Dig or Die

Dig or Die is more than just a clone of the titles that inspired it. It adds challenging gameplay in the form of aggressive and fearsome monsters, as well as a building system that requires some thought. In addition to this, the unique art style and audio that sets the scene perfectly lets the game stand out from others.

Despite a relatively enjoyable gameplay loop, Dig or Die doesn't have enough content to keep it engaging for long. Dull visuals and occasionally frustrating controls add to a game that shows promise but is ultimately a disappointment.

The experience is fun after really sitting down and giving this a try. There are plenty of moments where the grinding feels a bit tedious, but for those that enjoy exploration, collecting, and point-and-click shooting will love this approach to what is otherwise a survival game in a Terraria/tower defence fusion.

Aside from those differences, the game… is basically Terraria. Unfortunately, the game doesn't have the massive variety and polish of Terraria's crafting system, doesn't have the interesting biomes of Terraria, doesn't have the crazy enemies of Terraria, and it doesn't make allusions to Lovecraftian horror. That isn't to say Dig or Die isn't fun. It is. I had a legitimately good time playing it, and that should mean something.

Dig or Die stands out in most technical ways from other survival crafting games of this style, but it's lackluster visuals leave it looking like a lot of other entries in the genre.

If you like games like Terraria and Starbound but are looking for something new, Dig or Die is definitely worth your time. At $12 USD, it provides an incredibly challenging and new twist on the genre. But be advised: they aren't kidding about the dying part. You're going to do that… a lot. Don't be too proud to start out on easy mode. If you take my advice, you might just live long enough to blow this popsicle stand and hustle some more of CRAFT & Co's automated fabricators!