We’re in another heatwave in the UK, and I wish I had some mountain air to keep me cool! In today’s episode of Scar Tries, I’m featuring a game very special to my heart.
Dungeons of Hinterberg was one of the games I was most excited for in 2024, and it does not disappoint. Developed by Microbird, it’s proving to be one of my favorite games I’ve played this year.
Dungeons of Hinterberg is a beautiful action-RPG, boasting an expansive collection of dungeons to explore, combat, and puzzle sections to chew through. It also places a strong emphasis on exploration and character relationships. It takes place in the wilderness of the Austrian Alps, and from the very beginning, the game’s visual design drew me in. From the opening cutscene, I was introduced to the snowy backdrops leading to the quaint town of Hinterberg: a tourist site and the cornerstone of the Master Slayer. While the world is vibrant and based on real life, I love how it blends the fantasy elements together.
You play as Lusia, who has come to Hinterberg to challenge the famed Dungeons of Hinterberg. It must be grueling, juggling her corporate lifestyle with her ambitions to be the great slayer of monsters, but I’m not one to judge! This mix of frantic combat moments and the relaxing sober experience of forming new friendships feels like a great balance, and that suits me just fine! I enjoy slaughtering monsters as much as any guy, but I also enjoy comfortable nights with a hot drink. In Dungeons of Hinterberg, you can do both.
The early gameplay is a mix of tutorials to teach players the basic game mechanics: normal stuff! While I did not get much time to explore (the game is eager to get you into the dungeon crawling part quickly), I still enjoyed seeing the sights. The graphics really pop on the Steam Deck, and the art design reminds me a little like Sable. With the number of ways to travel the alpine world such as snowboarding, ziplines, and classic mountain climbing, exploration is one of the game’s biggest strengths.
Combat is fast, and you’ll be tasked with fighting a whole slew of different monsters that roam the Hinterberg wilds. While the playable slice only gives you a few options, what I played felt solid enough. In combat the player is locked into a death arena circle, so you’re forced into quick decisions. Thankfully we got full controller support out of the box, and I had a blast slaughtering the monsters that opposed me. The mix of accessibility and puzzle elements make dungeon crawling delightful, even when I get stuck.
This is just an early impressions piece, because I wanted to get a little time with the game to see if it was something I wanted to pursue. I’m happy to say that not only does it meet my expectations, but it exceeds it. This is a brilliant experience so far, and all I want to do is return to Hinterberg. With all my writing projects amidst all the games I need to play, that might be a bad thing. However, there are worse vices than addiction to awesome indie games. Dungeons of Hinterberg is excellent so far, and I won’t be surprised if it makes some GOTY lists in December.
