Description

Dispel is a combination of RPG genre with elements of roguelike and dungeon crawler, consisting in procedurally generated levels and inevitability of death. The game is set in a dark fantasy world and integrates multiple locations, a variety of opponents and various types of magic.

Project status

The demo version of the game was released in November 2023 and gave players free access to the first original location. Throughout the time since the release date, the team has not stopped improving the quality of the game, both the visuals, character mechanics, and level completion. Thanks to user feedback, as well as constant testing of the game, bugs were fixed and new interesting elements were added. The experience gained from working with users has also improved the next levels, which the team plans to open access to on February 13, 2024.

The early access will include 3 main and 1 secret level and is currently being polished and put the finishing touches on. All early access levels have already been beta tested and the game is ready to meet its users.

Gameplay

Dispel offers the character customization inherent in all RPG games. There are several basic races and with their own characteristics and initial parameters to choose from. Thus, the player can create their own unique character to pass through.

The gameplay is created from a third-person perspective, with the possibility of all-round vision. The first level, as well as all subsequent ones, features a variety of enemies, tricky traps, and rooms with unique game mechanics. Thanks to the randomization of the level structure, each new game is different from the previous one, preventing the player from getting tired of playing the same level several times.

Different types of enemies are present in the game in large numbers. The presence of interesting sets of equipment and accessories is also an integral part of the game, as well as a variety of skills and abilities of the character, allowing them to become stronger.

The game is equipped with a special system of curses, which, according to the plot, are imposed on the protagonist at the beginning of the level. Certain items can help weaken the curse, and only the death of the final boss can dispel it completely. While searching for the way to it, the character has the opportunity to discover secret levels, which are an open world to explore and get additional improvements to fight against enemies.

The ultimate goal of the game is to survive all levels, manage to collect as strong a set of armor as possible, learn the magic arts and defeat the final boss, breaking the curse imposed on the hero.

 

Key features

One of the distinctive features of the game is that most of the roguelike games have 2D graphics, while Dispel is created in a 3D style. This is a novelty in the market for games of this genre and gives fans of this genre the opportunity to immerse themselves in the atmosphere.

In addition to the basic features of the genre, such as procedural level generation and detailed character customization, the game contains a huge number of skill trees, which can be learned and combined in the course of the game. The main characteristic is the independence of the skill tree from the race and type of character created. Thus, a player with any character is able to try all types of magic (of course, if they collect enough skill points).

In the story of the game, the player character receives a curse that weakens them and creates an action-packed effect, because each curse is randomized and players do not know in advance what they may need in the next moment. This mechanic adds complexity to the game, but at the same time helps to keep the player engaged, especially when the player has a chance to partially remove one or more curses by obtaining unique items or using altars correctly.

Another important feature of the game is the hero’s reputation, which affects their interaction with the default neutral non-player characters. Depending on that reputation, they can behave aggressively or, on the contrary, help.

Secret levels provide additional content for the player who can find them, as well as a rare opportunity for a little rest and to acquire new skills, magic items, or armor pieces that can be combined into sets and consolidated with each other.

Screenshots