This week I have only been playing games with the word “empire” in their names. Empire Avenue, the social-media trading game is one of them, and I may write about that at another time, but the one that has most of my attention right now is a Free-to-play game called Dungeon Empires.
Dungeon Empires is a next-gen free-to-play 3D browser game that presents a unique mix of tactical role-playing game and dungeon editor. Prove your skill as a dungeon builder and create your own lair full of monsters and other dangers. Those who dare to enter your dungeon must not be allowed to make it out alive! Explore and plunder other players’ dungeons, fight against terrifying creatures and loot new monsters, rooms and items to make your chamber of horrors even more deadly and grandiose.
What awaits you?
Build your own dungeon and challenge your friends!
Conjure and train mighty monsters!
Take part in intense turn-based battles!
Create and train your own hero!
Team up with friend to plunder enemy dungeons!
Highly-detailed 3D graphics right in your browser!Descend into the underworld. Fame and great fortune await!
It’s a fairly simple of game of building your own dungeon, and adventuring into other people’s dungeons in order to find more parts for your dungeon, so that people can then adventure in your dungeon to find better parts for their dungeon. Dungeons figure quite large in Dungeon Empires.
It is a fully 3D affair, using the Unity engine. The adventuring side of things does still feel a bit primitive, but it is engaging, especially for short gaming sessions. I have a soft spot for turn-based combat. Every combat results in a chest, which is always fun, in a “pull the arm on the slot machine” sort of way.
Arkenor criticially smites a Mercenary in Dungeon Empires
The cash shop sells a full range of dungeon parts and adventuring gear. It’s a bit overpriced in my opinion, but they have played fair, and all the items can also be obtained through gameplay. So far I have not felt the need to buy anything, but then I do have rather more time on my hands than most.
When players come to my dungeon, they either get through to the exit, or perish. Either way, I receive some gold and items, though I receive rather more if they die :D So, it is important to get as many people visiting your dungeon as possible. For that reason, it is unfortunate that there is go good way to find a suitable dungeon for your level, other than searching manually through them all. That needs rectifying soon. When you do find a good one, be sure to write its name down!
Adventuring is a bit of a necessary evil, as you need to gather monsters, rooms and fixtures to build your own dungeon. Spare items can be broken down into runes for upgrading your existing dungeon parts. I would prefer to not have to adventure quite so much, and just build my dungeon, but I suppose if everybody felt like that then there would not be anyone visiting my dungeon. The adventuring side of the game needs to be made much more interesting, I think, for Dungeon Empires to have longevity. It has to be so much fun that people would want to play that game, even if there was not a dungeon building game attached to it, and I don’t think that is really how things stands. In the short term though, I’m having a great time. Take a look at my devilish creation below!
Arkenor's Dungeon Empires Map - Here there be no Dragons. Yet.
I’ve now got almost entirely uncommmon rarity rooms and above, allowing me to unlock plenty of monster slots. There’s still a lot of upgrading to do of course, and I need more rare monsters! If you feel inclined, why not come pay my dungeon a visit at the Dungeon Empires website. I’ll probably be writing further about how the game works at a later date
Looks like fun! I’ll definitely give it a shot.