Not fun. The thing that every single enemy shoot fast projectiles that have nearly infinite range is super dumb.

Enemy has a melee weapon - shoots projectiles anyway, enemy is a stationary blob - shoots 2 projectlles. Misclick your mouse button in a tavern - every single dude becomes hostile towards you and insta-kills you with 10 projectiles coming at you. Yeah. F that.

DunHero: Roguelike RPG, developed and published by Dev Kacper, delivers a compelling blend of action, role-playing, and roguelike elements that has resonated well within the indie gaming community. From the moment you start, it’s clear that this game aims to strike a balance between challenge and accessibility, with a pixel art aesthetic that’s charming yet functional. The gameplay centers around selecting from a diverse cast of nine unique characters, each bringing their own abilities and starting gear to the table, which immediately encourages experimentation and a variety of playstyles. This choice sets the tone for a game designed with replayability in mind, as no two characters feel quite the same and each run offers a fresh strategic experience.

The combat system in DunHero is straightforward but demands skill and adaptability. Enemies are varied, with distinct behaviors that force the player to constantly adjust their tactics. The procedurally generated worlds further enhance this challenge, making each run feel unpredictable and exciting. Players explore dungeons populated not only with foes but also with NPCs, traders, and rare elite enemies, creating moments of tension and reward. The randomization of levels and encounters adds a layer of freshness to the game that prevents it from becoming repetitive, while still maintaining a cohesive experience that feels fair despite its difficulty.

One of DunHero’s standout features is its extensive itemization system. With over 200 items ranging from weapons and armor to powerful cards and artifacts, players have the freedom to craft builds tailored to their preferred playstyle. The inclusion of item sets that provide bonuses when equipped together introduces a satisfying strategic layer, encouraging players to hunt for specific combinations and synergies. This depth in customization is a highlight, as it offers meaningful choices that can drastically alter the way a run unfolds, whether you opt for raw damage, survivability, or utility. It’s clear that a lot of thought went into balancing these items to ensure variety without overwhelming players.

Progression in DunHero is also designed to keep players engaged over the long term. Beyond the immediate challenge of surviving a single run, the game features a meta-progression system where players earn rewards that carry over between sessions. This system not only adds a sense of accomplishment but also unlocks new characters and difficulty modes, providing motivation to continue pushing forward. Such progression helps to mitigate the roguelike’s inherent difficulty spikes by offering tangible growth that persists beyond the death of a single hero, making subsequent runs feel increasingly rewarding.

Multiplayer functionality allows up to four players to join forces, adding a social dimension that can transform the experience entirely. Playing cooperatively introduces new dynamics, as team coordination becomes essential to overcoming tougher enemies and bosses. While this feature adds significant value, there have been some reports of technical issues, including lag and occasional bugs, especially when playing on less powerful hardware like the Steam Deck. These issues can detract from the experience but don’t overshadow the core gameplay’s strengths.

Visually, DunHero embraces a pixel art style that, while not flashy, suits its gameplay perfectly. The art is clear enough to communicate important information during fast-paced combat and exploration, and the environments are diverse enough to keep players visually interested. Complementing this aesthetic is a well-crafted soundtrack composed by Miguel Angell, which helps to set the mood whether you’re cautiously navigating a dungeon or engaged in a frantic battle. The audio design, although understated, does an admirable job of enhancing immersion without overpowering the gameplay.

Despite its many strengths, DunHero is not without flaws. Some players have pointed out that the difficulty curve can sometimes feel uneven, with certain enemy patterns or boss encounters feeling unfair or overly punishing. This can occasionally lead to frustration, particularly for newcomers to the roguelike genre. Additionally, while the game offers a wealth of items and characters, the narrative elements are relatively sparse, which might leave those looking for a deep story or character development wanting more. The focus here is very much on gameplay mechanics and challenge rather than storytelling.

Overall, DunHero: Roguelike RPG stands as a robust and enjoyable addition to the roguelike genre. Its blend of strategic combat, extensive customization options, and procedural variety makes for a game that is both engaging and challenging. While there are areas that could benefit from polishing—particularly in balancing difficulty and expanding narrative content—the game’s active development and passionate community indicate a promising future. For players who enjoy a demanding roguelike experience with plenty of room for strategic depth and replayability, DunHero is definitely worth exploring.

Rating: 8/10

NOT FUN! NOT forgiving at all! And tedious in all the wrong ways.
* Go into Inv and get killed because the bloody game doesn't pause even though you can BARELY see what the heck just killed you.
* Enemies see you and start firing FARTHER than you can see into. Try exploring and bullets are coming from everywhere from off screen. THEN, you die because it's a major pain in the rump to even try to get close enough for your shots to hit, that's IF the enemy doesn't jump out the way like a Mexican Jumping Bean.
* I have no idea what is kept, if anything, after death. If it's a Rogue-whatever, then at least have a screen saying "You Keep This, but Lose That"

Yuck!