Dungelot: Shattered Lands
Overview -
The 'Dungelot' series is developed by a two-person Russian studio called Red Winter. 'Dungelot: Shattered Lands' is the first desktop release in the franchise and has been produced with the help of publisher tinyBuild. The previous mobile-only series features roguelike elements, RPG elements, and, interestingly enough, certain gameplay mechanics that call back to the Windows classic, 'Minesweeper.'
Video Review
'Dungelot: Shattered Lands' looks like a mobile title, which is to be expected given its heritage. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Models are bright and cartoonish, even the monsters, and all of the effects and textures have a cheerful appearance. The game is heavy on clicking and perhaps not fully optimized for a mouse and keyboard, as I frequently scrolled through several menus in a row to conduct a single action. There are no keybinds or much in the way of settings at all.
Audio Review
The audio is one of the weaker parts of the game. The music and effects are forgettable fantasy fare, with little to distinguish them from many similar games that have come before it.
Final Thoughts
With 'Dungelot: Shattered Lands,' Red Winter has managed to successfully marry strategic elements with a very simple framework, perfect for gaming in small pieces or long benders. They captured the magic from their first 'Dungelot' while avoiding the freemium pitfalls of the second, and 'Shattered Lands' comes out all the better for it. Some modest polishing issues fail to spoil its charm.
