I'm aware the second one has just come out. Having not played the first one, I thought I'd dig (oh yeah, puns) through that one first to see whether I should pick up the second. I probably will.
With that rambling start out of the way, down to the meat of the game. Important bits. My first of this series was Steamworld Heist which had a sexy robot captain. Unfortunately, this game has an un-sexy robot miner. Luckily he's good at digging.
This is a platformer in which you make your own platforms, digging down through a 2D world of earth, rocks and metal, collecting precious ores as you go. These ores can then be exchanged for better tools, more drilling power or nifty teleporters, to avoid the long climb back to the surface (among others).
As such, the gameplay is fairly repetitive, but manages to prevent boredom in two ways. Firstly, it's a fairly short game. I think I crashed through it in about seven hours (with nearly all of the upgrades unlocked). Secondly, there's enough variation in the monsters you encounter down there, and the platforming itself (including certain sub-level puzzle stages) that you're not likely to not finish it, unless the entire genre annoys you.
The platforming is very smooth, and I really enjoyed throwing myself around, dodging dynamite and acid. I can't fault the controls in the slightest. There were a couple of tricky sections, and I did rage quit twice, but I don't necessarily think that's a bad thing. A bit of a challenge doesn't hurt.
Fair warning, if you muck it up, it's entirely possible to dig yourself into a hole. And in an impressively literal manner. It's also possible to dig down into a pit of acid, or a pit of zombies, or a massive canyon. Yes, falling damage is a thing.
During all this, you've also go to manage the usual resources, being light, water (steam powered drilling equipment) and the obvious health. Go down too far, and you may find yourself staggering around in the dark and walking on spikes. Great fun.
Also has excellent sound effects and music. Comes together in a fun Western style, with the cartoonish graphics helping form a cheerful bundle.
Had a good enough time that I'm definitely going to pick up the second one.
Highly recommended.
Tagged: Game Platformer 2D Easy difficulty PC