Few things that makes me to love DD

[choongmyoung]

I'm not very roguelike-heavy gamer, and actually DD is first roguelike game I've ever played quite a lot. I am more a puzzle solver than a RPG-er. Then I found DD. And I thought like, this is basically a puzzle-sorta thing?, okay I'll buy it.

DD is a purely turn-based game, and there is only a little random things other than map generation(for a beginner). This is my sentence for recommending DD to my friends.

Now I think I am at least an average(?) DD player and I found out that the game mechanics were even brighter than I've ever imagined for a turn-based roguelike. Particularly, I love the part that most of the game elements have more than one uses, especially glyphs.

BURNDAYRAZ deals direct damage, prevents regeneration, and cheers another consecutive fireballs.
BYSSEPS gives bonus damage and erodes resistances.
IMAWAL gives bonus XP, gives extra gold, and spawns rock at cheap costs.
GETINDARE gives an extra hit and dodge chance.
ENDISWAL digs a hole and gives temporary defense.
WONAFYT gives bonus XP, gives an extra hit, neutralizes dangerous traits, and clear your way.

Not only the glyphs, but almost every game components have mechanics like that.

Stone heart gives persistent magic defense and temporary physical defense.
Orb of Zot gives bonus stats, and can be consumed to become a regen-fighter.
Potions refills health/mana, and cures poison/mana burn.
Bloodmage benefits from attack bonuses, max health, max mana, and bloodpool.
Alters of god gives boons or can be desecrated.
Even the monsters itself gives XP, become a knockback holder, leaves bloodpool and do so many other things.

You know, many games have their game elements just for one purpose. Like, health potion gives health. Helmet gives defense. DD is way beyond that one-dimensional gameplay. This multiple effects in one baskets gives countless synergies, which makes the game almost endless.


Oh, and one more thing. Every classes, races, items and dieties are balanced in a nice way. At a glance you see some items are not worth buying it; and after 100 hours of gameplay you accept you were wrong. The same goes with classes. Or dieties. Sometimes this process of thinking goes totally in reverse; still, they are strong in particular situations.

At first I thought Viper Ward and Soul Orb sucks, so I didn't even unlock it. Now I know these are one of the most important items in some runs.
At first I thought Orb of Zot was totally OP. Now I don't even buy it.
I thought the Vampire class was underpowered. Now I have a screenie that lv8 vampire heals hp versus a super meat man.
I've vetoed a Tower Shield. Though I am still vetoing it, I miss the shield in some end-game situations that should be a winning run...

So yeah, these are the things that are just lovely. Really like this game.
What do you guys think that differentiates Desktop Dungeons from other games? What makes you to love it?

[~'(^ + ^)'~]

Agreed. DD is a fantastic game - perfectly balanced, engages your mind.

Besides the points you mentioned, for me, I love DD also because I can feel a real sense of progression playing it. I felt that I was getting better the more I played and learnt about it. From the start, when I struggled with the hard maps, when I found Thief Silver Challenge impossible, to the time I reached the Tower of Gaan-Telet quest and found it hard. Asked for help from the steam forums, got it done, Later, I watched videos, cleared all the class challenges, slowly moved on to Vicious Maps, and now I have "completed" all the content (rainbowed the whole map, cleared all the triple quests).

It's really a game that grows on you, though it appeals to some people only. Those who love to put their minds to work when playing games.

[dislekcia]

It's still so great hearing how people are discovering all the little things that we obsessed over while making this game

[Tinker]

[choongmyoung]

Nowadays I'm running viciouses, just earned Namtar's Lair Warmonger with standard Taurog Half-Dragon with Namtar's Ward prepped. I'm very impressed that the design of the Namtar's Lair corridor. If the corridor didn't have popcorns around, it would be nearly impossible to win with Vampire or Goatperson. If the corridor didn't have blackspaces, it would be nearly impossible to win with Rat Monarch.
Speaking of maps, all the dungeons or classes are so carefully designed and balanced that every single class-dungeon pair is beatable (though I haven't beated them all yet). I'm quite sure that DD will be one of the most well designed games in my life.