacksmith, and exchange the found loot for gold with a merchant.
However, I first need to find this loot. To do this, I choose one of the two playable maps in the demo. On one, I can join a team of up to three players, while on the other, I venture into battle alone. I choose the group and quickly find two random companions. Let’s go, into the adventure.
The first round is short and educational
How does Dungeonborne play? Quite well in the demo. But, one step at a time.
The corridor in front of me is dark. Fortunately, I have a torch with me. Together with my team members, I move forward, and the first skeleton appears around the corner. The first-person combat system works simply and directly. Various combos and special abilities provide variety and diversity. The abilities, like the Rogue’s temporary invisibility, have a short cooldown before they can be used again.
The skeleton has no chance against us alone. We hit hard, and I realize that I also deal damage to my own team. So, I need to be more careful.
Additionally, I am horrified to find that the skeleton has nearly taken my entire health bar with just two hits. I have no healing potions with me. One of my team members generously gives me a bandage. At least.
We three move on and encounter another player. Fortunately, he is traveling alone and has no chance against us. We loot him and find our first treasures.
After a countdown, the map’s radius is restricted. Anyone standing outside of it takes significant damage, similar to Fortnite. So we hurry on and save ourselves in the safe zone. However, around the next corner awaits an ambush. Three skeletons and a goblin attack, and I die. Thus, I lose all the loot and return to the lobby.
In the next round, I get much further. I even spot one of the coveted portals through which you can flee the dungeon. Unfortunately, another player stops me, and I come up short. Again, I am dead, and again, all the loot is gone.
Dungeonborne develops a certain fascination even in the demo. Be it the atmospheric ambiance of the dark dungeons, or the desire to find more treasures in the next round and successfully escape. Once accomplished, the character can level up, and the equipment can be improved. Over time, life in the dungeon becomes easier. But every beginning is hard.
Dungeonborne is fun but has some issues
What is the game’s status? Currently, Dungeonborne can be tried out in a demo on Steam. It quickly becomes clear that the game does little new, but is already an entertaining and exciting representative of its genre.
From a technical standpoint, there are still some construction sites. For example, there is room for improvement in the hitboxes of the enemies. Too often you hit air or get hit, although you were actually far enough away. When an attack succeeds, the hit feedback still leaves something to be desired, depending on the chosen weapon. The game also feels quite sluggish; there is no way to sprint, instead, you meander slowly through the dungeon. This contributes to the oppressive atmosphere and may be intended by the developer.
When will the game be released? There is still no exact date for the release. In the meantime, all genre fans can enjoy themselves in the demo. In addition to the two playable maps, there is also an arena where players can battle in a deathmatch. Plus a training map and the option to play custom duels.
Those who enjoy Dark and Darker or similar dungeon crawlers will likely have fun with Dungeonborne as well. Despite minor flaws, it is already an atmospherically dense game that motivates even more by its high level of difficulty. Just like the motto: Just one more round. If you like extraction games but prefer shooting, you can also check out this new game as part of the Steam Next Fest.
