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Curse of the Dead Gods

Curse of the Dead Gods

Passtech Games · released Feb 23, 2021

ActionAdventurePCPlayStation 4Xbox OneNintendo Switch

You seek untold riches, eternal life, divine powers - it leads to this accursed temple, a seemingly-infinite labyrinth of bottomless pits, deadly traps, and monsters.

77
VGC Score
Stablehigh confidence
78%
At launch
83%
Steam all-time
81%
Press
63%
Player sentiment
84%
Recent sentiment

Screenshots & trailers

Review sentiment over time

Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.

How this score was computed

The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.

ComponentPositiveQuality (0-100)Weight (pseudo-reviews)
Press reviews (OpenCritic)8135
All-time Steam reviews83%771000
Metacritic user ratings7120
Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted)84%7810
Calibration prior (typical game)7250

Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 29 reviews sampled · 23 total reviews in window · weighted 19.4 up / 3.6 down · computed 3h ago · full methodology →

Press & Creators reviews (62)

Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.

  • 80
    trust 78Feb 27, 2021

    Aesthetically outstanding and driven by spectacular action, Curse of the Dead Gods is a fine roguelike entry.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 75Feb 24, 2021

    A breezier, simpler game than its clear inspirations, what Curse of the Dead Gods lacks in narrative it makes up for in focused, crunchy gameplay. Combat is interesting, exploration is rewarding and the systems in play are sufficiently diverse to make this a winner. It won't consume you forever, but you'll feel far from short-changed by this game of meaningful, divergent dungeons.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 70Feb 23, 2021

    Roguelikes have exploded in popularity in the past few years, with games like Dead Cells and Hades showing the way the last 2 years in how to make top-tier mainstream titles in the space...

    read full review ↗
  • 90
    trust 69Mar 8, 2021

    Another indie game that could've easily flown under the radar, Curse of the Dead Gods is a whole lot of fun. Greatly inspired by games like Hades, Dead Cells or Darkest Dungeon, it still managers to shine amongs the roguelites. A very good game early in 2021.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 69Feb 23, 2021

    This is a challenging game. Despite enemies telegraphing attacks, their numbers can get the better of you. Combined with arena traps, hazards, and a lack of light sources, it can be rather difficult. However, with a parry, dodge roll, and your set of weapons, you're given plenty of opportunity to defend yourself. Combat really keeps you on your toes, and gives the game a quick pace that makes runs that much more addictive. If you want a dungeon crawler with satisfying gameplay and some unique ideas, this is far from a curse.

    read full review ↗
  • 85
    trust 69Mar 8, 2021

    A solid rogue-lite offering intense gameplay. Held back slightly by a long currency grind and an imperfectly executed light mechanic.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 68Jan 19, 2022

    Curse of the Dead Gods is an excellent roguelike, ready to offer generous fun and satisfaction to the fans of the genre.

    read full review ↗
  • 70
    trust 67Feb 23, 2021

    Curse of the Dead Gods' combat system is extremely rewarding, and the challenge will keep you on your toes. Unfortunately, it lacks a lot in terms of content and it can be repetitive within a few hours. It's worth playing in bursts, but it doesn't have enough to satisfy long-term engagement.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 67Mar 12, 2021

    So overall, even if the roguelike or roguelite genres are normally not your cup of tea, if you’re up for a good challenge and love the action adventure styles of adventuring, I would wholeheartedly recommend Curse of the Dead Gods. Fans of roguelikes and roguelites? If you haven’t already, what are you waiting for!?

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 67Feb 23, 2021

    While its lack of any narrative and tangible reward is a shame, Curse of the Dead Gods is a strong and well-crafted roguelite experience with a meaty soulslike combat system, and a remarkable number of mechanics and systems all working seamlessly together.

    read full review ↗
  • 75
    trust 67Feb 24, 2021

    Curse of the Dead Gods could have easily been an also-ran to solely capitalize on an upcoming release that has a lot of buzz (think Antz to A Bug's Life). Instead, I've been greeted with a roguelike that, while definitely sharing DNA with other dungeon crawlers, has enough interesting backdrops with a few neat combat ideas to make it its own. Curse of the Dead Gods' unique features don't all hit dead-on, but what's here is a game that while not as refined is still plenty of fun in its own right.

    read full review ↗
  • 80
    trust 67Feb 24, 2021

    I really really enjoyed my time with Curse of the Dead Gods and am happy to call this a great game. It’s an idea that’s been done before, but Curse of the Dead Gods executes on that idea almost flawlessly. The game is polished and deep with a really solid amount of content that’ll keep players entertained for hours. For those seeking a challenging combat Roguelike game, you won’t be disappointed with this release.

    read full review ↗

…and 50 more tracked reviews.

Patch history

  1. UPDATE 1.24 - Curse of the Dead Cells + 20% off!
    Apr 14, 2021significant · resets scoring window
  2. UPDATE - Curse of the Dead Gods is out of Early Access! (v1.0)
    Feb 23, 2021significant · resets scoring window
  3. UPDATE 0.22.0 - The Eagle's Spire
    Nov 25, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  4. UPDATE 0.21.0 - The Armory + Sales 33% off!
    Oct 29, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  5. UPDATE 0.19.2 - Poisonous Caves
    Aug 12, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  6. UPDATE 0.19.1 - Serpent Champions' Weapons
    Jul 15, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  7. MAJOR UPDATE 0.19.0 - The Serpent's Catacombs
    Jun 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  8. UPDATE 0.18.2 - Lost Journals + Serpent Beta Branch
    May 25, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  9. NEWS - Sneak peek of the Bestiary
    May 14, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  10. PATCH NOTE 0.18.1 - Bug fixes and balancing
    May 7, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  11. MAJOR UPDATE - The Cursed Temple
    Apr 22, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  12. NEWS / CONTEST - The Cursed Temple Updates announcement!
    Apr 1, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  13. UPDATE 0.17.3 - Room Variations
    Mar 24, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  14. HOTFIX 0.17.2.2 – Path of Cruelty (Hard Mode)
    Mar 19, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  15. PATCH NOTE 0.17.2 - Bug fixes and balancing
    Mar 18, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  16. UPDATE 0.17.1 - Champions' Weapons
    Mar 11, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  17. 5 Advanced Tips To Beat The Temple!
    Mar 10, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  18. HOTFIXES 0.17.0g – FPS issues
    Mar 6, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  19. Patch note 0.15.2 – Final Update before Early Access
    Jan 28, 2020significant · resets scoring window
  20. Patchnote 0.14.3 – Fixes
    Dec 20, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  21. Patchnote 0.14.2 – The Gear System 2.0. Update
    Dec 12, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  22. Episode 3: Game Scaling – Gear System 2.0. series
    Nov 22, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  23. Episode 2: Synergies – Gear System 2.0. series
    Nov 15, 2019significant · resets scoring window
  24. Episode 1: Loot – Gear System 2.0. series
    Nov 8, 2019significant · resets scoring window