Developer: Purple Moss Collectors
Publisher: Yogscast Games
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers – Review
Over the years, many games have been released that take some inspiration from Dungeons & Dragons, and more than often they revolve around battling legendary beings while trying to keep your party of adventurers alive. While not all of these titles are as great as you’d hope them to be, there are still quite a few gems among them. We were unsure what to expect when we saw the original announcement for Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, a roguelike title in which you play blackjack in a D&D-like universe. When we were finally able to give the game a spin, we were quite entertained.
Story
There is no meaty narrative to speak of in Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers, and that’s perfectly fine. There is some information about where you’re headed, the new venues you end up in all have a bit of information, and there is a sense of progress in what you achieve. Even so, we don’t think you’ll truly pick this one up for the story, but more for the gameplay and the general atmosphere. In the case of the latter, the game does an amazing job nailing a broody Dungeons & Dragons atmosphere, albeit the one that probably won’t end up in most campaigns. You find yourself playing blackjack in dark casino-like venues, and you might encounter a few iconic D&D enemies, as well as silly versions of other famous characters. Everything is a bit quirky, and we quite enjoyed it.
Graphics
As this may just appear like a quirky blackjack game on the outside, we do have to give credit where credit is due, as the pixel art utilized here looks great. There is a lot of attention to detail, ranging from the busted and torn standard cards to the silly designs of the unique cards. There are many subtle nods to other card games, such as Yu-Gi-Oh! and Pokémon TCG, as well as some uniquely designed cards for Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers as well. We loved the portraits of our opponents and the overall shady basement casino atmosphere of the different playing fields.
Sound
The sound design is decent. You’ll be treated to a varied soundtrack and the SFX provide accurate audio feedback. We did miss a bit of flair here and there, as the soundscape eventually becomes a bit bland as you play through several runs. Some voice acting would have done a lot here, especially to give your opponents a bit more personality.
Gameplay
Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is in essence a roguelike blackjack game with quite a few original items and mechanics thrown in the mix. Unexpectedly when looking at the game’s title, Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers also has a lick of paint in the same style as a Dungeon & Dragons campaign. You’ll be able to design your avatar, and from here on out you go on an adventure, albeit through shady casinos. Just like a normal game of blackjack, it’s up to you to get as close as possible to a value of 21, or otherwise, you might bust.
Of course, if Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers was just a blackjack game with a D&D-inspired theme, there wouldn’t be that much to say about it. In this case, you’ll actually have HP, and if you have a winning hand, you’ll deal damage to your opponent. How much damage you deal depends on how well your opponent is doing. If his hand has a lower value, you’ll just deal damage based on the difference between your value and theirs. If they go over 21 and bust, however, you’ll deal damage according to your hand’s value. This is, of course, also true the other way around. Things become even more interesting with the addition of original cards, and even healing abilities, shield options, and so on. As the game progresses, it will feel more like a TCG rather than a regular game of blackjack.
During your runs, when you reach 0 HP, it’s game over, and you’ll have to start from the very beginning again. If you do manage to survive, you’ll be presented with choices that range from choosing your next opponent and going through random encounters to picking the next wave of stages. It’s a simple formula, but it works great, and it’s a lot of fun. Of course, it does sometimes feel as if your opponents have a bit too much luck on their side, and this may cause a good run to end abruptly. Sadly, there are also no real shortcuts, as you’ll always have to start from the very beginning, even when you have unlocked a few new venues. After a few runs, this may become a bit tedious, and we felt that the game was best enjoyed in between bigger titles. It’s a great pick-up-and-play title for that reason, and it’s a game that still manages to surprise you thanks to the many collectible cards for your deck(s).
Conclusion
Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers is a great blackjack-inspired roguelike title with a lot of components that make TCGs a lot of fun. The game presents players with fun challenges, a quirky theme, and entertaining nods to other games and franchises, and it’s a cool title to pick up in between bigger releases. This is one of those titles we see ourselves returning to once in a while to play a run or two, before ultimately moving on to other things again. This might be Dungeons & Degenerate Gamblers’ forte, as it’s so easy to return to, and even then, we still discover new cards to put into our digital binder. Now, we’re going to squeeze in a run or two before we move onto our next review title.
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