Escape the Mad Empire : The perfect mix of Diablo, Darkest Dungeon, and Baldur's Gate ?

A Quick Focus on the Studio : XperimentalZ Games

Before we descend into the depths, let’s say a few words about the team behind the project : XperimentalZ Games. We’re heading to Quebec to discover this independent studio with a grand ambition. They launched the Early Access of their baby, Escape the Mad Empire, in late 2024. Their fixed idea ? To blend pure tactics with the addictive nature of Diablo-style loot. And for such a small team, the level of polish in the gameplay system is already stunning.

So, we turn our eyes toward Canada to discover this roguelike RPG team-based dungeon crawler. Set in an end-of-times world marked by the remnants of a collapsed empire, the title tasks us with leading a group of heroes through procedurally generated maps. With a top-down view reminiscent of the classics, you must manage 13 character classes full of personality to hope to survive this chaos. It’s fresh, it’s still in alpha, but it already promises memorable hours in the depths of a dungeon.

Yes, I said a dungeon ! And a dungeon just the way we like them, filled with creatures to clear out : mummies, beetles, vampires, heavy-armored warriors, ghosts, summoners, wizards, spiders… and bosses ! The bestiary is already very advanced, and they aren't done yet !

The Combat System : Roll the Dice !

The game is based on an "old-school" system, inspired by "Dungeons & Dragons". If you’ve ever dabbled in that, you know exactly what I’m talking about ; otherwise, to explain quickly, it relies on dice rolls for combat. Instead of an weapon saying it does "14 to 24 points of damage," it’s announced like this : "1d8 + 4" or "2d4".

You need to understand that every time one of your characters strikes, a dice roll occurs (it’s instant, you don’t actually see it). For example : when you hit with a "1d8 + 4" weapon, there’s a chance your die rolls a 1 + 4, but it could just as easily roll an 8 + 4 ! 1d8 is equivalent to rolling an 8-sided die, with the "+4" being a special bonus on that weapon. In the case of 2d4, you roll two 4-sided dice, which can result in a 2 or an 8 !

Stuff and Rarity : The Diablo Loot Fever

Let’s talk about gear now. There is a lot of it—and I mean a lot—with several rarity levels, ranging from basic gray to purple or yellow, passing through blue and green. Does that remind you of Diablo or other RPGs of that style ? Well, you’re right on the money ; that’s exactly what it is.

The goal, obviously, will be to find higher quality gear as your adventures progress to equip your guys (and gals). We also find set bonuses : if you manage to track down all 4 parts of the same set (for instance, the "thief cloth" armor set), your thief will gain an extra bonus. Once again, like in a good Diablo game, you’ll find everything : from cloth or leather armor for your light classes and mages, to the most tanky gear for your heavy characters who need to lead the way. For a small game like this, I didn’t expect it to be so deep. And I remind you that we are only in alpha right now !

Base Management : Improving your HQ Darkest Dungeon Style

How does progression work ? Here too, it’s simple to understand. At the very beginning of the game, a wisp explains everything and will even follow you into your first dungeons. It will show you that you have a starting base that you can improve by bringing back gold and certain items found during your runs.

The number of buildings you can assemble is quite vast. You’ll have options to improve your squad, to heal them, to craft gear, upgrade gems, disenchant weapons, resurrect heroes, and more. You won’t be able to build everything at once ; it happens over time. If I tell you it works like in Darkest Dungeon, you’ll have the image in mind : it’s exactly the same principle.

Heroes Who Take a Beating

We haven’t talked about the heroes yet, but the choice is generous : you’ll find all the usual classes (warriors, thieves, mages, berserkers) and there are even superior classes ! Eventually, you’ll gain access to "heroes" whose stats are far above the basic classes. They will deal much more damage and be much more resilient, but they won’t be easy to unlock.

And you have to take care of your heroes ! Just like in Darkest Dungeon, they will often finish a dungeon with a broken limb or half-insane. You’ll need to remember to heal them or even leave them "in stasis" at the base while you train a backup squad. This creates often hilarious situations : 4 level 5 characters followed by your lvl 1 "rookie" who is just starting out and has to earn their stripes without losing their life.

Tactics and Tactical Pause : Think Before You Strike

Each of your characters has their own Spells and will unlock many more as they level up. For every combat, as soon as your troop spots enemies, the game pauses. (You can change this in the options if you don’t like it.)

It’s up to you to try and lure part of the opposition into a corner if you don’t want to take on a whole group at once. At any time, you can unpause or pause again to plan your actions (much like in good old Baldur's Gate). This makes every combat very enjoyable and allows us to study each enemy unit to act accordingly. (Hover over them to learn their weaknesses and strengths.) In the dungeons, there will also be barrels on the ground filled with water, oil, or explosives. Remember to use them ; they are very effective !

Pixel Art and Atmosphere : Respect the Work

We’ve pretty much covered it ; it’s up to you to discover the rest. I’ll wrap up by talking about the visual style. The game is entirely pixelated. I know I’m stepping onto thin ice here because this puts off some players who only see a mess of pixels.

Personally, I’ve always loved it for many reasons. Having played many pixel art games, I can immediately see which ones are an unpolished mess and which ones have a real touch. Believe me, those who think making a game in pixels is easy are wrong : it’s quite the opposite, you have to follow many codes to get it right. And here, it’s done very well. Ultimately, it’s a matter of taste (I struggle with voxel, for example), but know that with a flick of the scroll wheel, you can zoom in to focus on your actions in these dungeons. They are, moreover, very well laid out, with plenty of different biomes that break any monotony.

Verdict : Worth it or not ?

Did you enjoy that ? I hope so. The title is currently €17.49, and I think it’s truly "worth it". Today, games under €20 are becoming rare. Here, they’ve gathered the best of several cult titles : Baldur's Gate, Diablo, Darkest Dungeon, even Dungeon Keeper, all in one game. It’s a joy to play, perfect for a quiet dungeon run in the evening after work. Oh, I almost forgot ! The music is also very well done and really sets the mood, so honestly, what more could you ask for ?!

That’s the end of the article. If you try it out, don’t hesitate to tell me what you thought. It’s always a pleasure to find those cool moments that make the best D&D games so special ! Well done XperimentalZ Games, and long live Escape The Mad Empire !