Gameplay: 9/10
Dungeon Master, unlike some other games, takes full advantage of HUD buttons and display systems. For example, on the left of the screen there is usually buttons labeled with descriptions as well. A HUD "border" is surrounding map and on top is a display of whether it is Night or Day ingame.
Dungeon Master is an RTS, Action, and Roleplaying game all-in-one. You usually control multiple units at a time, and increase your numbers by commanding one of your Males and Females to reproduce (obviously Sexually, since most living things aren't Asexual)and create more troops for your disposal and bidding. Along with a gore-detailed combat system and randomly generated events, the environment in Dungeon Master simulates an untamed world with Deserts, Mountains, Cliffs, Snowy Regions, and forests.
Dungeon Master offers the ability to dig underground, climb cliffs, and build on top of the cliffs. This would generally allow you to build an underground or even underwater fortress, but still shares the same risks as real life situations would. Sometimes when digging, the ground tends to collapse(harmlessly) and fill up some of the squares you just mined out. As for digging under a water source, sometimes water may spurt out and floor your tunnels, causing obvious damage.
The combat system, which I find the BEST part of Dungeon Master, is made up of a series of attacks, blocks, dodges, etc. You give a unit a weapon, give him a target, and he'll go beat the living crap out of that target provided he can reach it. Depending on the weapon and how good he is with it, you'll probably see some nice gore. Gore in Dungeon Master can range from messages like, "So and So has broken an arm!" or "So and So is bleeding!". However, the gore isn't just text, you can actually see the target bleeding and running around helplessly, trying to escape your mighty wrath. Eventually, you'll either hit one of it's vital organs and kill it or it'll bleed to death.
If, perhaps just to say, you have a Swordsman and set him to attack some random guy that wandered outside of your outpost. He'll charge up to the poor sap, chop off his legs, and proceed to torture him and cut off the remainder of his organs and limbs. Everything that can take damage has organs and limbs. Depending on how well, what weapon, and how fortunate your unit is, He'll reach those organs and damage them a bit. They can range from cut, to bleeding, to mangled, and to cut off. Limbs are the most likely things to get cut off, and when they do a bloody trail is usually left behind when it goes flying off. Depending on the force, the limb will get propelled somewhere far or maybe just a few squares away.
Apart from the combat system, the game also features choosing different races, each with it's own advantages and disadvantages. There are even some "hidden" races that you have a chance of getting each time the game reboots; Spiders and Vampires. Spiders dig out caves, lay eggs, and generally be spiders. Whereas Vampires can bite people to feed, possibly infect them, and start a Dark Army.
Units die of old age eventually. Vampires and other creatures live longer than most things. Humans typically live up to 80 or 100, but can be enhanced by using potions that only humans can make. Apart from combat, conquering, and fighting in general, Dungeon Master can be a peaceful game where you build a Town out of wood and stone, have a few Guards around your walls so nobody that you don't want to get in gets in, and have a happy life crafting and hiding behind your town walls like a pussy.
It's guaranteed that eventually someone will find you and turn your town inside-out, and burn it to the ground. Ah, yes. Fires. Forest Fires, Town fires, and even cave fires can be started by Meteors striking the earth, Volcano Eruptions, or Pyromaniacs who have nothing better to do than light themselves on fire and touch everything flammable. There's a lot I haven't gone over, but There's a lot I HAVE gone over. A bit too much, don't you think?
Presentation: 7/10
Along with the amazing gameplay aspects, There's also the pretty good graphics it has. The graphics feature Landscape, units, Demons from hell, fires, lava, Water, Grass, Cliffs, rocks, backdrop environment objects, and gore.
There's not a lot to say about the graphics, but I'm guessing they're original. Apart from the graphics being as good as they can be for Dungeon Master, there's also the sounds. The sounds add to the environment and gameplay of the game. Sadly, I don't have sound on my computer because of a corrupt/damaged sound card. However, back when I used to play there were some pretty neat combat and music sounds. I'm pretty sure that hasn't changed a bit over the years.
