RSVP to this Dungeon-warming party, but only if you're staying the night.

And now for something different! Do you ever find yourself tired of poorly designed dungeons? Perhaps the monsters don't provide enough of a challenge, and you'd like to feel manlier? Well friend, you'd be a perfect candidate for Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground! Imagine, you, in control of a kingdom's only dungeon, free to create it in your own vision and master its monster-ridden corridors! Yes this is the tale of a dungeon maker just like you could one day be, so why wait? Let's get in that cavern and start building, you rascal!

Dungeon Maker is actually quite a compelling game for a title where you spend half of your time in a level editor, as the goal of the game is actually to build the most complex and decorated dungeon which will attract monsters for you to fight. And why fight? Not for babes, entirely, but to level up. There's plenty of RPG goodness in the title, as the other half of the game is spent crawling around within the dungeon and defeating monsters in order to grab items and get stronger. You see, the locals have had a monster problem and it's up to you to save the day... Did someone say RPG elements? How about a familiar story to go with it!

The first day you set foot into town you'll find yourself meeting a few locals and with a bit of time to look around on the overworld map, although there's not much to do yet. Once you run into the resident old kooky wise guy, he'll tell you about the dungeon on the town's edge and give you a few pointers on how to get building and attract some monsters. They really are just a few pointers. The game sort of throws you straight into the level editor with no real guidance, and soon enough you'll find yourself with a baby dungeon according to however you managed to wing it. Although I really would have liked a little more explanation in the beginning, the editor is simple to use and does come with a quick roundup of the controls. With corridors, rooms, and the like available in set amounts, you can't just go all willy-nilly creating the world's largest dungeon on day one. When you've spent your resources or decide to call it quits, it's time to go hunting.

Surprisingly, the actual game isn't boring. As you explore the dungeon, you'll slay your bats and other beasts by means of the most basic combat a game could really offer, but there is a payoff. You see, as each day passes you'll spend more time in town trading your newly gathered items for gold or perhaps turn them in to complete a quest, in which case you'll also be compensated with funds to buy more resources to build a better mousetrap the next day. Alternatively, as you level up, you may want to buy some armor and weapons to make sure you really kill that boss next time. However, that's as deep as the game gets.

This is the problem with Dungeon Maker; while there is nothing wrong with the gameplay on the surface, and the concept is fresh, its inherent problem is that there's not much variation in the gameplay. Sure, you can constantly upgrade your dungeon by adding decorations or buying upgraded kits for corridors and such, but you're just taking a line and making it longer. That means that each day your dungeon lengthens, the longer you may spend hunting down monsters for either a copious amount of fangs or just searching for the daily gold. In time, the most interesting aspect of the game will be in what to do in town, be it visiting the market for food, talk to a few peeps, or see what new quests are available. It's not necessarily a bad game, nor does it become too monotonous, but the combat options simply don't expand for any real depth outside of attacking and blocking. On top of this, you can only traipse through the same dungeon halls so many times before you either add decorations or the walls become part of the daily grind.

The visuals are something to neither sneeze at nor pass off as insubstantial; they're in a happy middle ground with the rest of the game. There are some nice effects with magic attacks, but nothing that stands out as impressive. The sound is just as suited, almost tongue-in-cheek right along with Dungeon Maker. The game seems to be having a little joke with itself, as it never takes anything too seriously but opts for a more pleasant atmosphere. Even the writing is lighthearted, with a fair share of wit.

Dungeon Maker: Hunting Ground is a great title for anyone in search of a new gameplay experience, especially for the PSP. To some like myself, the dungeon-making/questing pattern can grow weary after some time, and certainly so due to unlocking upgrades taking longer as the game progresses. Long enough to put hours logged up into the high twenties. To others, they'll be in heaven, as the game isn't complicated in any way, but actually very accessible. Anyone can pick it up and immediately understand what's going on, which is the game's greatest strength for an idea that could have been terribly overdone. To anyone who's ever thought they could put together a masterful dungeon, or those who want a simple action-RPG where they're in control of the level, Dungeon Maker mixes both together quite well. With a dungeon-sharing option included, there's just enough value in this game to call it a solid purchase.