Deadly Dungeon by Monstro has had a lot of buzz leading up to its release, with the beautiful and dark 3D graphics leaving gamers entranced. And lets not beat around the bush, it's a seriously gorgeous action-RPG, but does the gameplay live up to the pretty packaging?

The controls are kept simple with an analogue stick and two-button setup being used to move and attack or block enemies. A cluster of four small buttons provide access to magic spells that you'll unlock as you progress, providing powerful area effect spells and an ultimate fire-and-forget spell to clear out rooms. Movement is quick and accurate, but attacking enemies isn't quite as precise, with some attacks managing to hit even if you change direction mid-way through your swing.

Each level is similar in design with several dead-ends and blocked paths to force players to continue to explore areas. Once 70% of the level is cleared of enemies the exit portal will appear, however you'll want to clear levels in order to collect as much cash as possible. Earning the game's most powerful weapon seems far too easy and the gameplay quickly becomes repetitive, with three basic units getting upgrades that look great, but provide no real challenge.

For an initially free title this is undoubtedly a great bargain, but without more substance to the gameplay it's hard to justify buying such a short game that quickly lays out all of its cards within the first 30 minutes of gameplay. Still, worth grabbing while it remains free to play.