Dungeon Keeper

Dungeon Keeper lets you view a dungeon from its owner's side. Heroes arrive seeking loot, while you dig corridors, build rooms and prepare their welcome. Defence, however, begins with housekeeping. Creatures need food, sleeping space and wages; a library unlocks research, while a training room helps prepare them for battle. The size and placement of rooms affect how well the whole system works. As the population grows, the connection between expenses, space and military strength becomes clearer.

Your subjects lead lives of their own, so control differs from the usual selection box around soldiers. A giant hand picks up a creature and moves it to a task or a battle. A possession spell lets you see your dungeon through one inhabitant's eyes. The same map therefore becomes both a management plan and a place for direct action. Dark humour supports the reversed role, but beneath the joke lies a detailed organisational model: victory depends on how you arrange your monsters' home.