We’re less than halfway through January and already I’m being surprised. I’ve been following Dungeon Munchies for a while since it popped up in Early Access. I was very excited when it was surprise-launched on Nintendo Switch since last I’d checked only 2 chapters of the game were available on the PC version. However, it seems that Dungeon Munchies released on Switch just a little bit early.

I have never seen a Switch release of a game that wasn’t 100% complete on any platform before. However, Dungeon Munchies has the first two of three planned chapters available. These chapters are dense with content, coming in at about 10-20 hours of gameplay depending on the difficulty you’re playing, but still…it is strange.

Hi everyone. Here's our statement regarding Dungeon Munchies.https://t.co/Q34R92UxQ3 pic.twitter.com/S7AkZ2kHm3

— Chorus Worldwide | Dungeon Munchies NOW on Switch! (@ChorusWorldwide) January 5, 2022

I should clarify though that the developers have announced that Chapter 3 will conclude the game, and it will be released as a free update in mid-2022. This is the first time I’ve ever seen that in a Switch release, and it might affect whether you decide to pick it up now or later. However, I think Dungeon Munchies is worth your time.

You play a nameless zombie, who was resurrected by the spirit of a chef named Shimmer, who is also a necromancer. Shimmer decides to teach you as her apprentice and gives you the ability to cook the remains of enemies (such as sentient foods) into dishes to empower you. As you can expect, the ingredients from enemy drops are vital to increasing your combat capabilities.

It plays out like a typical Metroidvania/action-platformer. You fight enemies with a primary weapon and a secondary weapon, collecting the ingredients from enemies to craft dishes, as well as equipment for your zombie. As you progress through the environment, you progress in a rather bizarre, yet humorous story.

As you progress, you get new platforming abilities. The controls as far as platforming goes are smooth, though I ran into some trouble due to a bit of controller drift. The platforming is a little slick/floaty though, so you aren’t going to run into the same level of precision in Celeste or other games like it. The combat isn’t super difficult on lower difficulties, but higher difficulties are definitely meant to pose a challenge.

Your primary weapon and secondary weapon are aimed with the left stick, which is also used to move. This is less than ideal in most cases, especially with ranged weapons. However, melee weapons are easily handled in that regard. I wish they had mapped aiming to the right stick, as I’m used to twin-stick shooters and games such as Neon Abyss or The Binding of Isaac.

Combat is pretty involved though. There are a variety of weapon types and character builds you can set up thanks to the various dishes you can cook. While the controls need a little work for aiming, there is a lot of potential and variance there.

The other issue I ran into with Dungeon Munchies, is that there is no map. You can fast-travel between shrines, but there is no map at all, so you have to remember where certain enemies are to farm them or remember what zone a certain item is in if you want to backtrack to get it. When you get new platforming abilities, you’ll be tempted to backtrack, so in lieu of a map, I’d suggest writing things down and taking notes.

Overall, while I’m puzzled by the fact that the game released on Switch unfinished, I enjoyed my time with it. The humor might be a little awkward in places, but it has a charm to it that really hits the spot for me. It may have a few issues, but Dungeon Munchies is a fun experience that Metroidvania fans are bound to enjoy.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of Dungeon Munchies was provided by Chorus Worldwide for this review.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

Dungeon Munchies

$16.99

7

Score

7.0/10

Pros

• Solid Gameplay Mechanics
• Great Visual Art Style
• Fun Characters
• Multiple Difficulties
• Fun Gameplay

Cons

• No Map
• Aiming is a Bit Finicky
• Unfinished at Release