Review – 2048 – Dungeons

A was released on the internet in March 2014. It was developed on a weekend by the Italian Gabriele Cirulli, only 19 years old. Gabriele just wanted to know if she could create a game from scratch, but ended up creating a phenomenon. A phenomenon that survives eleven years later and mutated, assimilating elements of and generating 2048 – dungeons.

The title of the Brazilian RetroVerse Studio takes a concept that had apparently already surrendered everything he had to surrender and injects into a fantasy scenario, with new skills, buffs and debuffs, while trying to assemble a driving thread for our journey. This impossible chimera turns out to be a delicious title in its simplicity, addictive in its essence.

Sit that here comes history

There is no purpose in the original 2048. The player only fuses multiple numbers of 2 to generate progressively larger numbers inside a board. The code is open to anyone who wants to learn and evolve the proposal. The retroverse studio took the idea and merged with others, generating a more grand title, but without losing focus: mechanics.

In 2048 – Dungeons, we then have a magical universe where a dimensional passage opened in the past and an ancient evil escaped. This evil was trapped by a wizard through the power to combine multiple numbers of 2. How and why it works is never explained and it doesn’t matter. We need to talk about the elephant in the middle of the room: Who has decided that RPG battles need to be fought with data? Why not squares with numbers? Therefore, such evil was imprisoned using the power of the multiples of 2.

As it is up to any self -respecting RPG, evil has broken again and now it is up to random adventurers to come down in the depths of the earth and purge that dark lair once and for all. Using squares, of course.

All of this is an envelope for management gameplay that refers to Darkest Dungeons, but without cruelty and the sense of despair that permeates the other game. In 2048 – Dungeons, we chose one between four classes of characters (wizard, cleric, rogue, warrior), each with a special ability to change the numerical squares. We went down in the dungeons, we fight, we accumulate money, invariably die. However, the money will be used to rebuild the city and each new construction will give permanent benefits to the next hero, as well as the possibility of recruiting allies.

This narrative envelope is rescued here and there, in phases that are not of combat, but of choices. Open a chest that can be mime or not? Risk luck in a random encounter or ignore? There is even a “little shop” in the middle of each dungeon with advantages that can be temporarily unlocked, but unfortunately it is also tied with disadvantages. There is a larger dramatic arch to be unraveled, although it is not the focus of 2048 – dungeons.

All of this is treated with a good mood that does not slip into unbridled comedy, but serves to add sympathy as another layer of 2048 – dungeons.

1024+1024 always give 2048

These additional RPG layers give the strategic charm of the game. If you want to play 2048 as Gabriele Cirulli has designed back there, the game is still available for free on its original site and dozens of clones exist in mobile stores (with ads). No one is holding you back. However, RetroVerse Studio puts some new rules that increase the level of challenge.

Certain characters can instantly double the value of a certain square. Others may change the position of squares. There are allies who can steal gold from enemies or paralyze them. Enemies, in turn, will plant traps on the board, traps that can cause damage to the team, lock squares or simply hide their values.

There is a good dose of unpredictability in 2048 – dungeons, but mathematics remains the same, the core of a 2048 is there. The standpoint system is not even worrying. In the 6 hours when I dedicated myself almost compulsively to successive sessions, I died only once for damage suffered. In all other losses, I simply let the board be filled, the condition of defeat that is present in the original game.

Therefore, more than understanding RPGs or statistics management, the player needs to dominate 2048. This is where one of the few defects of the experience resides: I feel that the developer could have dared a little more with the possibilities. The set of powers available for both heroes and allies and monsters is limited and ends up affecting the board less than it could. However, perhaps move too much would end up affecting the essence of what a 2048 game is.

Speaking of defects, the music ends up tiring. Once the gameplay of 2048 – Dungeons requires multiple rounds to move forward, the music is less impactful with each repetition and more nauseating. The animations of traps and spells could also be slightly shorter, or perhaps I am just impatient.

ATTENTION: 2048 – Dungeons addictive

For those who do not care about history or management of statistics and effects, there is arcade mode that removes it all. For those who just want to enjoy a little mass of the mass, there is still endless mode, which simplifies gameplay even more, brings a neutral arena and an infinite horde of enemies, with the right to ranking (I occupy the fourth place world, when this review is being written).

Independent of mode, 2048 – addictive dungeons. It is tasty to see the numbers growing, especially with the concern of being aware of other details, such as life, traps and cooldown of skills. Unlike many roguelikes, it is clear that randomness does not have an unfair weight and it is also clear that persistence has palpable rewards. Will I ever defeat the great final master with 2048 in life? I don’t know, but it will be fun to get there.