Aside that this would have been a flash-game (where you'd not move freely on the world map probably), this is an excellent game, especialy with the discount GoG gave it on (it was enough to consider CQ2 too along it, because after a quick try, the game proved fun).
You don't get the random-generated nonsense called "rogulelike", you get a proper game designed heartfully for your money here.
The dungeon-designs are realy working. Placement of monsters, placement of treasures, traps, hidden loot, dynamics, positions are all considered when the game was made.
The only thing you could argue here is all dungeons are "clear'em all" tasks, but with their design its a realy minor issue.
You also can clear dungeons thrice: once for clearing the monsters, second to grab all chests (hidden ones can be a task of their own, but the system is well-introduced), then maybe third time later a quest will send you in to clear the place again.
The game introduces its features, world and difficulty very intuitively. The white arrow pointing to your next objective looked annyoingly in-yo-face at first, but it works, especialy as you realise, quests lead you to the next area to visit, next quest to pick up by difficulty.
The core main quest can be steamrolled through in 40-45 minutes if you are very good at what you are doing and have gear (Furry Armored), but if you exp/gear up, it takes 8 to 10 hours depending of your choice in difficulty.
Because it has an additional mode "Mew Game" where you can set additional properties: no exp, no gear, only 9 lives, stronger monsters, and keep all gear + equipment.
For these you can unlock an extra gear, the Old Masters Set, and for hardcore players you can get them repeatedly for maximum effect (ilvl 99), and you'll be able to use them if you contine a New(+) game, which is not to be confused with the Mew Game (I should try Mew Game too to check if you get the gear there too if you continue playing like in Fallout).
And all this builds up to introduce you to hardcore gaming, where you never get hit (or only very few times), as for the 3rd part of the Old Masters Set (you play as a cat, who could be the Old Masters?) you realy have to play attention with no gear (or no exp, depending on what you prefer, but no gear is safer, and has open limits) and only 9 lives.
The stronger monsters part is not that influencing, it's even welcomed, monsters on the overworld giving you plentyful exp.
Obviously you get badges to try out all modes.
Oh, and I spell it out for the minmaxers: the protagonist is a half-cat/half-dragon being (it's a cool story bro, discover yourself), so you have no excuse not to play this
