SteamWorld Dig

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 156 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 156
  2. Mixed: 56 out of 156
  3. Negative: 11 out of 156

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  1. xolve
    Sep 25, 2014
    7
    Good game - could have been great given a little more effort and time.
    As it was, some of the mechanics (radar for minerals) actually took away from the game's core values (discovery, exploration) while truncating gameplay.
    Also, you had the feeling that had the game been twice as long and with a more intricate plotline, it could've been gold.
  2. cAyou
    Jan 23, 2014
    7
    I enjoyed this game, honestly, but 10$ for 3 hours ! And most of these 3 hours are really repetitive. Yeah, you unlock many different upgrades, but the game design is always the same, dig dig dig, find 3 different challenge rooms in the level, plus some optional extra challenge rooms, and go to the next level.
    This game will get maybe an 8 if it was at least 5/6 hours long, but 3 hours is    I enjoyed this game, honestly, but 10$ for 3 hours ! And most of these 3 hours are really repetitive. Yeah, you unlock many different upgrades, but the game design is always the same, dig dig dig, find 3 different challenge rooms in the level, plus some optional extra challenge rooms, and go to the next level.
    This game will get maybe an 8 if it was at least 5/6 hours long, but 3 hours is really too short. Starting a game and finishing it in one try is not good enough for me, mostly when mechanics are that repetitive.    … Expand
  3. naroom
    Dec 8, 2013
    5
    We've had a renaissance of amazing platformers in recent years: Spelunky, Terraria, Braid, Cave Story, and so on. Steamworld: Dig is nowhere near these games. While it borrows mechanics from many other platformers, the whole is far less than the sum of its parts. The game is cluttered with unnecessary abilities, a very repetitive environment (it's just one big mineshaft...), andWe've had a renaissance of amazing platformers in recent years: Spelunky, Terraria, Braid, Cave Story, and so on. Steamworld: Dig is nowhere near these games. While it borrows mechanics from many other platformers, the whole is far less than the sum of its parts. The game is cluttered with unnecessary abilities, a very repetitive environment (it's just one big mineshaft...), and frustrating inconsistent mechanics (TNT barrels!) As if the digging didn't feel repetitive enough, the game limits your supply of "light", a resource that serves no other purpose than to make you walk all the way back to town periodically.

    It's really unfair to compare this to the pantheon of top-notch platformers, as so many reviewers have. It's nowhere near that level. It's a passable game on its own, but man, there's way better games out there. If you're looking to waste a few hours, you could do worse than Steamworld: Dig. But you could do a lot better, too.    … Expand
  4. CaKeS
    May 2, 2015
    6
    When compared to other titles of the same subgenre (which there are plenty of ever since Minecraft and Terraria got popular), SteamWorld looks like a decent title. The mining isn't as bland as many games, such as in Miner Dig Deep. In SteamWorld you get multiple tools, a few items, and multiple abilities which you attain throughout the game all the way up until the very end. TheWhen compared to other titles of the same subgenre (which there are plenty of ever since Minecraft and Terraria got popular), SteamWorld looks like a decent title. The mining isn't as bland as many games, such as in Miner Dig Deep. In SteamWorld you get multiple tools, a few items, and multiple abilities which you attain throughout the game all the way up until the very end. The progression is smooth and the balancing is very well done, but at the end of the day I can't help but see SteamWorld as pretty much just another mining game. There's so many of them at this point it's difficult to stand out but SteamWorld's variety and polish makes it just barely stick it's head out above the crowd.

    The story is just as bland as other mining games, but the mining combined with the action and combat makes SteamWorld pretty enjoyable. The game almost turns into pure combat once you get to the endgame areas, and the playtime is pretty decent (~5 hours), especially for the type of game SteamWorld is. The idea and premise behind this game is definitely more solid than other games of the same subgenre, but SteamWorld really never throws the player for a loop or surprise, it's a very safe and comfy mining game, that doesn't risk much and it pays for it in blandness.

