| Fanbase | Dedicated cult following |
| Setting | |
| Developer | French studio |
| Influence | Significant on fantasy RPG genre |
| Created by | |
| Game series | Angband (roguelike RPG) |
| Key features | Maze-like dungeon exploration • Confronting Morgoth and minions • Deep customization • Emergent gameplay • Punishing difficulty |
Angband is a fantasy world created by renowned author J.R.R. Tolkien as a parallel setting to his renowned Middle-earth legendarium. Unlike the relatively hopeful and heroic landscapes of Middle-earth, Angband is a dark, bleak realm dominated by the fallen Vala Morgoth, once the greatest of the Ainur, and his monstrous legions. It has served as the primary setting for a critically acclaimed series of fantasy role-playing games developed by a French video game studio.
Angband was conceived by Tolkien as a counterpoint to the mythos of Middle-earth, representing the ultimate triumph of evil and the corruption of the natural world. In Tolkien's writings, Angband is the great fortress of Morgoth, who rebelled against the other Vala and was cast down into the depths of the world, where he has waged an eternal war against the free peoples of Arda.
Morgoth's forces in Angband consist of a vast array of monstrosities, including hordes of orcs, legions of balrogs, and other demonic creatures drawn from Tolkien's distinctive fantasy cosmology. The deep, labyrinthine dungeons of Angband itself are filled with deadly traps, powerful undead beings, and other dangers that have claimed the lives of countless brave adventurers who have sought to infiltrate the fortress and defeat the Dark Lord.
The Angband video game series, first developed in the late 1980s by a team of French programmers, has brought this dark, uncompromising vision of Tolkien's mythology to life as a series of challenging, critically acclaimed roguelike role-playing games. The original Angband, released in 1990, established the game's core formula: players create a customizable adventurer, then delve deeper and deeper into the treacherous dungeons of Morgoth's lair, battling fearsome foes and seeking powerful artifacts to aid in their quest.
Subsequent entries in the series, including 1993's ''Angband II: The Pits of Utumno'', 1998's ''Angband: The Dominion of Morgoth'', and 2005's ''Angband: The Forge of Fate'', have expanded the scope and complexity of the game world. They have introduced new playable character classes, enemies, and gameplay mechanics that have kept the Angband formula feeling fresh and engaging for dedicated fans.
At its core, the Angband games are known for their punishing, unforgiving difficulty. Character death is permanent, and a single careless mistake can lead to a player's hard-won progress being wiped out. This emphasis on cautious, thoughtful exploration and character customization has developed a devoted following among fans of challenging, high-stakes roguelike gameplay.
The Angband series is also acclaimed for its depth of lore and attention to detail. The games' environments, enemy designs, and item descriptions draw extensively from Tolkien's original writings, expanding upon the dark mythos of Angband in ways that have fascinated fantasy enthusiasts. This has led to an active community of modders and fanfiction writers who have continued to grow and evolve the Angband world over the decades.
While not as commercially successful as some other fantasy RPG franchises, the Angband games have nevertheless had a significant impact on the genre. Their focus on emergent, sandbox-style gameplay and uncompromising difficulty have influenced countless other roguelikes and dungeon-crawling adventures. The series' unique blend of Tolkien's dark vision and challenging, customizable gameplay has earned it a devoted cult following that ensures Angband's legacy will endure.
