Cornfox & Brothers’ Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon began life as a mobile release a few years back. And while many compared its roguelike goodness to the older days of Gauntlet, they felt it came up short. The progression didn’t quite fare as well as it could have, and its style of play contrasted what previous Oceanhorngames presented. Now, I didn’t play it myself, so when it finally made its debut on Steam, I was ready to jump in.
And I think some of the criticism seems a little unfair here. What we have with Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeonis a charming take on the Gauntlet formula with a roguelike approach. Heroes enter each random level with their weapons and items, taking down enemies and collecting goodies. You can try out different classes as well, and test your luck on rather large bosses.
The game does have a repetitive nature when it comes to its gameplay, sure. But it’s actually a blast to play with friends in four player local co-op. Plus the progression isn’t nearly as stilted as others let on. And there’s a certain level of gratitude with the old-school style approach to visuals and music. The narration may be a bit much, but better that than not enough.
I just didn’t mind Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon in the least. It may not be as in-depth as other games in the series, but it’s still got a lot to offer within its simplicity. Not to mention that the $10 price tag won’t be a burden on your wallet. Sometimes you just want to relax and have a good time with a dungeon beat-em-up. And Chronos Dungeon does just that.
Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon Is All About Recovering a Kingdom
The main story isn’t exactly filled with heavy subtext. But it still set the stage for the action. A long-lost kingdom has fallen into the sea, leaving the land in a desolate place. But leave it to four adventures to try and work their way through the underground in an effort to recover it.
The game features four different character types – Knight, Huntress, Grandmaster and Mage. Each one has their different attack styles, from up-close strikes to distant hits. You can easily develop a favorite as you go along. Plus you can pick up limited special weapons for that extra punch, maybe even saving them for the boss battles that pop up. Plus they have different stats each time you jump in, keeping things interesting.
Chronos Dungeon does follow a classic hack-and-slash style, not unlike Atari’s Gauntlet. And while that does make it slightly repetitive, it still makes for a good classic gaming type. It doesn’t get overcomplicated, and those aforementioned boss battles are actually very cool. Plus the four player local co-op support is a nice touch, making for perfect couch play. (I would’ve liked online, but totally get why the indie dev couldn’t make it happen.)
Plus the whole package is a mere ten bucks. That’s not bad at all, considering what most games go for these days. Granted, it’s not as elaborate as previous entries in the Oceanhorn series. But it works in its own right, provided you’re in the right mindset for it. If you go in expecting a Zelda experience…well, you might want to play the other games.
Overall, I was pleased with how Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon turned out. It works through its simple nature and runs with it. Sometimes all you need is a good time without overdevelopment getting in the way. (You listening, AAA devs?)
Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon Packs a Retro Presentation
Cornfox & Brothers manage to pack Oceanhorn’s presentation with a good old-fashioned approach. And it works.
The visuals look like something out of an 8-bit (or even 16-bit) style of RPG. The randomly generated levels look great, and the variety of enemies are especially noteworthy. I’m also a fan of some of the weapon effects, as well as the intro screen that mixes up each stage presentation. I would’ve liked more cinematic sequences, but oh well. It does quite well, and looks great in four player to boot.
Along with that, the music has a cool Square Enix-ish approach to it, with a good synthesized soundtrack running throughout. The sound effects are also good, albeit a bit basic. That said, the narration does seem a little over-dramatic at times. But better than putting in a narrator that simply doesn’t give a damn, yeah?
Enter the Dungeon Crawler
If you come into Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon expecting a thorough solo adventure like the previous games, you’ll be taken for a loop. It’s much different in nature, with its co-op-style approach and its hack-and-slash action. But, honestly, I don’t see why it’s gotten so much hate. Maybe it’s mobile counterpart was just more limited. It feels right at home on Steam.
Plus, with its low price point and its continuously generating content, there’s bound to be enough dungeons for you and your friends to jump into. It may get slightly repetitive, but the classic hack-and-slash style is on point. Chronos Dungeon deserves a second chance to make a first impression.
GAMERHUB RATING: 3.5 (out of 5) JOYSTICKS
Thanks to Cornfox & Brothers for providing us a review code! Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon is available now on Steam!
Need more beat-em-up goodness? Check out our review of Night Slashers Remake!
