Oubliette

The first time that I played Oubliette, it was because I had read on a random site about how many different races/classes there were available, and I was pleased with the amount that I found. You are able to choose from eight different races, and the classes that are allowed depend upon a character's generated stats.
I was expecting something similar to NetHack, but found quite a different game indeed. The combat is significantly harder and more frustrating, and you NEED to have a copy of the manual in order to cast any spells at all, as you must type in the vocal components for each one.

The game runs on a "party" system, in the you control a big gaggle of people (1-6), rather than just one. I have found it necessary that you make a full party of 6 people, because otherwise you will likely get murdered.
In the way of graphics, this game doesn’t really have any, aside from the dungeon exploring. The dungeons look rather good for the time that they were created, but are in a very difficult to navigate fashion, only showing you what is immediately adjacent to your party. I would rate the gameplay as being good, if not incredibly difficult.
Making a character takes almost no time at all, and this is likely because of their incredibly short mortality rates. Even giving a new character a job can kill them! Also, once a character dies it is nearly impossible to get them back unless you have a VERY high-leveled priest. There is a "house of healing", but they always ask for donations. After you donate thousands and thousands and ask if they would bring back a friend from the dead, they simply turn you out and say nothing.
This is the second text-based game that I have gotten into, and I find it not quite as good as my initial interest (NetHack). Graphics and gameplay aside, the game has no real story at all. Very cut and dried, you need to go into this dungeon that is under this castle and kill things.
Combat as I have mentioned is ominous and repetitive, but if you're into straightforward things, this would be your best bet. The only real options are "Fight" "Kill" "Double strike" "Spell" "Seduce" or "Evade". Running from combat is NOT an option, so if the game screws you over with random monsters that are too tough, everyone must stay and fight.
The shop system is very poor, as well. Much like in Dragon Warrior, you may only have each person equipped with one weapon, armor and shield at a time. Unlike in dragon warrior though, whenever you buy a new piece of equipment to replace the old, you get nothing in return for the old. It simply disappears from your inventory and ceases to exist.
Overall, very simple but difficult hack-n-slash (contradictory, eh?). Can get frustrating, but is still awesome because you can play a KOBOLD!