SteamWorld Build
OpenCritic Rating
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
SteamWorld Build Trailers
SteamWorld Build | Release Date Reveal Trailer
SteamWorld Build | Announcement Trailer
Critic Reviews for SteamWorld Build
SteamWorld Build is a simple but fun city builder cleverly combined with a dungeon-constructing miner that keeps things quick and casual.
Relaxing and brisk, but lacking in the substance needed to please genre fans and live up to the SteamWorld name.
All in all, Steamworld Build is a great addition to the series, providing a unique but refined take on the city builder genre. Anyone looking for a more complicated, hardcore experience might find it a touch underwhelming, at least until the game really starts to find its feet. Even so, its forgiving nature and slow but consistent feed of gameplay mechanics make it especially appealing to more casual players or folks new to the genre.
SteamWorld Build is proof that the SteamWorld formula can be applied to almost any genre with its mix of city building and dungeon mining combining for quite the treat.
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.
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.
SteamWorld Build will scratch that itch of town builder and dungeon crawler alike. It's an easy game to pick up and play, gradually introducing each layer of society and underground mining at a steady pace. A few elements could be improved to help levels flow better, but overall it's a very good experience that digs up yet another new genre for the SteamWorld franchise.
Ultimately, SteamWorld Build was a lot of what I like about the original IP and city simulations. It smartly mixes concepts from throughout the SteamWorld series into your management such as mining and monster control. Between overseeing the mines below and the town above, you’ll have a lot on your plate trying to make sure all the robots are happy and safe as you dig deeper and deeper to find the tech you need to escape the planet. That said, it’s a good blend, fit to please anyone who likes SteamWorld and city builders alike. Make sure your robots are oiled and happy and they’ll gladly venture into the unknown where mysterious discoveries await in this unique city sim.
