Dome Keeper

 PC
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 8 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8
  1. PC Invasion
    Sep 27, 2022
    90
    Dome Keeper is an excellent rogue-lite for fans of 2D mining games.
  2. We Got This Covered
    Oct 20, 2022
    80
    Dome Keeper is a well-disguised time-management game with a great atmosphere and plenty of ways to engage with its content.
  3. GameSpew
    Sep 29, 2022
    80
    Don’t let Dome Keeper‘s simplicity put you off: in fact, it’s that simplicity that makes it so great in the first place. Free of bloat and complicated mechanics, this game of survival against the odds will keep you coming back for more. And more.
  5. PC Gamer
    Sep 27, 2022
    80
    A simple yet nuanced roguelike packed with interesting decisions, tense fights and lots of digging.
  6. Tech-Gaming
    Nov 9, 2022
    78
    Literally and figuratively, there’s a lot to dig in Dome Keeper’s mixture of excavation, resource management, and defense stages.
  7. Edge Magazine
    Nov 5, 2022
    70
    The triumphs, however, will have you punching the air: accept that they are sometimes extremely hard-won and you might well consider this a keeper. [Issue#378, p.120]
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  8. Screen Rant
    Sep 27, 2022
    70
    Dome Keeper is still left wanting for more content to flesh out its addictive gameplay concept. At the ten-hour mark, many players will have seen the breadth of its unlocks and will then decide if simply pumping more time into it for the love or leaderboard placement is worth it; a special “prestige” mode is specifically geared towards a risk/reward competitive score style. It’s hard not to simply want more weapons, base mods, and artifacts, even if the gameplay otherwise remains the same. With enough sales, maybe the game will come even more into its own, but Dome Keeper’s unusual mix of combat, time management, and resource-drilling is a magical combo.
  9. Shacknews
    Sep 27, 2022
    70
    Priced at under $20, Dome Keeper will keep you on your toes for several mining sessions. Its cyclical design is simple and executed fairly well, keeping the tension consistent throughout a run. However, upgrades quickly become restrictive in terms of effective builds, and both mining and defense become predictable in subsequent playthroughs. That said, the game has plenty of room for future updates that could help balance things out. Dome Keeper, without taking too many risks, fits simply and innocuously inside the world of the iterative survival genre.
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  1. Eurogamer
    Oct 1, 2022
    Dome Keeper merges digging and base defence but struggles to make either a success in their own right.
  2. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Sep 27, 2022
    Some will no doubt chafe against the fact there's not more to do here, but for me Dome Keeper is fast becoming my new Dorfromantik - which is ironic considering its original Ludum Dare prototype was formerly known as Dome Romantik. Ultimately, it's a chill, calming survival game with just the right frisson of tension to keep things interesting between waves, and navigating its myriad upgrade options against the increasing escalation of its beautifully paced danger levels is always a thrilling treat. It's the type of game I can see myself booting up to unwind with at the end of the day, especially when it plays so well on the Steam Deck, too. It's really sunk its claws into me over the last few weeks, and just like its morass of creepy shadow monsters, has smashed its way right into my heart and completely disarmed me. It's a real keeper, all right.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 27 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 27
  3. Negative: 0 out of 27
  1. dubesor
    Oct 10, 2022
    7
    It's a decent rogue-lite miner. You mine for resources, balance upgrades between more efficient resource gathering and being able to defendIt's a decent rogue-lite miner. You mine for resources, balance upgrades between more efficient resource gathering and being able to defend the base every so often. Presentation is nice and gameplay loop is pretty self explanatory.

    I did find the game becoming pretty repetitive after 4 hrs or so, so I am just getting a few more achievements before calling it quits.

    I do not regret buying it, but for a game of this genre it has fairly small amount of content. The runs do feel sorta samey and unlocking new stuff is very few and far between, this could have been done better imho. Still, overall a fairly good game.    … Full Review »
  2. obreis_killer
    Feb 22, 2023
    10
    Times flies when you´re lost in space. Once you enter into the dome, your regular life changes.
  3. Hoplite
    Sep 1, 2023
    10
    After finally having some free time after taking a consuming board exam, i went and bought a lot of games; None of them really scratched theAfter finally having some free time after taking a consuming board exam, i went and bought a lot of games; None of them really scratched the itch I was looking for...including baldurs 3, no man sky, armored core 6, diablo 4, (yet another zombie game came close), and about 20 other games. This has this kingdom rush feel as you upgrade; you know each upgrade does something special, not like a skill point...although the New Vegas skill points have a good feel.

    For me this gave a very original vibe, despite replicating the joys of some marquee games. Essentially you're dropped off on a planet to mine. As you mine your home base gets attacked. So you juggle defending your base with mining.

    In between there's numerous and a very creative wide array or upgrades (nearly as wide as d4) that are tremendously refreshing compared to the D4 upgrades, where you have to have to follow guides to get something that will carry you through further stages because what the upgrade actually does is vague and modestly increase damage in a vague way, but these upgrades make you feel like you understand the decision you're making...and the gadgets you pick up on the annoying stat boosts you see in D4, but do something game-changing.

    This game is a great time.

    I did notice some of the other less stellar-reviews saying not enough content, or getting repetitive and that may be true as I've only played for a few hours

    Update: Been playing this all night and its still pretty fun. But yes, if they added story it'd be better. But gameplay is 10/10    … Full Review »
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