Crawl
Crawl is the local multiplayer dungeon crawler where your friends control the monsters! It’s bullet-hell beat-em-up meets old-school RPG, in an arcadey party-game for up to 4 players. One player is the hero, exploring a randomly generated dungeon full of traps and monsters - all controlled by the other players. If you slay the hero you take their place and it’s your turn to crawl! Then it's a race to gain enough XP and loot to reach the final battle, where it's all on one as the other players collectively control the hulking final boss!
What it feels like
The mechanics invite mischievous, experimental fun as players control monsters to trip up friends.
What it's about
A grim dungeon-crawling fantasy setting with combat, traps, and boss encounters. The dungeon and monster aesthetics incorporate horror elements; user tags cite Lovecraftian themes.
How it plays
Randomized item drops of varying rarity reward dungeon exploration and enemy defeat, driving the progression loop. Other players control distinct monster roles within the dungeon, functioning as a managed opposition force. Combat emphasizes stylish, expressive melee execution and chained attacks against enemies.
How it looks and sounds
Deliberately low-resolution pixel graphics define the visual style and retro arcade aesthetic.
How it's structured
Local multiplayer up to 4 players on a shared screen is the definitional core mechanic and design. Direct competition between the hero and monster-controlling players is the central dynamic and win condition. Play is divided into discrete dungeon runs that reset on the player's death, with progression carried between attempts via leveling and loot.
Kindred games
Shares Run-Based, Hack-and-Slash, Local Co-op, Loot & Drops.
Both lean into Run-Based, Hack-and-Slash, Local Co-op, Loot & Drops.
Shares Run-Based, Local Co-op, Hack-and-Slash, Procedural Levels.
Both lean into Run-Based, Local Co-op, Hack-and-Slash, Procedural Levels.
Shares Run-Based, Hack-and-Slash, Local Co-op, Character Action.
Both lean into Run-Based, Hack-and-Slash, Local Co-op, Character Action.
Closest hidden gems
A lesser-known kindred — Run-Based, Procedural Levels, Local Co-op, Loot & Drops. 85% positive across 4,522 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Run-Based, Procedural Levels, Local Co-op, Pixel Art.
A lesser-known kindred — Run-Based, Procedural Levels, Local Co-op, Loot & Drops. 91% positive across 4,562 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Run-Based, Procedural Levels, Local Co-op, Loot & Drops.
A lesser-known kindred — Loot & Drops, Run-Based, Procedural Levels, Hack-and-Slash. 95% positive across 4,427 Steam reviews.
Both lean into Loot & Drops, Run-Based, Procedural Levels, Hack-and-Slash.