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Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue is a spin-off from the original Dungeon Defenders franchise, bringing a roguelike feel to the traditional tower defense game. It still has a ways to go, and there are some changes that would make it much better, but right now, it is not too bad.
The title has seen some flak on Steam from fans, with many accusing it of being a “heartless cash grab” or that it is just reusing assets to make another game instead of working on the current titles. There is nothing wrong with reusing assets though, especially within the same universe of gaming content.
But what does the actual gameplay look like?
Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue is an interesting concept
Personally, I am a big fan of Roguelites - it is my favorite genre outside of turn-based RPGs. There is something rewarding about getting better in a game, a little at a time. Since Roguelites don’t let a player keep very much in the way of progression, it can be a fun way to play games.
Roguelikes are often challenging, but the fun comes from figuring out the best strategy to win based on what items are dropped. There is also a bit of randomness to games like this, which is appreciative from a gameplay perspective.
The randomness comes from where the enemies rush through, and which weapons, armor, abilities, and runes drop from the treasure chests. The gameplay may feel a bit repetitive though. This is due to the simplicity of the gameplay loop, where players are dropped into a room, the doors open, and enemies flood the room from all sides.
The goal of Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue is simple. There is a core (crystal) that must be defended at all costs. Each stage consists of waves of enemies, and it is up to the players to defeat them because the core takes damage very quickly. It’s not sturdy at all for being a powerful, magical object.
What character classes can players be a part of in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue?
As of this moment, there are four heroes in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue: Squire, Apprentice, Huntress, Monk and the Warden. The Apprentice is unlocked by playing the game and increasing the Account Level. The Huntress, Monk, and Warden are unlocked by defeating bosses.
Personally, I spent the most time with the Squire and Apprentice classes. The Squire is a traditional sword & shield character. He can throw his shield, dash, spin his blade around himself (A'la Garen in League of Legends), and gain a temporary buff to HP Regen, Armor, Attack Skill, Knockback and Speed.
Mage-style Apprentice was my favorite class. Its primary weapon fires projectiles from a wand and can fire a bigger AOE magical orb. In a pinch, they can make an explosion of magic around them, and can also give themselves a temporary buff and dash.
The Huntress is a ranged attacker, and wherever the player aims is where she fires. She can throw grenades, fire fast projectiles (Phoenix Shot), and give herself a temporary buff or dash as well.
As of yet, I have not had the chance to play as either the Monk or The Warden. They are unlocked after defeating certain bosses in the game, but I have not done so as of the time of writing.
In addition to skills and stats, each class also unlocks a variety of towers, barricades, or traps, which deal damage, knock back enemies, and slow opposing forces down.
Smart use of these is the key to success, and it was probably my favorite part of the actual gameplay. Each character's defensive towers and traps were fun and easy to use.
I was particularly fond of the Squire’s bounce trap. You can drop it down on a path, and any enemy coming your way bounces away, giving you more time to prepare, or giving you the option to head down another path.
Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue has online play but no matchmaking
I enjoy Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue, but it can get very overwhelming to solo on harder stages. Being defeated once on a map is the end of a solo match. The enemies will overwhelm the core, defeat it, and then the player will respawn to an empty room. At that point, there’s nothing to do but leave the game lobby and go back to the character select screen.
While that is not so bad in itself, the game is missing a very important feature: Matchmaking. I have been playing this game for several weeks now, and I have yet to have a single online match with anyone. The fact that you need to have friends who also play the game has been a serious letdown for me. It is not fun to convince friends to buy a game just to have people to play with online.
The title is designed for multiplayer, so online matchmaking feels like a must-have. The only way players can group together is if they invite a friend online to play with them. There is a 4-player lobby in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue, but the lack of matchmaking hurts the game.
The gameplay loop is solid but repetitive in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue
The gameplay of the title is essentially the same every time. The player drops into a dungeon with a core and many doors. Also, the character skillsets will no doubt be familiar to Dungeon Defenders fans. It is a blend of the original characters, with movesets mixed with later games in the franchise.
All of the character classes I’ve played so far in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue felt enjoyable to play. I was worried the melee classes would suffer, as I was forced to play up-close to hordes of enemies, but this was not the case.
Squire had decent ranged abilities and his traps keep him safe. His traps deal solid damage and can knock back foes, so he can fight safely. One of the most important things about tower defense is survival, and being stuck in a melee range with a group of enemies is dangerous.
Players can use whatever skills and abilities they have at their disposal to fend off waves of enemies that get stronger. Eventually, they will start flying and charging down party members. Survival is, therefore, the most important thing.
A treasure chest will drop once players successfully fight against hoardes of enemies in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue. There will be a few items in it, that either the solo player keeps or the party members divide among themselves.
Completing a stage sends players to a tavern where they can gamble for powerful gear or upgrade character abilities. The gameplay loop begins again, where players try to keep another dungeon safe from the forces of evil. This will ultimately lead to powerful boss encounters and even better loot. Defeat means the player loses all of the items they collect, but there is some character growth.
But each run has its own possibilities, which makes it exciting. There is no telling what armor or weapons will drop, or whether they have special abilities. Players will also get equippable runes that increase stats, which are valuable and always welcome.
Character growth is minimal and does not feel unique
By increasing Hero Levels in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue, players get skill points to put in a series of skill trees. However, they do not feel especially unique.
Having more stats is never a bad thing. Players who put points in these skill trees gain more haste, defense, attacking power, and more. I was hoping for skill trees that felt worthwhile, instead of generic skill trees. Again, there is always a chance that this is something that will be expanded upon in the future.
There is not a lot going on in the game other than the temporary gear in the dungeons and the skill tree. It might be interesting to see if the developers add something the players can take back with them to these dungeons.
However, it isn't all bad. While character growth is nothing to write home about, it is still beneficial to the overall gameplay loop. The character stats gained are minor, but slowly growing more powerful makes future matches in the game easier over time.
Visuals and audio are simple but charming
I like the look of Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue, but I loved the original Dungeon Defender game. I like the simple, blocky cartoony style of the game. The attacks have crisp animations. The towers, traps and barriers that players can employ are all useful, and it is enjoyable to see fireballs shoot forth, or explosions of magic erupt around characters.
However, it feels no different to the assets used in all the previous Dungeon Defenders games. I'm all for reusing assets, but there does not seem to be a lot of innovation going on here.
I genuinely like the look of the stages in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue. The molten lava underground looks brilliant, and the castle designs are enjoyable. In each stage, I had to employ a different strategy or approach, and they all were not just carbon-copies of each other.
Currently, there does not seem to be much in the way of memorable music in Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue, but that is another thing that could change in the future. I do like the overall aesthetic of the game, though; it could lend itself well to new character skins if the developers were of the mind.
In Conclusion
Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue is fun, but I am torn on whether it justifies being a unique, purchasable game at this stage. At this moment, it could have been a DLC or an update. Either way, I like it as a playable mode, and with some updates, it will be worth the asking price.
In summary, I do hope Dungeon Defenders: Going Rogue receives more matchmaking options, and perhaps some changes when it comes to character skill trees. The game is not as fun when playing solo. Regardless, I had fun playing it. I appreciate that it combines genres, but it needs some more time in development.
