GAME REVIEW: Steamworld Dig 2 (Switch)
(Strato - Jonathan Geer)
I think the reason why I loved my XBox 360 as much as I did is because of all of the insanely good indie titles on it. I'm a huge sucker for a good indie game and the 360 was the gateway to that world for me. One of my top 5 games of all time is an indie game that I fell in love with on the 360. Parting with that console would have been more heartbreaking for me were it not for the fact that I knew it would be going to my nieces and nephews. Passing great games to the next generation is a duty that I take very seriously as a cool uncle.
As a console, the XBox One that I've been rattling around on has only been used for a handful of games, and I don't think any of them have been proper indies. I bought into that console specifically so I could play a game with my very good friends from the east coast, and while I don't regret it, I wouldn't mind it much if I suddenly didn't have access to that console anymore.
...at least until September when Borderlands 3 comes out, because hot damn.
I bought my Nintendo Switch to make my sister happy. She was coming into town for a winter holiday with her husband, and she mentioned that they both liked playing Mario Kart 8 on their friends' Switch when they went over to visit with them. This from a sibling that is about as disinclined to play video games as I am to partake in her hobby of choice; horseback riding.
I digress.
While I didn't regret buying the Switch -- it made my sister smile, which is something else I take very seriously -- I wasn't sure what else I would do with it beyond Mario Kart. Then I stumbled into a little indie title called Hollow Knight, and that started the excellent flow of indie games into my life once more. I've found myself enjoying the Switch for indie titles even more than the 360, which is something I never thought I'd do.
This has all been a really long-winded run-up to the purpose of writing this article, and that is this:
I've found another amazing indie game on Switch, and it's called Steamworld 2 Dig. I'm not going to faff about with questioning it. It's just an amazing game. Let me now expound upon this statement.
STORY:
You play as Dorothy, an adorable steampunk robot in search of her friend Rusty. Rusty saved Dorothy's town from a futuristic evil known as Vectrum in the previous game -- no, I've not played it -- and shortly after, he vanished. His trail has led Dorothy to the Steampunk-Meets-Western town of El Machino, where she finds that Rusty descended into the deep mines below the city, and has not been seen since. Thus begins your adventure.
GAMEPLAY:
SD2 is a 2D side-scrolling Metroidvania game. Anyone who reads my blogs will be shaking their head and muttering, "Another damn MV game?!" Yes. Because they're awesome. Anyway, the controls are excellent. You'll spend the majority of your world burrowing through the mines with your trusty pick. The entire game is laid out in a clearly gridded tile system, and I got the sensation that I was playing Dig Dug more than once. Along your journey, you'll meet monsters that you need to whack with your pick, minerals that you can dig out of the ground, and you'll find upgrades for your equipment. Those upgrades represent the bulk of the game's mechanic for customizing your character, and they come in two flavors:
- You can sell back the ore you find underground for cash that you can use to unlock fairly vanilla power/speed/range upgrades for your various tools. Each upgrade opens up cog slots for the item you've just upgraded.
- Upgrade Cogs can be placed into cog slots for each tool you carry. These handy cogs are what really make SD2's gameplay flexible, as they allow you to customize your play style how you want it. You can use them to make your life easier or, if you want a challenge, a whole lot harder.
The mines you're exploring are quite expansive, but the game litters them with a series of comfortable checkpoints where you can fast-travel back to town to sell your ore, heal your life, get more oil for your lamp, and fill up your water reservoir. This means there's very little backtracking that you'll find yourself doing. As the game progresses, the game makes it easier and easier to get back to town, get stocked up, and get back to the action very quickly. This is good, because the gameplay in SD2 is joyous. It's not addictive as much as it's just insanely easy to get lost in.
AUDIO AND VIDEO:
SD2 is another one of those games that's just as excellent to play on your television as it is in your hands. The graphics are sharp, well-contrasted, and not at all hard on the eyes. Animation is smooth, the background and foreground mesh excellently without confusing you, and the style of the world is instantly endearing.
The audio is another place where Steamworld Dig 2 absolutely crushes it. There are only a few musical tracks in the entire game, but they're all very easy on the ears and very well done. They aren't so catchy that you might get distracted by them but they fit the ambiance of the game so well that playing without them is just awkward. If you can't play this on your TV with the sound up, get some headphones. This game demands to be listened to.
This game is just plain good. It doesn't demand too much of your time or attention, it's easy to play it for a few minutes and put it down, and you don't feel worn out when you do. It's the rare case of a game that's totally casual, yet rewards players who are willing to scour the world looking for secrets. If you own a Switch and you enjoy 2D platformers, this game is a must-own that's fun for both kids and adults.
