Gnomoria

 PC
User Score
8.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 63 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 54 out of 63
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 63
  3. Negative: 5 out of 63

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  1. francish
    Feb 12, 2014
    10
    This game is calling me since the first time I saw it. I can't explain why but I really love its ambience, environment, music, EPIC gameplay (I even like the graphics being built in fresh colors). When I bought it I was so happy, I immediately installed I and when I ran it I noticed that I didn't know how to play at all! I spent several hours on youtube watching tutorials and it wasThis game is calling me since the first time I saw it. I can't explain why but I really love its ambience, environment, music, EPIC gameplay (I even like the graphics being built in fresh colors). When I bought it I was so happy, I immediately installed I and when I ran it I noticed that I didn't know how to play at all! I spent several hours on youtube watching tutorials and it was completely worth it! The game is really great, it really catches you, you will want to play it! When you close it you know you want to play it again, and you'll really play it again!

    You might find it hard if you never played a game like this, Dwarf Fortress etc, it hasn't tutorial (it's stills in alpha but devs are very actives)... - my first alpha game I bought, it's really awesome! Why don't you download a demo and understand why I'm so happy about it? :p    … Expand
  2. NetrunChrome
    Apr 21, 2013
    9
    Gnomoria Is a bit of a gem, with some of minecraft and some of towns. the beginning of the game is a bit hard to get through, but once you get that perfect balance between resources and food, the game can be as addicting as minecraft. 9/10 robotronic games. good job
  3. Kratozs
    Jun 17, 2013
    10
    Amazing game. Even though learning how to play was painful, after learning it turns into a masterpiece. This game is made for strategist and patient people. It takes a lot of time to learn but afterwards the game is totally worth it.
  4. Irolden
    Jul 19, 2013
    10
    This game really makes everything that wasn't fun about DF, fun. The interface is simple, easy to use, and if you know what your doing, you can get into some really advanced stuff. The great thing is though, each step is easy. If you want to make something, with a few workshops set up, the Gnomes will do the rest.. The best part for me personally, is the graphical difference betweenThis game really makes everything that wasn't fun about DF, fun. The interface is simple, easy to use, and if you know what your doing, you can get into some really advanced stuff. The great thing is though, each step is easy. If you want to make something, with a few workshops set up, the Gnomes will do the rest.. The best part for me personally, is the graphical difference between Dwarf Fortress and Gnomoria. DF has symbol after symbol that look nothing like the item. Gnomoria leaves nothing to question. The graphics are straight forward and make management of the kingdom much simpler… Expand
  5. oxjimmyx
    Jan 6, 2014
    10
    An amazing game that takes time to get into but after exploring all the menus you can see how far you can go with this game, the time it takes is truly worth it
  6. TrueTrueReview
    Apr 20, 2013
    10
    This game is a masterpiece. To hell with towns, and buy this game. First impression may be painful but this game has weeks worth of content in alpha.
  7. Tritonio
    Apr 26, 2013
    8
    This could be a great game but I've never managed to enjoy it.

    Gnomes are retarded. They get stuck in weird places and properly prioritizing their jobs is way too complex. Also the game provides no info about most things. Good luck figuring out why a job isn't starting. I keep coming back to it every now and then because there is no playable alternative to this game but I end up    This could be a great game but I've never managed to enjoy it.

    Gnomes are retarded. They get stuck in weird places and properly prioritizing their jobs is way too complex. Also the game provides no info about most things. Good luck figuring out why a job isn't starting.

    I keep coming back to it every now and then because there is no playable alternative to this game but I end up wanting to break my computer in less than 2 hours of gameplay.    … Expand
  8. ViciousCrow
    Sep 29, 2013
    10
    I have spent a lot of time playing this game. Even though it's made by a small indie dev team it's quite great, the graphics are well done and the gameplay is amazing. Haven't yet seen a game updated so often and regularly. Every few weeks there's new content added and any emerging bugs fixed nearly instantly.

