‘Dungeons of Blood and Dream’ Is the Surreal Roguelike I’ve Been Waiting for My Whole Life (Review)

From the moment I first laid eyes on the inventive roguelike, Dungeons of Blood and Dream, it was love at first sight. The crispy, yet rudimentary graphical style calls out to the games of yesteryear. The delightfully ear-tickling dungeon synth soundtrack squealing in the background. Abilities beyond my wildest dreams, yet available right in front of me. And thankfully, even after pouring my blood, sweat, and tears into surviving the sprawling labyrinth before me, I am still beyond enamored with this world and what it brings forth upon me.

To the roguelike Slime Pits With You

The first and easily most apparent thing that made me fall in love with Dungeons of Blood and Dream is its distinctive visual stylings. It’s a dungeon-crawling roguelike with a dash of Daggerfall, a pinch of Runescape, and a whole lot of “what the actual hell am I experiencing right now?” Its deceptively simple art style is ugly in the most beautiful of ways, and I’m distraught that I can’t hook up my PC to a CRT to see what it would look like on this type of display.

Clashing colors, repeating textures, and caked-up goblins pepper every square inch of this dark, dirty dungeon crawler. Unfortunately, the caked-up goblins are only in the Slime Pits, but they will always be on my mind. Each level features a variety of creatures and creepy crawlies that tried anything they could to bring an end to my life. I was Harvested many times during my playtime, but I always had to jump back in.

Beyond the standard slash and stab attacks, I could also kick my enemies into walls of spikes or acid pits. I could cast powerful Blood Magic, at the expense of my health. Discovering new spells required me to search out Blood Mirrors that would showcase sigils I needed to cast in the middle of hectic brawls. Action is fast and furious, and not for the faint-hearted.

not just a roguelike, but an existential threat

After every run, I could visit the Hub world of my Dreams and offer Dream Spheres to gain additional power. Perhaps I wanted to question my humanity and my life, or the concept of death with the mirror on the wall. There are so many different pieces that make Dungeons of Blood and Dream stand out, all wrapped up with a polygonal bow on top.

It’s also challenging, to say the least. If you’re easily frustrated, you may need to turn back before you even begin. I got my head handed to me on a silver platter more times than I’d like to admit at first, but the reward of growing stronger and challenging these bosses and enemies drew me back in every single time.

A Dungeonsynth Soundtrack for the Ages

What good is exploring a dungeon if you don’t feel like a whimsical little gremlin while you’re doing it? Thankfully, Dungeons of Blood and Dream is filled to the brim with a soundtrack that is equally as beautiful as its design. It’s giving “who up pondering their orb rn” energy.

There aren’t many games that I instantly fall for their soundtracks, but Dungeons of Blood and Dream is an exception. It fits perfectly with the vibe, and honestly? I found myself sitting in rooms after clearing out enemies so I could just absorb the soundtrack. It’s one that I’ll be picking up, and I hold it on the same level of passion as the Neon White soundtrack. It’s just that good.

The sights and sounds of Dungeons of Blood and Dream are a massive part of the experience. I would strongly suggest jumping in with a pair of headphones so you can absorb everything that’s happening around you. That, and the soundtrack alone deserves that higher-quality listening experience.

Gathering the Magic Is a Major Factor of roguelike ‘Dungeons of Blood and Dream’

What good is a roguelike if you can’t buff and debuff your character at the whim of the creator? During my runs, I could find a variety of different rings. Some would make my character’s kicks explode with the power of a thousand suns. Other rings would give me a major buff, while also plaguing me with a massive debuff.

Depending on the finger I placed the ring on, and at the discretion of the faces on the side of my screen, my powers would differ. It’s a very interesting way to make multiple runs feel rewarding and to experiment with the variety of jewelry I could discover. It also never felt horrifyingly overpowering or underpowered, giving this system a nice amount of balance. Except for the Chaos Ring, that one completely messed me over more than I’d like to admit.

If you plan on jumping in, I would strongly suggest keeping a journal next to you. Keeping the old-school flair alive beyond the antiquated and charming visuals, writing down what potions do and what rings are the best for your playstyle can help keep you alive. There is a journal in the game that I could write in with my blood, but I quickly ran out of patience from clicking and dragging to write things down.

The potions had to be one of my favorite parts of this roguelike, especially during my first few runs. Drinking a potion that smelled of seafood and piss sounded like a nightmare, but there was a chance that it could give me a massive strength increase. Experimentation is the name of the game, and these potions could make me into an unstoppable killing machine.

Sometimes, Urine Is a Good Thing in ‘Dungeons of Blood and Dream’?

Creeping through dungeons, earning Dream Spheres to power up my character, questioning the reason why I’m alive. These are all things that I could do before jumping into Dungeons of Blood and Dream. Weirdly enough, I could also do them in the game, too. Crazy concept.

It’s a dark adventure. It’s a game that makes you think. But it also lets you drink potions that are brewed out of urine and onions. Tonal whiplash to the finest extent, but that’s what makes Dungeons of Blood and Dream as special as it is. I can’t think of anything else around that even comes close to its look, vibes, and feel. It’s a game that will stick in my memory for a very, very long time.

If you’re looking for a roguelike that is going to kick you in the face and feel no remorse for it until you learn the finer intricacies that make it tick, then look no further. Dungeons of Blood and Dream is challenging, rewarding, and deliciously old-school in its design.

Verdict: Strongly Recommended

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Dungeons of Blood and Dream is available now on PC. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on PC.