- Underkeep gameplay blends first-person dungeon crawling with tactical turn-based party combat
- Four starter archetypes: ranger, warrior, void caller, and wizard cover damage, tanking, and support
- Exploration rewards: hidden rings, secret paths, and skill checks dot the starting forest
- Resting costs food: stockpile apples and bread to heal between fights
- Demo finale: return all five mushrooms for the game's signature spore vision of the Underkeep
Underkeep Gameplay Overview
Underkeep is a roleplaying dungeon crawler with tactical, turn-based combat that debuted its demo during Steam Next Fest in February 2026. It leans hard into immersion: you move through hand-painted environments in first person, interact with statues, gravestones, and hidden holes, and read atmospheric prose on nearly every clickable object. The design recalls classics like Ultima Underworld and the old Dungeons & Dragons gold box crawlers, where note-taking and careful observation matter as much as combat skill.
Video Highlights:
- Full demo run covering the mushroom-gathering intro quest
- All four party archetypes showcased in live combat
- Secret path discovery, pressure-plate puzzle, and treasure chest rewards
- The sentient mushroom encounter and the demo's ending vision of the Underkeep
The demo opens with a simple quest: gather five mushrooms in the forest for the camp chef. That gentle framing hides a dense layer of optional content, including a trader rescue encounter, a hidden beast-bane ring, a block-pushing puzzle, and a mushroom being whose gratitude reshapes the end of the demo.
Hover-highlighting reveals every interactable object. Check holes, gravestones, and shrubs, as several hide rings, weapons, and secret passages that skip whole sections of the map.
Party Archetypes and Combat
Your four-character party defines your tactical options. Each member brings a distinct archetype, and the front-line positioning rules make formation decisions meaningful.
| Character | Archetype | Role | Key Abilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenol | Ranger (Elk) | Ranged damage | Sling attacks, animal-speak racial bonus |
| Oldest | Stoneborn Warrior | Front-line tank | Two-handed cleave, high HP |
| Yural | Human Void Caller | Support/control | Heals, buffs, taunt options |
| Goldia | Human Wizard | Burst damage | Fireball, later electricity spells |
Combat is turn-based on the overworld map itself. When a fight triggers, enemies surround you, and every adjacent foe gets to attack, so positioning and target prioritization matter. Each character has a basic attack plus one equipped ability, and the character screen lets you unlock additional active and passive skills as you level.
Aggressive Openers
- Lead with Fireball on grouped enemies
- Use the warrior's cleave when surrounded
- Burn mana early, rest after
Sustain Play
- Hold Void Caller heals for emergencies
- Skip turns to regroup mid-fight
- Use basic attacks to conserve mana
Control Tactics
- Provoking Shout redirects enemy attacks for two rounds
- Equip bleeding weapons against tough single targets
- Switch primary targets freely each turn
The wizard burns through mana fast. Carry mana potions from opened chests, and switch to the quarterstaff poke when reserves run dry; the staff also grants a small ranged advantage in melee-heavy fights.
Demo Walkthrough: Step by Step
Explore the Forest Edge
Collect the broken bone, flower, and apples near the start. Examine the rocky outcrop's small hole; using Tenol's racial bonus reveals a snake, then reaching inside nets the Beast Bane Ring (+1 damage to animals). Give it to your ranger.
Rescue the Trader
When the screaming trader appears, choose the ranger option and sling the lead rat. Win the surrounding rat fight, then talk to him for an iron key that opens his supply chest containing a mana potion, gold, and scale gloves.
Solve the Underground Puzzle
Descend through the uncovered hole and push blocks onto pressure plates to unlock the door. If you misplace a block, the puzzle resets, so plan placements before moving. Clear the chamber for bonus XP and a chest reward.
Gear Up and Level
Equip the two-handed sword on the warrior, the battle axe on the void caller, and the club "Lucille" as a magic weapon with a 60% bleed chance. On level-up, take HP passives, the doubled healing spell, and ranged crit for the ranger.
Find the Pickaxe and the Frost Wick
A pickaxe found deeper in the tunnels opens previously blocked passages. Use it to reach the fifth mushroom, the Frost Wick, guarded by cursed diggers and tunnel snakes.
Meet the Mushroom Being
Return all five caps to the sentient mycelium entity. It rewards you with a spore vision of the Underkeep itself, ending the demo with a hook into the full game.
Underkeep has no carry weight limit. Loot everything, including the moldy bread, although consuming it may come with "extra surprises" you might not want.
Key Items and Equipment Table
| Item | Location | Effect / Value |
|---|---|---|
| Beast Bane Ring | Rocky outcrop hole | +1 damage to animals |
| Iron Key | Rescued trader | Opens supply chest |
| Lucille (Club) | Cavern loot | Magic weapon, 60% bleed chance |
| Quarter Staff +1 | Deeper tunnels | Ranged melee advantage |
| Pickaxe | Tunnel side room | Digs through blocked passages |
| Minor Helmet | Ceiling creature drop | Warrior head armor |
| Moldy Bread | Cavern consumable | Fills food, risky side effects |
Resting consumes food to restore health and stamina, but you cannot rest while enemies are nearby. Clear each zone before setting camp, and keep at least three food items in reserve.
Demo Completion Checklist
Demo Milestones:
- Collect all five mushroom varieties
- Obtain the Beast Bane Ring from the snake hole
- Rescue the trader and open his supply chest
- Solve the pressure plate block puzzle
- Acquire the pickaxe and reach the Frost Wick mushroom
- Trigger the mushroom being's spore vision ending
Elk racial perception and similar checks open unique dialogue outcomes. Experiment with different party members on interactables before settling on a single response.
FAQ
Q: What type of game is Underkeep?
Underkeep is a roleplaying dungeon crawler with tactical turn-based combat and heavy narrative immersion, in the tradition of classic first-person crawlers like Ultima Underworld. A demo debuted during Steam Next Fest in February 2026.
Q: How does Underkeep gameplay handle combat positioning?
Fights trigger directly on the overworld map, and enemies can surround your party. Every adjacent foe attacks on its turn, so eliminating front-line threats first and using taunts like Provoking Shout keeps your squishier casters alive.
Q: How do I heal in the Underkeep demo?
Healing comes from three sources: the Void Caller's heal spell, potions found in chests and as loot, and resting. Resting consumes food and is blocked while enemies are nearby, so clear areas before making camp.
Q: What happens if I return all five mushrooms?
The sentient mushroom being rewards your kindness with a spore-induced vision of the Underkeep, revealing the tower beneath the mountain and an ancient draconic presence. This sequence ends the demo and teases the full game.