
In fact, the planet Auriga once hosted a major settlement of the galaxy-travelling ancestors known as the Endless. All they knew about Auriga Prime was what the probes told them: it had water, temperate zones, plant life, and plenty of metals in the crust. While this was presented as a chance to earn back their place in society by working hard for the common good, they understood that in fact they would be slave labour, sent to colonize an unexplored planet. That’s a testament to the roguelike genre, and it’s why I like tangling with it so much.”Ī few hundred condemned criminals were being shipped to the Auriga system on board the prison hulk “Success”. Despite all the deaths I spent climbing through the dungeon’s floors, I slowly mastered the game.

It’s tough and unforgiving, but it’s also fair. “From its setting to its design and aesthetic, Dungeon of the Endless feels like a game built for me. If you’re willing to take that on then it makes it more than worthwhile, borrowing from several genres to create something that feels unique - as well as bursting with personality and smart choices.” “Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of its pixels: no individual element of Dungeon of the Endless is especially complicated, but together they form a fiendish and unforgiving challenge.


Influences and borrowings be damned – it stands alone and is as brilliantly designed, challenging and cunning a package of ideas and aesthetic choices as anything I’ve seen this year.”
