DROD: Architects' Edition

DROD: Architects' Edition is a puzzle game from 1996 in which players control a sword-wielding character navigating rooms filled with monsters, traps, switches, and increasingly fiendish spatial challenges. Developed by Webfoot Technologies, it belongs to the long-running DROD tradition of puzzles where planning several moves ahead is not merely useful but frequently the difference between progress and embarrassment. The levels may look simple at first glance, yet their solutions can demand considerable thought and experimentation. There is something wonderfully satisfying about finally solving a room that has been tormenting you for ten minutes. Of course, there is also something less satisfying about immediately discovering the next room is even worse.

“DROD is much more than a simple puzzle game. DROD is all about using your brain not only to outsmart the game, but to outsmart other players as well. As you move in one of eight directions (using the number pad by default), swing your sword (q and w by default), or wait for monsters to advance (5 by default), you have a simple objective to clear a dungeon of every pest you can find. Of course, it's a lot harder than it looks, as each monster and element works differently. You'll need to see the big picture of things and plan your movements ahead of time, lest you wind up becoming a roach's dinner. It's all about outsmarting your enemies, whether it's the goblin who is trying to sneak up behind you, or the real enemy - the architect, the person who created all the evil puzzles.” - Webfoot Technologies