There are also improvements, like quest information in the hero selection screen and a shortcut to the album from the Workshop. The credits have also been updated, and Bunker makes a sound when taking damage during her Ultimate (which is important, given her role in tanking).

An assortment of bug fixes is also live, like a crash that could occur when upgrading the Crystal for a sixth time in Cartie’s questline or a soft lock after loading a save, which resulted in an immortal Bug Momma. Check out the full hotfix notes below.

Endless Dungeon is available for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC, with the Nintendo Switch version yet to be dated. Check out our review here.

[23 November Hotfix]

Balancing

• Merchant now always offer 5 items.
• There was certain situations in which they offered less objects.

Improvements

• Added information about quests in the hero selection screen.
• Added a shortcut the album in the workshop.
• Added a sound when Bunker is taking damage during her ultimate.
• Updated credits of the game.

Bug Fixing

• Fixed a crash that could happen when upgrading the crystal for the sixth time for Cartie’s questline
• Fixed an infinite loading that could happen after reading environmental notes in specific conditions
• Fixed a softlock where Bug Momma was not killable after loading a save
• Fixed an issue in multiplayer games where clients could not start quests for heroes they didn’t own yet
• Fixed an issue in multiplayer games where clients could not complete Cleaner’s first quest
• Fixed an issue where the feedback highlighting that the crystal bot was upgradable did not disappear after upgrading it
• Fixed an issue where the feedback highlighting that the crystal bot was upgradable was not hidden during in-engine cinematics
• Fixed an issue where players could be missing cells rewarded by quests in specific conditions

Set in a treacherous space station, Endless Dungeon sees its unwilling occupants venturing through several floors of danger to reach the Core. Like Dungeon of the Endless, you must escort the Crystal Bot and protect it from enemies like Bots, Bugs, Blobs and Blurs (not necessarily in that order). You can construct turrets to grant an advantage and invest resources to level up your heroes.

Upon returning to the Saloon, you can use Scrap and Cores earned from each run to unlock new passives, upgrade weapons and much more. Solo play with AI teammates is possible, but there’s also support for up to three players in co-op. Check out our review of Endless Dungeon for more details on what makes it so enjoyable despite not pushing too many boundaries.

The early unlock for Endless Dungeon is available on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. The full release will be available for everyone that bought or pre-ordered the game’s standard edition on October 19.

Endless Dungeon throws players into an abandoned space station, where they will have to fight their way to the exit or die trying. Along the way, players will also have to keep a crystal safe from hordes of never-ending enemies.

The game has been described as a rogue-lite title meets twin-stick shooter with tactical tower defense aspects. Players can team up in groups of 3, while those preferring single player can make use of AI buddies in their attempts to escape from the space station

For more details on Endless Dungeon, check out our review. The game also got a music video-styled trailer last week.

Its 4X titles, like Endless Legend and Endless Space, are pretty entertaining, but it also created a niche title called Dungeon of the Endless. Before Auriga Prime played host to diplomacy, combat and territory disputes, it was where a prison ship called the Success crash-landed. Trapped in a deep, dark dungeon, its inhabitants fought for survival while protecting The Crystal. While classified as a roguelike, Dungeon of the Endless mixed tower defense, exploration, heroes, loot and extraction mechanics in a smorgasbord of tense action.

"You’re limited to three players in a single team, each with unique abilities, weapons and upgrades, and the environments are fully 3D."

As you’ve probably guessed by now, Endless Dungeon has the bones of Dungeon of the Endless. However, instead of an underground facility on Auriga Prime, it’s set in a dangerous space station where the Core has seemingly gone rogue. Trapping various passersby and serving as a prison from which they can’t leave, the player must escort the Crystal Bot and hopefully discover a means to escape.

Another departure from its inspiration is the isometric, overhead view and tactical shooting. You’re limited to three players in a single team, each with unique abilities, weapons and upgrades, and the environments are fully 3D. The result is more of a roguelike shooter, but one where planning your route, placing turrets, exploiting chokepoints, and managing resources is as important as painting the walls with the remnants of Blobs, Bots, Blurs and Bugs.

When solo, Endless Dungeon involves selecting up to two heroes (with a third slot eventually unlocked) and selecting a floor. As you start in the first zone, you need to open doors, each providing a set amount of Science, Food and Construction resources, to discover a path for the Crystal Bot to reach the next zone. Repeat this to access the elevator for the next floor. Of course, it’s not nearly as easy as it sounds.

