Tangledeep

played for few hours , kinda fun

seen dr incompetent play it and been hooked since well worth the money good systems solid roguelike good variety of items and classes and dungeons

I wish I could just post a positive review with a few asterisks, but in the end, I don't really think Tangledeep meets its full potential, and that's honestly more devastating than any complaint about balancing or writing. Tangledeep is a game with some beautiful art, some good music, some good ideas, and a whole lot of unmemorable stuff in between. Lets start with the good: Tangledeep may not do anything unique, but it does most of the things it tries to do right, or at least according to formula. Loot drops are plentiful and full of mostly unusable (for your class) garbage but are still fun to pick through for the occasional treasure for about half the game's playtime, and there are regular side areas that mix up the crawl. Many side quests yield useful items or abilities, and you'll actually end up overpowered fairly quickly if you do them all, but that's kind of the standard for roguelikes anyways. The pet system works fine, even if the decision to make the pet's hidden favorite food one of the dozens available in the game is baffling, and generally the classes feel unique and have some good synergy with specific strategies. That being said, there's nothing in Tangledeep that sticks out to me as better than its predecessors in the genre, and all of the annoyances of Roguelikes have been imported without any unique mitigation. Picking through gear becomes a slog lategame as your available strategies are determined by RNG, upgrading weapons and armor involves grinding easy dungeons that sometimes have mandatory damaging floors which drain your limited healing items, and the whole game starts to feel very repetitive once it's clear there are no puzzles, no hidden interactions with certain skills in the environment, and generally nothing to discover other than the odd quirky merchant that's a reskin of one in your home base. The story, by the way, is atrocious. The protagonist makes "discoveries" that seem like huge leaps of logic from the player's side, and for all the game's starting monologue about knowledge being the true greatest treasure, the plot is generic and basically involves reading a backstory, fighting a character you heard did some stuff offscreen, and winning the game. This isn't unusual for roguelikes, but you can't start your game with a monologue about how exploration will yield valuable knowledge when the story is this bad and constantly undercut by jokes that aren't particularly witty. Some other petty gripes: 1. Consumable spamming, specifically for healing, is way too powerful and generally rewards the player for hoarding healing items for big fights rather than engage with risk management. 2. Most of the buffs elite enemies get don't affect how you fight them at all. I spent most of the game spamming a ranged attack and never really needed to do anything else outside of an elemental resistance or a boss fight. Par for the course, but unimpressive. 3. I beat the game without finding any unique armor or weapon sets for my class, which meant all my loot was randomly generated. Saving this for NG+ seems like a terrible decision to me because I was so uninvested in my build and character that I have no desire to even play NG+, so these special sets basically don't exist to me. 4. Permadeath seems like a good tribute to old roguelkes, but it's actually just a potentially huge time sink that leads the player to never push in further than they easily can for fear of being punished. I was never encouraged to take risks because the loot is all randomly generated anyways, so I have just as good a chance of getting a lightning buff ring on the easy floor as the "tricky" floor and much less chance of randomly dying. Why risk it when the loot's not better? 5. Enemies spawning in a cluster randomly are a mess to deal with even in easy areas and this makes the difficulty have huge spikes and valleys based on RNG. 6. Monsters are boring, generally just generic fantasy/sci-fi archetypes and never anything I was excited to have as a pet. 7. Characters are boring too! Most only have a few lines of dialogue and their sprite, and there's no real opportunity to get to know most of them better. I couldn't tell you one of their names after ten hours. That's bad. All of these are issues that the roguelike dungeon crawler genre has in general, none of them are fixed here. Some praise again: if you've never played a roguelike dungeon crawler, this is an amazing starting point as it's forgiving in many ways while also being tough enough to earn the title of roguelike. However, I would keep in mind that this does not represent the pinnacle of the genre as it exists right now, and the sequel had better have some really groundbreaking ideas if it's going to be worth playing.

A pretty pixel roguelike with tons and tons and TONS of content. 192 hours and while I've finished the 'main' story, I've barely scratched what's really there. Highly recommended for roguelike fans.

Boring af. Shallow.

i need to start warning people about bad games. i played most roguelikes, roguelites and deck builders out there. this game is very bland. you move and everything is done for you. you take a step, enemies take a step etc. the level ups give your an option of an uprgade to 6 different stats. no combos or anything. the tutorial doesnt even teach you anything, its basically just two levels that yuou play and experiment. if you are looing at this game, do yourself a favour and watch a video beforehand. i tired multiple times and just can't do it. very boring, you only have so much time to spend playing games, play something better

I really liked the part where I couldnt turn the music off until after character creation. And by liked I mean this is a UX nightmare that shouldnt be present in any game released this millenium.

It's a pretty good game, I think hours/played mileage varies if you want to beat the game on hardcore like a more traditional roguelike, or if instead more of an rpg on their adventure mode. It plays like a super fancy pixel dungeon, which I loved though I still played on adventure mode. only part that bugged me was the ominous blacksmith that shows up at the campfire that has no interaction that I know of.

