On paper this games sounds like an insane mix of concepts but it works so well. There's a more limited demo out now if you want to check it out for yourself-but believe me when I say, it only scratches the surface.A rare mix of RTS, management SIM and RPG with some first person action thrown into the mix. If it's anything like previous SteamWorld games, Build probably isn't super long-but given all I've discovered in just four hours, I can't wait to see what surprises it still has in store for me deeper in the earth. What all these layers do is ensure that you can't rest on your laurels-there's always something new to do, and a whole handful of projects to work on, and if one part of your city seems to have peaked for the moment, that's just your cue to go back to messing with another. It definitely teeters on the edge of becoming overwhelming, but the game does a great job of keeping things accessible and clear, and the consequences of something going wrong are mild enough to ensure that things never get too stressful. Needless to say, as I'm experimenting to find the answers to questions like these, I discover another mine shaft-there's yet another level to explore… Given I'm less than four hours in, I have to assume there are then many more below that, each adding even more moving parts to the Rube Goldberg machine that is my settlement. Discovered technology can be slotted in to buildings to grant them powerful bonuses, but it's rare enough to make every choice difficult-do I need to speed up my sheet metal production so I can build underground bridges for my miners, or would it make more sense to get purified water flowing faster so I can make more workers happy? When I start trying to excavate the area's ancient tech, suddenly I'm in the middle of a tower defence sequence, with swarms of bugs throwing themselves at my miners as grenade turrets and flame traps pop off all around them.Īll the while, my city's economy grows bigger and more complex, and I'm having to manage a trading system via a regularly arriving train to make sure I'm clearing out abundant resources and buying up rarer ones. Fights are automated, any guards you've recruited scurrying wherever they're needed, but you can place various turrets and defences to keep key areas safe. Along with its unique new resources, it's also infested with insect-like enemies, and suddenly for the first time my bots are drawn into full-on battles. Not only am I now running three layers of settlement simultaneously, but this new biome has its own distinct challenges. Suddenly I'm in the middle of a tower defence sequence, with swarms of bugs throwing themselves at my miners. It turns out that, like SteamWorld Dig, Build is based around descending ever further through underground biomes, and I've just shovelled my way down into the mushroom-infested swamplands. Though the two layers work quite differently, they're cleverly connected-resources found underground are sent up to the city to fuel further expansion, allowing you to create factories and refineries that produce elements you need to keep mining further out.īut just as I'm starting to think I've got both layers running in harmony… I discover another mine shaft underground, leading to an even deeper level. Keeping all your plates spinning in both places ensures you never run into that boring state of simply waiting for new resources to roll in-there's always something to be fiddling with, whether it's rearranging your residential district above, or sending your miners in search of a hidden door switch below. It's a wonderfully clever trick, basically giving you two linked games to play simultaneously. Well, you've got to do some digging if you want to find that ancient tech, right? Down here, things work differently-it's a Dungeon Keeper-esque management sim where you dig out rooms rather than plonk down buildings, and explore in search of rare resources and treasures. Early on in the game, you unlock a mine-a full underground map you can switch to at any time. Down here, things work differently-it's a Dungeon Keeper-esque management sim.īut that's just what's happening above ground.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |