Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master Review: Basement Level Depth

Everything about Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master would have blown me away in the late 90s, the same as another similar title, Dungeon Keeper by Bullfrog Productions. The visuals, the style of play, and the animated 3D talking heads are brill, but it was all very… meh.

I hate starting a review with such a statement, but considering 2024 has been one of the best years for gaming, you’ll appreciate that a title needs a little oomph to stay ahead of the game. Double pun? Anyhoo, there’s nothing fundamentally wrong with Artefacts Studio’s game; it’s just very pedestrian.

Unsurprisingly, you’re the dungeon master in Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master. What that means is delegation. You’ll hire an abundance of minions to carry out your work and hope they have the AI capacity to prevent an invasion or keep the toilets clean without any divine intervention.

What grabbed the cojones was the epic music and talking heads of the characters you interact with. They were pretty damn cool and got me excited about managing my own dungeon. That optimism waned with the tutorials. It’s essential to learn those fundamentals before venturing on your own, but there’s just so much to consider, yet it never feels… immersive.

Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master became a Netflix and watch Netflix type. I’d put on a TV show to catch up on and then periodically check in on my progress. The disillusionment began with guard stations. You build these, and a guard will spawn for every locker. Unfortunately, you can’t manually control these, so my first guard was killed while the invaders perused my gaff at a leisurely pace; all the while, I was watching them as a masochistic voyeur.

It feels like the devs wanted to encapsulate some Pratchett-like humour, but it never fully materialises. The dialogue is mostly good, with an emphasis on humour and absurdity. This would complement the gameplay if it wasn’t so awkward with clumsy AI and somewhat monotonous gameplay.

While there are seemingly multiple levels to Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master – including additional floors that further complicate managing a dungeon, there is a funny side to it; the game is essentially about keeping your staff happy, which isn’t as fun as it so clearly sounds.

They’ll often complain about the conditions or hint at aesthetic requests to make them more productive, though predominantly, they’ll either strike or quit their jobs when you need them most. Granted, you can sack them, but the rehiring process is a pain, as you have to go through the rigmarole of looking at their needs again, and if they’re a different race from the last employee (that is, dwarf, elf and goblin), then you’ll have to make adjustments accordingly.

However, sometimes, raising the stakes in Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master simply adds decor. You can click on a minion and determine their tastes, adorn the walls with posters and torches, and as if Robert’s your uncle, they become productive again. I like to invest in the aesthetics of the dungeon based on my tastes. Having to resort to the minions’ requests just makes the building element secondary. It’s a shame, as Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master looks good.

The issue with Naheulbeuk’s Dungeon Master is that there is too much vanilla in the Neapolitan ice cream. While the presentation is a standout—notably those character interactions—it became too plain for my liking, as if it were on stabilisers—offering depth, but only about a basement deep. I’m afraid I should have read a few other reviews, as this one didn’t resonate with me.