Legend of Deepshade: The Shattered Seal

LEGEND OF DEEPSHADE: THE SHATTERED SEAL

Deepshade bound five ancient horrors beneath the world. Their seals are breaking. The Serpent of the Desert has already slipped its chains — and the ritual to rebind it failed a century ago. There is no putting it back. Only ending it.

About This Game

Legend of Deepshade: The Shattered Seal is a love letter to FTL’s Dungeon Master, reimagining the classic grid-based first-person dungeon crawler with voxel-inspired visuals, a vibrant 16-bit JRPG palette, modern automapping, an atmospheric original soundtrack, and a deep use-based progression system where every action shapes the adventurer you become.

Explore the overworld of Deepshade and descend into five major dungeons and seven smaller dungeon realms, spanning over 50 handcrafted floors filled with secrets, puzzles, hidden passages, and deadly encounters. Return to towns to discover quests, trade with merchants, and meet the inhabitants of Deepshade — or make camp deep within the dungeons as you prepare for whatever waits below.

Grow through action, not just experience points. Levels provide a foundation, but your choices define your character. Swing heavy weapons to build Strength, practice ranged combat to improve Dexterity, and cast spells to develop Intelligence. Two characters of the same class can evolve into completely different heroes depending on how you play.

Inspired by the exploration and experimentation of classic dungeon crawlers, Legend of Deepshade combines the spirit of FTL’s Dungeon Master with the accessibility of modern games like Legend of Grimrock, while creating its own identity through vibrant voxel-inspired worlds and a 16-bit JRPG fantasy aesthetic.

Fully playable with a gamepad, as well as keyboard and mouse.

Classic Mechanics, Modern Execution

• Multi-class mastery – Forge your own path by combining Fighter, Wizard, Priest, and Hunter skills in the spirit of Dungeon Master.

• Use-based leveling – Your actions define your growth. Improve skills naturally by using them, not by assigning arbitrary points.

• Over 35 enemy types – From crawling vermin to ancient horrors, every encounter demands preparation, strategy, and a well-built party.

• Nearly 100 items – Hidden weapons, ancient scrolls, enchanted armor, and forgotten treasures buried in the depths of Deepshade.

• 20 collectible spell tablets – Split between Wizard and Priest magic, with more spells being added throughout Early Access.

• Puzzles, traps, and exploration – Pressure plates, teleporters, alcoves, hidden switches, and classic dungeon logic await.

• Full automapping – Both a minimap and a fullscreen map ensure you never get lost in the depths.

What's in Early Access Right Now

Dungeons & Exploration
5 main dungeons · 7 mini dungeons · 5 towns · 50+ floors

Combat & Enemies
35+ enemy types · ~100 item types · 20 spell tablets (Wizard & Priest)

Systems
Shops, gold, chests, equipment, and character creation — all fully implemented

Audio
Original music and sound design by XIII Scale

A Dungeon Still Being Forged

Legend of Deepshade is a passion project built by one developer, but it's being shaped with the dungeon crawler community. During Early Access, I'm committed to:

• Expanding puzzles, set pieces, and encounters

• Adding new enemies, items, and spells

• Balancing difficulty, enemy AI, and item economy based on your feedback

• Polishing every floor to feel alive and dangerous

Please note: Some enemies are currently placeholders, and the spell system is still being refined. Your feedback will directly influence how the game evolves.

The Future: Procedural Mode

A long-term goal is to introduce a Dungeon Hack-inspired procedural mode — endless, ever-changing dungeons where no two descents are the same. This is a stretch goal that depends on community backing, but it's something I'm deeply passionate about delivering.

Who's Making This?

I'm XIII Scale, a solo developer and musician obsessed with grid-based dungeon crawlers since the '90s. I released SpaceGate on Newgrounds under my alias MechBadger in 2010 and composed the album Shinderg's Tomb on HDK in 2022. Legend of Deepshade began in 2019. It's my dream project—a love letter to the genre I grew up on.

As a solo dev, I can't test every combination of playstyles or situations. Your bug reports, balance suggestions, and feedback are invaluable. I'm committed to regular updates throughout Early Access, and I hope you'll join me in carrying the torch into the depths of Deepshade — and keeping the spirit of classic dungeon crawling alive for generations to come.