Game: One More Dungeon 2
Genre: Action, RPG, Roguelite
System: Nintendo Switch (also on Steam (Windows), PS4 and Xbox)
Developer|Publisher: Stately Snail | Ratalaika Games
Age Rating: EU 12 | US Teen
Price: US $14.99 | UK £14.99 | EU €14,99
Release Date: March 1st, 2024
Review code provided with many thanks to PR Hound.
One More Dungeon 2 a Notable Upgrade
I have fond memories of the original One More Dungeon game. This was one of the very early games I picked up on the Nintendo Switch that I sunk an unhealthy amount of time into in handheld mode. A simple but effective dungeon crawler with procedurally generated levels and those addictive roguelike elements that I was very hooked on.
So I was pretty excited to play this sequel, which feels like an upgrade on everything from the first game. This includes new graphics and building on the mechanics that made the first so fun to pick up. The only trouble is the game releases at a time when the genre is incredibly bloated. Where once I had three roguey games in rotation, now it feels like hundreds to choose from. In short, I liked One More Dungeon 2, but I’m not so sure it holds its own against other titles that have been released since the first.
A Snail’s Bidding
The premise of the game sees you control a nameless adventure seeker. After exploring the wrong dungeon, you are imprisoned by some pretty grumpy giant snails. In order to earn your freedom you have been tasked to explore more dungeons and vanquish a beast which has been terrorizing the snails. It may be a simple plot, but it scores points for its unique premise. I’m not sure I’ve played a game with a focus on snails since Snail Maze on the Master System. And if you know that game, congrats, you’re old.
Dual Wield
One More Dungeon 2 is controlled in the first person perspective. You start each run with a weapon in each hand. A melee weapon like a stick or dagger, and a magic staff. Like a lot of the game, your starting weapons are randomly generated, which keeps things fresh. You can swipe with the melee weapon or charge up an attack which costs energy. The wand is useful for ranged attacks but does cost crystal energy and is best to be used when needed. You can also fling bombs, which can help clear a room and unlock hidden areas, but they come in limited supply. New weapons can be obtained like bows, shields and various magic staffs. There’s plenty to experiment with.
A Bit Clumsy
The controls are a little bit flimsy. Using the magic staff is easy enough, but melee combat can often feel clunky. The movement also feels a tad slow when navigating the dungeons. You can even jump in this game. This comes into play usually when you enter a special area where you need to navigate through hazards like swinging blades. It seems like a good idea in principle, but these moments are not nearly as enjoyable as exploring the dungeons and seeking new loot.
Just One More Dungeon
Run by run, you’ll dive into the randomly generated dungeons, fail at some stage and be kicked back to the start of the game. At what might seem like a snail’s pace, you will gradually learn the game’s mechanics, unlock new character classes, shortcuts and stat buffs, and gradually edge closer to your goal. This is, of course, what I call the roguelite loop.
After all these years since I discovered the game Spelunky, it’s a formula that still works. But for some gamers this will feel like an exceptionally tedious high barrier to entry. I’m pretty experienced in this genre, and it took me a very long time to progress past the first major boss fight. This may not appeal to someone testing the water for the very first time, as you see the same opening dungeon a lot, sometimes making absolutely zero progress after a run. Despite this I still could not help attempting one more dungeon. The game clearly lives up to its title.
Random Generation
The random generation can be very brutal in the early stages of this game. I had runs where I just couldn’t find any useful items and dealt with endless waves of enemies with the base weapons. Then, on other runs, I’m showered with healing items, so much so I didn’t have space in my inventory to pack them all. It feels like the game could use a bit of tweaking to its balancing to avoid these extreme swings in difficulty.
New 3D Look
If you are familiar with the first game, the most stand-out feature is the graphical overhaul. The game has moved from 2D-pixel sprites to a much more unique 3D appearance. It’s a huge improvement with a wide assortment of enemies. It’s rare I’ll highlight in a game how good the dungeons look. The game certainly has that generic grey brick experience you see for most dungeons, but it’s all decorated with foliage, spider webs and various pieces of furniture that make it much more appealing.
I do have some niggles. The main one is that not all the furniture is destructible. It’s odd how you can destroy wooden barrels, but you can’t destroy similar-looking wooden beds, which are conveniently used to block pathways. Another more significant niggle is the performance of the game does suffer on Nintendo Switch.
In TV and handheld, the game has that vaseline-like film over the graphics, making everything look more foggy than it probably appears on PC. The game certainly does its best and is functional, but this feels like another example of a game; it’s just not quite suited to the inferior Switch hardware. But maybe there is hope for the next console.
Conclusion: Fun and Addictive at its Core
One More Dungeon 2 is a step up from its predecessor in terms of graphics and gameplay. But it doesn’t quite shine in all areas on Nintendo Switch. Combat and platforming feel clunky, and the performance on Nintendo Switch takes a hit, likely due to its hardware. Despite my niggles every time I finished a run, I still had the itch to try one more dungeon. So long as you can put up with some rough edges, One More Dungeon 2 still makes for some good looting.
Final Verdict: I Like it
