What's the best dungeon crawler for someone new to the genre?

[Tavernking]

To be honest, I'm yet to truly delve into dungeon crawlers. What's the best the genre has to offer?

Ultima Underworld

 

[Comte]

Skyrim mega deluxe edition

 

[Mustawd]

Realms of Arcania HD.

 

[Tweed]

Lands of Lore 1 is easy to get into and easy on the eyes. Has a nice scaling difficulty to introduce you to all the kinds of crap you can expect blobbers to throw at you. Starting with the simple things like pit traps, pressure plates, arrows flying out of walls and then moving onto the harder stuff like fake walls, spinners, and of course the last part of the game where they take away your map. Plus, Patrick Steward.

EDIT: And Gayblade.

 

[Sordid MCA/Prosper Hybryd]

yr mom

 

[Tavernking]

Realms of Arcania HD.

Funny enough this is my only experience with dungeon crawlers, I lost interest a few hours in.

 

[Glop_dweller]

ROA is unusual; most dungeon crawlers use first person combat.

My two suggestions [aside from Lands Of Lore 1] are Legend of Grimrock series [1 & 2], start with 1. and Vaporum, play after Grimrock(s).

For older crawlers, there is Eye of the Beholder, and Stone Prophet.

• Grimrock series
  
• Vaporum series
  
• Ravenloft: Stone Prophet
  
• Eye of the Beholder series
  
• Lands Of Lore 1

 

[Ysaye]

Realms of Arcania HD.

Funny enough this is my only experience with dungeon crawlers, I lost interest a few hours in.

The HD version was awful - that's the in-joke.

I presume you are wanting a first person version. If so, I think you first have to identify whether you are looking for a (1) "single character simulation" (Often real time combat) or (2) a game that presents from a first person perspective but is party creation based (and often turn based) and is mainly focussed on "dungeons".

If you are going for single character simulation, for mine:

• Ultima Underworld 1
• Kings Field 4 (assuming you have a PS2 or emulation)
• Arc Fatalis
• Might and Magic: Dark Messiah

If you are going for a game which is party based with turn based combat:

• Wizardry 8
• Wizards and Warriors
• Elminage Gothic
• Might and Magic 6

If you want step based dancing blobbers:

• Lands of Lore 1
• Ravenloft: Strahd's Possession
• Legend of Grimrock 2
• Eye of the Beholder 2

Note this is not necessarily listing out all the best that is there to offer in each sub-sub category, but just different types to try and see if you like as someone new to the genre.

 

[Zed Duke of Banville]

Real-time blobber: Dungeon Master, which is available for free via the Return to Chaos clone for Windows. Failing that, Legend of Grimrock is an homage to Dungeon Master, and the sequel expanded on the formula.

Turn-based blobber: Grimoire: Heralds of the Winged Exemplars, which features not one but two rideable giant turtles.

 

[JamesDixon]

Daggerfall, but the Unity version. You can get some really massive dungeons that are procedurally generated and may not even be able to finish to get to the final sections.

 

[AdolfSatan]

If you're gonna try RT, might as well play Dungeon Master and the Underworlds and call it a day, the genre hasn't really achieved anything better.

TB, Legends of Amberland might be good to ease you into the style, it's very easy to pick up and play. The trade-off is that it lacks in depth of build, and is missing mechanics like traps or convoluted dungeon design.

 

[a Goat]

Etrian Odyssey V

 

[Butter]

Ultima Underworld, Daggerfall, Wizardry 6.

 

[Falksi]

Without doubt Bard's Tale 4: Directors Cut

Fantastic game, great blend of old-school & new-school elements, and setting which allow you to tailor how new or old school you want the experience overall.

Fucking top draw gaming.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

most of these games have little to nothing in common with UU though

obvious answer other than UU 1/2: Arx Fatalis

 

[Glop_dweller]

Obvious, because Arx Fatalis is an unlicensed/unofficial intentional sequel to UU; with even an undocumented spell that downgrades the graphics to imitate UU.

Spoiler

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

For 3D games? Ultima Underworld was pretty much designed for an audience who didn't know what a mouse was, so I suspect it works just as well for someone who doesn't know what this weird not really mouselook thing is. Its nowhere near the best, but most of the ones better than it throw you into a nasty situation straight away, which is just really obnoxious to deal with if you're still getting used to the controls.
For your tile-based blobbers? Dungeon Master, except in this case its also pretty much the best title in the sub-genre in general.

 

[Rincewind]

As an entry point I would recommend Eye of the Beholder 1 and Dungeon Master which have "aged" perfectly well, or Legend of Grimrock 1 if you really want to start with a more modern game. Make your own maps!

 

[Rincewind]

TB, Legends of Amberland might be good to ease you into the style, it's very easy to pick up and play. The trade-off is that it lacks in depth of build, and is missing mechanics like traps or convoluted dungeon design.

So it's missing one of the main reasons why grid-based dungeon crawlers are so much fun in the first place. Excellent starting point, indeed.

While LoA was moderately fun, it doesn't come anywhere near the classics. I can easily imagine someone playing LoA as his first dungeon crawler and be put off by the entire genre.

 

[Butter]

Legends of Amberland isn't a dungeon crawler. You spend probably 20-30% of your time in dungeons. It's like M&M 3-5.

 

[KeighnMcDeath]

Mordor.

 

[wishbonetail]

System Shock Enhanced Edition.
By the way, not all blobbers are dungeon crawlers and vice versa.

 

[octavius]

For 3D games? Ultima Underworld was pretty much designed for an audience who didn't know what a mouse was,

That's funny, considering that last time I played it I used the mouse exclusively.

 

[PorkaMorka]

Is Might and Magic 7 a dungeon crawler?

 

[Late Bloomer]

Arx Fatalis.

If you want a dungeon crawler playstyle but with outside areas and and old school feel I would heartily recommend The Quest.