Posted September 04, 2009
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If you want a game that is not composed of flat levels connected by teleporters, though, you're largely restricting yourself to 3D games. I can't think of any 2D dungeon crawlers that fit that criteria, Diablo included - if the terrain can't be rendered in three dimensions, it's difficult to construct the dungeon any other way (though it could be faked a bit - the Ultima VIII engine could do quasi-3D, I guess). I'm not saying it can't be done, but I've never seen it.
I'm not sure I've ever played a game that would satisfy all the criteria you've listed, honestly. Ultima Underworld maybe, as has been mentioned, but I haven't played that in a looooong time and can't remember much about it.
At the moment, I can't help but recall Shangri-la in Might and Magic III, a small village located far underground. There's so much rock over your head that just walking around is almost suffocating, but it's just an illusion; it's just a two-dimensional map with no Z coordinate to speak of.
Post edited September 04, 2009 by Mentalepsy