Below the Bell is a first-person dungeon crawler that blends action and RPG elements on PC. Players take on the role of a ringer who descends into the galleries beneath Hollin Cross after the town bell begins calling names at night. The core loop involves navigating a square grid in real time while managing combat, exploration, and the unique bell-ringing system that controls the undead.
Gameplay
Combat unfolds in real time on a square grid. Monsters signal an impending strike by turning yellow and producing an audible wind-up sound, giving players a clear beat to dodge, reposition, or raise a shield. Each hand operates on independent cooldowns, allowing a weapon in one hand and a shield, knife, or hand-bell in the other. The hand-bell performs change-ringing patterns that affect the environment and enemies. Learned changes appear in books scattered throughout the depths, and ringing demands focus because any movement, attack, or damage interrupts the sequence.
Specific patterns include Rounds, which halts nearby dead for three beats; Plain Hunt, which reveals the paths of all moving entities; and Stedman, which revives a stopped rope. A fourth change remains unknown to the player at the start and must be discovered. Every boss encounter has a single correct pattern written somewhere on its floor. Between descents, players explore the surface town of Hollin Cross at night, speaking with residents at locations such as the chapel, smithy, Nell's lamp-shop, and the Wheatsheaf. Progression opens new entrances like the crypt stair and bell tower as depth increases. A Homeward Taper lit below returns the player to town and allows re-entry at the same underground point.
Loot features rolled properties, while 30 relics drop only from named enemies. Thirty-six abilities fall into three disciplines: Blade, Bolt, and Litany. The game includes rebindable keys, full controller support, subtitles for tolls and key sounds, reduced flashes, and color markers for accessibility. Text and audio are available in English and Brazilian Portuguese.
Game Modes
Step mode pauses the world and advances it one beat per player action. Story Mode reduces incoming damage by two-thirds. Neither mode restricts achievements or endings, so all content remains accessible regardless of chosen difficulty aids. The structure consists of 12 floors divided into three acts, plus three optional floors and one additional floor for repeat playthroughs.
Exploration and Progression
Twenty-four quests come from townsfolk who remain above ground. These tasks tie into the four possible endings. The dungeon contains 49 monster types and 11 bosses. Between runs, surface interactions provide context and new objectives without forcing combat. The bell-ringing system serves as both a combat tool and a puzzle element, with each new pattern expanding tactical options against the undead.
Is It Worth Playing?
Below the Bell suits players who enjoy deliberate real-time combat paired with methodical exploration and a distinctive mechanic centered on change ringing. The grid-based movement and warning signals reward timing and positioning over reflexes alone. Story Mode and Step mode lower the barrier for those who prefer reduced pressure while preserving full access to endings and achievements. With 12 main floors, optional content, multiple endings, and a town hub for side quests, the game offers substantial single-player depth for fans of indie action-RPG dungeon crawlers. The disclosed use of generative tools for text, images, animations, and audio does not alter the hand-checked quality or scripted elements such as music and title placement. Those drawn to atmospheric descent, pattern-based abilities, and layered progression will find a focused experience that emphasizes discovery over repetition.
