Review: 90s Dungeon Crawling Done Right

A gameplay-focused Underkeep review covering party building, turn-based combat, resource management, secrets, progression, and who should buy it.

Underkeep looks like a lost 1990s PC RPG, but its hand-built dungeons and modern conveniences make it more than a nostalgia exercise. This Underkeep review focuses on the choices that matter after the title screen: party building, turn-based combat, resource management, and secrets. If you want the short version of this Underkeep review, it is a confident old-school crawler that rewards preparation—provided you can live with grid movement and puzzles that sometimes block the road.

Underkeep Review at a Glance: What Kind of RPG Is This?

After roughly five years in development, Underkeep arrives as a focused tribute to 90s RPGs rather than a bloated one. It uses a handcrafted world instead of random dungeons, and it wraps the old-school structure in colorful pixel art and modern controls. The result is a game about careful exploration, party planning, and resource pressure rather than rushing from fight to fight.

Feature	What to expect
Movement	Grid-based, with modern controls and clear feedback
Combat	Turn-based; two rows; physical hits can miss, magic is reliable but costs mana
Party	Four adventurers; six races; seven classes; around 70 skills
World	Handcrafted hub village plus forests, mines, crypts, swamps, and underground areas
Exploration	Hidden walls, interactive objects, environmental puzzles, optional loot, teleport gates
Progression	Skill upgrades, equipment, merchants, potion crafting
Endings	Multiple
Enemy pacing	Generally finite, not endless farming

Any Underkeep review has to note the barrier: this is not a game where every random encounter demands an elaborate plan. Regular fights can often be handled with straightforward attacks, while the deeper skill list matters more when you plan builds, manage mana, and prepare for harder stretches. If you want a pure tactics game, adjust expectations. If you want exploration with turn-based pressure, the pace works.

Party Building: Races, Classes, and Rows That Work

You start by creating a party of four adventurers, choosing from six races and seven classes. With around 70 skills, the trap is trying to sample everything. Party composition can significantly change how you survive, so decide each character’s job before you spend skill points.

Slot	Row	Job	What to prioritize
1	Front	Durable melee	Armor, survivability, reliable attacks
2	Front	Second front-liner or hybrid	Staying power and protecting the back row
3	Back	Spellcaster	Mana, elemental damage, status effects
4	Back or flex	Utility damage or support	Cover gaps in the party’s kit

The party advice in this Underkeep review is simple: build a front line that can absorb physical attacks, then give your back row room to cast and support. A traditional setup with melee fighters protecting spellcasters is supported, but you can experiment. Equipment can boost elemental damage, survivability, or status effects, so gear should reinforce the role you chose.

Put your toughest characters in front.
Give casters mana support and elemental gear.
Use the fourth slot to cover gaps, not duplicate a job.
Specialize rather than spreading points across every available skill.
Carry consumables even on damage-focused characters.

Combat and Resource Management: Mana, Food, and Finite Fights

Combat is turn-based and grid-based. Your party is divided into two rows; each character acts, then enemies respond. Physical attacks can miss and are affected by armor, while magic is more reliable but drains mana. Since mana does not regenerate automatically while you explore, every spell is a budgeting decision.

Situation	Better move	Why
Routine encounter	Use basic physical attacks	Preserves mana for harder fights
Need reliable damage	Cast magic	Magic is more reliable than physical attacks, but costs mana
Long exploration trip	Check food and consumables	Mana does not auto-refresh; supplies keep the run going
Low on resources	Return to the hub	Merchants and potion crafting restock your team
New dungeon wing	Top off before entering	Puzzles and fights can drain resources

Resource	Main use	Management tip
Armor	Reduces physical hits	Prioritize front-row characters
Mana	Powers reliable magic	Save it for fights that need it
Food	Keeps the party supplied	Stock up before long routes
Consumables	Covers emergencies	Buy or craft before leaving the hub
Skill upgrades	Long-term power	Focus on each character’s role

The combat section of this Underkeep review has one caveat: regular encounters are not as tactically demanding as the 70-skill list might suggest. Straightforward attacks handle many fights. The compensation is resource pressure. Enemies generally do not respawn indefinitely, so the adventure is finite and farming is not the loop. Treat each fight and each optional treasure as part of a budget.

