Dungeon of the Endless

At first blush, Dungeon of the Endless appears to be a game that missed its release date by more than a decade. It sports pixel-heavy graphics and a top-down view on a flat map board. The goal is simple: Take a crystal and crawl through the dungeon rooms to reach the surface. But that's barely scratching the surface. Sure, the graphics might be a distraction initially, but this is an extremely challenging strategy game with tower-defense elements thrown into the mix. The two difficulty modes -- "Too Easy" and "Easy" -- are deceptive; this is a game that sports permadeath (if a team member is killed, you lose him or her permanently and might as well start over; it's still possible to achieve the end goal, but it's a brutal ride). The more you explore and open doors, the more monsters will come to chomp on your precious crystal. Fortunately, the levels are randomly generated, which gives the game a great replay factor.

Though the graphics are very old-school, what lies underneath is a challenging (and sometimes frustrating) game that should make hard-core strategy gamers rejoice. Its difficulty may make Dungeon of the Endless a bit too hard for younger or casual gamers at first, but they can pick it up with dedication and perseverance. This throwback to classically difficult games should entertain players for a very long time.