    The only thing that seems missing is the tutorial but if you're into this    I have spent a lot of time playing this game. Even though it's made by a small indie dev team it's quite great, the graphics are well done and the gameplay is amazing. Haven't yet seen a game updated so often and regularly. Every few weeks there's new content added and any emerging bugs fixed nearly instantly.

    The only thing that seems missing is the tutorial but if you're into this genre then you'll work out everything fast on your own. Definitely a 10 for me.    … Expand
  9. kuehnau
    Apr 26, 2014
    2
    I don't get where everyone is calling it a "masterpiece", it's a piece of something and you know what I am alluding to.

    The game revolves around starting your own community of Gnomes, much in a style similar to Dwarf Fortress, but with better graphics. Unfortunately the game is marred with so many issues and problems it's almost impossible to find anything remotely resembling a good    I don't get where everyone is calling it a "masterpiece", it's a piece of something and you know what I am alluding to.

    The game revolves around starting your own community of Gnomes, much in a style similar to Dwarf Fortress, but with better graphics.

    Unfortunately the game is marred with so many issues and problems it's almost impossible to find anything remotely resembling a good game here.

    To begin with the graphics are overly simplistic. Remember when I compared it to dwarf fortress? It barely achieves anything better then dwarf fortress. Most of the graphics are static, some of the graphics are missing (it is still in production though.)

    The controls are awful, confusing and clunky as hell. The game doesn't so much as have tool tips of users to be able to figure out what is going on, even something as simple as trying to move through different levels of the map is a horrible experience.

    The game, at times, tends to be overly complex, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but the game flat out refuses to teach you anything about the game or how it's played. In games that tend to be more complex, it's a good idea to slowly teach players how to play the game and introduce it. You get none of that with Gnomoria. You literally have to spend hours fumbling around until you figure out on your own how to play the game. The alternative is going on youtube and other websites and STUDYING how to play the game.

    Then there is the terrible AI, at the very least they could have programmed the gnomes in Gnomoria to at least be mildly independent, but they are literally retarded. They don't sleep when they need to, they don't eat when they need to and will literally kill themselves doing some of the most stupid stunts I have ever seen.

    Bottom line is, this is an awful game and a waste of time.    … Expand
  10. Viperdream
    Jun 15, 2013
    5
    It's a really original and fun game to play... Until the monsters come. The monsters can be extremely frustrating. I've been trying to succeed with this game a couple of times now and the monsters always seem to end my civilization. They just arrive way too early in the game (even on easy mode) and players new to the game find it hard to fend them off.

    If the monsters were a little less    It's a really original and fun game to play... Until the monsters come. The monsters can be extremely frustrating. I've been trying to succeed with this game a couple of times now and the monsters always seem to end my civilization. They just arrive way too early in the game (even on easy mode) and players new to the game find it hard to fend them off.

