SteamWorld Build

The Station’s first city builder is a fun and graphically attractive game that offers an interesting experience for fans of the genre, with a fast-paced gameplay and a charming steampunk aesthetic. However, it also suffers from being too repetitive and easy, as well as lacking more variety and challenge in its underground exploration.

What I mean to say is that if an extremely rigid city-builder doesn’t sound like a problem to you, or even if it sounds appealing, then SteamWorld Build is worth trying. I can honestly say that I didn’t hate the time I spent with it, even on the second playthrough. It just feels empty when I think back on it. I don’t think it’s going to stick with me. But there are far worse problems for a game to have than being too robotic.

Although it lacks the complexity you find in Anno or The Settlers, it stands on its own with a unique setting and well-crafted game mechanics.

SteamWorld Build is a simple but fun city builder cleverly combined with a dungeon-constructing miner that keeps things quick and casual.

SteamWorld Build is a sufficiently well-designed management game that is initially engaging with a good blend of underground exploration, but it eventually becomes a bit repetitive and is over rather quickly, without much motivation to start up another town.

Despite these missing quality of life features, SteamWorld Build still manages to be fairly addicting. Sense of progress is consistent enough even with occasional moments of waiting, and making discoveries feels rewarding enough to keep things engaging. The varied environments found throughout the game all feel uniquely designed, and accompanied by the blend of ambient sounds and satisfying soundtrack, the world as a whole comes off as intriguingly charming. Though it may not feel absolutely complete in its systems, SteamWorld Build is still a worthwhile venture for players looking for a creative new management sim.

SteamWorld Build is a unique hybrid that entertains for a time. Its early hours are fun, thanks to how well it uses simplified genre staples to create a more arcade-friendly gameplay loop, a sentiment bolstered by a solid tutorial and intuitive control scheme. Regrettably, SteamWorld Build's campaign overstays its welcome. The lackluster story and rigid final objectives turn what was initially an engaging experience into a tedious grind.

Relaxing and brisk, but lacking in the substance needed to please genre fans and live up to the SteamWorld name.

Despite its shortcomings, SteamWorld Build is a delightful foray into the world of robot cowboys, and there’s a bit of fun to be had with the building and dungeon crawling, even if the tinge of innovation is a little muted.

You can't just mine your inspirations; ideally, you should build on them. [Issue#392, p.120]

It’s a shame, because SteamWorld Build has such a solid foundation, but it ends up not feeling that compelling to play. I’m usually the type to spend hours in any kind of base-building game trying to make a perfect, aesthetically pleasing layout, but this is one of the few games where I haven’t felt that urge past the first few hours. That said, there’s still a lot to love from the designs to the concept, so if you like the SteamWorld setting at all it’s likely worth checking out on Game Pass.