Games like Dota Underlords
Erumaru and Dota Underlords
Dota Underlords is Valve's standalone take on auto chess, free-to-play on PC and mobile, released in 2020 after a year of early access. It has eight-player lobbies, alliances instead of races and classes, underlords with their own powers, a Knockout mode and offline play against bots. Valve has not released major updates for years, which is why many of its players are looking for something new
What they share
- The core: shop, three copies make a star, alliances and callings with thresholds, placement on a board
- Offline play exists in both. Underlords lets you fight bots; Erumaru is built entirely around playing alone
- Items from a loot round. In Erumaru items come from fights, bazaars and bosses and are assembled from components
Where Erumaru goes its own way
- Erumaru has no PvP at all: the run is a roguelite campaign through three lands with elites, guardians and bosses with phases, not a lobby against bots
- Progress between runs: the Lantern levels up to 50 and unlocks heroes, items, perks, relics and lands. Underlords had a seasonal battle pass
- Heroes grow far past stars: levels to 100, six items, four perks, an Awakening
- Erumaru is in active development, with a closed beta coming and a Steam release after it
Side by side
| Dota Underlords | Erumaru | |
|---|---|---|
| Mode | PvP with offline bots | PvE, single player |
| One session | one match, about 30 to 40 minutes | a roguelite run of 42 floors, 60 to 90 minutes, saved at any node |
| How units grow | stars from copies, items, underlords | stars from copies, levels up to 100, six items, four perks, Awakening |
| Setting | Dota 2 world, White Spire | post-apocalyptic world, ten peoples, ten lands |
| Price | free-to-play | closed beta free, full price not announced |
| Status | no major updates for years | in development, coming to Steam |
Who should try Erumaru
If you liked Underlords for its calm pace and offline mode and want a game that is alive and built for solo play, Erumaru is the closest thing in spirit. If you want ranked lobbies, look at Teamfight Tactics instead
Questions people ask
Is Dota Underlords still playable?
The game is still on Steam and on mobile stores and can be played, but Valve has not released major updates for a long time
Is Erumaru made by Valve?
No. Erumaru is an independent game with no connection to Valve or Dota