Caves of Qud, a traditional roguelike from developer Freehold Games, has officially been in Early Access since 2015, but is finally heading towards a 1.0 release next year. Helping the team get to release is publisher Kitfox Games, which also publishes Bay 12’s Dwarf Fortress.
“We’ve always loved Caves of Qud as an alternate-dimension take on deep world simulation, where a skilled writer prioritized certain elements of atmosphere at every turn in the design,” says Kitfox Captain, Tanya X. Short. “So when we heard Kitfox could help Qud get to 1.0, we leapt at the chance. It’s a crime that not enough Dwarf Fortress fans have heard of this cousin, an underrated gem of a game made by lovely people, and we hope we can help spread the word to those who would adore it.”
Caves of Qud combines traditional roguelike features with an expansive, flavor-drenched open-world experienced rooted in the chrome steeples and rusted archways of 70s science fiction. It’s currently available in Early Access on Steam, itch.io, and GOG for $19.99 USD. Although it doesn’t have an official release date just yet, it will be sometime in 2024. Freehold Games will continue bringing regular updates to the game as it heads towards official release. However, 1.0 won’t be the end of Caves of Qud’s story, as the team has plans for expansion packs that will continue to expand on the world of Qud, with new systems, more simulation, and fresh stories.
If you have never heard of Caves of Qud, it’s from the same developers as Sproggiwood, which we reviewed in 2014. If you have any interest in traditional roguelikes, Caves of Qud should be at the very top of your list of games to check out. Dwarf Fortress creator, Tarn Adams, called the game “perhaps the best roguelike game ever made.”
In the game, players can build any kind of character from over 70 different mutations and dozens of cybernetic implants. They can fly, teleport, hypnotize a goat, swap bodies with a robot, among other possibilities. The game currently features multiple different modes, including a classic Roguelike mode with permadeath, and friendlier Roleplay and Wander modes.