You have little to no idea what lies beyond each room. There could be an empty slot to construct a Science, Construction or Food generator, thus increasing the amount of that resource earned when opening a new door. You could stumble upon a terminal to upgrade your heroes or construct stims for healing (both requiring food). A research terminal may pop up, allowing you to upgrade different turrets and research new ones. There’s also Dust, a resource which can power up rooms, allowing you to access their facilities and build turrets.

"As such, decisions must be made on which turret to research. Do you improve the flamer turret for more damage or invest in a Light turret to deal with the Blur enemies that go invisible?"

There may be the odd chest or two lying around with Cells, the meta-progression currency, and weapons of different rarities. However, more often than not, you’ll discover enemy spawners. When a new wave approaches, either when researching something or just out of the blue, a limited number of enemies emerge. Since they can effectively destroy stations and assail the Crystal Bot, you need to set up defenses, which means turrets.

Turret types include the Straight Shooter, which deals neutral damage, and it’s all well and good. However, you’ll want to exploit elemental weaknesses and construct specialized turrets that spew fire, electricity and acid. Support turrets that improve the performance of others (and your heroes); Shield turrets which increase the defense of heroes and turrets in a room; and more, can further tip the scales in your favor.

But in yet another twist of fate, resources are limited. You may need to enlist various kinds of turrets since certain floors can have more than one enemy type. As such, decisions must be made on which turret to research. Do you improve the flamer turret for more damage or invest in a Light turret to deal with the Blur enemies that go invisible?

It’s possible to have one of each elemental type for a turret by the time you reach the third floor, but deciding what to min-max is the real challenge. Even the Crystal Bot can get upgrades, though you’ll need to survive a harrowing journey to mine the necessary resources. Still, unlocking passives like one that slows enemies in the same room as the bot while reducing their defenses is pretty great.

"Perhaps the only real issue with the loot is that it doesn’t provide that same rush as obtaining a super-rare or powerful item in other roguelikes."

Whatever you decide to do, blowing too many resources on a single floor, let alone a zone is a recipe for disaster since they don’t carry over to the next. It’s a careful game of balance, examining the best coverage and elemental type for the job. As noted earlier, planning your route is also key. The fewer open doors to the Crystal Bot, the better, but you may want to risk opening more doors to gain further resources. Remember: the bot will take that same route to advance to its destination (assuming it doesn’t follow you), so plan and construct turrets accordingly.

The perspective and direct control of heroes also lend an extra dimension to the gameplay. Since environments are fully 3D, compared to the pixel art of Dungeon of the Endless, you can take advantage of corners and fire into other rooms. The range of your weapons is limited, so you’ll need to consider that as well.

As for the combat, the weapons have the right amount of heft and responsiveness. Snipers with charged shots feel weighty and powerful while Gatling Guns spew heaps of bullets (that seem to fall off in damage later, but it depends on the build you go for). Some weapons are preferable to others, particularly the ranged ones, but aside from one or two, they each have their place depending on the situation. That elephant trunk-looking flamer may not seem great with its ring of fire surrounding your hero, but it works well in claustrophobic scenarios against Bugs and doesn’t impose a movement penalty when channeled.

Perhaps the only real issue with the loot is that it doesn’t provide that same rush as obtaining a super-rare or powerful item in other roguelikes. Higher rarities for existing weapons mean more damage and better stats, as opposed to any game-changing passives. When I obtained an Endless quality gun, I expected it to be a big deal, but alas.

"The AI is robust for the most part – it’s no substitute for going hands-on, but it gets the job done, even if I wish it would use a hero’s Ultimate when things get messy."

The overall movement is solid, and each hero’s abilities feel good to use, if unextraordinary in their functionality. At the very least, their play styles are varied enough, whether it’s Blaze’s mines, Cartie’s traps or Sweeper’s passive that improves turret fire rate. New heroes are unlocked as you progress further, and each has unique Hero Quests that will unlock passive upgrades, which can be slotted before a run.

These quests usually involve going to a floor and either eliminating an enemy or fulfilling an objective, like not losing a resource generator on your first floor or slaying a set number of Bot enemies. One nice feature is that you don’t necessarily have to play as the hero in question. Just add them to your party and travel to the biome – with special keys allowing you to access later biomes at the start of a run.