I think the reason why I loved my XBox 360 as much as I did is because of all of the insanely good indie titles on it. I'm a huge sucker for a good indie game and the 360 was the gateway to that world for me. One of my top 5 games of all time is an indie game that I fell in love with on the 360. Parting with that console would have been more heartbreaking for me were it not for the fact that I knew it would be going to my nieces and nephews. Passing great games to the next generation is a duty that I take very seriously as a cool uncle.
As a console, the XBox One that I've been rattling around on has only been used for a handful of games, and I don't think any of them have been proper indies. I bought into that console specifically so I could play a game with my very good friends from the east coast, and while I don't regret it, I wouldn't mind it much if I suddenly didn't have access to that console anymore.
...at least until September when Borderlands 3 comes out, because hot damn.
I bought my Nintendo Switch to make my sister happy. She was coming into town for a winter holiday with her husband, and she mentioned that they both liked playing Mario Kart 8 on their friends' Switch when they went over to visit with them. This from a sibling that is about as disinclined to play video games as I am to partake in her hobby of choice; horseback riding.
I digress.
While I didn't regret buying the Switch -- it made my sister smile, which is something else I take very seriously -- I wasn't sure what else I would do with it beyond Mario Kart. Then I stumbled into a little indie title called Hollow Knight, and that started the excellent flow of indie games into my life once more. I've found myself enjoying the Switch for indie titles even more than the 360, which is something I never thought I'd do.
This has all been a really long-winded run-up to the purpose of writing this article, and that is this:
I've found another amazing indie game on Switch, and it's called Steamworld 2 Dig. I'm not going to faff about with questioning it. It's just an amazing game. Let me now expound upon this statement.
STORY:
You play as Dorothy, an adorable steampunk robot in search of her friend Rusty. Rusty saved Dorothy's town from a futuristic evil known as Vectrum in the previous game -- no, I've not played it -- and shortly after, he vanished. His trail has led Dorothy to the Steampunk-Meets-Western town of El Machino, where she finds that Rusty descended into the deep mines below the city, and has not been seen since. Thus begins your adventure.
GAMEPLAY:
SD2 is a 2D side-scrolling Metroidvania game. Anyone who reads my blogs will be shaking their head and muttering, "Another damn MV game?!" Yes. Because they're awesome. Anyway, the controls are excellent. You'll spend the majority of your world burrowing through the mines with your trusty pick. The entire game is laid out in a clearly gridded tile system, and I got the sensation that I was playing Dig Dug more than once. Along your journey, you'll meet monsters that you need to whack with your pick, minerals that you can dig out of the ground, and you'll find upgrades for your equipment. Those upgrades represent the bulk of the game's mechanic for customizing your character, and they come in two flavors:
- You can sell back the ore you find underground for cash that you can use to unlock fairly vanilla power/speed/range upgrades for your various tools. Each upgrade opens up cog slots for the item you've just upgraded.
- Upgrade Cogs can be placed into cog slots for each tool you carry. These handy cogs are what really make SD2's gameplay flexible, as they allow you to customize your play style how you want it. You can use them to make your life easier or, if you want a challenge, a whole lot harder.
The mines you're exploring are quite expansive, but the game litters them with a series of comfortable checkpoints where you can fast-travel back to town to sell your ore, heal your life, get more oil for your lamp, and fill up your water reservoir. This means there's very little backtracking that you'll find yourself doing. As the game progresses, the game makes it easier and easier to get back to town, get stocked up, and get back to the action very quickly. This is good, because the gameplay in SD2 is joyous. It's not addictive as much as it's just insanely easy to get lost in.
AUDIO AND VIDEO:
SD2 is another one of those games that's just as excellent to play on your television as it is in your hands. The graphics are sharp, well-contrasted, and not at all hard on the eyes. Animation is smooth, the background and foreground mesh excellently without confusing you, and the style of the world is instantly endearing.
The audio is another place where Steamworld Dig 2 absolutely crushes it. There are only a few musical tracks in the entire game, but they're all very easy on the ears and very well done. They aren't so catchy that you might get distracted by them but they fit the ambiance of the game so well that playing without them is just awkward. If you can't play this on your TV with the sound up, get some headphones. This game demands to be listened to.
This game is just plain good. It doesn't demand too much of your time or attention, it's easy to play it for a few minutes and put it down, and you don't feel worn out when you do. It's the rare case of a game that's totally casual, yet rewards players who are willing to scour the world looking for secrets. If you own a Switch and you enjoy 2D platformers, this game is a must-own that's fun for both kids and adults.
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