Summary
A dungeon crawler, as a genre, can mean a lot of different things to varying groups of people. It’s commonly associated with RPGs likeDungeons and Dragons. While there are things to be done outside of dungeons, the dungeons are the main hook of a campaign for DMs. Another RPG example would includetheYsserieswhich features little story and more action-packed dungeons.
What about a big company like Square Enix? Have they put out any good dungeon crawlers in the RPG, puzzle, or pure action genres? Together, and separately as Squaresoft and Enix, they certainly have. Let’s go through some of the best out there. These games will be ranked not just by score but more so on how they embody the dungeon crawler aspect of freedom through exploration.
Lara Croft and the Guardian of Lightis the first top-down spinoff in what would become a duology.Lara Croft and the Temple of Osiriswas the sequel and it offered four-player co-op instead of two. More does not necessarily mean better though becauseLara Croft and the Guardian of Lighthad more of a pure puzzle experience. Alone, players could inhabit the titular Lara Croft who was assisted by a Mayan warrior, Totec, in one of her many tomb raiding expeditions.
Players could fight off enemies with guns and spears, but the focus again was on the puzzle-solving. There were lots of traps too, so it wasn’t an easy game to navigate even with a friend playing as Totec. It was a short, downloadable adventure but it can still stand proudly next to some ofLara’s best gameslike the original trilogy. It is a good game, but not an RPG or a dungeon crawler in the traditional sense.
Dungeon Siegewas a classic PC dungeon crawler franchise similar toDiabloor manyDungeons and Dragonsgames. Square Enix got the rights in the late 2000s and then went on to help publish the new entry,Dungeon Siege 3, on consoles. That was a big deal and it was also a big deal that itsupported local couch co-op.
Players could team up with friends, fight enemies, get loot, and explore dungeons, the world, and other locations. There was an intricate story with dialogue choices as was customary in late 2000s RPGs, but the game is mostly remembered for the gameplay. The dungeons weren’t too elaborate in terms of traps, puzzles, and length, butDungeon Siege 3was still a fulfilling entry.
Voice of Cards: The Isle Dragon Roarsis a dungeon crawler adjacent RPG that is more in line with a choose your own adventure game or aDungeons and Dragonscampaign. Players begin the game as Ash, a bounty hunter, along with his animal companion, Mar, and a mysterious witch named Melanie. Together, the three set off to kill a legendary dragon but not all is as it seems.
The game is displayed entirely out of cards from the turn-based gameplay to the dialogue to the world map. Players will move their piece around the world or in a dungeon and then adjacent cards will flip over to reveal more paths, monsters, treasure chests, doors, and so on. It’s a simplistic way to convey the game but it works well andthe card-based gameplayis fun too. It feels old-school but it plays and looks like a modern game.
2Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles
A Classic RPG Franchise Redefined For Multiplayer
There are tons of dungeon crawler-like games in theFinal Fantasyfranchise likeFinal Fantasy ExplorersandStranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin. Among them all,Final Fantasy Crystal Chroniclesfits the bill the closest. It was an odd little multiplayer game for the GameCube at the time but to note, it could be played solo as well.
Players could join together in four-player co-op with one copy of the game but every participant had to have a GBA anda Link Cable. The GBA served as their menu screen and as their controller. In dungeons, players could fight enemies, and gather items and magic, and all progress would cease after exiting the dungeon. It had more in common with a roguelike than an RPG but it was memorable all the same.
Cross Treasuresfeels like a true dungeon crawler in every sense of the word. It is simple in its execution which is exactly what some players want. Players can create a character with a weapon of their choosing, like twin blades, and then they can pretty much get started in the dungeon run. There is a town players will operate out of where they can rest, buy new gear, accept quests, and so on.
The dungeon is one big sprawling catacomb and each biome is locked with a key. Finish one and another will unlock. It’s a top-down action RPG wherein floors are handcrafted even though it feels like a roguelike. Leveling up and other upgrades will not be lost in death either. It’s a fine littleRPG on the DSand it’s a shame it never left Japan. While not 100% complete, there is a fan-translated version in English out there and it makes the game more than playable. It’s a real hidden gem in Square Enix’s catalog.
Now,Torneko’s Great Adventurewas developed and published by Chunsoft (Spike Chunsoft nowadays), so it is not a Square Enix game; however, it is part of theDragon Questfranchise, which is under Square Enix’s umbrella nowadays. Chunsoft’s history is also tied to Enix. Consequently, this game warrants a special mention.
Torneko’s Great Adventurewas a spinoff toDragon Quest 4starring one of the party members, Torneko. In that game and this, Tornekowas a shopkeeperwho dived into dungeons to find rare items for his customers. That seemed like a good enough premise already, so a spinoff was made.
This is a true dungeon crawler mixed with a roguelike. Floors are generated after every run as are items and monsters. It’s a tough game, but at least the English fan translation helps. Torneko got three more roguelike adventures following this SNES game. Of them all,Torneko: The Last Hopewas a PS1 game that did come to the West officially and none of the others have yet. Any of these games are great for dungeon-hungry RPG fans, but again, they are challenging.
