"[The game] is written entirely in Java, and is designed to run as a stand-alone application rather than an applet in a web browser. It has high-resolution graphics that simulate a 3D environment. Most of the graphics are rendered in the free ray-tracer Pov-Ray. Item graphics and character portraits are done by hand with a paint program, though many are simply taken from the original and its sequels and touched-up.

Gameplay is very similar to the original, with real-time action, 90-degree turns, and step-by-step movement. One major change from the original is that monsters are not "stuck" in groups: they are completely free to wander, sometimes occupying a square with other monsters and sometimes not."

There are actually more noteworthy changes, such as the ability of monsters to follow you up and down the stairs-- no more attack-and-go-upstairs tactic of the original game. Monsters also seem to be more intelligent, and their ability to wander separately from their group makes combat much more challenging and fun. Best of all, the fact that the game is coded entirely in Java means that the game will now be truly immortal, since Java can run on any hardware. With excellent ray-traced graphics, faithful recreation of solid gameplay, and numerous enhancements, Dungeon Master Java is a must-have for every RPG fan, whether or not you have played the original. Two thumbs up! Oh, and be sure to grab Sun's Java 2 Runtime Library from the "System Requirements" box below-- you'll need that to run the game :)

Note: This download includes patch 2 already incorporated. Check the official site regularly for future updates.