Tangledeep is a roguelike RPG that manages to combine old-school dungeon crawling with modern accessibility in a way that feels both nostalgic and refreshingly polished. Inspired heavily by classic 16-bit role-playing games, the title blends retro pixel art, strategic turn-based combat, and procedurally generated exploration into a deeply rewarding experience that consistently encourages experimentation. Developed by Impact Gameworks, the game captures the spirit of classic Japanese RPG adventures while embracing the unpredictability and challenge of traditional roguelikes. What initially appears to be a simple retro dungeon crawler gradually reveals itself as a remarkably deep and carefully designed adventure filled with customization, tactical decision-making, and endless replay value. The game takes place in a world where humanity has spent generations underground, cut off from the mysterious surface above. The gigantic labyrinth known as Tangledeep serves as the only path toward freedom and discovery. This premise immediately creates a strong sense of mystery and progression, because every journey deeper into the dungeon feels connected to a larger adventure waiting beyond the underground civilization. Instead of focusing heavily on cinematic storytelling, the game emphasizes atmosphere and exploration, allowing players to uncover its world gradually through combat, discovery, and environmental progression. One of Tangledeep’s most impressive accomplishments is how approachable it makes the roguelike genre. Many traditional roguelikes are notoriously punishing, often driving away newcomers with permanent death systems and overwhelming complexity. Tangledeep addresses this by offering multiple gameplay modes that allow players to customize how harsh or forgiving the experience becomes. Players seeking a traditional challenge can enable strict permadeath mechanics, while others can choose options that reduce frustration and preserve progress more generously. This flexibility allows the game to appeal to both hardcore genre veterans and players unfamiliar with roguelike mechanics. Combat is entirely turn-based, but it remains tense and engaging because every action matters. Enemies move only when the player acts, transforming battles into strategic encounters where positioning, timing, and planning become essential. Careless movement can quickly lead to disaster, especially when facing dangerous enemy combinations or environmental hazards. Unlike action RPGs that reward reflexes, Tangledeep rewards patience and careful thinking. The game constantly encourages players to evaluate risks before moving forward, creating an atmosphere where every decision inside the dungeon feels important. The class system is one of the game’s greatest strengths. Players can select from numerous jobs, each offering unique abilities, combat styles, and progression paths. Traditional fantasy roles such as warriors and spellcasters exist alongside more specialized classes that introduce creative mechanics and tactical possibilities. What makes the system especially compelling is the freedom to switch classes and carry certain learned abilities between them. This allows players to create hybrid builds that combine skills from multiple jobs, leading to a huge amount of customization and replayability. Experimenting with different combinations becomes one of the most addictive aspects of the entire experience. Progression feels consistently rewarding because the game constantly introduces new equipment, skills, and systems that reshape gameplay. Loot plays a major role in character development, and finding powerful weapons or rare items can dramatically change how battles unfold. Equipment often includes special passive bonuses and unique effects that encourage experimentation instead of simply chasing higher numerical stats. Managing gear and resources becomes an engaging strategic layer rather than a repetitive chore. Another standout feature is the monster companion system. Players can recruit creatures encountered during exploration and raise them as allies. These companions can even be bred to inherit stronger traits and abilities, adding an entirely separate progression mechanic beyond the core dungeon crawling. Combined with farming, crafting, cooking, and item enhancement systems, Tangledeep offers far more depth than many players might expect from its retro-inspired presentation. The sheer number of interconnected mechanics creates an experience that remains engaging long after the early hours. Procedural generation keeps exploration unpredictable and replayable. Every run through Tangledeep presents new floor layouts, enemy placements, treasures, and random events. This constant variation ensures that no journey feels exactly the same. The environments themselves are visually distinct enough to maintain interest, with forests, ruins, caves, and magical areas all contributing to the sense of adventure. Hidden secrets and optional encounters constantly tempt players to take risks for greater rewards. Visually, Tangledeep is one of the most attractive pixel-art RPGs in recent years. The game captures the charm of classic 16-bit adventures without feeling outdated or lazy. Character sprites are expressive, environments are colorful, and combat animations have a smoothness that gives battles energy and personality. The art direction balances nostalgia and modern polish beautifully, creating a world that feels warm, adventurous, and mysterious at the same time. The soundtrack deserves equal praise. Featuring compositions inspired by classic RPG music, the game’s audio design greatly enhances its atmosphere. Calm village themes create feelings of comfort and safety while dungeon tracks emphasize danger and exploration. The soundtrack captures the emotional tone of retro adventures exceptionally well, helping the world feel immersive and memorable. Music plays a major role in why exploring Tangledeep feels relaxing one moment and intensely suspenseful the next. Despite its many strengths, the game is not completely flawless. Some of its systems can feel intimidating at first because of the sheer amount of mechanics introduced throughout the adventure. New players unfamiliar with roguelikes or tactical RPGs may initially struggle to understand all the interconnected systems involving crafting, class management, breeding, and equipment optimization. The tutorial provides useful information, but mastering the game still requires patience and experimentation. Inventory management can also become cumbersome during longer sessions. Constantly sorting equipment and comparing item effects occasionally slows down the pacing, especially during later stages where loot becomes more abundant. Certain difficulty spikes may also frustrate players who are unprepared for sudden enemy combinations or dangerous environmental situations. While the game offers accessibility options, it still demands careful attention and strategic thinking. Tangledeep is ultimately a love letter to retro RPGs and classic roguelikes that also stands confidently as its own unique experience. Its combination of tactical combat, rewarding exploration, deep customization, and beautiful pixel presentation creates a game that feels timeless despite its modern release. For players who enjoy strategic dungeon crawlers with endless replayability and a strong sense of adventure, Tangledeep delivers one of the most satisfying indie RPG experiences available. Rating: 8/10

The movement in the game is awful. It feels overly clunky.