Dungeon Inn on PC
Management games are sort of a comfort food for many players, because it can be about whatever subject matter you want to concern yourself with. There are schools to run, hospitals to take care of, and, in the case of Spiral Up Games and Cat Society‘s Dungeon Inn, it’s all about keeping the adventuring guilds happy and keeping your end of the bargain with a dangerous dragon.
The premise and setup are certainly unique, as players take on the role of Sara, an ambitious innkeeper who has ostensibly struck up a deal with a dragon to open an inn right at the mouth of a dungeon leading into its lair. When there are lairs, there will be adventurers, and they are going to need to rest up at an inn before carrying on.
The catch here is that you are trying to play the two sides of the Mountain and Seaside Guild, maximising your profits while keeping both factions in the dark. More crucially, you are going to have to satisfy the dragon’s want for gold and treasure, a potentially fatal renter’s agreement that shouldn’t see the light of day either. When Dungeon Inn emphasises discretion, it really means it.
How this translates to gameplay is in the form of turn-based moves, with the guilds on either side of your strategically placed establishment. Adventurers will make their way towards the inn and dungeon in droves, and by playing specific tools, you can affect their movement speed, earn a few more coins, and divert their growing suspicions.
Think energy drinks to get them stepping fast, a prize wheel that delays more than a few customers, or even a stand full of delicious treats to earn some coins while they stop to peruse. By learning how to play these items strategically, it becomes clear just how chaotic Dungeon Inn can be if you let things go awry.
Once these folks arrive at the inn, they will also have to be taken care of using specialised amenities which players can upgrade, opening up the possibilities of essential choices that can have a host of consequences. This can affect the free time of both Sara and her two assistants or have drastic effects on either guild, and you are making all the decisions.
Running on a weekly schedule means things are moving fast, yet you always get that feeling of accomplishment when you can successfully navigate this maze of capitalism and deceit. Even if the guilds happen to catch on and meet each other at your doorstep, you can choose to tip the scales and help out a faction, eliminating any witnesses at the cost of life and credibility. Business has to continue, and you can always earn back their trust in the future.
Between balancing your customer base, the dragon’s demands, and varying objectives for any given month, Dungeon Inn also throws in weather effects that can change how your customers move and interact with the world. It will undoubtedly take some learning to get into the groove of things in the game, but once you are into your third month, it becomes second nature.
Therein lies one of the growing issues of Dungeon Inn, especially in its Early Access stage. There will be more content coming, and while the base game is quite enjoyable already, it is hard to get that feeling of freshness if you dive into it for an extended period. The whole process of managing the inn on a weekly and monthly cadence can become a procession if you are seasoned enough, and only the random events that take place serve to spice things up. Even those will start to repeat after a while, so it will be up to Cat Society to keep it interesting in the long run.
At the very least, the game is visually pleasant to look at, with its 2D art and sense of humour easy to get into. Accessibility is hardly a concern as well, as everything can be done using the point-and-click system, leaving you plenty of time to check things out every time the doors of the inn open. It can get a little repetitive on the audio front, but amid the hustle and bustle of doing business, it is not a big enough concern.
The seeming simplicity of Dungeon Inn works both ways. On one hand, it is easy to get into and the challenge it offers is genuinely entertaining, with the story unique and refreshing even if it’s entirely predictable. But also, it will leave those yearning for something more comprehensive wanting more. While the roadmap promises more to come, it may be a little early for some to invest in the potential of this title, even with its solid foundations. Just like your choice of an inn and a drink, it will be entirely up to your presence how you prepare for the adventures ahead.
Dungeon Inn is available now on Steam Early Access for SG$13.00.
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Summary
An entertaining take on the management experience with a dose of fiery dragon breath, the potential of Dungeon Inn makes its current state an enticing option, even with some flaws.