You can switch between the heroes in your team at any time, but otherwise, the AI controls them. The tactical commands are limited to having them follow or stay behind in an area, which can be good if enemies attack from multiple doorways or when a resource station needs additional protection. The AI is robust for the most part – it’s no substitute for going hands-on, but it gets the job done, even if I wish it would use a hero’s Ultimate when things get messy.

While the shooting is mostly on point, it’s also incredibly simple. Various stats like fire rate, critical hit chance and damage can be increased, along with other stats, and you can acquire modules that add passive bonuses. There’s also a Shove mechanic, which can knock enemies back and repair/boost turrets. It could feel janky for the most part, often whiffing completely. While it’s not the biggest issue, it does explain the lack of a melee class.

"Perhaps the only other drawback to Endless Dungeon is how samey some runs can feel."

When you die, whether it’s to a boss or become overwhelmed by enemies, you return to the Saloon. This is the hub, which can be upgraded with Scrap earned after every run. Unlock advanced chips for heroes, improve weapons with Chips, or repair the stage with Scrap so the band can play. If you discover beverage recipes, they can be turned into the Cafe to mix special Challenges, like causing Shoves to restore some health at the cost of hero defense and Stims granting brief invincibility. They change your approach in different ways, though they’re not earth-shattering by any means.

Those expecting a comprehensive story throughout may be somewhat disappointed, but the lore surrounding Endless Dungeon is still as intriguing as ever. While exploring the station, you’ll discover various lore bits about day-to-day happenings before everything went wrong. These are charming but not particularly compelling in reinforcing the narrative. On the other hand, the pieces you discover and add to the Archives unlock lore scenes explaining various aspects of the universe are pretty good, despite the limited animation.

Even if the overarching story is nothing crazy, it feels like there could have been more interactions and personal stories given the unique individuals in the Saloon. Like Hades, new conversations and features open up depending on your progress. However, don’t expect people to react to your previous run or have extensive conversations. Having more ways to interact with the hub’s denizens and flesh out their stories would have been nice.

Perhaps the only other drawback to Endless Dungeon is how samey some runs can feel. While each biome looks unique, with the animated art style looking especially fetching as you’re overwhelmed by enemies and bullets illuminate your surroundings, there aren’t too many differences in terms of how you approach them. Regardless of the biome chosen, you’ll face one enemy type, then two in the next and three in the next. A boss will always appear on the second floor, with its type varying based on the biome you enter. Credit where it’s due: the boss fights are good and introduce an interesting wrinkle while still being in line with the exploration and defense aspects of the gameplay.

"The mysteries of the Endless may never be fully resolved, but they make for a fun, though conservatively quirky, adventure."

The Core offers all four enemy types, and I liked the meta-game that involved deactivating its defenses to disable debuffs it would place on your heroes. Random events like Blackout, which shuts off electricity in all rooms and requires you to activate specific terminals to turn them back on while enemies scurry about, occasionally pop up. There are also pylons, which can bestow positive and/or negative effects, like increased enemy movement speed at low health or HP recovery while they’re in the same room (with the solution being to build turrets outside of it). Leave them as they are or disable them with Dust – the choice is yours.

Presentation-wise, Endless Dungeon embodies that Space Western aesthetic well, from the voiceovers to the music. Characters and portraits are well done, and performance is solid with pretty much no bugs (at least none outside of those trying to slay my team). As noted previously, shadows and lighting are done well, while the textures and environmental details are on point. Unfortunately, I didn’t have a chance to try out much co-op, but even for solo players, there’s plenty to sink one’s teeth into.

Like its inspiration, Endless Dungeon won’t reinvent the roguelike genre. Nevertheless, it translates several genres into one compelling mix, with the new perspective and progression mechanics offering more long-term investment. The mysteries of the Endless may never be fully resolved, but they make for a fun, though conservatively quirky, adventure.

This game was reviewed on PC.

Alongside the song itself, the video shows off some gameplay from the upcoming rogue-lite tactical action game, as well as some of the game’s quieter moments, like characters hanging out at the bar or reading a letter.

Endless Dungeon was announced all the way back in December 2020. Originally planned for release in May, the game has since been delayed to its current October 19 release date. According to the studio, the decision to delay the game was made because the developers didn’t feel like it was at the level of quality that it needed to be.

The game is a rogue-lite dungeon crawler, and supports online co-op. It is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. There are also plans for a Nintendo Switch release, but there is no release date yet.

