A friend just texted me asking what game I had been talking about.. to which I replied... "Dungeons of Dredmor.... a game about drunken wizards and diggles and over 1.062 billion varieties of cheese" To which he pretty much responded "Dafuq?"
I had no idea what DoD was when I got it--it was a gift from my little bro--but as soon as I started playing it I thought: "Rogue-like! Woohoo!" So if your friend is familiar with rogue-likes, I would call it a rogue-like with a slick interface, fun graphics, and a wicked sense of humor. And cheese, of course.
Easy. It's a hellishly fun monster smashing extravaganza mixed with enough strategy to be amusing, all while sporting some of the best humor I've yet to find in a game. Oh, and did I mention that it's a ton of fun? It is. Addictively (why yes, that is a new word now) fun, in fact.
Fun & cheap. Plays like Moria with actual graphics. Sorta. No longer starving and rationing biscuits. My friend and I were big fans of it back in the day . . . of course he bought it.
"It's like nethack if it didn't take anything seriously--up to and including its not taking anything seriously." Usually followed by "every single way to restore mana involves alcohol" or "they manage to make fun of a ridiculously straightforward exploding fireball spell".
Since a lot of my friends are around my own age, I generally say that it's a modernized rogue-like, with a sense of humor and they will know what I'm talking about. Least that's how I've explained it to a few friends of mine. Most of them have played both Rogue and Nethack, or at least one of them. If they don't know what a rogue-like is, I'll explain that "it is a turn-based but fast-playing dungeon crawler that is incredibly addictive and that if they can't afford the price then how the hell are they paying for the phone call/internet access you idiot so just go out and buy it!" Well, maybe I won't call them an idiot but still...
+1 to "It's like Diablo 1, but turn-based." This usually causes people to frown and ignore me. .. but most things I say do that, so it doesn't mean much.
If anyone asks me about the game, I just put my laptop in front of them and say "Here, this is the game, just play it.", as I don't talk with people about videogames randomly (and so I always have my laptop nearby when that happens). Well, other than the one friend of mine who just got it as a gift randomly without knowing about it beforehand. But whatever.
I tell people that "its a roguelike game (look it up) with sega genesis like graphics and one of the best skill systems ever"
That's a simple answer. Dungeons of Dredmor is your classic roguelike game, with two especialy notable variations to the genre: •Graphical implements •Witty/zany humor in the atmosphere You don't have to describe it much further beyond that.
I'd say it's like punching yourself in the genitals while laughing uncontrollably. I do love a good punch to the genitals.
