Dungeon Party

Overview

"Dungeon Party" is an easy to learn MMO where players are placed in one of two teams and must compete against each other in dungeons filled with traps and treasures.

Features

• Easy to learn
• Three distinct character classes
• Phenomenal soundtrack
• Hilarious

Review

Self-proclaimed PC RPG purists might have a problem with "Dungeon Party." There'€™s no persistent online world, there'€™s only three classes to choose from, and all experience points gained during battle are lost after the match ends. Actually, the purists might grab their torches and pickforks and hang around "Dungeon Party€™s" doorstep, waiting for the charming fella to crack open his door. Although I did not create this monster, I'd play the role of Dr. Frankenstein in this ramshackle metaphor; passionately defending my beloved big green beast. Here, let me tell you why...

When I interviewed the developers, I said this about this music: "[it] sounds like it was squeezed out of an almost empty bottle of gin shared by an underage Tom Waits and Danny Elfman in some shady dimly lit dive bar. Essentially it'€™s effin'€™ brilliant." Household items like spoons, pans, and old boots are as likely to have served as instruments as traditional string, brass, and percussion items. There's the Waits influence. And the maniacal innocence? That'€™s Elfman. There'€™s no soundtrack planned for the title, but if one existed I wouldn'€™t hesitate to buy it.

But enough of me gushing about the music. Hanging behind the portrait of Rodney Dangerfield on my bedroom wall lies a safe. Only after one undergoes a series of laborious identification checks can he or she gain entry. Security'€™s tight, possibly too tight, but for a good reason. Within this safe of all safes lies not only my autographed Golden Girls DVD collection, a lock of Richard Nixon's hair, and Walt Disney's cryogenically frozen cranium, but also a series of words I very rarely employ: "I wish I made this game."

"Depth" is often used to describe convoluted gameplay only the most hardcore care to learn. That'€™s not the case with "Dungeon Party." The fundamentals are easy to understand, €”get the treasure and bring it back to your starting area before the other team, €”and most of the mechanics can be learned in just a few minutes. Perhaps best of all, the three-quarter top down camera and point-and- click controls feel more snug than a broken-in pair of boots, or a concert tee you bought ten years ago and only wear when you'€™re alone because the band now sucks (actually they always did but you were too naive to know).

Littered about each level are traps, power-ups, and non-playable characters who will prevent both teams from obtaining their prize. All of these obstacles act as the X factor for every level, providing just enough variables to make every game unique, but never defining the experience or acting as an annoyance, unless you're terrible, but that'€™s your fault.

I often criticize developers for not knowing the identity of the title they're developing, but with ''Dungeon Party'€ developer Cyanide defines it in every aspect. Humor oozes from each available crevice, but never feels forced or inappropriate, and character abilities are throttled to allow coordination between party members without placing overwhelming pressure. By the time the not-too-brief level is over, most will have reached and used their ideal character build, but not for too long. Following each match the deadly ''just one more'€ bug latches onto player clicker-fingers and plants his barbs. For help on getting rid of the little bugger, go seek someone else. I'm still playing, and feeling a little jealous that I'€™m not the one responsible for this hilarious pick-up-and-play party game.