The randomly generated maps are also something to mention. Each time the game reboots, which isn't often, a new 1000x1000 square map is generated. Along with the map are different environment, geographical, and ambient features. Not to mention the randomly generated NPC outposts.. Which I have no idea why I just mentioned.
So yes, Ginseng and the other developers have presented Dungeon Master on a fine Silver plate, but not exactly a golden ruby-encrusted plate with brim edges and spiked bottoms.
Originality: 8/10
Judging that Dungeon Master took years to get to this state, and that there's no other, "MAKE UR OWN DBZ DUNGIN" games, I'm guessing the src is pretty original. The gameplay is unique and one-of-a-kind.
You won't find a game like Dungeon Master lurking just anywhere on BYOND. The developers obviously didn't just slap this together, but rather planned it things out carefully and made sure everything was in order before even showing players Dungeon Master. But, the concept of "Build your own fortress and then conquere others" Isn't so original. So, Overall, it deserves an honorable Originality mention.
Overall: 9/10
Who would I recommend this game to? Anyone that loves a good RTS and a good Roleplaying experience. People who love to express their architectural selves would also find this game excellent. Anyone who likes a good, classic game of Survival, too.
Overall, this game is pretty neat. I'm pretty disappointed that the base number of players is only 5-15 online on a regular basis.
And now, the moment you've ALL been waiting for.. The 15 screenshots I took. You will NOT be disappointed.
Screenshots: Booyeah!/Boojush
Let's start off with me making my own Character. I want Dwarves, since I play a little too much Dwarf Fortress.
(Click to enlarge the images below.)
This is me after I made my people. My escort was there a while ago, but was laid off after the wave of Kobolds. Naturally, players who start off are easy targets for NPC ambushers. It's best to keep your escorts around until you have something to fight back with.
Here we have my units being chased around by a zombie. Those Kobolds the escort mauled back there were infected with the Reanimation Plague, so they uh, Became zombies. This is one spot you do NOT want to get caught in. (The desert at night, because it gets REALLY cold and your units could die if they're out there long enough.)
This is a full-fledged warrior that could easily tear you apart if you aren't careful. This is, of course, controlled by a player called Packerfan135. Judging his armor and weapons, He's the kind of guy you want to avoid. (The blue transparent guy is him in materialized form. That happens when players enable it.)
This is what we call a Frogman Uprising. I asked enforcer Aliton to cause some trouble.. And he did. Lucky me. Anyone who is unfortunate enough to get caught by that mass of Frogdudes is going to get bitten. A lot.
No, this is not a pool of Kool-aid. A volcano erupted and left this behind. We'll probably get some rocks or Obsidian here soon enough, because the Magma is touching the water! (Dwarf Fortress pun, if you can't realize it.)
I thought it was worth showing this. Here are a couple of Lizardmen starting off and building an outpost. Best to leave them alone, if you don't want to get into an early war.
This is probably an abandoned outpost, probably left by Other dwarves. I could probably use it, and it looks like they left in a hurry. There's a fire still burning and food still there.. Perhaps it wouldn't be best, because it looks pretty recent. Whatever was there will probably come back and not be too happy to see my guys.
This is just a Landscape Screenshot. Here we have a forest and a lake. Nothing special, just could probably be a good spot to make an outpost.
Here we have some Goblins or Kobolds fending off some of the Frogmen that appeared durring the Frogmen uprising. Sucks for them.
Here we have a disturbing image of naked human masses fighting off some Ambushing Kobolds. It's kind of hard to tell who's going to win this fight..
So, uh, this is my and the World's information. Take a good look.
This is a screenshot of, uh, us saying cheese. While some other smart-mouths say Cheddar. -shifty eyes-
This is one of my favorite Pictures of Packerfan135 beating up a Demon. As you can see, there's a bit of gore there. Apparently this is his "arena". Thank you for supplying some bloody pictures, Packerfan. >=P
This was all that was left after the demon was killed. Packerfan soon after starting looking for more moving, breathing targets to fight.
That there is what happens when you combine brute strength and possibly a blunt weapon. Amazing, isn't it?
That concludes my review, and if you read all of it I thank you. Hopefully you've enjoyed my pictures. Good day to you.