This guide contains light progression spoilers, including map types, repeatability, boss-map behavior, and one-time Ethereal content.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
On Steam, open the game’s installation folder: SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/Dungeon Warfare 2/. The main file is normally named SaveData_0.dat, although the cloud configuration uses the broader SaveData_*.dat pattern. The developer has also identified a backup folder inside the installation directory. Before replacing anything, close the game, copy the entire folder somewhere safe, and disable Steam Cloud temporarily so it does not overwrite your restored file. The map screen itself is not a conventional open-world location map: it is a selection of handcrafted, boss, Ethereal, labyrinth, treasure, and procedural dungeon entries.
Verified save path
How to find and back up the PC save
The most reliable location for the Steam version is the installed game directory rather than Documents or AppData. In Steam, right-click the game, choose Manage, select Browse local files, and look for SaveData_0.dat. If more than one save slot or related file exists, preserve every file matching SaveData_*.dat instead of guessing which one is active.
The developer has specifically referred to SaveData_0.dat in the installation directory and has also mentioned backup saves in a backup subfolder. That makes the following procedure the safest practical route: exit the game, copy the whole Dungeon Warfare 2 folder or at least every save and backup file, then make changes only to a duplicate.
If a replacement does not load, turn off Steam Cloud for the game before copying the backup over the active file. Re-enable cloud synchronization only after confirming that the restored progress is working. Steam Cloud can otherwise restore the older or conflicting copy.
- Steam Library folder, then steamapps, common, Dungeon Warfare 2.
- Main filename to check: SaveData_0.dat.
- Also check for SaveData_*.dat and the backup subfolder.
- Do not edit or overwrite the only copy of a save.
The path above is verified for the Steam PC release. I did not find a reliable current source establishing an Android or iOS save path, so those platforms should not be assumed to use the same folder.
Map structure
Named locations and what each route means
Dungeon Warfare 2 does not present locations like a traditional role-playing game world map. Its named destinations are map entries with different rules. The Steam store confirms more than 60 handcrafted levels, procedurally generated dungeons, boss battles, equipment, runes, endless mode, and environmental hazards. The practical way to read the map is by map type and completion condition.
Normal maps use fixed layouts and can be replayed. Their level and wave count increase as the map is developed, and later attempts are mainly useful for improving scores, clearing challenges, farming experience, or testing rune combinations. Boss maps are marked differently before completion and become ordinary-looking red entries after they have been beaten, according to the community guide.
Ethereal maps are one-time routes. They appear after identification and placement from the item menu, and they disappear after completion. Treat them as limited collectibles or reward opportunities: inspect the map’s challenges before entering, choose a suitable loadout, and avoid spending the map casually if you are still learning its mechanics.
The three named labyrinth routes are Lesser, Greater, and Infinite. They can be replayed, with their level increasing after successful clears. Treasure maps use a different win condition: accumulate the required amount of gold rather than simply survive a standard wave sequence.
- Normal: fixed layout and repeatable progression.
- Ethereal: one-time map; disappears after completion.
- Boss: route focused on one or more boss encounters.
- Lesser, Greater, and Infinite Labyrinths: repeatable scaling routes.
- Treasure: gold-collection objective with increasing difficulty.
| Location type | Repeatability | Primary completion target |
|---|---|---|
| Normal map | Repeatable | Survive waves, improve score, and clear challenges |
| Ethereal map | One use | Complete the route before it is consumed |
| Boss map | Replayable after completion | Defeat the boss or bosses |
| Labyrinth | Repeatable and scaling | Clear the current level and advance its difficulty |
| Treasure map | Repeatable and scaling | Reach the required gold total |
No authoritative source found a separate collectible list of map pickups. The closest verified completion targets are equipment, runes, map rewards, challenge results, and one-time Ethereal maps.
Route conditions
How to choose the right path before starting
Before entering a map, hover over its entry and read the displayed level, objective, score, and challenge status. Completed challenges appear separately from unfinished ones, so a clear is not necessarily a full completion. A frayed border indicates that a completed map did not receive the best three-heart result, as described by the community guide.
Check every portal before placing traps. Portal paths can change between map types, and a second or third entrance is easy to overlook. Selecting a portal highlights its path, which is useful for deciding where to place slows, knockbacks, walls, or damage traps. This route check is more dependable than assuming every map follows the same lane pattern.
Runes modify difficulty and reward. For a first clear, a conservative loadout with few or no runes is usually the safest recommendation. On a replay, add runes when you are deliberately pursuing more experience, a challenge condition, or a stronger item-farming attempt. The store describes runes as a way to combine extra difficulty and reward, but exact drop-rate increases should not be treated as verified here.
Rushing waves increases Wrath and can be tied to challenge conditions. If a challenge asks for a minimum Wrath level, finish the final wave at that level; reaching it temporarily is not enough according to the guide. Use a repeatable labyrinth or an already comfortable map when practicing high-Wrath runs.
- Hover over the entry and record the objective before launching.
- Inspect every portal and click each one to reveal its path.
- Use low-risk settings for a first clear and reserve runes for planned replays.
- Check whether a challenge requires the final wave to end under a specific condition.
- Use repeatable routes for farming; preserve one-time Ethereal maps for prepared attempts.
The safest first-clear approach is a practical recommendation. The game’s exact reward tables, item drop rates, and every map’s complete route conditions were not available in the verified sources, so those details should be checked in-game rather than inferred.
Recovery checklist
If progress disappears or a map will not load
First, close the game and make a fresh copy of the entire installation folder. Then compare the active SaveData_0.dat with files in the backup folder. If the problem began after a crash or a bad update, use the newest backup from before the problem rather than repeatedly launching the damaged save.
Disable Steam Cloud before testing a replacement. Launch the game, confirm the map progress and inventory, and only then restore cloud synchronization. If the game still loads the wrong state, exit again and check that Steam Cloud has not recreated the original file.
Do not reset the profile while troubleshooting. The developer has previously advised replacing the active save with a backup to recover part of the progress, which means a reset is a destructive last resort rather than a first troubleshooting step.
- Back up active and backup files before testing.
- Prefer a dated or clearly older backup from before the failure.
- Disable cloud synchronization during the replacement test.
- Confirm progress in-game before turning cloud synchronization back on.
FAQ
Common questions
Where is SaveData_0.dat located?
For the Steam PC version, it is in the game installation folder, normally SteamLibrary/steamapps/common/Dungeon Warfare 2/. Use Steam’s Browse local files command if the library is installed on another drive.
Does Dungeon Warfare 2 store saves in Documents?
The verified Steam references point to the installed game folder, not Documents. If you do not find the file there, search the installation directory for SaveData_*.dat and check its backup subfolder.
Can I restore a broken save?
Often, yes, if a usable backup remains. Close the game, back up the current files, disable Steam Cloud, and replace SaveData_0.dat with a backup copy. Some progress may not be recoverable.
Are Ethereal maps permanent collectibles?
No. The available guide describes them as one-time maps that disappear after completion. Treat each one as limited content and review its objective before committing.
What is the best route for farming rewards?
Use repeatable Normal maps or the scaling Labyrinths for consistent practice and progression. Save Ethereal maps for a prepared attempt because they are consumed after completion.
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.
- OfficialDungeon Warfare 2 on Steam, official store page
- OfficialDeveloper support reply identifying the installed save and backup locations
- CommunitySteam community beginner guide covering map types, portals, challenges, and routes
- ReferenceSteamDB cloud-save file pattern and installation path reference