While Queen's Domain has captured recent attention, Underkeep emerges as a standout old-school dungeon crawler, drawing inspiration from early '90s classics like The Bard's Tale and Dungeon Master. Launched on Steam on November 5, the game provides a deeply engaging experience for fans of grid-based RPGs.
Underkeep successfully captures the essence of its inspirations while modernizing the formula. It features an intuitive shared inventory system, detailed automapping with space for custom notes, and the convenience of automatic tool usage. A significant departure from many similar titles is its entirely turn-based combat. This approach encourages strategic thinking, allowing players to carefully consider their actions without the pressure of real-time mechanics, though it does eliminate the hit-and-run tactics common in other games.
The game presents a familiar mix of character classes such as fighter and wizard, but its races offer a more distinctive flavor. Beyond standard humans and dwarves, players can choose from races like the stoneborn, a powerful but slow golem-like being; the raven, subject to unpredictable mutations; and the slugman, a peculiar hybrid. These unique racial traits, combined with the freedom to mix and match them with any class, allow for a wide range of character builds and playstyles. For instance, a stoneborn thief might present unique challenges and opportunities.
The encounter artwork in Underkeep is notable for its quality, adding visual appeal to the gameplay. The writing for these encounters is evocative, offering flavor text that enhances the old-school feel and presents players with choices that can lead to varied outcomes. The game also addresses concerns about the use of AI in art generation; developer Rake in Grass has stated that all artwork was hand-drawn by their artists, with stylistic variations attributed to multiple contributors and dynamic scaling techniques.
Underkeep is a joy to play and stands as a favorite grid-based RPG since Legend of Grimrock 2. The game is available on Steam for $19.50, with a 15% launch discount running until November 19. A demo is also available, offering approximately one hour of gameplay.
