Sci-fi roguelike Caves of Qud has exited Steam Early Access after nine long years, and it’s sitting pretty as 2024’s highest-rated game. It’s beaten out Hades II, Balatro and Satisfactory, according to OpenCritic which has ranked it as its 2024 game of the year.
With an overall rating of 95%, OpenCritic has reported Caves of Qud as its highest rated game of 2024. OpenCritic aggregates review scores from many review outlets, and not just PC games, either – this sci-fi roguelike game conquered challengers from a wealth of platforms and genres.
Caves of Qud, which boasts an old-school ASCII aesthetic, echoing the original Rogue, has been in Steam Early Access for nine years and some players suspected that, like Project Zomboid, it would remain so.
However, after 17 years in development, developer Freehold Games finally released Caves of Qud 1.0, to massive acclaim. It’s rated 95% on both Open Critic and Steam, with players praising the sheer depth of the game.
Caves of Qud is comparable to Dwarf Fortress in its depth and flexibility and, like Dwarf Fortress, was helped to market by publisher Kitfox Games. In particular, praise has been heaped upon its simulation-elements, which gives the impression of a living, breathing world.
This game was, admittedly, off my radar, but I feel compelled to check it out. It’s not just that it’s Open Critic’s best game of the year, some of the tales from its players are wonderfully wild.
Take the story below, for example, where a player recounts how his pet slug murdered him in a fit of jealousy. I absolutely want this to be true, and it’s the kind of emergent ridiculousness that happens in Dwarf Fortress.
If you’re ready to step into Caves of Qud’s sci-fi world, it’s available on Steam. It’s not part of the Steam Winter Sale, but there is a 15% launch discount.
Alternatively, take a look at the best hack and slash games and best RPG games.
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