Ancient Kingdoms
Dive into an old-school pixel art RPG inspired by classic MMORPGs! Explore epic dungeons, battle fearsome bosses, and complete quests solo offline or online with up to 5 players. Choose your class, gear up, and craft your own legend!
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Caves of Lore on Steam
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I created Caves of Lore because of my deep love for RPGs. This project took me 6 years to make and I learned a lot about coding, art, and storytelling. If you reach the end then be sure to let me know! Caves has deep combat, classic-styled pixel art, and (of course) LORE! 📖
Caves of Lore is a rpg, strategy rpg and crpg game
developed and published by by Mike Robins.
Released on January 21st 2023 is available on Windows, MacOS, Steam Deck and Steam Machine.
It has received 409 reviews of which 380 were positive and 29 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.6 out of 10. 😎
The game is currently priced at 9.75€ on Steam, but you can find it for 1.89€ on Eneba.
The Steam community has classified Caves of Lore into these genres:
RPG
Strategy RPG
CRPG
Dungeon Crawler
Exploration
Mystery Dungeon
Tactical RPG
Turn-Based Tactics
2D
Pixel Graphics
Top-Down
1980s
1990's
Atmospheric
Dark Fantasy
Fantasy
Lore-Rich
Medieval
Mystery
Old School
Here is the detailed breakdown of supported languages for Caves of Lore:
| UI | Subtitle | Audio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English |
Media & Screenshots
Get an in-depth look at Caves of Lore through various videos and screenshots.
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- OS: 10
- Processor: Dual 2.3 GHz or better
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Graphics: DirectX 9 compatible video card with at least 512MB of VRAM.
- DirectX: Version 10
- Storage: 700 MB available space
MacOS
- OS: MacOS X
- Processor: Both
- Memory: 512 MB RAM
- Graphics: Integrated Graphics compatible
- Storage: 700 MB available space
Steam Price & Best Deals
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
Simply amazing game. I've been playing RPG for over 30 years and this is one of the best games I've played in the genre. The storyline, combat mechanics and fun I've had from a game created by one person is simply phenomenal. I can't wait to see more games from this designer. I look forward to the sequel and I hope some big franchise picks up your talent and gives you the freedom and resources to create more traditional RPGs.
Great CRPG. The combat is fun and there's a fair amount of build variations (some magic is a bit overtuned though, I haven't fully maxed magic missile and I still have to avoid using it to not oneshot enemies) but the game really excels in exploration. Not only are there tons of secrets, hidden mechanics, and lore to discover, you're actively rewarded for engaging with them. New spells, new enchantments and weapon sets, learning how to unlock secret rooms via learning rune meanings, learning how to use the lunar cycle to your advantage, new abilities, etc. can all be obtained from experimenting against enemies, solving puzzles, or reading lore books. Insanely fun gameplay loop because every aspect feeds back into the others. There are flaws. It starts slow, and while I felt extremely powerful by midgame I remember the early game being a bit of a struggle. The characters are surface-level interesting but it's not very character driven so you don't really get to know/care about them. There's a lot of party members and a couple of them either feel weak or redundant to me (and so many of them feel like they're built to be casters, but A) you don't need that many, B) there's an entire enemy type highly resistant to magic, and C) having lots of casters is a bit tedious with the way learning magic works). Journal is a little too vague, I took a massive break when playing this game (multiple months) and am writing this review after coming back. It's been a big struggle to remember locations/plot points/quest hints because of how vague the journal is. Difficulty is lopsided, it's almost too easy now but was tough starting out (haven't finished the game so it may increase again). Inventory management is a big mess, especially when trying to enchant/upgrade equipment. But even given those flaws it's still a very good RPG. Highly recommend.
