Molyneux calls Dungeon Keeper's mechanics 'ridiculous'

Peter Molyneux believes that the time consuming resource farming mechanics featured in Electronic Arts and Mythic Entertainment's mobile reboot of his 1997 strategy game Dungeon Keeper is "ridiculous," he told the BBC UK.

"I felt myself turning round saying, 'What? This is ridiculous. I just want to make a dungeon. I don't want to schedule it on my alarm clock for six days to come back for a block to be chipped," he told the BBC, sharing players' criticism of the time required to farm resources, reportedly anywhere between 4 and 24 hours. Players can choose to buy in-game gems for real currency to bypass the time gate.

The game designer went on to say that he believes that the balance between keeping true to original game for longtime fans and making it "fresh enough and understandable enough" for the mobile market wasn't achieved. This added another source of criticism, he said, from fans who were simply hoping for an updated version of the Bullfrog Productions-developed Dungeon Keeper.

Released recently across iOS and Android devices, EA drew criticism for the Android version of the game last week. When prompted to submit a review, players who select the "1 - 4 Stars" option are directed to an EA feedback submission page, minimizing negative public feedback. Those who select the "5 Stars" option are taken to the Google Play page, normally the case for most apps, to submit a rating along with a blurb.

EA told Polygon last week that the 'rate this app' feature was designed to help EA "collect valuable feedback from players who don't feel the game is worth a top rating." According to the representative, EA also wanted to make it easier for players who were having a bad experience to send direct feedback.