Seolhwa Dungeon Builds Roguelike Rules From Korean Folktales

Seolhwa Dungeon is a turn-based roguelike RPG developed by solo creator Sungki Soft. The game uses Korean creatures, legends and moral choices as gameplay rules rather than background details.

Players explore dungeons that change with each run. Locations include a silver mine haunted by goblin fire, a royal tomb with open coffins, a fog-covered marsh and a gumiho’s den. Players can reach the underworld after collecting enough orbs. Seven additional dungeons are based on individual Korean folktales.

The creatures affect how encounters unfold. An Imugi serpent can turn into a dragon if a battle lasts too long, then flood the entire dungeon floor. When players meet a funeral procession, they can step aside and bow or block its path. The two choices have different consequences. Other encounters include fighting a dokkaebi or accepting food from a snail maiden.

Jeoseung Saja, a grim reaper, can see the player for several turns and calls out the player’s name each time. The player character disappears after the third call. These encounters add risks that players must manage while exploring.

Each run has permanent death, so a failed attempt ends the current character’s progress. The dungeon is redrawn for every new attempt. Players can choose from 14 species and 12 classes and serve one of eight gods. Each god has a taboo that can cause consequences if broken.

Spells appear as cards, with one card available at each level from a pool of 32. A codex records the 150 yokai found during play and includes the original folktales connected to them. A run takes between 40 minutes and two hours.

Seolhwa Dungeon is free to download from the App Store and Google Play. The Folktale Collection is the game’s sole purchase and adds species and classes.