Pretty simple, really. Diagonal movement would make this game infinitely less cheap. As it is, it's not hard at all to escape from a situation and, at worst, you're only being hit 4 different ways.
I'm not sure I like the idea -- 4-way movement kind of adds a specific kind of tactical thinking that would change a lot with 8-way, and not necessarily for the better. Remember that currently, meleers have the short end of the straw due to insufficient defense, and I suspect that 8-way attacking would make the situation worse, not better.
It does feel weird that you can avoid melee with a single monster indefinitely by always moving diagonally to it, I have to admit. But I'm inclined to agree with Haldurson.
Simple solution to melee issues, 2 of them actually. 8 way attack with a light cooldown/mana cost or make melee weapons more powerful.
Well it would take some re-balancing for sure, and it would be a very different game. That isn't exactly an argument against it, just saying that it would take a lot more work than it sounds like at first glance.
Yeah the whole game was built with 4 directions in mind, and it's pretty unique for a roguelike. That said I do tend to agree it would feel like a better experience but probably much too late for that.
That's what I was going to say, actually. Since this is a fully-fleshed out game as is, asking them to completely change the limits of how you can move is a bit much IMO.