On Atlus’ side, though Metaphor: ReFantazio – which launches sometime in 2024 – isn’t mentioned, two upcoming Persona titles will be part of the lineup in Persona 5 Tactica, which launches this November, and Persona 3 Reload, which is out in February.

Meanwhile, Sega, too, will be leaving out a major title in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, but again, will have plenty to show off with Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name, Amplitude Studios’ Endless Dungeon, and of course, Sonic Superstars.

Sega and Atlus’ TGS lineup will also include several third party titles from partner publishers, including Hot Wheels Unleashed 2: Turbocharged and Payday 3 from Plaion and EA Sports FC 24 from, well, EA Sports.

Before TGS kicks off, Sega and Atlus will also be streaming a special media broadcast on September 21, 3 AM PT.

"We knew from day one that co-op would juice up the experience and be at its heart. Going to consoles and giving direct control over characters to players, we soon realized that things got stale quickly with the original’s turn-based approach to enemy waves. Hence real time was introduced so that both solo and multiplayer would keep players on their toes for hours on end."

What was behind the decision to take the franchise back to the Dungeon line, so to speak? Was there ever a discussion early on in development to maybe do something entirely new?

We wanted to make Endless Dungeon for many reasons. The original, Dungeon of the Endless team enjoyed the project, and a core of the Amplitude community also really enjoyed it. The game was a strange hybrid, but it resonated strongly with a lot of players, who for instance, kept talking to us about the fantastic times they had with the original’s multiplayer.

We also really liked the “space Western” atmosphere and found that it would make a very interesting and enjoyable setting when combining and contrasting the science fiction elements with the cowboy/Western elements.

Finally, while we enjoy doing our big 4X games, it is also fun to sometimes work on a different style and scope of strategy / tactical game!

Of course, we also like to develop brand-new concepts, but in this case, going back to the dungeon was a no-brainer!

Endless Dungeon is placing a much greater emphasis on multiplayer than Dungeon of the Endless. Can you talk about how that shift in focus came about, and what are the biggest changes you’re making to accommodate that shift?

Whenever we spoke with our community, whether online or at real-life get-together events, what kept coming back (aside from the game’s unique mix of genres) was how much fun it was to play it with friends and coordinate efforts to beat the game. One bad decision could mean the end of a run, so the pressure was real and made for some exhilarating situations and laughs!

So we knew from day one that co-op would juice up the experience and be at its heart. Going to consoles and giving direct control over characters to players, we soon realized that things got stale quickly with the original’s turn-based approach to enemy waves. Hence real time was introduced so that both solo and multiplayer would keep players on their toes for hours on end!

What was behind the decision to reduce the number of players in co-op from four to three for Endless Dungeon?

Originally the game allowed players to control four heroes in single player; running around to protect the generators and the crystal is already a challenge and doing that with four characters became extremely complex for both the player’s cognitive load and simple things like camera position and movement. In the same way, as Endless Dungeon does not have the level design of a more linear or channeled shooter, MP with four people seemed too overwhelming for the player to manage in combination with everything else, so we decided to make it a three player co-op which, with player feedback, seemed to make it just the right balance for the player to have fun while at the same time still challenging.

"Unleashing a devastating guitar riff attack, slowing down enemies with a wave of detergent, or healing your crew with a whirlwind of plant aromas are only a few of the ways Endless Dungeon’s heroes will stand out in combat."

What level of variety can players expect from the game’s roster of playable characters, in terms of both design and what they will play like?

Just like in the original, heroes are defined by several stats that will allow them to be more DPS or defense-oriented, move or repair turrets faster…

On top of that, heroes have distinct passive, active, and ultimate skills that can turn the tide of battle in various ways! Unleashing a devastating guitar riff attack, slowing down enemies with a wave of detergent, or healing your crew with a whirlwind of plant aromas are only a few of the ways Endless Dungeon’s heroes will stand out in combat!

Given Endless Dungeon’s nature as a roguelite, what sort of a balance is it looking to strike between losing progress between runs and permanent upgrades?

Characters grow stronger over time, or rather, they are gradually given more and more options to try out in combat through meta-progression. All these items and upgrades are purchased in the saloon at various stands using two meta currencies, scrap, and cells, that you earn from run to run. For instance, at the saloon bar, you can buy beverages: passive upgrades that you get to equip for a run. If you collect blueprints in the station, you can give them to the Gunsmith, who will turn them into new weapon attachments or new hero upgrades. You’ll be able to carry a growing amount of these upgrades.

