10 Reasons Why The Original Dungeon Keeper Is Still Devilishly Awesome

2. Soulless Sequel

Following the critical acclaim the original garnered, Bullfrog and EA were quick to green-light a sequel. Released in 1999, Dungeon Keeper 2 was the catalyst for dividing the community of fans in half. This wasn't the aftermath of a torture device either. Whilst it can be praised for its more polished visuals and some gameplay improvements, it radically became apparent that it did not retain the essence of its predecessor and was too whimsical. Gone were the alluring sprites and visuals of the original, the humour had become more tamed (yet still perfectly serviceable) and there was a stunning lack of conviction. This could be attributed to the absence and non-existent input from Peter Molyneux. Richard Ridings made a glorious comeback to the series and delivered a more fleshed out and faultless performance, perhaps the stand-out for the entire game. In retrospect, Dungeon Keeper II is almost like an empty husk of the original filled with moderately impressive new features, such as the welcome addition of the Combat Pit and Casino (Jackpot Winner!). New traps and creatures could be manufactured and attracted, but what was slightly disheartening was the many interesting and fan-favourite creatures of the original, such as dragons and orcs, who were substituted for more generic and lesser-impressive salamanders and goblins who failed to captivate even the newest of audiences. The pacing of the game, notably with the battles and fights during gameplay felt incredibly hampered with your minions having to regain consciousness when dropped in before they start swinging. If you compare a full-scale free-for-all of the original with one from the sequel, you would be forgiven for thinking that the latter was running in slow-motion.