Caves of Qud

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A science fantasy roguelike with one fixed character and world a day.

Play Caves of Qud

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Caves of Qud in play: a character among baroque ruins on a tiled surface map, with a combat log on the right and mutation abilities along the bottom

Caves of Qud is a turn-based science fantasy roguelike set in a deeply simulated post-apocalyptic world. Its Daily mode gives everyone the same character and the same world seed for one attempt, and your ranking for the day appears when that character dies.

About Caves of Qud

Caves of Qud is a roguelike RPG from Freehold Games, published by Kitfox Games, that spent years in early access before its 1.0 release in December 2024. You explore a far-future Earth of salt deserts, jungles and buried ruins, build a character from mutations and cybernetics, and run into talking plants, robots and factions with long memories. Almost everything in the world is simulated, from the liquids on the ground to the opinions of the villages you pass through.

The game has four ways to play: Classic with permadeath, Roleplay with checkpoints in settlements, Wander where most creatures leave you alone, and Daily. In Daily you do not build a character. The game hands everyone the same pre-made character and the same world seed, and you get one chance. When that character dies, the death screen shows where you rank for the day, and the scores go on a Steam leaderboard. There is a weekly challenge built the same way.

The daily run is a good way into a game that can otherwise take dozens of hours to get to grips with: the character is chosen for you, and everyone is comparing the same start.

Freehold Games still updates the game: an autoexplore patch came out in September 2026, and an early access expansion, Caves of Qud: Diaspora, is announced for 9 December 2026.

How to play Caves of Qud

Start a new game in Caves of Qud and choose the Daily mode.
Take the day's fixed character into the day's world; there is no character creation.
Explore, fight and trade turn by turn, using the mutations and gear the character starts with.
Survive as long as you can: you have one life and one attempt.
When the character dies, see your ranking for the day on the death screen and the leaderboard.

Screenshots

Caves of Qud world map: a tile landscape of jungle, mountains, rivers and a salt lake, with the character status bar above and action buttons below

Caves of Qud inventory and equipment screen: a body diagram of equipped limbs beside a list of meds, weapons and tools

Caves of Qud Steam capsule art: the game's title over a teal cavern landscape

Tips

Read the fixed character's mutations and skills before you move; the day's run is built around them.
Talk to the first village's merchants and quest givers before heading into danger; early gear and experience go a long way.
Retreat from fights you do not understand; the daily run ends on the first death.