Steamworld Dig revolves around digging in a mine. Who would’ve thought of that! You end up in charge of your Uncle’s mine and are tasked with uncovering the secrets that lay within.
Steamworld Dig is one of those games that is just oddly addicting. It’s fairly easy to pick up, though truly mastering it is not nearly as easy. You must dig your way through the mines to the very bottom to find out what is down there. On the way you’ll encounter various caves that will give you a variety of power ups and are the big “puzzles” of the game.
When you first start, you will quickly be armed with your pick axe and be told to go dig for gems to sell for money to help rebuild the town. The money you earn from selling these gems can be used to upgrade your pickaxe, inventory slots, 
health, and a variety of other things. All of these upgrades are extremely important – the further you dig, the harder the game gets. And you’ll be doing a LOT of digging.
For the first while playing this game I was extremely addicted. It was somewhere around the point of new enemies being added to the mix that my enjoyment started to drop, but nevertheless I continued on. Once I made it to the second “part” and thought I was actually making real progress… Well that’s about the point my enjoyment dropped off a cliff. Even more enemies and hazards were added, and these were much, MUCH more annoying that the previously added enemies. Something about dynamite and TNT exploding in your face (even if you’re a fair bit away) just isn’t fun…
The actual digging, ignoring the “enemies” anyways, is extremely fun. You have to plot out your path, and if you aren’t careful you could lock yourself out from being able to mine some gems! This adds a great strategy element to the game, but the enemies just feel like they sort of kill that element of strategy and enjoyment.
Steamworld Dig is a pretty decent game, though it does start to feel like it drags on a bit too long. Planning out your paths through the mines to best get your gems is great, but the annoying enemies just take out of it. Also, the lack of water resources when one of your MAIN digging tools (once you get it) needs water? Yeah… Slight issue there. It made me feel like I was doing more back and forth over actual exploring and mining, and most of the back and forth wasn’t even to refill my light!
If you are looking for a puzzle platformer that ramps up in difficulty, then check out Steamworld Dig. Just be warned it does start to feel like it drags a bit (even with it getting that oddly addicting quality going for awhile), and that enemies really start to get bullshit.
Steamworld Dig Review Score
3/5
Points for the strategic parts of it. Negative points for the TNT to the face.
