Dungeon Encounters

 PlayStation 4
Dungeon Encounters Image
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 4 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 9 Ratings

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  • Summary: A new dungeon exploration RPG where you must strategize to survive. An otherworldly labyrinth has suddenly appeared on the outskirts of a quiet town. Make clever use of your abilities to chart the depths, overcome obstacles and defeat your foes in thrilling battles. From some of the keyA new dungeon exploration RPG where you must strategize to survive. An otherworldly labyrinth has suddenly appeared on the outskirts of a quiet town. Make clever use of your abilities to chart the depths, overcome obstacles and defeat your foes in thrilling battles. From some of the key development team behind the legendary FINAL FANTASY franchise, DUNGEON ENCOUNTERS is a dungeon exploration RPG where you must strategize to survive. The streamlined interface gives you the freedom to prepare and manage your party as you strive to reach the final floor.

    During your expeditions, you'll discover rare and powerful items, meet lost adventurers who might just become new allies, and come face-to-face with deadly monsters.

    Do you have what it takes to overcome the numerous trials that await you and discover the dungeon's secrets?

    ■Events
    By uncovering and visiting spaces with white numbers, you may obtain items, unlock and change abilities, restore your party to health, find hidden merchants, and much more.

    Battle encounters, marked with black numbers, are hidden throughout the map. However, they can be revealed with a special ability, allowing you to choose when and where to engage your enemies.

    Previously discovered events will be recorded in the Event Log, a valuable resource that allows you to reference past experiences to tackle future challenges.

    ■Battles
    Test your strategies in thrilling battles, featuring the Active Time Battle (ATB) system made famous by the FINAL FANTASY series.
    … Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. Destructoid
    Oct 27, 2021
    85
    Dungeon Encounters is one of the best games I’ve played this year. I get that may be kind of hard to believe given its stripped-down presentation. After all, this isn’t exactly the type of game we expect to come from Square Enix, a developer that is no stranger to extravagant graphics and battle systems. But if you’re judging it on looks alone, you’re really not going to be able to see the rewarding dungeon crawler found within. Give it a shot, and once you get into it, you might see it the way I do: as a gripping, strategic adventure that is not only a game but a celebration of one of the great innovations of the turn-based RPG genre.
  2. GameSpew
    Oct 18, 2021
    80
    With some serious talent behind its creation, Dungeon Encounters deserves much more fanfare than it has so far received. This might not be as flashy as a typical RPG from Square Enix, but it’s clever, it’s engaging, and its simple but deceptively deep gameplay loop will keep you coming back for more. Add to that a killer soundtrack overseen by Nobuo Uematsu, and you’ve got something rather special on your hands.
  3. Noisy Pixel
    Oct 19, 2021
    80
    Even though the game lacks conveniences that are now ubiquitous in modern RPGs, I don’t think their absences worsen the experience. I certainly enjoyed Dungeon Encounters and would recommend it to anyone looking for an exploration-rich RPG, where all you do is explore an everlasting labyrinth. And hey, maybe you can bet with your friends on which floor you can get to before dying! (No? Just me? Aw.)
  4. RPG Fan
    Dec 7, 2021
    78
    I had a blast with Dungeon Encounters. The character and monster art is gorgeous, the minimalism is refreshing, and filling out the maps is a real dopamine rush. Still, it is definitely not for everyone. Dungeon Encounters is a very relaxing game most of the time, and the kind of excitement it offers is not comparable to the bombastic action and cinematic scenes of many popular games. And despite how mellow it may seem and how much of a rhythm it tends to lull you into, Dungeon Encounters punishes mistakes harshly, so you always have to be paying attention. I also found some of the later sections of the labyrinth were visually difficult to parse and that the developers had used up their best ideas within the first sixty floors.
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  1. 3DJuegos
    Oct 26, 2021
    Dungeon Encounters is a Final Fantasy meets Etrian Odyssey meets Hero Quest. It´s a good game and an awesome design, but it needs better visuals, presentation and world design.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 0 out of 2
  1. Glogglies
    Oct 28, 2021
    10
    Cozy, thoughtful dungeon crawler without the frills. This is a bare bones dungeon crawler with some surprising depth in exploration and classCozy, thoughtful dungeon crawler without the frills. This is a bare bones dungeon crawler with some surprising depth in exploration and class customization. 100% reccomend!… Expand
  2. Zdygard
    Jan 6, 2022
    9
    You have to know what you're getting into. This game isn't for everyone. But for those it IS made for they will love it. It's rpg boiled downYou have to know what you're getting into. This game isn't for everyone. But for those it IS made for they will love it. It's rpg boiled down to the best part, feedback loops of better gear, exploration, learning enemies. I do think they are a few things that need to change and then it would be a definite 10. I would like an in-game guide to the monsters, but most importantly some of the crazy "gotchas" that almost reset your game with bo warning (going into debt, losing your party, monsters that one hit your entire party with no warning).

    Yeah the difficulty is good but a few parts ARE too hard. I hope they change some of the harder "gotchas". I'm assuming they will update this and then it'll be a 10. I hope the devs are listening and going to update the game with QoL improvements. Until then, save scum! Which is t not my favorite thing to do but in not averse to it. I just wish I had better options to avoid the "gotchas".    … Expand