Dungeonborne Preview: A Gameplay Loop That'll Hook You But Needs A Lot Of Polishing

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The first word that comes to mind when thinking of is "." Developed by indie studio Mithril Interactive, it takes the tense PvPvE gameplay of the extraction genre and applies it to an atypical setting: dark fantasy. Players select one of 's nine classes — armor-clad knights, elvish fire mages, skeletal necromancers, and every other manner of recognizable archetype from throughout the genre — and dive through a portal into one of two maps. Their job is to kill as many monsters and collect as much loot as possible, then get out before the whole thing collapses, all while other players try to steal their treasure out from under them.

was first released as a playable demo during Steam's February 2024 Next Fest. It skyrocketed in popularity, quickly becoming the most-played demo during the showcase. Many saw it as a potential alternative to a similar game, , which faced criticism for its free-to-pay structure. avoids that particular pitfall, even if it does have flaws of its own. But it's a good game in its own right, and while it could use a little love in certain areas, it's already set up a solid foundation.

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At its core,'s gameplay loop is downright addicting. Loot is both the objective and the reward. Each player will find a wide variety of items as they raid dungeons. The weapons, shields, armor, and accessories they come across may be immediately equippable, or may be better saved for teammates or an alternate character of a different class. They'll also come across pure commodities, things like silver goblets and fancy sculptures with no purpose other than to be sold for gold.

If they manage to get out alive, they can keep it; if they don't, they lose absolutely everything. Success means entering the next game with a much better loadout, which will allow the player to live longer, beat tougher enemies, and claim better