View source for Delver

{{short description|2018 video game}}{{About|the video game|the defunct search engine|Sears Israel}}{{Infobox video game
| title = Delver
| image = Delver Steam Library cover.jpg
| developer = Priority Interrupt
| publisher =
| series =
| engine = [[libGDX]]
| platforms = {{unbulleted list|[[Linux]]|[[macOS]]|[[Microsoft Windows]]}}
| released = 2 February 2018
| genre = [[Roguelike]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]]
| designer = Chad Cuddigan
| programmer = Chad Cuddigan
| artist = Joshua Skelton
| writer =
| composer = Tobias Arnold
}}
'''''Delver''''' is a 2018 [[First-person (video games)|first-person]] [[roguelike]] action [[dungeon crawl]]er video game developed by Priority Interrupt. It was released for [[Microsoft Windows]], [[macOS]], and [[Linux]] on February 2, 2018.
== Gameplay ==
''Delver'' is a [[First-person (video games)|first-person]] [[roguelike]] where players assume the role of an [[Exploration|explorer]] as they explore the dungeons in search of the Yithidian Orb. The game's mechanics and presentation is similar to the dungeons of ''[[The Legend of Zelda (video game)|The Legend of Zelda]]'', while incorporating random, [[procedural generation|procedurally-generated]] levels in the manner of a [[roguelike]] game. There is no jump button. The game always starts on a [[campfire]] where weapons and [[scroll]]s can be acquired, with a randomly generated loot that includes 2 weapons and 2 potions/food. On each level, the player must explore until they find the rope ladder that can take them to the next level, while avoiding traps and enemies. Dungeons contain varied loot, like potions (whose effects are not revealed until the player actually consumes them),<ref name="RPSDelverAlpha">{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=John |author1-link=John Walker (journalist) |title=Impressions: Delver Alpha |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/impressions-delver-alpha |website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110104325/http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2013/09/10/impressions-delver-alpha/ |archive-date=10 November 2013 |date=10 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="RPSDelver2016">{{cite news |last1=Caldwell |first1=Brendan |title=Premature Evaluation: Delver |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/premature-evaluation-delver |website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122171803/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2016/11/21/premature-evaluation-delver/ |archive-date=22 November 2016 |date=21 November 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> lamps/candles (that work as light sources), books, armor, skulls, luxury items (that are automatically traded for gold), wands, arrows, and melee weapons. Defeating enemies grants experience, once enough experience is gathered, the player will advance one level; something that will grant them an extra [[health (game terminology)|hit point]] and one point to assign to three random stats that vary with every level reached. The player's health is tracked by a number of hearts; if the character loses all his hearts, the game ends in [[permanent death|permadeath]] and the player must start over from a freshly-generated dungeon.<ref name="RPSDelver2016"/>
== Development and release ==
In April 2012, an [[Software release life cycle#Alpha|alpha]] was commercially released for [[Android (operating system)|Android]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://forums.tigsource.com/index.php?topic=24764.msg722970#msg722970|title = Delver}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Diener |first1=Matthew |title=Super-retro dead-when-you're-dead dungeon RPG Delver arrives for Android |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/040791/super-retro-dead-when-youre-dead-dungeon-rpg-delver-arrives-for-android/ |website=[[Pocket Gamer]] |publisher=Steel Media |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120513004654/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Delver/news.asp?c=40791 |archive-date=13 May 2012 |date=9 May 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> The last update was received in December 2013. The game was placed on an open vote on [[Steam (service)#Steam Greenlight|Steam Greenlight]] on August 30, 2012, and was greenlit a year later.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Corriea |first1=Alexa Ray |title=Steam Greenlight's latest batch includes 100 games |url=https://www.polygon.com/2013/8/28/4668020/steam-greenlights-latest-batch-includes-100-games |website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |publisher=[[Vox Media]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201226092750/https://www.polygon.com/2013/8/28/4668020/steam-greenlights-latest-batch-includes-100-games |archive-date=26 December 2020 |date=28 August 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The game was released to [[Early access#Steam Early Access|Steam Early Access]] on September 6, 2013.