Review: Dungeon Clawler
Image Credit: Stray Fawn Studio, Dungeon Clawler
If you're a fan of roguelikes, dungeon crawlers, or claw machines, Dungeon Clawler is a game that deserves your attention. Cleverly named and even more cleverly designed, this game combines genres in a unique way. It’s not just one of the best roguelikes on mobile this year—it might be one of the best games overall (WAIT! Don’t hate us yet before you continue to read on).
What Is Dungeon Clawler?
At its heart, Dungeon Clawler is a roguelike dungeon crawler. You explore dungeons laid out in a grid system, moving one square at a time in any direction you choose. As you progress, you encounter enemies, treasure, and unique challenges. But the twist? Combat and many other mechanics revolve around a claw machine. Yes, a literal claw machine like the ones you used to play at arcades.
How It Plays
The gameplay has two major elements: exploration and the claw machine.
Exploration: You move through a dungeon, square by square. Along the way, you'll find enemies, shops, and mini-games. Each decision matters because resources are limited and choosing the right path can make or break your whole run.
Claw Machine Combat: When you enter a fight the game transforms into a claw machine. You control the claw to pick up items like shields, weapons, or special items. Once you grab them, they’re automatically used. For example, shields boost your defense, swords attack enemies, and poison items weaken opponents over time. The whole system feels similar to a deck builder (it even has a “your deck” section) but with items instead of cards.
Image Credit: Stray Fawn Studio, Dungeon Clawler
What Makes It Unique
What really sets Dungeon Clawler apart is how creative it gets with the claw machine mechanic (something no other game we’ve played has ever done). It’s not just for combat. The game constantly introduces new machines and mini-games. Here are a few examples:
Pachinko Machine: Drop a ball through a pachinko machine to win upgrades or resources.
Trap Money Grab: Collect coins while avoiding mines that can damage you.
Potion and Coin Mix: Gamble on collecting health potions or coins while trying to avoid taking risks that might cost you.
These mechanics mix things up since you never know what kind of mini-game or challenge you’ll face next.
Characters and Items
One of the coolest parts of the game is the variety of items and characters you can unlock. For example:
Squiddy: Uses sticky tentacle claws to grab more items in one turn.
Count Clawcula: Heals every time he attacks which is great for longer fights.
The items are equally creative. You’ve got:
Honey Globs: Stick items together for easier grabs.
Poison Bombs: Slowly weaken enemies over time.
Spiked Shields: Add defense while also damaging enemies who attack you.
Image Credit: Stray Fawn Studio, Dungeon Clawler
Built for Mobile; Still Great on PC
Even though Dungeon Clawler is available on multiple platforms it feels perfect on mobile AND the PC (we played on both). The touch controls work really well with the claw machine mechanic, and the fast-paced runs are nice for get ting in some quick gaming sessions.
Why You Should Play
Dungeon Clawler is… Just fun. It takes the simplicity (nostalgia?) of claw machines, adds the depth of a roguelike, and creates something entirely new. The variety of items, characters, and challenges made it so that no two runs feel the same after hours and hours of playtime. For us, the claw machine aspect also made things a lot more charing than it otherwise would have been.
Dungeon Clawler is hands-down a must-play. It’s easily one of the best mobile games released this year, and it’s worth every penny.
Rating: 9.0
Review by Andrew Hamel
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