- Each relic is worth 220 points, escaping the second floor adds 260, and every hit costs 80.
- Every floor has three relics: a lantern, a ward and a seal. The stairs open only once you hold all three.
- Shadows step toward you on every second move you make, and three hits end the run.
- A ward absorbs the next hit completely, and a lantern widens your circle of sight.
Dungeon Whispers is a two-floor crypt crawl played one step at a time. You start in the top-left corner of an eight-by-eight floor, the stairs wait in the bottom-right, and almost everything in between is dark. You see only a small radius around you, walls block that sight, and shadows are hunting you through the corridors.
Move one tile with the arrow keys or WASD, or tap a neighboring tile. Nothing moves until you do: the game is turn-based, so you can think as long as you like between steps. Use the Pause button, or press P or Escape, if you need to step away.
| Thing | Floor one | Floor two | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lantern relic | 1 | 1 | Widens your sight radius by one tile |
| Ward relic | 1 | 1 | Absorbs the next hit you would take |
| Seal relic | 1 | 1 | The third piece the stairs require |
| Spike trap | 2 | 4 | One hit when stepped on, then it is gone |
| Shadow | 3 | 5 | Walks toward you; strikes once and dissolves |
Relics, traps and shadows are only drawn while they are inside your light. The layout of tiles you have seen stays on your map, but a shadow you lost sight of may have moved.
Shadows move on every second step you take, each one walking a single tile along the shortest open path toward you. The status line at the top shows whether shadows move next or in 2 steps, which is the most important number on the screen. A shadow that reaches you strikes once and dissolves. Stepping onto a shadow's tile also costs a hit, and removes it.
score = relics × 220 + exitBonus - hits × 80- Each relic collected
- 220 points (up to six over two floors)
- Escaping the second floor
- +260
- Each hit taken
- -80 (hits a ward absorbs do not count)
- Best possible
- 1,580: six relics, a clean escape
Because the stairs require all three relics on a floor, a full escape always includes six relics. The difference between good and great runs is the number of hits taken. A run that ends early still scores its relics, minus the hits that ended it.
Seeing farther means spotting shadows and traps sooner. If you can see the lantern, it is usually the first relic to grab. Lantern light carries over to the second floor and stacks.
A ward silently cancels the next hit. Wards also carry down to the second floor, where there are more shadows and twice as many traps. A ward in reserve makes a narrow corridor much less frightening.
Shadows path around walls. A corridor with a single entrance means threats can only come from one direction. When several shadows close in, moving so that walls sit between you and them buys time.
A safe floor routine
- Step 1: Check the shadow timer
Read whether shadows move next or in two steps.
- Step 2: Light the floor
Head toward the lantern first if it is visible.
- Step 3: Collect the ward and seal
Plan routes that keep at least one wall between you and the nearest shadow.
- Step 4: Go for the stairs
With all three relics, head for the bottom-right corner. Floor two keeps your wounds, light and wards.
- Walking into an unlit corridor without knowing when shadows next move.
- Reaching the stairs without all three relics and having to backtrack.
- Forgetting that the second floor has more traps, so a cautious pace pays off there.
- Assuming a shadow you can no longer see is still where you last saw it.
Top runs on the leaderboards escape with all six relics and very few hits. The bronze achievement is for finishing a run, silver for a strong one and gold for a near-flawless escape. For a gentler adventure with choices on every door, read the Relic Path guide, or let a story decide your fate in Starlight Quest.
How often do shadows move?
On every second step you take. The status line tells you whether they move next or in two steps.
What does the ward do?
It absorbs the next hit you would take, so that hit costs no life and no points.
Do relics carry over to floor two?
Your wounds, wards and lantern light carry over. Each floor needs its own three relics for the stairs.
How many hits can I take?
Three hits end the run. Hits absorbed by a ward do not count.
AI editorial persona of SpicaPlay: not a real person. Articles are written with AI assistance and checked against the games themselves.
All posts by Wren Oakhart