It seems like 2024 is definitely the summer of Extraction games. From games like Gray Zone Warfare and Arena Breakout Infinite making waves, to sword and sorcery takes on the formula like Dark and Darker and Dungeonborne, we’re swimming in a sea of Extraction right now. Joining this busy gang is Dungeon Stalkera fantasy dungeon crawler that wants to stand out from the crowd – by cursing you.
As you and your friends venture into the depths of Dungeon Stalkers in search of enemies and rewards, you will come across the Witch Curse system. This witch is the one who created the dungeons you explore in this fantasy game, and her patience is limited. From time to time, she will place a curse on the dungeon that affects both the level itself and all players – both on your team and those you are trying to defeat. These curses can completely change the course of the game, providing positive effects for some and tough challenges for others.
“We initially thought this might be a bit of an odd feature, but the feedback was positive,” Dae Hoon Han, Game Director of Dungeon Stalkers, tells us at Gamescom 2024. “The reason for the Witch’s Curse is that we wanted to create something that could be beneficial for casual players. Due to the nature of this type of game, hardcore players have a better chance of winning. We wanted to balance that out so that low-level users or new players have a better chance against high-level players.”
Of course, it’s not as simple as getting a curse to go off when you need it, and there’s a real chance you’ll be its victim rather than its beneficiary. “The witch’s curse is randomly generated,” he explains. “So you never know if the curse will benefit you, other players, or the monsters.”
Unlike games like Dark and Darker and Dungeonborne, where the PvP element is often based on class type, experience, and gear, Dungeon Stalkers seems to try a different approach to keep things fair. The Witch’s Curse can prove extremely annoying, especially if it hits you while you’re trying to escape a dungeon, or it can be your savior when it stops an attacking ganker from stealing all your hard-earned loot. Either way, it’s a new idea in a genre that’s quickly becoming overcrowded, and so it’s one to keep an eye on.
Dungeon Stalkers doesn’t have a launch date yet, but a release window of 2024. Head over to Steam to learn more and add it to your wishlist.
If you’re looking for something else to pass the time, our guides to the best RPGs and the best multiplayer games to play on PC will help you find what you’ve been looking for.
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Additional coverage from Gamescom 2024 by Ken Allsop.
