Curse of the Dead Gods

 Xbox One
Curse of the Dead Gods Image
Metascore
90

Universal acclaim - based on 5 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
7.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 22 Ratings

Your Score
0 out of 10
Rate this:
  • 10
  • 9
  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1
  • 0
  • 0
  • Summary: You seek untold riches, eternal life, divine powers -- it leads to this accursed temple, a seemingly-infinite labyrinth of bottomless pits, deadly traps, and monsters.

    Your greed will lead you to death, but that is not an escape. Rise to fight again. Delve deeper again. Defy the malignant    You seek untold riches, eternal life, divine powers -- it leads to this accursed temple, a seemingly-infinite labyrinth of bottomless pits, deadly traps, and monsters.

    Your greed will lead you to death, but that is not an escape. Rise to fight again. Delve deeper again. Defy the malignant deities that linger in this place. Battle through hordes of enemies in dark, cavernous passages filled with traps and secrets of all sorts -- fire-spewing statues, explosives, hidden spikes, and worse.

    Collect mystical Relics and an arsenal of weapons to make yourself unstoppable. Corruption builds in you with every step -- encourage or ignore it, but each powerful curse can be a double-edged sword.    … Expand

Trailer

Play Sound
Please enter your birth date to watch this video:
You are not allowed to view this material at this time.
Curse Of The Dead Gods - Official Gameplay Overview Trailer

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. Xbox Tavern
    Mar 15, 2021
    91
    Curse of the Dead Gods isn’t for everyone but if you’re a fan of combat-focused rogue-lites then this should definitely be on your radar. It has the potential to be in the upper echelon of the genre; in order for it truly get there the developers will need to give the game regular content updates, which seems like the norm for the top games in the genre. Whether they do or not the game has a solid foundation built around a weighty combat system and a slick-looking art style. Even after playing the game almost exclusively over the past two weeks, I’m still staying up way too late saying “oh, just one more level”.
  2. TheXboxHub
    Feb 23, 2021
    90
    In all, Curse of the Dead Gods on Xbox is a game that is easy to recommend to anyone looking for a challenge. It is is always hard, always difficult, and has not a shred of mercy built into it. In fact, you need to be on top of your game in order to make it to the bosses, never mind to take them down. But should you fail, you can always put your finger on why you did so. The gameplay is complemented well by the overall design; the enemies are great, the Temple looks amazing and the mechanics of the corruption and the light is very well-realised. While it won’t be to everyone’s taste, if a challenge is something you seek, Curse of the Dead Gods will provide it.
  3. God is a Geek
    Feb 23, 2021
    90
    Curse of the Dead Gods is an excellent rogue-like, and the massive variety of curses, weapons and buffs creates a different experience each time.
  4. Screen Rant
    Feb 23, 2021
    90
    The entire Curse of the Dead Gods experience at launch has a wonderful difficulty ramp only matched by the best in the genre. Combat is smooth and always challenging, but victory is never out of reach. Rooms get more complicated as players move on, but they're welcome obstacles rather than brick walls that kill a run dead. Add in a stylish presentation and a unique theme and it's hard to find much to complain about with this final release. Passtech Games has carved out a new space in roguelikes that should appeal to fans of The Binding of Isaac and Darkest Dungeon alike.
  5. XboxAddict
    Mar 8, 2021
    87
    While most roguelikes eventually frustrate me, Curse of the Dead Gods has a rewarding treadmill that I didn’t really tire of, especially because of its excellent combat that feels great once you learn its intricacies. While certain aspects did frustrate me, that simply comes with the territory in the genre. Never once did I die and felt as if it was unfair, as I knew it was something I did or didn’t do, and the blame was directly on me. If you’re looking for a challenging yet gratifying roguelike, Curse of the Dead Gods should be on your list.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. barneygumble
    Aug 18, 2021
    10
    Didn`t like it at first glance - as it felt confusing, with high learning curve - and my biggest mistake was I bought in on Switch.
    Giving    Didn`t like it at first glance - as it felt confusing, with high learning curve - and my biggest mistake was I bought in on Switch.
    Giving it a second change on Xbox via Gamepass - and I have to admit I was wrong about this game, it rocks, hooked me in like only Dead Cells could before with "Roguelike" Games. It plays so much better on a Xbox (Series X) due the Controller, stable framerate, 4K where you can really see the immense detail of the graphics, smooth controls and even more smooth Action.

