Underkeep is a loving, retro-inspired tribute to classic 90s dungeon crawler RPGs

Over the weekend, gamers got a trip down memory lane with a social media post from Rake in Grass, a studio working on a game called Underkeep. If you’ve ever played games like Dungeon Master (1989), Dungeon Master 2 (1995), or Eye of the Beholder (1990), this will tap into the nostalgic part of your brain. This upcoming turn-based dungeon crawler RPG features a similar screen layout to those classic games, but with many of gaming’s modern conveniences.

Underkeep is a throwback to the classic dungeon crawler RPGs of the early '90s

The Steam page for Underkeep calls it “a loving tribute to the role-playing classics of the ‘90s with turn-based combat and grid-based movement, bringing the best of old-school dungeon crawlers to the modern era.” Underkeep places an emphasis on player control, leaning heavily into its turn-based system. They write: “Take as much time as you want to think out your next move. Don’t worry when your pizza arrives in the middle of a fight.” Additionally, the developers allow players to play at their own pace, with the option to skip any animations they find tedious.

Some new footage of Underkeep shared on social media.Source: boovie on social media

The development studio Rake in Grass claims to be “one of the oldest indie teams in the Czech Republic” and is known for other retro-inspired titles like Rampage Knights and Jets’n’Guns, though that last one might just be considered retro at this point. A developer on the team, known as boovie on social media, caught attention with a post showcasing a clip of Underkeep’s gameplay. The player navigates the area by clicking arrow buttons on the screen and tracks the status of the party through four avatars in the top-right corner. Also, notice the mini-map in the bottom left to help players understand where they are in the world and see what’s around them. A notable improvement in quality of life over the classic titles.

Many users resonated with the post on social media, reveling in the nostalgia in the replies to Underkeep’s post. Several users called it an “instant wishlist,” which is a great way to show your support for projects like this as well as the independent teams working on them. There is still no release date for Underkeep, but if you have it on your Steam wishlist, you’ll be among the first to know when it launches.

• oldschool / retro
• indie games
• dungeon crawler