Caves of Lore feels like a love letter to traditional role-playing games, but it is not content with simply copying ideas from the past. Instead, it takes familiar foundations and builds an adventure that captures the spirit of classic CRPG experiences while adding enough personality and flexibility to stand on its own. From its pixel-art presentation to its tactical combat systems and exploration-focused design, the game clearly aims for players who appreciate slower, more thoughtful adventures where curiosity and preparation matter as much as combat strength. The first thing that becomes apparent is how strongly the game values exploration. Many role-playing games treat exploration as little more than movement between objectives, but Caves of Lore appears to make discovery itself a major part of the experience. Moving through caves, settlements, and dangerous environments is not simply about reaching the next destination. The world seems filled with hidden locations, strange encounters, optional discoveries, and secrets waiting to be uncovered. This approach creates a feeling that every area could contain something meaningful, encouraging players to pay attention rather than rushing toward the next quest marker. The setting itself contributes heavily to the overall appeal. The game embraces a fantasy world filled with mystery and danger, but it avoids becoming relentlessly dark or serious. Ancient threats, dangerous creatures, and larger conflicts exist beneath the surface, yet moments of humor and unusual encounters help prevent the world from becoming emotionally repetitive. This balance gives the adventure more personality because players are never entirely sure whether the next interaction will involve danger, strange humor, or an unexpected discovery. Combat also appears to contain more depth than its retro presentation initially suggests. Battles rely on turn-based tactical systems where positioning and planning become important factors. Success is not achieved by simply charging into encounters and relying on stronger equipment. Players are encouraged to think about party composition, skill usage, and tactical choices. Encounters seem designed to reward careful decisions and strategic thinking, giving battles a sense of involvement rather than functioning as routine obstacles between story moments. Character customization appears to be another major strength. With a large collection of spells, abilities, and traits available, the game offers room for experimentation and varied playstyles. Instead of restricting players to narrow character paths, the systems seem designed to allow different combinations and strategies to emerge naturally. Building a party becomes an ongoing process of adjusting roles, discovering synergies, and finding approaches that suit personal preferences. For players who enjoy creating unique character setups, this flexibility adds significant replay value. Equipment and progression systems further strengthen this sense of experimentation. Loot does not appear to exist simply as a sequence of constantly increasing numbers. Enchantments and item combinations create opportunities for meaningful changes in character performance and strategy. Discovering an unexpected item or finding a combination that dramatically improves a party setup often becomes one of the most satisfying aspects of role-playing games, and Caves of Lore seems interested in preserving that feeling throughout the adventure. Visually, the pixel art style successfully reinforces the game's identity. Rather than appearing outdated, the visuals feel deliberate and nostalgic. The environments and character designs create an atmosphere that recalls older role-playing games while still maintaining enough detail and personality to feel appealing today. The visual presentation understands that style and mood often matter more than technical complexity, especially in games focused on imagination and exploration. Of course, the game's old-school structure may not appeal to everyone. Players accustomed to modern action-oriented RPGs and heavily streamlined systems might find the pace slower than expected. Tactical combat, inventory management, and exploration-heavy progression require patience and attention. Newcomers to classic CRPG design may also feel overwhelmed by the number of systems available. The same depth that appeals strongly to genre fans can create a learning curve for players unfamiliar with this style of game. Despite that, Caves of Lore succeeds because it understands exactly what kind of experience it wants to deliver. It does not attempt to become a giant open-world spectacle filled with cinematic presentation and endless distractions. Instead, it focuses on creating a carefully designed adventure where exploration, strategy, and discovery remain central to the experience. For players who enjoy traditional role-playing games and appreciate adventures that reward curiosity and thoughtful decision-making, Caves of Lore offers a surprisingly rich experience beneath its retro appearance. It captures the feeling of classic CRPG design while adding enough charm and depth to feel relevant on its own merits. Rating: 9/10
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Frequently Asked Questions
Caves of Lore is currently priced at 9.75€ on Steam.
No, Caves of Lore is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 9.75€ on Steam.
Yes, Caves of Lore received 380 positive votes out of a total of 409 achieving a rating of 8.59.
😎
Caves of Lore was developed and published by by Mike Robins.
Yes, Caves of Lore is playable and fully supported on Windows.
Yes, Caves of Lore is playable and fully supported on MacOS.
No, Caves of Lore is not playable on Linux.
Yes, Caves of Lore is playable and fully supported on Steam Deck.
Yes, Caves of Lore is playable and fully supported on Steam Machine.
No, Caves of Lore does not support VR.
Caves of Lore is a single-player game.
No, Caves of Lore does not currently offer any DLC.
No, Caves of Lore does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
No, Caves of Lore does not support Steam Remote Play.
Yes, Caves of Lore is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Caves of Lore.
Data sources
The information presented on this page is sourced from reliable APIs to ensure accuracy and relevance. We utilize the Steam API to gather data on game details, including titles, descriptions, prices, and user reviews. This allows us to provide you with the most up-to-date information directly from the Steam platform.
Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 19 October 2026 07:10 UTC |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 19 October 2026 12:14 UTC |
| Steam price | 22 October 2026 13:48 UTC |
| Steam reviews | 19 October 2026 15:45 UTC |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Caves of Lore, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Caves of Lore
- SteamCharts - Analysis of Caves of Lore concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Caves of Lore compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
2
Developer
by Mike Robins
Publisher
by Mike Robins
Release
21 Jan 2023
Platforms
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