One of the most fun games I’ve played with my friends is definitely Crawl, a game where either you die a hero, or live long enough to become the villain. There are many multiplayer brawler games like Super Smash Bros., Multiversus, Brawlhalla and Stick Fight (review coming soon), but there’s something about Crawl that feels different, maybe the pixelated graphics or the arcade elements that bring a certain nostalgia giving us a very interesting fighting game.
Crawl is a multiplayer dungeon crawler video game developed and published by Powerhoof. It was first released in 2014 and is available on various platforms such as Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch.
In Crawl, up to four players can take on the roles of heroes and monsters in a procedurally generated dungeon. The objective of the game is to fight your way through the dungeon and be the first player to defeat the boss monster, allowing you to escape the dungeon and win the game.
Only one player can be alive and the rest are ghosts who will possess objects and monsters to try and kill the hero. By doing so, you have a chance to “revive” and try to escape the dungeons. In games like Smash Bros., you can use several weapons and abilities to fight your rival. In crawl you do the same, but instead of weapons, you can possess monsters, like skulls, werewolves and such, to try and kill the living human.
The hero and monsters all have unique abilities and playstyles, and players can collect gold and experience points by defeating monsters and completing challenges. As the hero gains levels, they can choose to upgrade their abilities and weapons, making them more powerful.
What makes Crawl unique is that it allows players to switch roles, with defeated heroes becoming monsters and taking on their former allies. This adds an interesting twist to the game and makes it a complete mayhem when played with your friends. You can play solo as well, against ai’s, but I assure you, it’s more fun with friends (if you don’t have any friends, well… You can befriend the ai’s)
Crawl does have a loose backstory that sets up the game’s premise. The story goes that you, the player, have been cursed and trapped within a dungeon. The only way to escape is by defeating the dungeon’s final boss.
As you progress through the dungeon, you will encounter various monsters and traps, which were once under the control of the final boss. However, due to the curse, the monsters are now free to attack you and prevent you from reaching the boss.
Another thing that sets Crawl apart from other dungeon crawlers is its unique gameplay mechanic where defeated players become monsters, allowing them to continue playing and working against their former allies. This adds a level of unpredictability and strategic depth to the game, as players must constantly adapt to the changing roles and challenges.
Crawl offers a fun and engaging multiplayer experience with its unique gameplay mechanics and challenging dungeon crawling gameplay. There are many multiplayer fighting games, but this one stands out on its own by its unique gameplay and creativity, making the experience a different challenge or adventure every time you play.