The core conceit of the ‘dungeon crawler’ truly is open to interpretation, leading to many different takes on adventurers exploring subterranean catacombs. From the original Gauntlet to Crypt of the NecroDancer, the video game industry has seen many takes on this concept.
For those looking for a new puzzle adventure, the all-new indie game Cramped Room of Death may be the game for you. As the brave adventurer Lance, players must explore dark catacombs to reclaim stolen treasure.
The game was developed by Malaysian solo developer Hafiz Mohd Rozlan and is published by Nicalis Inc. This indie publisher is known for releasing a plethora of retro-styled games, including 1001 Spikes, Elliot Quest, and Cave Story.
The story of Cramped Room of Death begins with Lance eating too much and falling into a deep sleep after a night of partying. This is where the evil Vizardians come in and steal his treasure, leaving only Lance’s giant spear behind.
As Lance rushes to confront the Vizardians, he soon realises that his spear can barely fit the small confines of the underground catacombs. This minor inconvenience becomes one of Cramped Room of Death’s main mechanics.
Players will explore the dungeons in a top-down perspective, utilising the spear to defeat enemies and collect treasure. To succeed, players will have to plan their moves carefully as each room has tight turns, deadly traps and no margin for error.
Cramped Room of Death promises a brain-teasing puzzle in each of its 170 rooms spread across five different stages. The next level will unlock once players defeat each enemy in a room, which is easier said than done.
Beyond the evil Vizardians, players will encounter environmental hazards like sliding blocks, crumbling platforms, and spiked floors. Throughout the adventure, players can expect to fight five different enemy types and twelve different traps and obstacles.
There are also ten different ways for Lance to die in his adventure, secret levels to unlock, and twelve unlockable character skins to wear. Taking a page from recent Mario games, there is also a special key for players to use to make levels easier to beat.
If this sounds like a worthy adventure to you, Cramped Room of Death is available now on Nintendo Switch, Steam, GOG, and the Epic Game Store.
