Caves of Qud 1.0 is out. As a game that fits neatly into the Berlin-interpretation roguelike, it has a lot of DNA with tabletop RPGs, including a heavy Gamma World influence, and in turn is a cited influence for Vaults of Vaarn. Looking beyond the obvious shared traits of RPG stats and abilities, there are a couple of features that I think should be of interest to anyone interested in the classic style of TTRPG play.

Factions

Caves of Qud features a huge open world, with dozens of factions that have different relationships with each other. You can alter your relationships by performing the water ritual with or killing key characters. When you do something favorable for one faction, it can have a negative impact on factions that dislike them, and vice versa. You can also learn various secrets, skills, and recipes from factions. Being well liked or despised by a faction will have radical effects on the difficulty of certain areas of the world, so smart play requires mindfulness of the potential consequences your actions will have on the world’s factions.

Mix of Procedural and Bespoke Content

One way Qud differs from roguelikes like Nethack or Angbang is there is a fixed storyline. By that I mean there is a storyline players will follow along with in order to complete the game, but they are still free to move about and interact with the world however they see fit, nothing is railroaded here. The world takes on free and surprising forms, with procedurally generated archeologies, texts, overworlds, settlements, etc. along with fixed bespoke material that allows everything to gel into a meaningful gestalt.

Also, without spoiling anything, there are some truly cool and evocative pieces of dungeon design along the fixed quest. Very cool stuff to take a look at!

Rich Set of Interactions

Like all the best roguelikes, in Caves of Qud if you can think of something to try, you can probably do it. Just look at the list of Steam Achievements! Want to project your mind into the body of a goat? Eat a whole bear? Wear your own severed face on your face? There’s a wealth of interactions that are worth stealing from as you consider your various trap and puzzle designs for a dungeon.

Leading Lambs to the Slaughter

Caves of Qud isn’t necessarily the hardest game out there, but if you dive into a situation you’re not prepared for without a good escape plan, you will die, and quickly. The game is a solid demonstration about how you can have a game feel fair without having to concern yourself with balanced encounters.