Dungeon Clawler, an action packed mix of rogue like adventure, claw machine antics, and deck-building strategy that is sure to scratch the itch for game players seeking challenge, creative ingenuity, and definitely a healthy dose of retro arcade goodness. Combining luck with deck building, adventurers traverse these random filled dungeons with just their wits, a handful of themed cards, and a claw machine that dispenses blessings and curses alike.

The focus of Dungeon Clawler is its deck-building mechanics and players are required to select a deck of cards that depict abilities, actions and items. Every card is an integral part of battle, exploration and survival. Dungeon Clawler is unique in its deck-building approach, though, instead of acquiring new cards by static means such as defeating two bosses or clearing levels, players must use the mysterious, and often fickle, claw machine to fill their decks.

This claw machine represents the main mechanic for obtaining loot in-game, injecting a healthy dose of uncertainty and excitement into the experience. Players slot in coins (which they gain from combat and exploration) and hope to seize weapons, armor, potions, and even rare artefacts trapped within its inscrutable grasp. The difficulty is the need to keep up with the machine’s occasionally-erratic motions and snag them, which can mean instant victory, while failing to do so can leave you open to attack by the next batch of foes.

The rogue like elements of Dungeon Clawler guarantee that no two runs are the same. Each dungeon is progressively generated, so with every new playthrough, you get a whole new labyrinth of challenges, traps and treasures. Additionally, enemies will be very different in type, strengths, and behavior, which means players will have to adapt their strategies on the fly. With death as a regular fixture, it makes careful preparation and risk management a must. A single misstep can end your quest and return you to the beginning, armed with nothing but wisdom you learned from previous failure.

Special artefacts hidden around the dungeons, once discovered and used wisely, can dramatically change the trajectory of your adventure. They may temporary charge, freak new abilities, or go so far as to offer new ways to tact even the game and mechanics of the world.

Dungeon Clawler feels retro in a good way, a callback to that golden era of arcade games with its pixel-art aesthetics, and the combination makes a hell of an experience. Its soundtrack consists of a haunting medley of electronic beats and orchestral flourishes that fit right in with the game's tense and atmospheric vibe.

To conclude, Dungeon Clawler hunkers down somewhere between a deck builder, a rogue like, and platforming arcade action. Now, playing it once, maybe twice, is artful, but through progressively generated content and a plethora of strategic options, each run of the claw machine is different, with mechanics as novel as the game itself. Such a deck-builder, so rogue like, very good challenge, Dungeon Clawler deserves your attention, and dropping into that world for a few minutes at time can truly pay off.

By Jerry | Copyright © Game-Nook - All Rights Reserved