Obsidian Prince review

Descriptions or aesthetics might make you assume that Obsidian Prince is derivative. Like it’s plucky adventures, the game forges its own distinctive path.  

Perhaps I’m getting old and jaded, but descriptors like “roguelike” and “voxel graphics” don’t grab my attention they once used did. But when Steam applied the Mystery Dungeon label to Obsidian Prince, I took immediate notice. From games that build on Spike Chunsoft’s lineage, like the Shiren the Wanderer series to deviations from other developers (oft-overlooked Sorcery Saga: Curse of the Great Curry God, I’m thinking of you), I love the formula for a fast-paced but still strategic, dungeon crawl. So, permadeath and a charmingly blocky aesthetic are just icing on a rather delicious turn-based confectionary.

Smartly, Stockholm-based developer Unleash the Giraffe doesn’t follow the Mystery Dungeon formula too strictly. Sure, you’ll move from one procedurally-generated room to another, eliminating enemies that tend to encroach on you. But instead of navigating through a rather intricate labyrinth that scrolls in different directions, Obsidian Prince renders rooms separately, with a dungeon map displaying after you clear each area. Here, you can opt to explore for a bit of level grinding and additional loot or head directly toward the boss to clear the map. Obsidian Prince provides a lot of nuance but ever more autonomy.

No Dreary Dungeoneering

The game’s chambers are displayed in an isometric perspective where the voxelated visuals often employ bright hues. It’s a refreshing change of venue from the drab dungeons that routinely accompany High Fantasy. Expectedly, there’s translucent highlighting that shows your movement range as well the scope of enemy attacks. This becomes instrumental, as Prince soon tosses you into rooms with several ranged foes, making shrewd movement as important as a chess match.

A bit less than a third of the screen is filled with the user interface, where players hold an inventory of inspiration cards, as well as basic combat abilities. Like Mystery Dungeon, Obsidian Prince uses a “you move, they move” approach to combat. But survival doesn’t just hinge on prudent inventory management. Here, you must manage your expenditure of energy, as each move will drain a specific amount from your pool. Additionally, you’ll want to maintain an advantageous deck which gets shuffled on each turn. A trio of inspiration cards are automatically played, helping to even the odds. Obsidian Prince’s other derivation from formula is a diagonal move, that attacks as you pass adjacent opponents.

Story Mode or Roguelike, The Choice is Yours

Because you’re confronting a bit more randomization, Obsidian Prince is easier than strenuous efforts such as Shiren the Wanderer: The Tower of Fortune and the Dice of Fate or DragonFangZ – The Rose & Dungeon of Time. While I’m a bit of gaming masochist, I don’t always enjoy getting my ass kicked immediately after starting a game. Pleasingly, there’s a relaxed interactive tutorial found in Obsidian Prince’s campaign, as well as gradual increase in difficulty afterward. But if you are looking for an expeditious challenge, the game’s Roguelike mode can accommodate.

On the bottom of the screen, you’ll find those Inspiration Cards, which act passively. You’ll earn new ones every time your adventurer levels up. These do things like power-up your base attack, provide additional energy when you enter a new room, or even grant temporary invincibility. Occasionally, these perks will only work with specific weapons, so you’ll need to pay attention to your hand. While this requires a bit more attention that average crawl, the results can be rewarding. With just a bit of planning, your character can toss out a chakram, potentially striking a horde of opponents around you.

Plenty of Inspiration 

Beyond Inspiration cards, you’ll also earn Backstory Cards. Before entering room, you’ll be able to select three of these, which tend to do immediate things like augment your base attack or offer bonuses like a restoring a few points of health, armor, or energy. Perish during the campaign, and you’ll be cursed with a Wound Card. But fortunately, you aren’t burdened with permanent penalty. Visiting the hospital and pay a fee, and any wounds can be converted to scars, that extend minor bonuses.

Obsidian Prince’s Roguelike mode offers a condensed standalone adventure, which might be perfect for Steam Deck players. But I spent most of my time in the game’s campaign, which offered an experience that’s closer to a traditional role-playing game. Here, you’ll reinvest the dividends gained in each dungeon across an expanding overworld map. You’ll construct a multitude of different buildings from barracks, archery ranges, alchemy ateliers, to swordsmiths, each offering additional classes of adventurers. As such, you won’t want to tackle the campaign with a single character, but create a party with members dedicated to various tasks. Longevity is rooted in these different classes, who each provide distinct play styles.

Conclusion 

Fresh out of early access, Obsidian Prince has a few issues. Most notably, the game’s quest reminders reappear after a trek through each dungeon, even if you’re got rid of them previously. Occasionally, they’ll stack so high that they hide the interface underneath. Even with the game’s default zoomed in-perspective, dungeons can get busy at times, with adversaries gathering around and behind environmental objects. As such, you’ll probably wish you could rotate the camera view. To a lesser extent, there’s some minor balancing issues making it possible to hit a rut that will take quite a bit of grinding to get out of. And if you need a robust narrative to drive the action, there’s a deliberate emphasis on play over a plotline. Finally, the tutorial needs to be broadened with explanations for elements such as building construction.

Unleash the Giraffe seems committed to listening to player feedback. I witnessed a few cards that players reported not working properly, and the developers were quick to respond. But as a small team, improvements can always take time. Importantly, the developers have an understanding of what makes these kind of dungeon crawls satisfying and seems to be homing in on their vision. Obsidian Prince adds some smart variations on top of that formula, making for a worthwhile retreat for Mystery Dungeon devotees.

Obsidian Prince was played on PC with
review code provided by the publisher.