We’re back again with another arcade-inspired roguelike. This time around, it’s Dungeon Clawer. As you can expect with the name, this one mixes claw machines with dungeon crawling. I’ve had this one in my game library since it launched in Early Access a while back. Now that it’s been out for a bit, I’ve given it a go. As you might expect, I’ve been having a lot of fun with this one.
Use that claw to your advantage
The key gameplay for Dungeon Clawer is collecting weapons, armor, and other items using a claw. Every battle has your chosen character wait as you navigate a claw and try to scoop up the necessary items to use. There’s a strategy involved since your access to items and luck play a major role in your success in a fight.
Unlike most arcade claw machines, you have a bit of freedom here. Your pit of items lies along a 2D plane, so you are able to move the claw back and forth as you decide where you want to target. Like the real game, there is a lot of luck involved. Sometimes you will scoop up a ton of usable items. Other times, you’ll scoop up nothing and miss your chance to do damage to your opponents.
The pit starts small, with only a few items. As you progress through a campaign, you unlock more items to add. Sometimes it’s more weapons or armor. Other times, you’re adding modifiers that can increase your later moves or assist you in other ways. Items refresh after every turn. But that also means some enemies can add to your pit. So while you can reuse items on each turn, you still have to be wary of what else might drop inside.
Long runs, but worth the trek
I’m still playing through the game’s first run, which plays out across 20 floors. The first room/level is the same, but every other one is different. I love this randomization. It means you can never plan your run. During my runs, I’ve been keen on focusing on going to floors that include the blacksmith. I always want to upgrade my weapons and armor. The latter parts of a run are difficult, with high-HP enemies. You will want to have the strongest weapons at your disposal if you want to have any chance of defeating them.
At the same time, there are a ton of variations to the weapons and items you can find. It does get overwhelming at times. I was getting item upgrades for things that react to water, but there are only a few enemies that create water. I wouldn’t want to use this upgrade. However, there is one item that causes you to fill your pit with water. So, then you’d want that. If you have a battery in your collection, when it’s in water, it electrifies your metal objects. Thus, making those weapons even more powerful.
It’s also important to read the descriptions. There is one item that, while it does significant damage to enemies, it also takes your health. So, unless you have a healing item to counteract this, you may want to reconsider using it. Yes, upgrading the item reduces the harm it does, but you still have to think about which items you add.
Great Challenge
Even though I have yet to complete a full run, I’ve gotten close. I reached the game’s final boss, only to lose because I was unable to get enough health or shield protection. As you progress, you also unlock more characters to play with. I’m having a lot of fun with a few characters, but I still need to try them all out.
Beyond the randomization of runs, the different characters add to the replay factor. I’ve only tried a few, but each one has different perks, and the items you come across will vary. One character has a magnet claw. Meanwhile, another one I tried can grow spikes. For the former, you’ll want to include metal items so you can grab more. For the latter, their spikes protect them from hits and cause damage to foes.
There isn’t much of a story here, so I’m not sure what the reason is for our characters to explore this Dungeon. The main bad guy appears in a cutscene when you fail. While they are menacing, again, I’m not sure why we’re up against them. The final floor has a strange door that seems like you need a few keys to unlock. There is a lot of mystery here, so I’m hoping it’s explained better when you complete your first run. For now, the lack of a story is the game’s weakest point.
Can’t stop playing
I’m having a lot of fun so far with Dungeon Clawer. Yes, I wish there were a story to follow along, but that doesn’t take away from the fun randomness this has to offer. Deep down, I always knew a claw machine-type roguelike would appeal to me. This has been a blast, and I’ll be returning to it whenever I can.
