Dungeon Hunter

Dungeon Hunter is an action RPG from Gameloft that draws inspiration, on a small display, from the great hack-and-slash titles in the vein of Diablo. The player moves through dark dungeons, fights hordes of monsters, collects gold and items with randomly generated properties, and gradually builds a character according to the chosen playstyle - whether a powerful warrior or a mage relying on magical attacks. As the game progresses, the player also discovers rarer gear with randomly generated bonuses, which encourages replaying the same levels in hopes of better loot.

The game was designed to work across a wide range of devices, from simpler Java phones to more powerful Symbian smartphones, which required scalable graphics and a simplified but functional user interface for managing inventory and skills. Combat takes place in real time, with the player tapping or using the directional pad to attack enemies and collect loot that drops after they are defeated, keeping the game in the fast, action-packed pace typical of the genre. Gradually unlocking new dungeons and tougher opponents keeps the player engaged even after mastering the basic storyline.

Dungeon Hunter was one of the titles through which Gameloft built its reputation as a studio capable of bringing even more demanding genres to modest mobile hardware. For many players it was their very first contact with hack-and-slash RPG mechanics built around collecting loot and chasing better gear, and the game thus served as an accessible gateway into a genre that had to wait for the era of smartphones and later sequels in the series to achieve full popularity on mobile. Today it is an interesting reminder of how quickly hack-and-slash RPGs managed to adapt even to a button phone, well before the same loot-collecting principle became fully widespread on touchscreen smartphones.

Why play it: For players craving a loot-driven hack-and-slash RPG who will appreciate an accessible gateway into the genre that works surprisingly well even on a button phone.