Best Dungeons in Gaming History

[markeggertsen]

Hey all --

One of the best aspects of video games to me is atmosphere, both graphically and otherwise. With that in mind, I think many would agree that some of our best experiences in games involved dungeon-crawling, and I wanted to get feedback on what you think the best dungeones in gaming history are? I've heard the ice dungeon from Zelda: Phantom Hourglass tossed around as a great from time to time. I've even heard old-school hack and slash RPG players mention specific dungeons from Eye of the Beholder 1,2, or 3 mentioned. Who that has played any of the Dungeon Explorer games can forget some of those excellent dungeons? Ideally, these would be from RPG, action-RPG, hack and slash (Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder), or high RPG games, but any suggestions are welcome.

With that, I'd like to toss out the last, very loooong tower dungeon that took up the 2nd half of the original Y's (Ancient Y's Vanished). Epic dungeon with both inside and outside sections which had several challenging bosses and, of course, the final confrontation with Dark Fact.

[Steven]

This game gets hated on in general, but I enjoyed it and thought some of the dungeon/underground maps were fuggin' fun/awesome. Reminded me a bit of DOOM (in overhead hack n slash form, mind you) and that game would be BRANDISH on the SNES. There's a review on my site with plenty of pics for you to see.

Many folks were turned off by the admittedly disorienting "camera system" (though I adjusted to it after half an hour's play). Some of the later stages were really really cool. Unfortunately, I'm willing to bet most did not bother to stick with it that far to see what kind of game this really is.

[Viraneth]

Every dungeon in TES: Arena. Long, confusing, and creepy, even now, as there could be a strong enemy right infront of you but too far to see, all you'd be able to identify it by is it's noise making and possible "hitting-you-from-far-away-with-death" attacking.

The dungeon crawl before the fight in FFIII that lets you go to -spoiler- and you find out that the place you live in is really just -spoiler- in the -spoiler-.

Censored for those who never played the most frustrating FF ever.

[winona2k]

I thorougly enjoyed the first dungeon part of The Elder Scrolls: Arena. I never finished the game. Wish I hade the time to replay it.

[markeggertsen]

Never played any Elder Scrolls games, but, based on what I'm seeing here, it might be worth your finishing the game. Wow.

[JunkTheMagicDragon]

the dungeon below the town of tristram (diablo) is still my favorite.

even though it's a randomized dungeon, the tension ramps up nicely and the atmosphere is perfect.

[Viraneth]

Dungeon Siege the original is always delicious.

[winona2k]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Elder_Scrolls:_Arena

"Arena is its tendency to be unforgiving towards newer players. It is easy to die in the starting dungeon, as powerful enemies can be encountered if the player lingers too long. However, this effect slowly withers away as the player becomes more powerful and more aware of the threats that loom everywhere. Even Ken Rolston, lead designer of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, says he started the game at least twenty times and only got out of the beginning dungeon once."

That would explain why I never made it out

[markeggertsen]

the dungeon below the town of tristram (diablo) is still my favorite.

even though it's a randomized dungeon, the tension ramps up nicely and the atmosphere is perfect.

Was this by chance one of the first dungeones that had the "butcher" in it as the boss?

If so, I totally agree. "Ahhh! Fresh meat!" Really had my skin crawling.

[JunkTheMagicDragon]

Was this by chance one of the first dungeones that had the "butcher" in it as the boss?

i was referring to the entire dungeon. even though the levels were randomized, it still seemed as if they were designed to make you as a player go through the same emotions that your character was. by the end i was weary of the darkness and screams and fearful of what lay around the next corner, but i was determined to see it through.

[cyberfluxor]

Was this by chance one of the first dungeones that had the "butcher" in it as the boss?

If so, I totally agree. "Ahhh! Fresh meat!" Really had my skin crawling.

Or you could have gone against King Leoric. So you get either a crown or butcher cleaver, and a mixture of a random encounter of a goat man in the tainted water supply. Yeah, Diablo is my bread and butter of the 90's and still prefer the Playstation version over the PC by just a little. The PS version had some bug fixes and more eyecandy but has some slow-down in multiplayer mode. Also the computer version has up to 4 players and every item in the game can be imported with trainers if you felt like it.

