Excave II: Wizard of the Underworld

About

Excave II: Wizard of the Underworld is a turn-based role-playing game built around exploring twisting dungeons and battling through waves of enemies. You control one of two heroes navigating a city crumbling under supernatural chaos, using magic and weapons to clear paths. Combat involves standard grid-based battles where positioning and elemental weaknesses matter, with gradual character upgrades through earned resources. The story follows a straightforward quest to restore balance, blending light dialogue and action across multiple underground layers. The game’s charm lies in its retro-style presentation and methodical dungeon design, which earned a 78% on Metacritic from 40 critics. While not impressive, its tight turn-based mechanics and varied enemy encounters keep each run feeling distinct. Players who enjoy structured progression and classic JRPG tropes might appreciate the 12-hour campaign length, though some found the pacing uneven. The 3DS port offers improved visuals but lacks online features.