It's always a bit complicated to preview a game released several years ago, ported to another console. Especially when this console is the Switch, with its particularities, in particular its portable mode.
And this is all the more true with a type of game which, historically, does not often mix well with consoles, in this case RTS. It is indeed a strategy game that I am going to tell you about: Dungeons 3.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be the master of the dungeon for once, instead of being an adventurer trying to loot treasures there? That's good, because that's exactly what this game offers!
You play as absolute Evil, which has succeeded in conquering the world and which is starting to get a little bored. And by a skilful super original screenplay spring (no, not that much in fact), you learn that there are, beyond the seas, new territories to conquer. Get ready to fight, let's prepare troops and go to war against the forces of good!
This objective will suddenly be an opportunity to get out of the dungeon a little more and to conquer new lands, instead of just defending your lair. But beware, this aspect of defense is still not neglected. The construction, and especially the defense of the dungeon, remain at the heart of the concerns. If by misfortune the forces of Good were to destroy the core of the dungeon, you could not recover. But attacks on the surface will take a much larger share.
The scenario will take you through 20 missions to wage your war, with the primary objective, as in any good RTS, of collecting resources, allowing you to build, recruit new forces, carry out research and also provide habitat and food. correct comfort to your troops. Indeed, absolute evil that you are, you are not immune to a strike. And yes, among the forces of Evil too, the unions have power!
A narrator will be there throughout your ascent to guide you, give you some advice and do his job of telling the story, not without a good touch of humor. Note that in addition, these dialogues are fully dubbed in French. It's rather quite rare for a game that could be called AA. There are also a lot of references to pop and geek culture that will at least bring a little smile to whoever manages to grasp them.
The gameplay can be split into two phases. On the one hand, we have the management of the dungeon, which must be explored by digging to create new rooms and discover interesting things (treasures, creatures, etc.). It is in the dungeon that you can recruit new troops and improve them. It is also necessary to think about its defenses, because the forces of Good will try by all means to rush into the dungeon and destroy its core, which would be synonymous with defeat.
On the other side, we have a more RTS aspect, with the sending of troops to the surface to confront the forces of Good. All the interest will therefore lie in keeping a balance between the management of the dungeon, to continue to evolve, and the war in the world on the surface. A balance that can be confusing at first. But over the games, we quickly realize that the AI that manages the opponents uses the same mechanics and we quickly learn to put in place simple strategies to counter them very easily.
RTS on consoles, let's be frank, it has rarely been conclusive. Apart from a few rare exceptions that can be counted on the fingers of one hand, it is difficult to do without the keyboard/mouse combo in this type of game. of the interface on this Switch version. The game offers many hotkeys/combinations that make it easier to manage troops and attack/defend. But the navigation remains laborious with the joystick and it is difficult to recommend this game on a console such as the Switch, unless it is really only the only support at your disposal. Especially since the small screen, even if it has the advantage of erasing the graphic imperfections a little, turns out to be really very narrow when there are many indications on the screen.
In short, Dungeons 3 is basically a pretty good game for what it offers. Its two-sided gameplay adds a dose of complexity and depth and this quirky side brings a nice touch of humor, totally in line with the fantasy/cartoon art direction.
But despite the efforts made on the interface and the player's experience, the gameplay inherent in the RTS combines rather poorly with a controller. I would say that if you ever only have a Switch available and you are interested in this type of game, you will certainly be satisfied. But if you have a PC available, perhaps it would be better to think about playing this game on it, which remains despite everything... a very good game!