There are also upgrades that you gain during a run: the hero upgrades you buy with Food or the Crystal upgrades you get spending Crystal Shards. You also meet the good old Merchant who will sell you weapons and devices that will in turn, level up in combat!

The Saloon is looking like a promising hub location. What sort of activities will players find here? Will the Saloon expand and change as players get deeper into the experience?

The Saloon is where heroes are “reloaded” every time they die trying to get to the core of the station.

In the saloon, players get to meet the Bartender (passive upgrades via beverages), the Locksmith (station information), the Stranger (starter chests), the Archivist (station lore), and the Gunsmith (hero & saloon upgrades, weapon attachments). Their stands will unlock progressively as the player progresses deeper and deeper into the station.

And, of course, the highlight of the saloon is the band, led by Lera Lynn! Tracks and musicians will be unlocked progressively and are sure to keep heroes motivated in between runs!

"The solo and multiplayer experiences are complementary. While the latter favors communication and coordination, the former will ask players to think tactically and spatially on their own and use heroes’ specificities to their full potential."

For those who’d prefer to play the game solo, how viable is Endless Dungeon as a single player experience? How does the game balance difficulty and combat encounters for different numbers of players?

The solo and multiplayer experiences are complementary. While the latter favors communication and coordination, the former will ask players to think tactically and spatially on their own and use heroes’ specificities to their full potential.

The difficulty is balanced according to the number of Heroes in the game, not the number of players. However, a solo player has all the tools at their disposal to complete a run: ordering their heroes to protect a particular room, using the safe state between waves to improve their turret-building strategy, and using their economy wisely to build up their arsenal.

Roughly how long will an average playthrough of the game be?

The game has been designed to require many playthroughs to see and experience everything – so ranging from 20 to 30 hours for a full completion. To complete one ‘full run’ from the start to the Core (the core being the final level), it will take between 2 and 4 hours – depending on your and your friend’s ability to survive the waves of monsters, of course.

What do you have planned for Endless Dungeon where post-launch support is concerned?

We do have plans to provide lots of support and content post-launch, but we are not quite ready to share those details, so make sure you stay tuned as we have more exciting content to come.

Starfield

Starfield is undoubtedly one of the most anticipated games of the year, and the game finally looks to be on track to hit its updated release date of September 6, 2023. Starfield is Bethesda’s first new IP in over 25 years, and from what we’ve seen so far – the game looks absolutely amazing. Everything from the combat to the exploration and visuals looks impressive, and we’re really excited to see how it all comes up together when the game releases for Xbox Series consoles and PC later this year.

Taking to Twitter, Amplitude Studios recently announced that Endless Dungeon’s launch is being pushed back by five months, with the game now set to launch on October 19. The developer says that it doesn’t feel the game is quite at the level of quality that it needs to be, and has decided that it needs additional time to get to that point.

Over the next few months, Amplitude will be focusing on making improvements and tweaks based on feedback it has received for its OpenDevs, with areas such as meta-progression, balancing, in-game economy, and general bug fixing being the main priorities.

Meanwhile, the closed beta is now set to happen sometime in September, while those pre-order the game will also now receive three additional skins.

When it launches, Endless Dungeon will be available PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC. A Nintendo Switch version is also in the works, but there’s no word yet on when exactly it will release.

Important update for ENDLESS™ Dungeon.

Full details here: https://t.co/i0pVylAbC5 pic.twitter.com/6lUjkMN4mi

— Endless Universe (@EndlessUniverse) April 12, 2023

Set in Amplitude’s Endless universe, Endless Dungeon is a top-down twin-stick shooter and rogue-lite action game. Your job is to survive the hordes of a twisted space station, protecting your Crystal en route to the Core. There are several heroes to choose from, and co-op for up to three players.

Pre-orders are live for Xbox, PlayStation and PC, with the “Last Wish” Digital Edition providing 48 hours early to the title. Other bonuses include a digital artbook, soundtrack, the Pioneer Elite skin pack, and access to the “Final Rodeo” OpenDev and pre-release closed beta. There’s also a physical Day One Edition with limited stock available that includes an artbook, the digital soundtrack and skin packs, and the Crystal Search card game.

Early access, the closed beta and OpenDev are not included with pre-orders. Stay tuned for more details on the final OpenDev test shortly.