Dobbel Dungeon

I jumped into Dobbel Dungeon expecting a quaint tactics game with a neat gimmick — but what I found was a surprisingly polished little title that actually leans into its dice mechanic. The claymation-inspired visuals are immediately memorable, and the core loop of selecting three heroes, rolling dice and solving each encounter like a mini puzzle is oddly satisfying. If you like turn-based strategy with a lighter, more playful vibe (think XCOM-lite meets tabletop dice fiddling), Dobbel Dungeon is worth a look.

Rolling Into Tactical Choices

Dobbel Dungeon’s core loop is gloriously simple: pick a party of three heroes, roll each character’s dice at the start of their turn, then choose how to spend those pips on movement, attacks, skills and utilities. I spent most of my time juggling whether to splurge a big roll on a heavy-hitting ability or conserve numbers for multiple small actions — that tension makes each turn feel meaningful. There’s no hit-or-miss RNG in attacks; if you have the required dice, the action happens exactly as described, which turns randomness into a solvable resource rather than an annoying coin flip. Movement, positioning and elemental interactions (wet, fire, lightning, etc.) matter a lot: scaring a mob into a trap or setting up a wet enemy for lightning burst is extremely satisfying. Combat encounters are bite-sized but frequently layered with side objectives that reward creative play and give runs some variety.

Dice, Items and Character Quirks That Keep You Thinking

What lifts Dobbel Dungeon above a one-note gimmick is how items and skill trees interact with the dice system. Artifacts often add whole new actions or modifiers, letting you turn a mediocre roll into a combo piece. Skill trees are shared across earned points, so spending is meaningful — I loved specializing one character as a rolling heavy while making another the team’s utility box. Unlocking new heroes via quests introduces fresh playstyles, even if many characters lean into archetypes. The variety of items is a real highlight: they add passive bonuses, extra actions and interesting synergies (some items force you to seek specific dice combinations or reward even/odd results). Boss fights at the end of each island feel tactical, and the option to delay the final boss to make it tougher is a neat difficulty lever.

Claymation Charm, Sound and Performance

Graphically, the game leans into a tactile, handcrafted clay look that gives every battlefield personality — tiny fingerprints and glossy reflections make the models feel lovingly crafted. The UI is clear and readable, though I occasionally missed an in-combat max-HP marker during bonus quests that want full health. Sound and music are whimsical and fit the tone; effects for dice rolls and item interactions sell the tactile feeling. Performance was solid on my Windows rig with no major frame drops, but I did stumble on a couple of awkward targeting moments (friendly fire quirks and pathing oddities reported by other players). Accessibility options are basic but present; controller support works decently, though button mapping could use polish. Overall, it looks and sounds like a studio that obsessed over the small details.

Dobbel Dungeon is a delightful, well-crafted tactical indie that turns dice into a strategic resource rather than a frustration. It’s perfect for players who like turn-based puzzles, item-led customization and a strong visual identity. If you crave endless genre depth, you might find the islands and enemy types a touch repetitive, but for most players this is a charming, affordable romp worth rolling the dice on.