I like the dungeons in Black Thorne if that counts. And if it does then the first two Prince of Persia games have some cool crypts and whatnot going on. Oh, and let me throw in Descent as well, really great level execution/designs in the first and second, still haven't played the third installment.

[rbudrick]

Hydlide. Piss off.

-Rob

[markeggertsen]

Hydlide. Piss off.

-Rob

Isn't Hydlide, like, one of the worst reviewed games ever? I know the NES version was supposed to be terrible, but it appears to have garnered some fans among MSX followers. Still . . . Hydlide? Is this guy serious?

What's with the attitude, dude?

[BydoEmpire]

How about the dungeons of Apshai - the room descriptions in the instruction book were certainly memorable. Creepy ant people, too!

Also, the amazing 3D dungeons of Phantasy Star - gorgeous and fiendish, too, especially that one with all the pits.

[rbudrick]

Isn't Hydlide, like, one of the worst reviewed games ever? I know the NES version was supposed to be terrible, but it appears to have garnered some fans among MSX followers. Still . . . Hydlide? Is this guy serious?

What's with the attitude, dude?

Just my brand of sarcasm, Mark.

I actually like Hydlide....it's so low tech in the graphics and sound, but I guarantee if this came out on say, the Atari 2600 back in the day, it would have been considered one of the most fun, awesomely engaging games ever (even with worse graphics and sound). I firmly thought this game was a lot of fun, though relatively easy for an RPGish game. Seriously, once you start leveling up and getting somewhere, it's pure ghetto fun.

-Rob

[Soviet Conscript]

Just my brand of sarcasm, Mark.

I actually like Hydlide....it's so low tech in the graphics and sound, but I guarantee if this came out on say, the Atari 2600 back in the day, it would have been considered one of the most fun, awesomely engaging games ever (even with worse graphics and sound). I firmly thought this game was a lot of fun, though relatively easy for an RPGish game. Seriously, once you start leveling up and getting somewhere, it's pure ghetto fun.

-Rob

Hylide was one of if not my first RPG

it almost single handedly turned me off to the entire genre. then after voicing my dislike to my neighbor he proudly proclaimed that "let me try it, i love any game". it was back in my hands the next day proveing that indeed, he did not love any game.

coincidently i went back and beat Hydlide a year or so ago as my "100th RPG beaten" (yes, i keep track, even have a chart for overall total, how many i've beaten on a individual system and how many i beat in a given year). and i still disliked it though not as much as i used to.

[Cantaloup]

Since some of you are talking about Elder Scrolls: Arena, I thought I would mention that Bethesda offers it as a free, legal download if you want to play it:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/download...oads_games.htm

It can be run under DOSBox.

[Viraneth]

Since some of you are talking about Elder Scrolls: Arena, I thought I would mention that Bethesda offers it as a free, legal download if you want to play it:

http://www.elderscrolls.com/download...oads_games.htm

It can be run under DOSBox.

For a few years now tbh. It runs terribly on XP and Vista, but it does run well on 98 and 2000.

[pseudonym]

I'm not sure about the best dungeon, but my most memorable is the Floating Castle from Final Fantasy.

*goes across bridge close to Tiamat*
*runs into Warmech*
*gets ass handed to him by constant Nuke spells*

That pissed me off the first time that happened when I was a kid.


Also, the Tristram dungeon is from Diablo 1? Isn't that the only dungeon in the game? I haven't played that game in forever... don't really regret it because of the hackers & lamers that appeared later on.

[Wraith Storm]

I'm not sure about the best dungeon, but my most memorable is The Sky Castle from Final Fantasy.

*goes across bridge close to Tiamat*
*runs into Warmech*
*gets ass handed to him by constant Nuke spells*

That pissed me off the first time that happened when I was a kid.

Yep!!! I know what you mean. The Ninteno Power Guide said that the chances of encountering the War Mech was like 1 in 60 if I remember correctly. So I pressed on with confidence and then ran into the dreaded War Mech, myself. I was handed the same fate as well. I curse the damn Nuke spell to this day... lol