Dungeon Ward

Dungeon Ward doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. Instead, it sharpens a nostalgic blade and sends you sprinting headfirst into the kind of grid-based, loot-crazed dungeon crawler you swore off in 2008 but still secretly miss. And I do. A lot.

You start by choosing between warrior, archer, or mage. (I went archer, because fireballs are fun, but arrows never run out of mana.) Then it’s off to the dungeon, again and again, for another slice of randomized chaos, Diablo-style loot, and the occasional “oops-I-stepped-on-a-spike-trap” humility check.

Each run kicks off at a peaceful camp, where quests are handed out like cursed candy, and ends with you either dead, rich, or both. Dungeon floors are randomly generated every time you accept a quest, but the boss rooms are handcrafted death traps that will slap you back to the respawn screen if you’re not paying attention.

Loot matters. Gear changes your stats and your look, finally, a mobile game that knows I want to see my +3 Glowing Dragon Helm, not just read about it. And character progression feels satisfying: every level brings you a new skill point and three attribute points to throw into strength, dexterity, vitality, or intelligence. Build your beast, your way.

Touch controls work well, controller support is surprisingly smooth, and monetization is thankfully forgettable, which is to say, not awful.

Dungeon Ward isn’t flashy, and it doesn’t need a “live-service roadmap.” It’s a solid offline RPG that delivers a cozy hit of dungeon-crawling chaos whenever you need it.

Just don’t forget to stock up on potions. You’ll thank me.