Game News Underkeep is a cozy-looking grid-based dungeon crawler with turn-based combat coming next year

[Infinitron]

Tags: Rake in Grass; Underkeep

https://www.rakeingrass.com/game_underkeep.php

Underkeep is a loving tribute to the role-playing classics of the 90s with turn-based combat and grid-based movement, bringing the best of old-school dungeon crawlers to the modern era.

Assemble a party of four adventurers in a dangerous fantasy world and delve deeper into the heart of the Underkeep to discover its long-forgotten secrets and uncover the stories of its inhabitants.

Coming to Windows on Steam and Nintendo Switch.

FEATURES

• Choose your own playstyle - Assemble a party of four adventurers with unique abilities and spells. Combine and upgrade their powers to overcome their weaknesses. Create synergies by gearing up with fine equipment with game changing properties.
  
• Explore, overcome, fight - Explore dungeons, pick items, fight enemies, meet NPCs. Overcome traps and deadly environments and descent deeper into the heart of the Underkeep.
  
• Turn-based combat - Take as much time as you want to think out your next move. Don't worry when your pizza arrives in the middle of a fight.
  
• Fluid controls with full controller support - Play either with mouse and keyboard or grab your controller and enjoy the game from the comfort of your couch after a busy day. The skip animations feature allows you to play at your own pace. No more waiting for tedious animations to finish.
  
• In-game automap - In-game automap with custom marks so you never get lost.

 

[Grampy_Bone]

cozy = gay

 

[Dorateen]

A party of four adventurers.

The role-playing classics of the 90's I remember had parties of 6 to 8, and robust character creation.

 

[shihonage]

Looks like a love letter to Interplay's Stonekeep.

 

[jaekl]

People who describe games as "cozy" belong in mass graves

 

[DemonKing]

The party members look kind of crazy in that trailer - seems to include a beholder, bearded Avatar dude and a bugbear with multiple eyes (plus one angry woman).

Also kudos for the EOB2 tribute with the giant squashed into a 10x10 grid and punching the entire party simultaneously.

Steam page says turn based combat so possibly more of a Wizardry than Dungeon Master clone.

 

[Contagium]

The art style is interesting at least. Looks different from your Grimrock clone. Instant wishlist.

 

[MrBuzzKill]

People who describe games as "cozy" belong in mass graves

Honestly it's become a plague on Steam recently. I believe it's legitimately seen as a marketing trend and therefore the word gets over-used.

Luckily in this case it's Infinitron and not the devs themselves who used it.

Looks and sounds quite pleasant, wishlisted.

 

[anvi]

Pretty sure there are already at least 2 games called Underkeep.

 

[Eirinjas]

I get EOB & Dungeon Master II vibes. I like it, but I bet this is going to be an easy mode game. The party seems small, the interface sucks, and the character portraits are rather friendly and non-serious. Easy mode game = cozy. Pass.

 

[gooseman]

nice. Good that it's turn based. Real time + grid movement makes no sense to me.

 

[Grunker]

as a box of unopened chocolates this has potential, but it's probably going to be overly easy and the UI gives away the fact that the combat system is more likely than not retardedly oversimplified what with the one-attack-button-one-spell-setup thing it's got going on

so far most of the first person rpgs we've gotten since the renaissance have been focused on aesthetics to the exclusion of gameplay

Real time + grid movement makes no sense to me.

it's so ass

 

[lvl 2 Blue Slime]

Looks alright

 

[Gandalf]

So, it is TURN BASED? That's interesting. Lookinf even more forward to playing this.

 

[Decado]

I'll buy it.

 

[IronMaiden]

It may not be perfect but I'll take it.

 

[d1r]

Looks like a love letter to Interplay's Stonekeep.

It looks like a homage to many old blobbers, but Stonekeep? Really? This game looks nothing like it, besides the dungeon template having wooden beams.

 

[Darkozric]

Great, another miserable crawler.

 

[The Wall]

Games with vibe & esthetics like this need to be shilled hard. Not just this art style but this one as well. This is game where you feel like main audience while playing. Where you feel at home. THIS MORE!

 

[V17]

Looks like a love letter to Interplay's Stonekeep.

The name is likely a throwback to Undercroft, their previous turn based dungeon crawler that was later purchased by Jagex, killed, and then given back to Rake in Grass and released for free. It was pretty decent iirc, but that was a long time ago. I don't really see any significant similarities to Stonekeep.

 

[gooseman]

Looks like eye of the beholder to me, practically the same UI and crawling giants.

But EoB was real time. This is likely a mix of a bunch of different games.

 

[anvi]

RIP Khadgar

 

[Atomic]

Pretty sure there are already at least 2 games called Underkeep.

They actually made a similar game to this a long time ago called Undercroft.

 

[Shaki]

as a box of unopened chocolates this has potential, but it's probably going to be overly easy and the UI gives away the fact that the combat system is more likely than not retardedly oversimplified what with the one-attack-button-one-spell-setup thing it's got going on

so far most of the first person rpgs we've gotten since the renaissance have been focused on aesthetics to the exclusion of gameplay

Yeah, this is what I'm afraid of, my first impression was really good and I got excited, but then I remember how many modern blobbers that looked good, turned out to be all style over substance, and had nothing going for them except for aesthetics and preying on nostalgia. Still, I will keep an eye on it, I'm really craving a decent blobber recently.

 

[anvi]

Pretty sure there are already at least 2 games called Underkeep.

They actually made a similar game to this a long time ago called Undercroft.

Oh damn I've played that! I really liked it. I haven't had an iphone for about a decade so I could remember that game but not the name.

p.s. I completed it. Good game.