Apr 2017
Crawl is a delightful mix of brawling and betrayal that's like a twisted game of tag with your friends. Imagine Monster's Inc, but instead of caring for babies, you’re trying to kill your friends and swap roles with the hero. That's right! Who knew dungeon crawling could be so fun AND sociopathic? Let’s take a deeper dive into this chaotic and charming world, shall we?
Crawl is not your typical dungeon crawler. Up to four players (or just you if your friends ditched you for a more 'mature' title) get to jump into randomly generated dungeons. But here’s the twist: while one player gets to be the hero, others play as spirits, controlling traps, monsters, and other like, ‘sorry, can’t let you win’ things. It's like playing catch but the ball is lava and your friends are screaming. How's that for fun? You crawl your way through dungeons, collecting loot, leveling up, and, oh, let’s not forget: trying not to get murdered by your friends. In true roguelike fashion, everything’s procedurally generated, meaning no two playthroughs are the same—but don’t worry, you’ll still die in many of the same painfully hilarious ways. If a spirit manages to off the hero, they switch roles and get their shot at glory—or to dive back into the dungeons with a vengeance. Did I mention the unique twist of having to team up to kill the final boss at level ten? Only to stab each other in the back at the last second? Talk about having fun with your friends! If you ever wanted to experience a brotherly bond where betrayal is a love language, this game has you covered!
Crawl sports a charming pixel art style that feels nostalgic while also fresh. It’s like a handmade quilt—filled with quirky designs and stitched with laughter. The animations are slick, and the dungeons have a great atmosphere. Each pixel reflects the whimsy and ridiculousness of smashing through a labyrinth of traps and monsters while your friends try not to stab you. It’s colorful, it’s vibrant, and everything just pops—making it visually pleasing even as you’re metaphorically choking on the betrayal of your friends.
In conclusion, Crawl is a great way to experience all the joy and pain of multiplayer gaming. It manages to blend competition and cooperation so seamlessly, you might even feel guilty about stabbing your friends in the back. But that’s the nature of the beast! So gather your pals, grab a controller, and prepare for a wild night filled with laughter, betrayal, and shouting (the good kind, of course). With phenomenal local multiplayer, unique gameplay mechanics, and a charming aesthetic, Crawl earns an excellent score of 8.5 out of 10 for its chaotic charm and sheer fun factor. Now all that’s left is to grab a snack and not throw the controller at each other during that boss fight!
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