Exploration: Handcrafted Dungeons, Secrets, and Teleport Gates

The world is the strongest argument for the game. Every location is handcrafted and interconnected, with a central village hub and routes through forests, mines, crypts, swamps, and underground environments. It rewards attention: some walls hide passages, objects can be interacted with, and puzzles may require more thought than following a marker. Teleport gates make backtracking less painful.

Clue	Action	Why
Suspicious wall	Test for a hidden passage	Secret rooms and optional loot
Unusual object	Interact with it	Secrets and environmental puzzles
Locked door or mystery	Mark it on the automap	You can return without re-clearing
New teleport gate	Activate it	Faster travel and backtracking
Puzzle blocking progress	Recheck nearby rooms	The solution may be in the environment
Optional side path	Sweep it before the main route	Extra loot and optional bosses are valuable in a finite adventure

For the exploration half of this Underkeep review, the practical tip is to slow down. Check dead ends, test walls, and mark anything you cannot solve. The built-in automap with custom markers is there for exactly this reason. If a puzzle stops progress, step back and inspect the surrounding rooms instead of pushing forward blindly.

Progression, Builds, and Replay Value

Progression is not only about finding a better weapon. You gradually upgrade individual skills, and equipment can push a build toward elemental damage, survivability, or status effects. Merchants, equipment upgrades, potion crafting, and NPCs give the hub more purpose than a simple rest stop. Multiple endings add replay value for players who want to try different parties and choices.

Priority	Upgrade target	Best for	Why
1	Front-row survivability	Melee characters	Physical attacks are affected by armor
2	Mana sustain	Spellcasters	Mana does not regenerate automatically while exploring
3	Elemental damage	Magic builds	Equipment can increase elemental damage
4	Status-effect potency	Control builds	Equipment can make status effects more effective
5	Core skill ranks	Whole party	Gradual skill upgrades matter as much as gear

This Underkeep review recommends planning for two runs, not one. Your first party can focus on a stable front line and reliable magic; a second run can lean into different races, classes, and choices. Because enemies are generally finite, you cannot patch a weak build by grinding forever. Optional loot and smart skill upgrades are the safer path.

Who Should Buy Underkeep? The Review Verdict

Buy Underkeep if you enjoy grid-based exploration, handcrafted dungeons, party building, and the tension of managing mana and supplies. Skip it if you need every battle to be a deep tactical puzzle, dislike puzzles that can block progress, or prefer endless farming. The game knows what it wants to be: a traditional crawler with modern conveniences and a charming pixel-art world.

Strong fit: old-school RPG fans, secret hunters, party planners.
Weak fit: tactical combat purists, puzzle-averse players, grinding fans.
Try first: the demo is available if grid movement or puzzle gating worries you.

It launched on November 5, 2026, at $22.95, with a 15% introductory discount to $19.50 through November 19. The store page also shows a Very Positive overall rating from a small review sample, but fit matters more than a badge. For the price of a mid-size indie RPG, the handcrafted world and replayable party builds are the main draw.

FAQ

Is Underkeep good for newcomers to dungeon crawlers?

It can be. Modern controls and clear feedback remove some old frustrations, but grid movement and puzzles that block progress still require patience. Try the demo if you are unsure.

How many races and classes does Underkeep have?

You build a party of four from six races and seven classes, with around 70 skills to experiment with. Party composition matters, so plan roles before spending points.

Can you farm enemies in Underkeep?

Generally, no. Enemies do not respawn indefinitely, and the adventure is designed around finite encounters. Stock food and mana supplies instead of relying on repeat fights.

What is the final verdict of this Underkeep review?

It is a charming, handcrafted dungeon crawler with strong exploration and flexible party building. Combat is simpler than the skill count suggests, but the resource pressure and secrets make it worth trying for old-school RPG fans.