Best turn-based dungeon crawlers

Key insights

• Dungeon crawlers like Caves of Qud feature turn-based combat and strategic resource management in a low-pressure environment.
• Dungeons of Dredmor is an accessible and addictive roguelike with creative character creation and turn-based combat.
• Dicey Dungeons combines colorful art with easy-to-learn, rewarding and varied gameplay with unique playable characters.

With roots in tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & DragonsIt's no surprise that there are a variety of dungeon crawlers that offer turn-based gameplay. From traditional roguelike dungeon crawlers like the retro style Caves of Qud to the back and forth exchanges of blows Darkest DungeonThere is a lot to choose from in this genre.

Unlike first-person dungeon crawlers like the recent ones Dark and darkerThe turn-based nature of these games allows players to focus a bit more on the resource management aspects of the genre. Combat is inherently more strategic than the fast-paced, skill-based action of real-time dungeon crawlers, and the slower pace allows players to take their time and explore in a low-pressure environment.

1 Dungeons Of Dredmor

An older innovator doing well

Dungeons of Dredmor is an older title with an inventive character creator that is fun to interact with and allows players to assemble unique and highly impressive adventurers to explore the dangerous dungeons with. Although the game is showing its age, it is incredibly easy to learn and intuitive to play, despite a traditional design approach.

Dungeons of Dredmor is a roguelike in the truest sense of the word, with permanent death and turn-based combat that takes place in randomly generated dungeons. The creativity in character creation, enemy designs, and loot variety, as well as the game's tongue-in-cheek tone, make for a unique and often compelling roguelike experience that's more accessible than it should be.

2 Caves of Qud

A retro-futuristic roguelike role-playing game with sprawling dungeons full of dangers

Caves of Qud is much more than a dungeon crawler; It's a classic roguelike, it's an RPG, it's an open-world sandbox full of retro-futurism. It's moody, it's atmospheric, and it features one of the deepest character creators in the genre. There are very few games like it Caves of Qudand for newcomers and veterans alike, the game always offers a new sense of wonder and exploration. However, a unique aspect of Caves of Qud is the balanced combination of procedural and handcrafted content, with much of the procedural work being done in the titular underground caves.

These dark places are full of danger. Monsters, traps, or simply getting caught in the crossfire between a pilgrim and a lizardman are just a few of the things that can spell doom for a hopeful adventurer Caves of Qud. Simple turn-based combat emphasizes efficient management of resources and ability cooldowns, as well as careful assessment of potential threats – an experience made all the more intense when playing with permanent death enabled.

3 Cogmind

A challenging traditional roguelike with a robot theme

It's somewhat inaccessible, its aesthetic is rooted in ASCII (although brilliantly executed, perhaps not for some), and it's relatively difficult for newcomers until they get the hang of the basics. Cogmind is a traditional roguelike. It's also a dungeon crawler, although it's also wrapped in a computer terminal sci-fi look and is infused with robotics.

Cogmind is a deeply tactical experience that is rooted in old-school design while not being afraid to push the boundaries and innovate every now and then. The gameplay loop is relatively simple, requiring players to move through a dungeon while building and modifying their robot character, constantly swapping out degradable parts and adapting to each situation as best they can.

4 Tricky dungeons

A bright and colorful deck-building dungeon crawler

This semi-deck builder has instant appeal thanks to its bright and colorful art style and pedigree developed by the innovative Terry Cavanagh (VVVVVV, Super hexagon). However, the gameplay is equally promising. It's easy to learn, often rewarding, and offers just enough challenge and variety to keep it fresh for a good portion of the time. A key factor in the replayability of Tricky dungeons is its variety of incredibly unique playable characters, each offering their own particular strengths.

In Tricky dungeonsPlayers fight their way through multiple floors of the titular dungeon, taking on an ensemble of quirky enemies in turn-based combat using dice-based mechanics; Players roll dice and place them in the appropriate equipment slots, which make up the deck-building aspect of the game. As players progress, they can discover new pieces of equipment and swap out their existing ones, improving their strategy over time. This all makes for an experience that is unique, repeatable and easy to get lost in.

5 Darkest Dungeon

A stress-inducing strategy dungeon crawler in a Gothic art style

The dark, scratchy, hand-drawn aesthetic of Darkest Dungeon and its oppressive gothic tones and atmosphere fit perfectly with the game's harsh and unforgiving structure. Darkest Dungeon is all about dungeon crawling, adventuring through a variety of dungeons with their unique Lovecraft-inspired enemies, and leading a group of four heroes made up of an ensemble of different classes.

Players must manage an entire roster of heroes during a campaign, similar to games like XCOM: Enemy Unknownlevel them up and equip them with new items as you progress through the game. However, it is all the more painful when these heroes die in heroic (or sometimes less heroic) battles. To make matters worse, it may not even be the monsters that defeat a player's party, but the simple stress of delving into the dungeon itself.