$49.99Dungeons 4 Be the evil overlord
Dig a dungeon full of monsters and traps, then spread evil across the Overworld with a friend or solo.
Is Dungeons 4 worth it?
Dungeons 4 is worth it if…
- you want to play the villain for once, dungeon and all
- you like building a base and then marching an army out of it
- you enjoy strategy games that refuse to take themselves seriously
- you want a campaign or skirmish maps to play with one friend
- you have a soft spot for a narrator who never stops talking
Screenshots
Your dungeon, your rules
Dig out rooms, place a workshop here, a barracks there, and keep your creatures fed, paid and reasonably content. Snots handle the digging and hauling while the Horde, the Undead and the Demons move in and wait for orders. Dungeons are up to four times larger than in the previous game, so there is room for truly sprawling layouts. And you will need it: Dwarves arrive to build their own underground strongholds and compete with you for space and resources, while Elven and Human raiding parties sneak in to reach your Dungeon Heart. Traps at every corridor, creatures on standby, and the gold song echoing somewhere in the dark.
Turn the Overworld evil
Upstairs, the world is lush, green and far too cheerful about it. You fix that. Beat Mini Bosses, like the obsessively harmonious Unicorn, to gather Evilness, then spend it to corrupt the land into biomes of pure evil that shine vibrantly on the map. The customizable Evil Hand slaps subordinates, moves things around and generally reminds everyone who is in charge. Thalya, the Absolute Evil's loyal Dark Elf subordinate, gets her own perk system, so you pick the powers that fit how you like to conquer. The good people of the Overworld will not just watch their home become a dark holiday paradise, so expect resistance.
A campaign with a narrator
The story is simple and unashamed: the Absolute Evil and Thalya return to finish what they started against the forces of good. What carries it is the writing. A long campaign is narrated by the English narrator the series is known for, and he comments on everything you do and fail to do, alongside Thalya's antics and a steady stream of jokes and fourth-wall-poking pop culture references. The cartoon look matches the tone: bright, stylized and full of personality rather than grim. Several skirmish maps round it out when the story is done.
Better evil with a friend
Two players can run one dungeon together, and every campaign mission and skirmish map is playable in co-op. That changes the rhythm of the game: one of you digs and manages rooms while the other handles the army upstairs, or you split the corridors however you like and shout about incoming heroes. It is a low-pressure way to play, built around joining up, dividing the work and reacting together when a raiding party hits a tunnel you forgot to trap. If you want a strategy game to play with one friend on an evening, this fits.
Can you play it at your own pace?
Is the game funny, or just evil?
Both, but the funny is the point. The humor runs through the dialogue, the narrator's constant commentary, Thalya and the situations the campaign puts you in, with plenty of pop culture references along the way. The cartoon art style keeps the tone light even while you are corrupting a peaceful forest.
Do you need to play the earlier games first?
No. The story continues from the previous game, but it is a simple, jokey plot, and the game explains what you need as you go. If you like the idea of building a dungeon and playing the bad side, you can start here.
Is it relaxing or demanding?
Demanding more than meditative. Missions often push you between your dungeon and the Overworld, and several use timers, so you are rarely idle. If you prefer slow, unhurried base building, know that this one keeps you busy.
Can you build your own maps?
Yes. There is a level editor, and the game supports player-made maps alongside the campaign and the skirmish maps, so there is more to play once the built-in content runs out.
