I started playing this game a little over a month ago, and, being frustrated at not getting through it at the time, I gave it a begrudging three stars of my vote. But I kept on playing and did eventually get good enough to obtain the Goblet of Yendor, albeit not yet in under 60 minutes, let alone 45. (My fasted finish to date is 79:45.)
It has become one of the most addictive games I've played on any website or other device. (I fed a lot of quarters in machines as a kid.) Because of that, I'm giving the review five stars. It's simple to play, once I got the hang of it and the management of the components, yet it can also be complex and never the same game twice. It involves strategy yet also adaptability to circumstances and variables. Visually it's pleasing to look at and easy to understand. I also like that I can play with just my mouse. I also like the feature of silencing the music and sound effects, so I can play while listening to other music or podcasts.
The Warrior is my character of choice. You start off with a longsword and the most hit points of all the characters. At first, my mindset was more protective, with fortitude getting the most skill points, but since then, I've adopted a more offense-oriented mindset, with the most points going to melee and range. I don't have to take as many hits, if I can dispatch monsters in fewer moves. I always worship at the altar of the archer, to better my chances of getting plenty of ammunition, and it's better still to either purchase or luck upon one of the magic staffs as a backup range weapon. My favorite of those is the storm staff, which, is very useful in the sewers and anywhere else with open bodies of water. The Book of the Storm Mage is also my favorite for extra talents, like the lightning bolt, especially in the settings with bodies of water. Other favorite items include the Boots of Flight, which are especially appreciated, if I'm in The Core with its lava beds. I also love the Shield of Reflection, Gloves of Might, the Storm-chopper and Circlet of Knowledge, Scroll of Hell Fire and dragon scale armor. Metal plate armor and shield are items I always sell to the merchant, and if I happen upon a wishing well for the first time, my tendency is to summon food, since I know what I'm getting.
My most satisfying outcome was making off with the Goblet of Yendor, after delivering a thunderclap to stun enemies for enough moves for me to get to the prize without having to spend extra time on killing them.
Possible stuff to change for future versions: Different music for each floor, and the ability to go the last saved game, even after one has been killed. If I die prior to the end, it's usually for a bonehead mistake, like failing to keep track of my own hit points while merrily swinging away at a crowd of monsters--particularly galling, when I've lucked into a lot of my favorite gear. (Then again, not being able to go back to that game serves me right for being boneheaded.)
In conclusion, it's one of my favorite time-killing games and thus deserving its five-star plaudit from me.