    When it's all said and done, SteamWorld Dig comes out above most other mining games because of it's variety in tools, which also double as weapons, and it's items as well as it's creative locations and caves to explore. It has some interesting mechanics as well, such as not being able to mine while in the air, which makes it both more realistic and more difficult. But despite the handful of cons SteamWorld possess's, if you were to ask my suggestion on a mining game and you've already played Terraria, Spelunky and Minecraft, I would recommend SteamWorld Dig, while warning you to keep your expectations low. Also, the final boss is absolutely way too easy.    … Expand
  5. Xyrr
    Dec 9, 2013
    9
    Great game! My first playthrough lasted for over 7 hours and I loved it all the way through. There's a real feel of progression in this game as you start just under the surface with a simple mining pick and end up way down with some cool abilities.

    While the game remains challenging all the way through, I would have appreciated some hard boss encounters.
  6. DweevilDude
    Nov 18, 2015
    3
    It's not completely horrible, so let's start with the positive. This game has an interesting idea, and decent art direction. Unfortunately, that's not enough to carry the game at all.
    The plot- It exists. That's all.
    The Gameplay- It feels like this game was trying to be half-metriodvania, half digging game. Unfortunately, those are two great tastes which do not go well together. At    It's not completely horrible, so let's start with the positive. This game has an interesting idea, and decent art direction. Unfortunately, that's not enough to carry the game at all.
    The plot- It exists. That's all.
    The Gameplay- It feels like this game was trying to be half-metriodvania, half digging game. Unfortunately, those are two great tastes which do not go well together. At least, not in the way that they have been done here. You end up with a half-baked platforming levels, and a digging game that would be at home in old, crappy flash games.
    -Platforming levels- This is where your gear gets to shine. To their credit, some of the later mini-levels are kinda fun, and the controls are nice. Perhaps if the game focused on them, it might actually be fairly nice. Instead...
    -The Dig- This is will take up most of your time. And it's some of the worst I've seen. Sure, you can find mini-platforming levels, but otherwise, you're just digging to get stuff, go back to surface, sell, dig, surface, sell... yeah. Oh, and most of your fun movement-based upgrades are almost worthless. Your dashing upgrade is great, except your primary goal is to go downward, not to the side, as invincible barriers prevent you from going too far to one direction.. Your super-jump upgrade would be nice, if you couldn't already wall jump to your hearts content. And you do eventually get a drill... that's practically the same as your pickaxe, except it's limited by fuel. It does make the grind a bit slower though.
    -Combat- Is lacking, but it wasn't the games selling point, so I'll leave it alone.
    -Upgrades- There are some nice, fun, metroidvania style upgrades. Three of them, to be precise. Almost everything else is boring stat ups, more or less. Almost everything you buy with money or the orbs in the town area is a simple stat-up. More Health, Better digging, longer lasting light, etc.
    -Length- Oh, here's the rich part. Despite having a rather slow grind, and the fact I didn't try to speedrun the game... I finished it in 4 hours. Replaybility is... lacking, as it's the exact same crap you just literally did.

    Final result- Just go buy something else. Like digging? There are more than plenty of games got you covered there.
    Like platforming? Get a platforming game.
    Like Metroidvanias? Get a metroidvania.

