TinyKeep

It’s a good thing that the world of random dungeon crawling permadeath games have inherent refreshing qualities, because finding originality is much harder than it used to be. That’s why so many now simply alter genres altogether to get their hooks in. TinyKeep keeps it classic, top-down views, grey cobblestone and all, though it does try to manipulate the theme to its own individual gameplay elements. It may not be designed in the tightest way, in fact it’s often shaky, but its quirky approach does have its merit.

An adventure starts at the bottom of the latest nondescript dungeon, presented in 3D. Its uniform textures plaster walls and floors alike, periodically disturbed by some dried vegetation or a myriad of clutter; vases, crates and the likes. Characters are reduced to a cuter deformed style, nearing the Asian “chibi” model, but in a Western sensibility.

While the view is monotone through sheer repetition, any location is, at least, cohesive in construction. Camera angles, however, don’t follow the same solid commendation. Generally, gameplay is already seen from an extremely sharp incline, but during select moments when passing arches or other obstructions, the camera will tilt even further, resting almost ninety degrees overhead. This not only leaves a narrower field of view, but its sweeping motion also reinforces disorientation in similar-looking, generic dungeons.

It doesn’t help either that TinyKeep is largely formulaic. While a run is procedurally generated, the elements within are always the same. It starts out with finding equipment, then moves to a boss fight, a puzzle room and then the process is repeated in slight alterations. It’s definitely harder to keep the replay value alive, when there’s such a fixed side to the game. Enjoyment is more due to how TinyKeep plays in general. Combat is simple hack and slash fodder, with one side that swipes a sword, while the other brings up a shield. Incoming arrows can be blocked by addressing the right angle or hits can be warded off until an enemy drops their guard. It’s basic stuff really.

Going deeper into the mechanism reveals more subtlety, some of which would be obscured, were it not for the character enhancement system revealing their deliberate existence. Shields take some time to put up, which is a commitment. Walking backwards takes a lot more time, making retreating kite tactics equally risky. Additionally, the artificial intelligence (AI) can be tricky, though again in rudimentary form. Archers run away from immediate contact to create a gap that enables them to go for ranged attacks. Warriors will try to flank heroes. It works, but it is limited and it’s highly exploitable, given this is the go-to rule in fights. Often times, it means that enemies can be tricked into their preset responses, to put them at a disadvantage in the dungeon. If anything, the game’s challenge comes more from sheer strength in numbers, which ties back to the game’s combat simplicity. It’s needed to cut down numbers quickly, so it should be easy to access the tools to do so.

Unfortunately, controls are equally rough, which lessens the impact of the otherwise clever design connections. A character’s movement is bolted tight to one direction, making it a chore to work the camera instead. Jumps can clear obstacles, but seemingly fail at random whenever convenient. Clutter is a constant annoyance, leaving friend and foe to stay stuck and given it’s harder to maneuver an area already, this increases the issue quite a bit. Especially when enemies move in fast, this becomes part intensifying, but also part infuriating. In particular, whenever giant enemies that do huge amounts of damage enter the game, it should be paramount to be able to counter those properly.

Spread out like that, TinyKeep doesn’t leave much left to offer, but then it takes a left turn and offers tidbits rarely seen in the whole procedural pitch. Some dungeons hold cages, where fellow prisoners reside. Freeing these trapped souls can strengthen an escape as the thankful captives join the ranks and start busting up enemies. However, it may turn out differently as well, as some people trapped behind bars have turned feral and start attacking, while others merely flee, terrified. It’s a shame that prisoners only stay in the ranks for the floor they’re on, because it could’ve been great to see how far and how big an army can grow.

Seems to burn just fine.

Additionally, traps spread around locations can effectively be used against their owners. Warriors can be lured into rising spikes, while archer can be made to retreat into a slamming wall of death, for example. In particular, a circular roller is a handy way to keep a massive horde at bay, while also providing a free portion of damage that can even crush bigger foes. Something as inconspicuous as the dungeon’s lighting, provided by braziers and lit torches, can be weaponized. When flipped, these sources of fire can momentarily douse the floors in flames, which can catch an incoming threat off guard. Oh, the joys of coaxing an enemy into an untimely demise. Not even receiving a slo-mo execution when killing certain units can top that feeling. Tactics pay off more than just some added flash.

Yes, TinyKeep is a rickety construction and more repetitive than it should be, but it also has several things that give it quite the charm. For its many technical flaws and modest looks, it’s clear that it knows what it’s doing to differentiate itself. It’s also great to see that so many game elements can have multiple uses, each blended into one fitting theme. It’s not going to turn many heads, there are too many pitfalls to excuse to really accomplish that, but there’s something. A spark of something special is better than nothing at all in this crowded random dungeon crawler genre.

Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed (@Daavpuke)