Dungeons 3

It is rather mid, but there is not much competition in the dungeon keeper genre so it is servisable.
I started on hell difficulty right away, because Dungeons 2 felt way too easy to me, and finished the main campaign on it.
It was kinda too simplistic still. At first, you start it, you try to play slow and develop your dungeon, but you are quickly overwhelmed by constantly growing waves of high lvl enemies. Then you realise, ok I just rush them with basically starting army instead, and that solved the majority of the game for me. Just do the same thing about 20 times and you win the game.
Basically only two missions in the campaign asked for some adjustments. Both in the very end. One was hardcoded for anti-rush - they barely attack you if you don't attack them, but start pushing from all sides if you do, so you have infinite time to dig-in. And one mission required to rush objective instead of fully clearing the overworld, which is basically just rush harder. And there are couple of no base missions, but those are kinda easy by design in all strategies anyway.
So the game doesn't really offers you the situations to use the tools it gives you, and it all feels rather badly thought out and clunky.
Writing is too riddled with direct references to other IPs. It will age very fast, like in 10 years noone will get what they yapping about. And it kinda wasn't too klever to begin with, just memberberries basically. Other then that it wasn't too bad.
Intermission "cutscenes" are a cheap parody of cheapness, there is no style to it, it is just bad. Just render some sketches on the game engine if you don't have budget like DK2 did. Anything would be better.
Guess I'm not a fan of cartoonish style here in general, I'd like the game to be more dark, bloody, sexy and violent.
But for the time being I'll have to stick to what I can get. Despite all mentioned above, I'll by the next game, Dungeons 4, but I'm waiting for at least 70% discount on that.

It's always awesome when there is a game that comes out and challenges the status quo of the genre. Dungeons 3 offers an interesting twist on traditional player roles by allowing players to take on the role of the villain, presenting a fresh approach to the RTS genre. Although the concept was rock solid, I felt like the delivery was a little weak as the game progressed. Went from fresh and interesting to expecting more of the same. That, and sort of expected something similar to Buggos (an auto-battler) where roles were reversed.
Dungeons 3 gameplay follows a typical RTS style of mouse and keyboard control scheme. D3 is a sequel in which an ultimate evil becomes extremely board and sets out his sights to look for new lands to conquer. The player takes on this shadow role and takes over a main character in the story. That main character then becomes a hero for the player and is a main driver in the campaign's story. The twist here is that there are two maps: dungeon and above ground. The dungeon map (or portion of the game) is where the player uses peons to dig, harvest, collect, and build. The dungeon creation happens underground in which players can create areas to accommodate 3 different types of units: horde (orcs), demons, and undead. Each have their own requirements to come into existence, and their own respective "rooms" in the dungeons to rest. Beyond that, the player can create other rooms, like a workshop, to fabricate new materials used for other aspects of the game (such as creating traps in the dungeon), treasury rooms, harvesting room, and other specific rooms like a guard post.
The RTS part of the game is simple and straight forward. Nothing too crazy, different, or over the top in this realm. Players conjure an army by a hiring process and maintain that army with a steady flow of gold. The army is then sent to the entrance of the dungeon (by the player) and exit into daylight. The player can then manually control and select units above ground whereas in the dungeon it's a weird single-select-from-the-army-list menu. The player is then sent on missions or select quests to take down certain buildings, characters, or to take over an area. A neat feature is that the player is able to use special powers (upon unlocking them) above ground. Some powers include the ability to send a firestorm down and a boosting ability that powers up units. Beyond that there isn't much else that separates the game from other RTS genres. The computer will sometimes send waves of units to the player's dungeon to attack the core, but beyond that it doesn't go further to put the player into a role that is generally played out by the computer. Felt like this was really missed, and ultimately made another version of this game simply alright.
The visuals and graphics are appropriate to the games atmosphere. The graphics feel a little basic with some detail, shadow, and shaders, but again, do not get in the way of gameplay. In an odd sense the graphics do suit the games silly and light hearted humor. More or less all animations are included and do a decent job representing the action the characters are performing. Mining, attacking, casting spells, even some of the buildings have some decent animations. The sounds and music were alright. The dialogue might be the biggest selling point for some players. There is a quirky dialogue around two main characters, and the narrator does like to chime in with his own interactions and opinions. The game does a decent job in that realm, but felt like a little immersion was lost in the sound domain regarding unit and player interaction. The music is quite chill, calm, and relaxed most of the time which is a little ironic given what is going on in the game.
Overall, this is not a bad game for the fact its really trying something new. Problem I found was as I went further, the "something new" I was looking forward to wasn't quite delivered, or maybe delivered in the way I expected it to be. I really thought this would be more of the computer being on the defence and me, as the player, would send units to hound the computer. It's more of a base building type game, giving you space underground to build only then to send units above ground to be commanded. Definitely worth a look and purchase if on sale and if the interest is there. Again, it's a cool game but its shine wore off for me after a little while. Huge bonus to it including a multiplayer section to try and encourage players to play together. Again though, not too innovative as both players are still doing the same task as they would be doing solo. Hope communication isn't a problem! I'll recommend, but with a little asterisk attached. This is also a quite difficult game even on easy mode (skirmish), be warned!
RATING: 7.25/10
      Gameplay
      C+
      Story / Campaign
      C+
      Visuals / User Interface
      C+
      Sounds / Music
      C+
      Replay-ability
      C
      Overall
      C+