    Personal recommendation- if you're looking for a game like this, but the shortcomings of this game bug you, pick up a copy of Terraria. Costs about the same, pretty good combat system, mining is still a bit of a grind but it's better than this. And length of gameplay and variety of upgrades beat this one out of the park.    … Expand
  7. richard_diver
    Dec 7, 2013
    9
    Really fun, detailed and thought through platformer. Precise destribution of upgrades, nice graphics and entertaining levels will not let you get bored. Played it for 6 straight hours back on 3DS and did so on PC too!
  8. charlie47272
    Jan 21, 2014
    10
    Great Game, why you include a critics rating of under 80 percent without a quote, dragging this game under 80 and therefore out of the consideration of thousands of potential buyers is beyond me.
  9. dajhorn
    Feb 23, 2014
    8
    SteamWorld Dig is a pretty good platformer. It has some puzzle solving elements in secret areas. Leveling-up is not a grind, but the game is a bit too short.
  10. Captain_Chaos
    Jun 22, 2016
    8
    Another styish indie title I picked up at a bargain price, I hear SteamWorld Dig compared often to Spelunky, though I have not played that title. What I can tell you is that it is a 2D digging game that casts you as rugged frontier steambot Rusty, who travels out to the tiny town of Tumbleton one day to speak with his uncle, who he soon finds has passed on. But Rusty's uncle left behind aAnother styish indie title I picked up at a bargain price, I hear SteamWorld Dig compared often to Spelunky, though I have not played that title. What I can tell you is that it is a 2D digging game that casts you as rugged frontier steambot Rusty, who travels out to the tiny town of Tumbleton one day to speak with his uncle, who he soon finds has passed on. But Rusty's uncle left behind a series of clues that will lead him to the deepests depths of the world, and to a terrible secret. You begin the game with a simple pickaxe that can only dig horizontally or vertically. Make sure not to dig under any rocks and crush yourself! Along the way the player digs up ore that can be traded for money back in town, and in turn used to buy useful upgrades and items such as ladders and dynamite. Skirting into the realm of Metroidvania, Rusty can come across strange, blue platforms that grant him incredible new abilities, such as double jumping. Though Rusty can dig almost anywhere in the main cavern, there are side caverns where he must follow a set path as if in a dungeon, various enemies and puzzles barring his way. There's decent music too, most notably the main theme, a take on Ennio Morricone's "The Ecstasy of Gold." Steamworld Dig will hand you the occasional cheap death, and you may not immediately realize that there is a finite amount of ore in a single playthrough, and therefore limited cash, so spend it wisely and avoid taking any uncesssary risks. Steamworld Dig took me a fair bit of time to get through, though I took the time to dig up every last piece of ore I could find to ensure I'd have the cash I needed. This game will reward the cautious and meticulous player, as it did me. It's a lovely title overall and I would play it again.… Expand
  11. rodericrinehart
    Jan 1, 2017
    9
    Just a super fun game that will put a smile on your face. What an amazing game. Major replayability, incredible fun, just a nice gameplay feedback loop for 10 or so hours.
  12. GolovA
    Jun 19, 2018
    7
    Pretty fun and light, and doesn't overstay its welcome, for that matter!
    . .
  13. AndnickGV
    Sep 16, 2017
    10
    bom jogo o único defeito dele é acabar muito rápido, a historia é legal, a arte e a musica são excelentes, espero que o SteamworldDig 2 siga os passos desse porem com uma historia bem mais longa, esse eu terminei em 3 horas.
  14. diegoseibert
    Jul 13, 2016
    9
    It is what it was meant to be: Dig up stuff to sell it and buy enhancement for your equipment, enjoy some simple but good plot and pass through some funny puzzle caves. I enjoyed plenty of time with it.
  15. Fikthenig
    May 6, 2018
    10
    Nothing more to say. Great gameplay, engaging story, highly satisfying upgrade and level progression, and absolutely phenomenal music. I would highly recommend it although i personally thought it was a little too short. Good Luck and Happy Mining!!
  16. clay3232
    Sep 30, 2017
    7
    I took advantage of the offer to play this for free on Origin, after seeing sequel receiving praise upon its release. The game was pretty fun, but it did get pretty repetitive as went on. Similar to games like Terraria or Motherload the game puts a lot of emphasis on digging below the Earth. There are few puzzles though thrown into the mix and some upgrades found underground which give itI took advantage of the offer to play this for free on Origin, after seeing sequel receiving praise upon its release. The game was pretty fun, but it did get pretty repetitive as went on. Similar to games like Terraria or Motherload the game puts a lot of emphasis on digging below the Earth. There are few puzzles though thrown into the mix and some upgrades found underground which give it a bit of a Metroid vibe. However there really Isn't to many puzzles or upgrades. I was pretty surprised when I realized I had just initiated the final boss fight. The game is really pretty short, so I'm glad i didn't spend any money on it. While it was enjoyable at times, it was never anything to great that hadn't been done better in separate games. I'm not sure if I'll purchase the sequel but it did kill me some time and I always enjoy receiving upgrades that make navigating a games world a breeze as you progress. That being said it felt kinda of like a flash game like Motherload that I played as child on Miniclip.com. The games was only about four hours for me without receiving every upgrade, and I really didn't feel the need to go back and unlock the rest. Looking at the presentation, the graphics were great for the style it was going for, and the characters and the dialogue were entertaining and well done. The sound was pretty good, nothing to complain about. If you want a taste of what kind of game it is play Motherload, its essentially that style of game with some ideas from Metroid thrown in there. I give it a 7 out of 10, its really just a solid good game made by an indie.… Expand
  17. TheAdminJJ
    Jun 26, 2018
    6
    The atmosphere of loneliness that invades you in almost the entire game is what makes it shine, in addition to the impressive mechanics carried out in an excellent way.
  18. SilverOrlov
    Sep 23, 2019
    8
    The first time I played this game about 20 minutes and it "didn’t go in me", I quickly got fed up with the thought "all platformers are as platformers, and here it is some kind of miner simulator". Therefore, for the sake of another game, I decided to take a game-pad and tried again this game with it ... and "woke up" only in the middle of the game. SteamWorld Dig is, nevertheless, a veryThe first time I played this game about 20 minutes and it "didn’t go in me", I quickly got fed up with the thought "all platformers are as platformers, and here it is some kind of miner simulator". Therefore, for the sake of another game, I decided to take a game-pad and tried again this game with it ... and "woke up" only in the middle of the game. SteamWorld Dig is, nevertheless, a very beautiful and interesting representative of the genre. The mining element is sometimes annoying with monotony, but this does not detract from the general atmosphere of the game. This deepening into the departed World, which is now inhabited only by awkward simple robots. A certain secret of the uncle who left the legacy to the protagonist, uncomplicated but interesting images, secret zones in the caves, an unobtrusive and pleasant soundtrack. Excellent optimization and character management. This game is good both in its time and now in 2019 and is highly recommended for playing. The main thing is to endure the very beginning, when your hammer is simple and brake stones only after 3-4 times... The deeper into the past of the World - the more improvements and more interesting gameplay)))
    I would put the game 9 out of 10.    … Expand
  19. Babutto
    Jan 18, 2023
    9
    Super cool metroidvania.

