LEVEL 5 - DEEP DISH DUNGEON>MENU

i thought about calling it Double D Dungeon but then realised that would be a very different game

Played as part of Steam's Next Fest, Deep Dish Dungeon currently exists as a fairly short demo available in coop or solo. i played solo, as is the fate of a lonely digital caretaker like me. Deep Dish Dungeon is a puzzle dungeon (pungeon?) with survival elements, requiring the player to keep themselves well fed and the environment well lit to have any chance of braving the dungeon depths. Combat is relatively light, at least in this iteration, during my ~2hr playthrough i maybe had to bonk 5 skeletons on the skull and a couple of giant scorpions. This was for the best, as the combat system currently consists of swinging your weapon and then running away while your stamina recharges. Think the Minecraft system but even more basic. There was a craftable bow but i didn't get enough leather to craft it during my playthrough, this is a recurring theme for a lot of the gameplay features in its current state. These are essentially promises for what WILL be possible when the game is fully released. Grappling hooks, deployable wooden bridges, a whole host of creations using the currently unobtainable clay. Equally promising are the puzzles, while at the moment 'puzzle locked' sections are fairly simple (think adjusting valves to adjust water levels, using a smelter to melt scrap metal and cast door keys), there are also a lot of sections that are more 'physics puzzle' style, like shifting crates around to reach a ledge or using a plank as a makeshift bridge. From my experience in the excellent Human Fall Flat, i can see what beautiful chaos this could cause in coop play (crab bucket crab bucket).

Another interesting aspect of coop is that certain sections (i assume there will be more there's just one in the demo) feature a speaker system that allows the player to broadcast messages across the dungeon, as the intended experience is proximity chat. This is a pretty cool idea, it creates natural 'safe spots' where players can set up a temporary base and be able to communicate with the party to plan their dungeon crawl. It also seems to indicate an intended playstyle of splitting up and exploring in separate groups or alone, and could hint at some more interesting mechanics to come with a full release. All of these features are rendered in a beautifully fuzzy low poly aesthetic, with smooth and atmospheric lighting effects.

One aspect of the game i thought was slightly underdone (heh) was the cooking aspect, which feels strange for a game called 'Double D' 'Deep Dish Dungeon'. There are hints at more future options like an iron pot which currently can't but will be used to make stews, recipes that mention unobtainable ingredients like corn dough, and a craftable but useless kettle. For the moment, it's mainly limited to cooked mushrooms and rat meat. No omelettes, sorry Will. There's a lot of potential here, and i will be watching to see what emerges from the pixellated void of game development.