    Personally I prefer CURSE OF THE DEAD GODS to the overhyped Hades.    … Expand
  2. FaTOdd
    Mar 9, 2021
    10
    I didn’t expect another rogue like game that reaches this level, it forces you to make decisions and think about the consequences. TheI didn’t expect another rogue like game that reaches this level, it forces you to make decisions and think about the consequences. The mechanics are great, and the bosses are fantastic. And the insane idea of getting corrupted is just absolutely insane, it makes it so much more challenging and fun. Get this game, sale or not, you will not regret it. Ive poured so much time in the game and this game is a masterpiece.… Expand
  4. GamerGuysNGals
    Feb 28, 2021
    9
    One of the best games I've played this year. I'd say it might be my favorite in this genre of all times. I'm not usually big on these type ofOne of the best games I've played this year. I'd say it might be my favorite in this genre of all times. I'm not usually big on these type of games, but this one really left a impression on me. I'd certainly recommend this one over and over. So well designed and loaded with replay value. 8.8 out of 10… Expand
  5. gnadenlos
    Mar 1, 2021
    9
    This is not Hades! This game will get a lot of negative reviews from people that expected the casual experience and the mirror-upgrade + storyThis is not Hades! This game will get a lot of negative reviews from people that expected the casual experience and the mirror-upgrade + story loop of Hades.

    The core game play of Curse of the Dead Gods is much deeper, but it doesn't have story content or that many rougue-lite elements. You have to improve your skills instead of mirror upgrades in this game - it's much more skill based and if you know how to play and how to handle the controls and enemy attack patterns you could easily win without any permanent upgrades.

    If you're looking for a great rogue-lite dungeon crawler with game play focus instead of Hades 2.0, you can't go wrong.    … Expand
  6. Shotgun77
    Apr 19, 2021
    9
    Curse of the Dead Gods (Curse) is an isometric dungeon crawler that will test you, again, and again, and again. There is little to no story toCurse of the Dead Gods (Curse) is an isometric dungeon crawler that will test you, again, and again, and again. There is little to no story to speak of, but taking the time to read the lore that becomes available as you progress is worth the time. After over 50 hours of game time, I’m convinced that this is one of the more challenging games you will play. The combat system is more akin to a Dark Souls game than the frequent comparisons to Hades would lead you to believe. A run through one of the 3 main temples (Eagle, Jaguar, & Serpent) will range anywhere from 30 minutes to 90 minutes depending on your level of patience, and you will need plenty of patience if you hope to succeed. Fortunately, the save system is forgiving and the chance to save is offered at the beginning of each new room. The weapons are categorized as the main, secondary, and special or two-handed. Each main weapon exists on a spectrum ranging from low damage/fast attack speed, to high damage/slow attack speed. The ranged weapons are usually more of a detriment than an asset as they don’t do nearly enough damage to justify using them in a crowded room which will almost certainly result in taking high amounts of damage from enemies. The enemies are unique and each class requires a separate approach as they pose a significant threat that could potentially ruin a run from just a single hit or two depending on the enemy (I’m looking at you electrified babies). Each dungeon level ending or tier ending is accompanied by boss or champions that can kill you with just a few hits if you stand still for too long and similar to a souls game, memorization of the various stages or boss evolutions is crucial. If you’re good enough to master the actual gameplay, then the corruption system will be sure to throw an even bigger wrench in your cogs. Corruption is acquired in a variety of ways and once the meter reaches its max limit, you will incur what is called a curse. Curses can both benefit and harm you, but it’s mostly very harmful to have too many curses. There are only 5 total curses that can be held at one time, but the 5th and final curse will continually drain your HP until it reaches +1. Curses and corruption can be removed or subtracted by completing boss battles, or by obtaining certain relics. Relics are stat boosters and come in a wide variety of interesting forms that can be tailored to your specific game style. Each choice in Curse has a gravity to it as the wrong choice could easily spell the end, no matter how good of a position you have yourself in. Curse is rarely ever unfair in how it deals out deaths, even though death is dealt by the barrel load. You will need to learn to parry or roll to survive, and your dedication and focus will determine your ability to complete a run. Curse is a must buy!… Expand
  7. ZackH25
    Mar 22, 2023
    8
    So what makes this game worth it is the bosses. The bosses are possibly one of the best I have played against in a rougelike. Its combat isSo what makes this game worth it is the bosses. The bosses are possibly one of the best I have played against in a rougelike. Its combat is basic but addictive and there are quite a few ways to play. But once you have beat the game like 5 times, there is not really much more. Also there is essentially no story.… Expand
  8. tom974
    May 8, 2023
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. A nice Roguelike at first glance with original mechanics of its own. My main problem here is the repetivity, the lack of punch (like deadcells or hades) and moreover : the lack of balance (not every build will bring you to the end) and the difficulty which presents enormous gaps at the end and "postgame". It was not necessary to put the difficulty to such an extent.… Expand

See all 8 User Reviews

Trailers