Underplayed Gems

The Nightmare of Druaga: Fushigino Dungeon (2004)

The Nightmare of Druaga: Fushigino Dungeon cover
Developer
Arika
Publisher
Namco
Platforms
PlayStation 2
Genres
Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Adventure

More by Arika

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The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A precise, turn-based dungeon crawl that moves with the urgency of real-time action, demanding careful tactical decisions at every step as you descend deeper into a dangerous tower.

methodicalstrategictensegrid-basedpunishingatmosphericimmersivedeliberate

About

In this turn-based dungeon crawler you play as Gil, whose beloved fiancee has been kidnapped by a sorceress and taken to the Tower of Druaga. Gil puts on a suit of armor that radiates light, and proceeds into the dungeon to save his beloved Ki. The combat system and exploration might be the best part of the game. The map is set up in a grid, and you do everything in turns, like moving, battling, or recovering. The timing of moves is also critical, and the game feels like a real-time game because you aren't waiting like you typically would for turn-based games. The Nightmare of Druaga: Fushigino dungeon is a collaboration between the Mysterious Dungeon series and the arcade classic The Tower of Druaga.

Screenshots

The Nightmare of Druaga: Fushigino Dungeon screenshot 1The Nightmare of Druaga: Fushigino Dungeon screenshot 2

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More by Arika

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.