    If the monsters were a little less hard at the start, this would be a brilliant game. That's why I'm only giving it a 5.    … Expand
  11. TheCommander
    May 3, 2013
    5
    First off I have played more than 20 hours so I know what I'm talking about. This game is addictive and wonderfully constructed but the real problem is with the combat. The enemies are sooo hard that it makes the game completely un fun. The only strategy you can ever survive with is to wall yourself in which is totally boring and no matter how well prepared you are, you will eventuallyFirst off I have played more than 20 hours so I know what I'm talking about. This game is addictive and wonderfully constructed but the real problem is with the combat. The enemies are sooo hard that it makes the game completely un fun. The only strategy you can ever survive with is to wall yourself in which is totally boring and no matter how well prepared you are, you will eventually need resources. I also dislike the fact that your armor can break.. I spent all this time crafting this great silver armor for it to break by getting hit with a copper axe? BS i say. Lastly I have to say that sometimes your gnomes can be absolutely retarded. They consistently get caught in corners and stockpiles can be annoying when your gnomes would rather go down 30 flights of stairs in your mine to get one stone than to go 15 blocks away to get the stone from your stockpile. This really is a fun game but the fact is that it is the enemies are so frustrating that its just not worth playing. 5/10… Expand
  12. ShrinkingTyler
    Oct 21, 2013
    10
    An absolutleyamazing game. It is in a way easier version of Dwarf Fortress (A very complex game). Gnomoria is one of the first games in a while that i've just gotten lost in and dumped hour after hours into.
  13. FrAvatar
    Oct 22, 2013
    9
    Gnomoria is a great Sandbox game. A mix of Minecraft, Dwarf Fortress and city building game. You start the game by choosing your kingdom name and map size. then it's up to you to get the settlement up and running. You start with 9 Gnome settlers and have to build up production and defenses. Considering that the game is still in Alpha, there's plenty of content already available and theGnomoria is a great Sandbox game. A mix of Minecraft, Dwarf Fortress and city building game. You start the game by choosing your kingdom name and map size. then it's up to you to get the settlement up and running. You start with 9 Gnome settlers and have to build up production and defenses. Considering that the game is still in Alpha, there's plenty of content already available and the game seems to be getting content added weekly. If you've ever played Dwarf Fortress but couldn't stand the (lack of graphics and clunky interface, then Gnomoria is right up your ally as it addresses these issues. there's quite a learning curve to get going but it's no where as daunting as Dwarf Fortress.

    There's plenty of Fun to be had with this game, especially if you enjoy strategy and thinking.    … Expand
  14. xenoxinius
    Jun 1, 2014
    9
    This game is AWESOME
    I really like what they did with the Dwarf Fortress idea
    The best of it all is, it is still in beta!!! I already enjoyed hours and hours of this game, and they are still releasing new content!!! There are a lot of city, world and economy building simulators lately a lot of them are awesome (new Tropico 5, Banished, ...) This one gets the prize from me. I adore    This game is AWESOME
    I really like what they did with the Dwarf Fortress idea
    The best of it all is, it is still in beta!!!
    I already enjoyed hours and hours of this game, and they are still releasing new content!!!

    There are a lot of city, world and economy building simulators lately
    a lot of them are awesome (new Tropico 5, Banished, ...)
    This one gets the prize from me. I adore the graphix

    Even though the game has a very steep learning curve, I think everyone can pick it up and start
    there is a great and ever expanding wiki, and the community is very friendly    … Expand
  15. DonPrestoni
    Aug 5, 2014
    10
    If you enjoy city/resource management sims and strategy games, this is one you really should pick up.

    I picked this game up 10 days ago and have already clocked up around 120 hours. First off, a bit of appreciation for the games difficulty settings. The frequency, size and strength of enemy attacks can be varied anywhere from "Off"/(x 0.5) to "Double"/(x 2). You can also further    If you enjoy city/resource management sims and strategy games, this is one you really should pick up.

    I picked this game up 10 days ago and have already clocked up around 120 hours.

    First off, a bit of appreciation for the games difficulty settings. The frequency, size and strength of enemy attacks can be varied anywhere from "Off"/(x 0.5) to "Double"/(x 2). You can also further choose to vary what enemies attack you on a type by type basis. don't like spiders? Turn them off. Only want to fight zombies, go for it.

    Ok, lets start with your Gnomes. You control a band of gnomes, and the level of stats and attributes is impressive. It almost gives your gnomes a personality. Oh, and they all have names, so get them killed and you may feel guilty. BUT. Your Gnomes are pretty dumb. The AI isn't bad, but it isn't great. They will try to do things they can't, seal themselves in rooms they built, dig themselves into pits. But you only have yourself to blame. Careful use of commands and doing things in order can avoid all this trouble. Give your gnomes smart commands and see your efficiency sore.

    The graphics are basic but perfectly adequate, but don't let that put you off. Where this game truly shines is the depth.

    The economy is deep and varied, but based on a common and simple set of principles. This combines to give you a huge variety of things to do in your sandbox, but lets you learn the mechanics relatively easily. As a result, no play through is the same, your city/fortress will always look different. From improvements to efficiency made simply by giving your population access to bags, wheelbarrows and buckets to complex production lines where the forge produces metal which is worked by machine shops to be used by the engineers to build the devices you invented. And there are a good variety of industries to get involved in.

