Zorbus
Zorbus · 2022 · Traditional Roguelike, Roguelike, Dungeon Crawler, RPG, Fantasy
PC
Very Positive90% · 355
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About Zorbus
A TRADITIONAL ROGUELIKE
Zorbus is a fantasy-themed, tile-based, turn-based, traditional roguelike game. Your goal is to delve deep into a dungeon, find a portal to a mythical place called the Zorbus, where a mere mortal can ascend to demigodhood. You can recruit other creatures along the way so you don't have to adventure alone.
Being a roguelike game, Zorbus creates the dungeon randomly so that every played game is slightly different. The game has permadeath, meaning that when a character dies, it really is permanent, and the player must begin a new game. You can save the game, but the save file is deleted when loaded. Zorbus does not have item identification or a hunger mechanic.
A LIVING DUNGEON
Thematically Zorbus draws influence from the late 70s and early 80s tabletop D&D campaigns, adventures and lore.
The game tries to create a dungeon which feels alive, eventful, and rich in content. Something more than just empty rooms and corridors. Diversely shaped levels with themed content (throne rooms, prisons, hidden treasure caches, etc.) with good connectivity between the areas.
The dungeon denizens act intelligently, fight each other, flee when threatened, and try to gather their friends to overcome a threat. Most creatures can use items, and can also pick them up from the dungeon floor. Creatures are not silent either, but comment on things with speech bubbles.
The dungeon has dynamic lighting. There are light sources as dungeon furniture and in the hands of creatures, and these both can be lit and unlit. Some creatures have darkvision. Creatures react to light and sound.
RPG RULE SYSTEM
The rule system for the game is slightly influenced by the d20 system used in the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Zorbus has races and experience levels but no character classes. On each level up, you point buy skills and talents.
CONTROLS & UI
Keybindings are configurable. Mouse control is supported, but is not ideal for playing the game. A game controller can be used. The game has a targeting system, making it very easy to use ranged attacks or talents. Usable items and talents can be assigned to quickslots.
Display size can be configured. You can play in windowed mode or fullscreen and with 32x32-, 48x48- or 64x64-pixel tile graphics or ASCII characters. The font can be changed, and text size can be adjusted.
Zorbus is a fantasy-themed, tile-based, turn-based, traditional roguelike game. Your goal is to delve deep into a dungeon, find a portal to a mythical place called the Zorbus, where a mere mortal can ascend to demigodhood. You can recruit other creatures along the way so you don't have to adventure alone.
Being a roguelike game, Zorbus creates the dungeon randomly so that every played game is slightly different. The game has permadeath, meaning that when a character dies, it really is permanent, and the player must begin a new game. You can save the game, but the save file is deleted when loaded. Zorbus does not have item identification or a hunger mechanic.
A LIVING DUNGEON
Thematically Zorbus draws influence from the late 70s and early 80s tabletop D&D campaigns, adventures and lore.
The game tries to create a dungeon which feels alive, eventful, and rich in content. Something more than just empty rooms and corridors. Diversely shaped levels with themed content (throne rooms, prisons, hidden treasure caches, etc.) with good connectivity between the areas.
The dungeon denizens act intelligently, fight each other, flee when threatened, and try to gather their friends to overcome a threat. Most creatures can use items, and can also pick them up from the dungeon floor. Creatures are not silent either, but comment on things with speech bubbles.
The dungeon has dynamic lighting. There are light sources as dungeon furniture and in the hands of creatures, and these both can be lit and unlit. Some creatures have darkvision. Creatures react to light and sound.
RPG RULE SYSTEM
The rule system for the game is slightly influenced by the d20 system used in the 3rd edition of Dungeons & Dragons. Zorbus has races and experience levels but no character classes. On each level up, you point buy skills and talents.
CONTROLS & UI
Keybindings are configurable. Mouse control is supported, but is not ideal for playing the game. A game controller can be used. The game has a targeting system, making it very easy to use ranged attacks or talents. Usable items and talents can be assigned to quickslots.
Display size can be configured. You can play in windowed mode or fullscreen and with 32x32-, 48x48- or 64x64-pixel tile graphics or ASCII characters. The font can be changed, and text size can be adjusted.
What Steam players say
Recent verbatim reviews from Steam — separate from playze.io community reviews below.
I have spent a lot of time playing this game. A concerning amount of time if you consider that I bought it less than a month ago. I don't have too much experience with traditional roguelikes, my past with the genre is mostly limited to a period a year or so ago when I got really into Angband for a bit, but a little while ago I got an itch for something similar. I was mostly looking at FOSS options and initially wrote Zorbus off, didn't seem like what I was after, but on a second look something about it got me. The Steam page just felt so... real. Grounded. I could tell this was someone's passion project, something they'd wrought to put out to the world. I felt a sort of kinship, even, as this is a path I plan to tread someday myself. It was only like 5 bucks, so what the hell, I thought. Folks, this game ♥♥♥♥♥. It hits a sweet balance of complexity between something like Brogue (very minimal) and... everything else I've played. I'd say Zorbus is especially good for newcomers to the genre, thanks both to its scale and to its getting rid of some mechanics that can often put forth a deal of friction, such as item identification and hunger. Don't think it has nothing for people more…3 found this helpful
Going through a bit of a rougelike obsession. It's fair to say however that Zorbus isn't just a great roguelike, it's probably one of the best incarnations of D&D in a computer game. The levels are something straight out of a high class TTRPG session, every class and race you could want are in here and it's all backed up by some actual robust and well designed gameplay. Seriously recommended whether you only have 30 minutes to burn or have a whole day to spend chasing goblins.3 found this helpful
I had really hoped to like this game. The developer has decided that they do not want anyone playing around with the code on this game, so they can protect the sanctity of a leaderboard feature they added. When I buy a piece of software, I'd like to fully own it and having it hobbled out the gate irks the ♥♥♥♥ out of me.2 found this helpful
Absolutely brilliant Roguelike. I haven't managed to play anywhere near as much as I'd like yet, but every time I dive in it blows my mind. It's the only Roguelike that feels like a living, breathing environment. A special callout has to made for the incredible sound design. It's at once deeply creepy and completely hilarious at the same time! Just fabulous.1 found this helpful
epic game good fun especially when playing the game1 found this helpful
fun
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