<ref>{{cite web |title=Now Available - Delver - Early Access |url=https://store.steampowered.com/oldnews/11414 |website=[[Steam (service)|Steam]] |publisher=[[Valve Corporation]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131112145702/http://store.steampowered.com/news/11414 |archive-date=12 November 2013 |date=6 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> The game continued to receive updates,<ref name="RPSDelver2016"/> and on February 2, 2018, Priority Interrupt officially released the game out of early access for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with a level editor and [[Steam (service)#Steam Workshop|Steam Workshop]] support.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Horti |first1=Samuel |title=First-person roguelike Delver emerges from four years of Early Access this week |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/first-person-roguelike-delver-emerges-from-four-years-of-early-access-this-week/ |magazine=[[PC Gamer]] |publisher=[[Future plc]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201109041937/https://www.pcgamer.com/first-person-roguelike-delver-emerges-from-four-years-of-early-access-this-week/ |archive-date=9 November 2020 |date=30 January 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Caldwell |first1=Brendan |title=Dungeon-diving Delver done and dusted declares dev |url=https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/dungeon-diving-delver-done-and-dusted-declares-dev |website=[[Rock Paper Shotgun]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202160031/https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2018/02/02/dungeon-diving-delver-done-and-dusted-declares-dev/ |archive-date=2 February 2018 |date=2 February 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> In November 2018, the source code for the game was released on [[GitHub]] under the terms of the [[GNU General Public License]] version 2,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kidwell |first1=Emma |title=''Delver'' devs release their tech publicly under open source license |url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/-i-delver-i-devs-release-their-tech-publicly-under-open-source-license |website=[[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] (Gamasutra) |publisher=[[UBM Technology Group]] |access-date=19 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117024545/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/330935/Delver_devs_release_their_tech_publicly_under_open_source_license.php |archive-date=17 November 2018 |date=16 November 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref> but now it is currently using the [[zlib License]].
== Reception ==
A 2012 alpha build for [[Android (operating system)|Android]] was reviewed by Paul Devlin from ''[[Pocket Gamer]]'', who rated it 4/5, praising the "fluid experience" of the alpha build, but criticized the "clunky" inventory system.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Devlin |first1=Paul |title=Delver review |url=https://www.pocketgamer.com/articles/041149/delver/ |website=[[Pocket Gamer]] |publisher=Steel Media |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120524025846/http://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/Android/Delver/review.asp?c=41149 |archive-date=24 May 2012 |date=21 May 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> The 2013 initial Steam Early Access release was reviewed by [[John Walker (journalist)|John Walker]] from ''[[Rock Paper Shotgun]]'', who criticized the lack of collectibles and noted a lack of "purpose", and suggesting the inclusion of shops, while also praising its potential.<ref name="RPSDelverAlpha"/> A 2016 [[Software build|build]] was reviewed by Brendan Caldwell (also from ''Rock Paper Shotgun'') who praised the opening moments and liked the absence of any plot and the additions to it since the initial 2013 release.<ref name="RPSDelver2016"/> It was included in the "10 Mac games you need to play from February 2018" list by Andrew Hayward for ''[[Macworld]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Hayward |first1=Andrew |title=The 10 Mac games you need to play from February 2018 |url=https://www.macworld.com/article/231041/the-10-mac-games-you-need-to-play-from-february-2018.html |website=[[Macworld]] |publisher=[[International Data Group]] |access-date=4 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411051408/https://www.macworld.com/article/231041/the-10-mac-games-you-need-to-play-from-february-2018.html |archive-date=11 April 2021 |date=27 February 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref>
== References ==
{{Reflist}}
== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.delvergame.com/}}
[[Category:2018 video games]]
[[Category:Android (operating system) games]]
[[Category:Commercial video games with freely available source code]]
[[Category:Dungeon crawler video games]]
[[Category:Early access video games]]
[[Category:Indie games]]
[[Category:Linux games]]
[[Category:macOS games]]
[[Category:Open-source video games]]
[[Category:Single-player video games]]
[[Category:Software using the zlib license]]
[[Category:Steam Greenlight games]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Roguelike video games]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the United States]]
[[Category:Video games with Steam Workshop support]]