    The other aspect of this game that shines is the mechanics system. A solid addition to the tech research trees (you gain access to more mechanical do-hickeys as you complete research), you can build machines limited only by your imagination, and I guess to an extent by the tools available. So far, while the game is in beta there are 3 devices, hatches which close holes when powered, mechanical walls which block passages when powered and pumps which move liquid from one place to another.

    There are all sorts of switches and power sources you can use from hand cranks to engines and levers to pressure plates, but put them together and you can do some awesome things. Working purely in 2D I have so far made 1 way doors which can be locked from both directions, drawbridges, goblin crushers (a cunning combination of a mechanical wall and a roof...) and pitfalls. Yesterday I ventured into 3D and my machines gained a whole level of complexity. Yes, the game is 3D, didn't I mention that? You can build up or down as well as outwards.

    The military side of things has not been forgotten either. And you have options. Will you live in isolation in a walled off and sealed city forgoing trade and immigration? Will you have a small force of elite troops? A larger but less focused military? No military at all but have every citizen able to join the armed militia if the need arises? Will you use traps and mechanics to fight for you? The options are there for you to use.

    Lastly, the information. The level of detail behind the scenes is staggering. But the game does it's best to make anything sensible visible to you. This is helped by the flexibility of the UI. everything can be renamed. And everything can be viewed where appropriate. The UI takes a short while to learn, but is pretty intuitive. There are action bars and a right click menu, both letting you do anything. Things are generally in sensible places. And the UI is being worked on all the time. Resizeable windows, extra options and settings on your resources for prioritisation and stock forwarding.

    So go for it, your city is in your hands.    … Expand
  16. greywolf00
    Jun 18, 2013
    8
    No where near as deep as Dwarf Fortress but far more accessible and has a higher ceiling in the long run because of its better foundation. The major complaints about DF are generally no GUI, no mouse support, and the graphics. Gnomoria solves/improves all of these things. You can do almost everything solely with your mouse. Gnomes do dumb stuff from time to time or ignore working a taskNo where near as deep as Dwarf Fortress but far more accessible and has a higher ceiling in the long run because of its better foundation. The major complaints about DF are generally no GUI, no mouse support, and the graphics. Gnomoria solves/improves all of these things. You can do almost everything solely with your mouse. Gnomes do dumb stuff from time to time or ignore working a task despite assigning them to them (I recommend just avoiding it completely and making custom classes) but overall I found it pretty easy to fix. It is Alpha and somewhat buggy, sometimes have to restart the game to get Gnomes to properly process priorities and move onto what they need to do.… Expand
  17. AvatarOfShibby
    May 27, 2013
    8
    Gnomoria is a wonderful management game that revolves around your kingdom value which brings in more gnomes to manage as well as more difficult enemies. As of the time I wrote this review the game is still in Alpha phase, and it is already wonderfully fleshed out and has plenty of potential and room to grow. This review may change based on future updates

    Gameplay: You start the game    Gnomoria is a wonderful management game that revolves around your kingdom value which brings in more gnomes to manage as well as more difficult enemies. As of the time I wrote this review the game is still in Alpha phase, and it is already wonderfully fleshed out and has plenty of potential and room to grow. This review may change based on future updates