This game is fun!
I have spent many hours exploring many strategies! overall the game is balanced enough and you will have a lot of fun testing new things.
But keep in mind it's an RTS game! and so it may require a decent APM! but that requirement isn't very high, the game have many automated mechanismes that makes the dungeon handle itself in the end!
After many hours spent in the game here are some hints for new players (it's also an answer to some feedbacks)
- in order to force snots to work a gold vein we just need to create a locked room (right click on a door to lock it) the snots will stay there even with the snot teleportation research. Perfect for a Diamond room.
- The gold is taken from rooms in a chronological order, so after building the locked diamond room, it's a good practice to destroy any gold room near the dungeon heart then rebuild it! this way, any gold spent will be taken from the diamond room first!
- for pay days, we can select all units with F2 go to the overworld, open a portal (if not already open) then bring them back in the dungeon. It may be faster sometimes, and if the locked diamond room is there they will be paid with that money (also F3 select all melee, F4 select all ranged)
- there is 3 ways to produce evilness: Islands of evilness, the Prison, Succubi! The first is the default one, the 2 others require heroes entering the dungeon (succubi generate more evilness out of a hero than the prison) So it may be more interesting to let the heroes camps survive to let them send a lot of heroes to their doom!
- To speed up the dungeon construction, research Tresure room capacity, and create tool box spell early!
That's for the main part, I leave it to you to find more hints!
Have fun all !

Exactly like Dungeon Keeper, which is excellent. If it aint broken, dont fix it.

Great game, highly recommended. Though DLCs lack meaningful content, you're better off getting Dungeons 4 instead of those if you haven't yet.

Dungeons 3, developed by Realmforge Studios and published by Kalypso Media, is a well-crafted blend of real-time strategy and dungeon management that builds upon the series’ legacy with a richer narrative and refined gameplay mechanics. Players step into the shoes of the Dungeon Lord, a dark overlord intent on conquering the overworld by expanding his subterranean empire and commanding a variety of sinister minions. The game cleverly merges the tactical depth of managing an underground lair with the action-packed intensity of controlling armies on the surface, creating a satisfying balance between base-building and real-time combat.
The game’s core loop revolves around two interconnected layers: the dungeon itself and the overworld battlefield. Within the dungeon, players construct rooms like treasure vaults, torture chambers, and spawning pits, all while managing resources and recruiting minions with unique abilities. This aspect demands strategic planning to create an efficient and defensible base that can sustain prolonged battles. Above ground, the gameplay shifts into a real-time strategy format where you command your forces against invading heroes, rival factions, and other threats. This dual perspective keeps the gameplay fresh, as players must master both the micro-management of their minions’ tasks and the macro-management of battlefield tactics.
Dungeons 3 also introduces new narrative elements through the character of Thalya, a dark elf sorceress who leads the campaign alongside the Dungeon Lord. This storyline injects humor and personality into what could otherwise be a straightforward strategy game. The voiceover narration is laced with sarcasm and wit, adding charm and levity to the dark fantasy setting. The single-player campaign offers around 20 missions that gradually ramp up in complexity, featuring a mix of procedural and handcrafted levels that keep the experience engaging. Additionally, the inclusion of randomly generated missions and a two-player cooperative mode broadens the game’s replayability, allowing friends to join forces in their quest for absolute evil domination.
Visually, the game embraces a vibrant and stylized fantasy aesthetic that effectively contrasts the gloomy underground with the colorful overworld. Each environment is richly detailed, filled with animated traps, environmental hazards, and lively characters that enhance immersion. The unit designs range from grotesque demons to quirky goblins, all rendered with a consistent art style that balances humor with menace. Complementing the visuals is an atmospheric soundtrack that adapts to the gameplay, punctuating moments of tension with dramatic scores and easing into lighter tunes during base-building phases.
While Dungeons 3 does not reinvent the genre, it excels by polishing the core elements fans love about dungeon simulators and real-time strategy games. The gameplay is accessible enough for newcomers yet deep enough to satisfy veterans, striking a balance that keeps players invested throughout its lengthy campaign. The strategic depth of dungeon customization combined with the tactical combat above ground creates a unique rhythm that encourages creative problem-solving and adaptive playstyles.
In summary, Dungeons 3 stands out as a strong and entertaining entry in the dungeon management and strategy genre. Its combination of witty storytelling, robust gameplay systems, and engaging visuals makes for an immersive experience that appeals to both longtime fans of the series and newcomers alike. Though it may not break new ground, the game’s execution and attention to detail make it a rewarding and enjoyable adventure into the dark arts of dungeon domination. Whether managing minions below or battling heroes above, Dungeons 3 provides a rich, layered experience full of strategic depth and humor.
Rating: 9/10

As a big fanboy of Dungeon Keeper 2 I must admit: This game is great. The campaign is worth playing through with lots of humour and I can especially reccomend 2 player coop!