Steamworld Dig - A Fistful of Dirt

Release Date: Dec 5, 2013
Platforms: Nintendo 3DS, Windows (Steam), OS X, Linux, PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Xbox One, Wii U, Nintendo Switch, Stadia

Dig, Collect Resources, Upgrade, Repeat, then fight monsters and bosses, this is the general cycle of Steamworld Dig. You play as Rusty, a steam-powered robot with the ability to use multiple tools such as pickaxes, drills and dynamites. You go down to investigate the mines underneath the old Western town Tumbleton. You go down to explore the mines in order to find out its secrets, with the help of the residents of Tumbleton and an old resident Joe who disappeared down the mines a while ago. You can upgrade all of the tools used as you progress through the game.

It may seem like a simple premise, and it is in one sense, however there is much enjoyment to be had out of this game. This game is kind of a mix between Dig Dug and Metroid, in the way you dig up the world and progress via upgradable skills. Rusty is equipped with an pickaxe and a torch. You need to dig your way down the mine and collect resources and deal with the enemies along the way. Each enemy has it's own attack patterns and you will need to learn these as some of them also destroy the surrounding blocks around you.

Each time you go down the mines, you can only explore a bit before your bag fills up and you will be forced to come back to the surface with a bag full of loot. You can then sell your loot to upgrade your tools. You will also find a few mines hidden with treasures and also upgrades for Rusty so he can do more things. How you dig depends on you and you can choose the path that makes most sense to you in order ot either get to the bottom or to get loot.

You can defeat enemies for experience and unlock even more upgrades for your tools. It is not essential to unlock all of the upgrades however they do help out a lot in certain situations. The only caveat is if you die a lot you will lose a lot of money and there is only a finite amount of resources to dig up in your world. The world is also randomly generated each time so each playthrough will be slightly different.

And yes you will also die a few times, whether due to falls or to the enemies, and this will cost you in resources and money. However the pace of the game will keep you coming back for more.The town also grows along with you, as you invest more resouces, more town folk will arrive to sell you better gear.

This is a good game to pick up and have a quick game session, however you won't stop and you will have almost finished the game before you know it. The game takes about 5-6hours to complete and it will have you coming back for more.

I rate Steamworld Dig a 4/5 Stars.


Mellis: Review to come