    Gameplay: You start the game by naming your kingdom and selecting the size of land you will play your game in. After that you begin the game with a small band of gnomes in an empty wilderness full of resources and possible mountains. You not have to make the choice of if you want to try and make a settlement above ground, or dig into the mountain side and expand outward. The main key in your choice is how you are going to defend the future of the base once the enemies start showing up. Time in the game revolves around years. Each year is composed of four season of twelve days. Spring of the first year is the only peaceful time you are going to get in this game. After which goblins and worse will start arriving based on the value of your kingdom score. The kingdom score is based on the value of resources in your storage room and the value of constructed objects places in the kingdom. So you will come to a cross roads with expansion. Do you gain more resource of improve your base and bring in more gnomes, or keep things simple to avoid having to fight off more difficult monster hordes? One of the main driving resources in the game are the metals (copper, tin, silver, etc…) so you can build fancy weapons, tools, and decorations. Of course you must dig deeper down to find the more complex minerals, and the deeper you dig the more complex enemies become. So once again you must manage the risk versus the reward. In the first season you must fight against time to set up workshops to build up your base, and set up the agriculture to provide nourishment for your gnomes. Growing fruits to provide food and drinks, and pastures with yaks in it to provide milk, and meat when slaughters. I could go on with mechanics of the game forever, this is just a brief overview. If you want to know more I would highly recommend going to the Gnomoria wiki to see more.

    Graphics: The graphics in this game are very basic and have an 8-bit feel to them, but they work very well, and the developer has updated the artwork on a few occasions. So it defiantly works and is being improved.

    Audio: I love the music in the game. You can switch between 8-bit style or classical in the options and fit wonderfully with the game.

    Review: I love honestly love this game, and have spent many hours of my life playing it. It has great complex mechanics, and is very challenging. I’ve started many kingdoms and none of them have made it past year two, but I still keep going back for more. The game is not free of problems though. There are still quite a few glitches left to be kinked out, but the developer updates weekly, unless he is planning a huge content update. So I feel confident that these will all be worked out in time. The only thing that worries me at this point is the game seems to have some load balancing issues that cause the game to slow down at later stages of the game. For a game that is still in its Alpha stages though it is very playable and very well fleshed out. I see amazing potential for this games. This game can be purchased on steam for $10 and is a very excellent price for the amount of content found in this game, and to come I’m sure. This is not a game for the type of people that expect a mindless playing experience. It requires planning and thought, and even then random events can destroy your kingdom. You just have to pick up and start again.

    Score breakdown/Summary:
    Gameplay: 9/10 Very challenging and complex. Still has some glitches and slows down in later years. I’m sure these problems will be worked out in coming updates though.
    Graphics: 8/10 They’re extremely simple, but they still get the job done and artwork is being updated, so there is only room to improve.
    Audio: 10/10 I love it, the 8-bit music fits the game amazingly well and even after over 20 hours of play I still listen to it with a smile on my face.
    Reviewer’s critique: 8/10 This game is a steal at its price for the content you get, not to mention the possibilities of the content to come. This score could easily move up or down depending on future updates.
    Final Score: 8.75    … Expand
  18. Mercent
    Jun 5, 2014
    8
    This is not just a DF-like. It has a much more user friendly interface and its isomeric graphics allows for construction of skyscrapers. It is potentially be a DF substitute, ONLY IF it has more random encounters/events. If you live for the excitement of having wrenches constantly thrown in your works, Gnomoria would be scratch that itch (at least not yet).
  19. Bluecz
    Jan 30, 2014
    10
    Hours and hours of fun. Even if this game is not finished yet it is quite polished and provides excelent sandbox experience.

    Patches are fixing issues and bring new features around every two weeks so in case you have some problems there is high chance they will be fixed soon.
  20. Lucky-Jinx
    Oct 5, 2013
    10
    There is something zen-like about watching a perfectly tuned society moving exactly as you have orchestrated. The complexity and depth to this game are amazing and I would suggest this to anyone who has ever enjoyed sim-city.
    Pros- Amazing depth, replayability, strategy, tactics, micro and macro management.
    Cons- 1980s style graphics, high learning curve, no multiplayer. There are    There is something zen-like about watching a perfectly tuned society moving exactly as you have orchestrated. The complexity and depth to this game are amazing and I would suggest this to anyone who has ever enjoyed sim-city.
    Pros- Amazing depth, replayability, strategy, tactics, micro and macro management.
    Cons- 1980s style graphics, high learning curve, no multiplayer.
    There are only a few games that have taken up more than 300 hours for me. Gnomoria is up to 400 and counting.    … Expand
  21. Letarion
    Oct 23, 2013
    10
    Even in Alpha it's hugely addicting. You may end up with a doomed settlement the first time (or two =p) but just stick with it and you'll love it. Definitely don't pass this one up.
  22. TheWanderingMag
    Feb 11, 2014
    9
    Very good game. Among my favorites of any and in my top 3 indie (FTL and Warband).

