Amplitude Studios certainly isn’t content with simply replicating the success of its previous game, Endless Space, by releasing a sequel.
While Endless Space was an incredibly enjoyable 4X strategy game with in the vein of Galactic Civilizations, the developer is changing tack with its latest offering, Dungeon of the Endless. While set in the same universe as the previous game, Dungeon is a completely different beast - both in gameplay and artstyle. A roguelike with heavy elements of base defense, the game sees a ship crash-landing on a hostile alien world and attempting to survive.
You start each game by choosing two different adventurers from a wide selection (though only three are playable in the current build), each of which has their own strengths and weaknesses. Some are fast but weak, others are slow but have high defense. The purpose of each randomly-generated level is to escort a power source from the starting room through to the exit. Lose your crystal to the waves of attacking monsters, and it’s game over. Lose all your squad members - and death in the game is permanent - and it’s game over.
The room in each floor is closed off behind a door that needs to be opened, and doing so nets you resources. What’s lurking behind that door is usually a series of monsters, but you might find a traveling merchant, or an item chest.
Where things get interesting is that most rooms also contain nodes for you to install various modules. Larger nodes allow you to install modules which grant a bonus to the amount of science (used for researching new technologies at the research stations you come across in the world), production (used to pay for installing modules) or food (used to heal yourself, increase your abilities, and pay for recruiting new team members -who randomly spawn during the game). Smaller nodes, meanwhile, can be used to install various defense systems - laser turrets, a defense-boosting force-field, or mines.
Before you can do any of this, however, you need to power up the room - simply done by clicking the middle mouse button. However powering up a room requires an adjacent room to already be powered and it costs you Dust, a fourth and final resource. Dust can only be gained by slaughtering enemies, so gameplay becomes an exercise in balancing your resources and trying not to spread yourself too thinly. Your characters are relatively weak to start with, and they need to be moved independently - you can’t tell them all to move at once. While this sounds like it might be frustrating, it actually makes the game more strategic. Do you split up and all go your own way to explore the dungeon, or do you leave everyone in one room aside from a scout, to be used to open doors and lure monsters back to a heavily-defended area? The choice is entirely yours, and the random layouts of each floor ensure that no two runs are ever the same.
Once you discover the exit in each level, you’ll need to carry your crystal to the end before you can make it out alive. Picking it up not only slows your movement, but also triggers a massive wave of invading enemies - so you need to ensure that your defenses are robust enough to hold back the hordes while you make a run for it.
Whereas Endless Space opted for a clean, modern approach to its visuals, Dungeon goes for a retro pixel-art style. It’s certainly eye catching, and sprites are well-animated, while some lovely ambient lighting in the game sets an oppressive atmosphere that brings to mind Super Metroid - as does an atmospheric soundtrack that really drives home a sense of foreboding.
Dungeon of the Endless is certainly one to watch. It’s immensely satisfying to play, with the same one-more-go appeal that makes the roguelike genre so addictive. The blend of random dungeon exploration with the need to strategically map out your surroundings and manage resources is also compelling, while tying resource generation to opening doors is a stroke of genius, actively forcing you into confrontations in order to build up your defenses.
The game is currently in Early Access, with the final version still being some way off; but based on the Alpha build that’s currently available, it’s already looking as though Amplitude Studios is on to another winner.
Dale Morgan
@spamdangled
Latest posts by Dale Morgan (see all)
- Bravely Second Confirmed For Western Release - 2 June 2024
- Witcher 3 Patch 1.04 Will Fix Small Text On Consoles - 2 June 2024
- More Single-Player Content For Dragon Age: Inquisition On The Way - 2 June 2024