    Pros.:
    - Gameplay.
    - Setting.
    - Development and skills. How you explore the world.

    Cons.:
    - Pretty much nothing. Maybe character development could be better.
  20. apokalipto
    Aug 25, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  21. ZackH25
    Mar 31, 2023
    7
    A good game with a very smart world of where you essentially find it yourself by digging. The actual gameplay and combat is rather basic but still fun. Looking for materials to upgrade your pickaxe so you can dig further down was quite a fun mechanic. There is not much story but it does not really need one. Quite a few well designed enemies such as the Trilobite but there are not too manyA good game with a very smart world of where you essentially find it yourself by digging. The actual gameplay and combat is rather basic but still fun. Looking for materials to upgrade your pickaxe so you can dig further down was quite a fun mechanic. There is not much story but it does not really need one. Quite a few well designed enemies such as the Trilobite but there are not too many enemies in general or many NPC's. Overall a good but rather basic game.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

99
#99 Best PC Game of 2013
76
#76 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Brash Games
    Aug 30, 2015
    80
    SteamWorld Dig is a polished and (mostly) a well designed experience that I recommend. With some major flaws in the narrative that is predictable and never reaches it’s full potential. But held up by great addicting game play and flawless presentation with a style not seen in many games. In short…I dig it.
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  2. Pelit (Finland)
    May 11, 2014
    84
    With a bit more length and better combat, SteamWorld Dig could've been fighting with the big boys of indie platforming for the top spot. Still, it's a fun, addictive and original platformer, and I really wish it gets a sequel. [Feb 2014]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 7, 2014
    60
    Terraria-like experience suited for the lone wolves in the gaming crowd. More suited for being enjoyed on the go. [Issue #240]
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