    Things to know, the nuances and interface will take some getting used to, but the reward is certainly there. Because it is alpha, there is no real point in pointing out the bugs, though in reality it has less than some fully finished games:P. The game is a massively fun dwarf fortress like game. You    Very good game. Among my favorites of any and in my top 3 indie (FTL and Warband).

    Things to know, the nuances and interface will take some getting used to, but the reward is certainly there. Because it is alpha, there is no real point in pointing out the bugs, though in reality it has less than some fully finished games:P.

    The game is a massively fun dwarf fortress like game. You don't directly direct your little gnomes, you direct what needs to be done, and modify their priorities. It is a ton of fun, you WILL NOT regret this game for the price you pay. I've paid 60 bucks for complete crap more times than I can count finding a cheap gem like this!

    Kudos to the creator mate!    … Expand
  23. smartbombradio
    Feb 12, 2014
    9
    The game gets better every update. If you've always wanted to play Dwarf Fortress, but were completely baffled by the ASCII interface, Gnomoria gives you a great "DF Lite" experience.

    I've put 200 hours into this, with no end in site. Steep learning curve, GREAT game.
  24. HereticAlpha
    Feb 19, 2014
    10
    After "Towns" and its catastrophic failure to release meaningful content, I came to Gnomoria with skepticism at every corner. I've been with Gnomoria for the better part of a year, and the developers, Robotronic Games, have released update after update that not only improved the game's functionality, but added content that allowed the player to exhibit more control, but only if they WANTEDAfter "Towns" and its catastrophic failure to release meaningful content, I came to Gnomoria with skepticism at every corner. I've been with Gnomoria for the better part of a year, and the developers, Robotronic Games, have released update after update that not only improved the game's functionality, but added content that allowed the player to exhibit more control, but only if they WANTED to utilize those options of control.
    The bottom line is that Gnomoria is a city-builder game that is approachable for casual gamers without lacking the depth that would interest the most gamers with a strong interest in the genre.    … Expand
  25. Okami
    Apr 16, 2014
    10
    One of the most well-thought-out and funny crafting and building systems. Addicting Gameplay.

    You need to make a Plan and good Base / Economic Layout to survive. Nice Micromanagement etc.

    Sunk surely over 200hrs into it.
  26. ObsequiousM
    Jun 25, 2014
    10
    Ever wanted to play dwarf fortress, but turned away by the graphics and user interface.. not to mention the truly daunting complexity. Well, look no further than gnomoria.

    It's a steep learning curve, and you're going to get wiped on your first few attempts, even after 300 hours I still feel like I'm learning to play.

    Best game ever.
  27. Squirrelific
    Jul 11, 2014
    10
    This is a fantastic game. If you enjoy city/management/ strategy games then this is a must have in your library. I like to think of this game like ant ant farm-- you have to build your defenses, gather your supplies and manage how your workers, soldiers and drones behave and react to different situations. I have spent 300 plus hours on this game and I spend more with each update.

Critic Reviews

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No score yet - based on 2 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 1 out of 2
  1. 4P.de
    Apr 22, 2016
    76
    Less complex than Dwarf Fortress but visually more appealing Gnomoria places itself somewhere between the Settlers, the Anno franchise and Minecraft. Not a bad place to be.
    Read full review
  2. Brash Games
    Mar 21, 2016
    40
    Unless you have a deathly allergy to ASCII interfaces, modding, and money, it is very difficult to recommend Gnomoria, even though it is perfectly functional and enjoyable in the short-term.
    Read full review