Game: MineGeon: Renegades
Genre: Action, Adventure, Indie, RPG.
System: Steam (Windows)
Developer|Publisher: Kickstone Studio
Controller Support: Yes
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $19.99 | UK £17.75 | EU € 19,99
Release Date: July 30th, 2026
Review code provided with many thanks to Vicarious PR.
Minegeon: Renegades – Mining Make me Feel Good
MineGeon: Renegades is one of those games where you can almost feel the developers throwing ideas onto a table and seeing what works. Top-down shooting? Yep. Mining? Absolutely. Roguelite progression? Of course. Resource gathering, character upgrades, different classes, exploration, bosses and co-op? Chuck those in too.
On paper, that could easily become a bit of a mess. But MineGeon manages to bring most of these ingredients together into a surprisingly enjoyable little sci-fi adventure. I say little because there is still a sense that this is a game with plenty of growing to do. Although it has now launched in its full version, my time with MineGeon: Renegades often gave me the impression that I was playing something that could have benefited from a little more time in development. That sounds rather negative, but it really isn’t intended that way. Beneath the rougher edges is a game I genuinely enjoyed playing, and more importantly, one where I could see the potential almost immediately.
Welcome to Paimo
After a rather unfortunate failed heist, the Renegades find themselves stranded near the mysterious planet Paimo. Naturally, the sensible response would probably be to stay on the ship and work out another plan. Instead, you head underground. Because apparently that’s what you do when you’ve crash-landed on an alien planet. The basic idea is simple enough. Descend into the MineGeon, explore the different areas, shoot anything that objects to your presence, mine valuable resources and collect upgrades before eventually returning to your ship.
There are three characters to choose from, each offering a different approach. I spent most of my time with the shark-like tank character because, well, it’s a shark in space. I’m not sure what further justification is required.
Mining Between the Bullets
The thing I liked about MineGeon is that mining isn’t simply a decorative extra. Between the shooting and exploration, you’re constantly looking for resources scattered around the environment. Pull out your pickaxe and start hacking away at rocks, collecting whatever valuable materials you can find. Doing it only requires the tap of the left trigger. It gives the runs a slightly different rhythm. You’re not simply charging from one enemy encounter to another. Sometimes you’ll stop to mine. Sometimes you’ll explore a side area. Sometimes you’ll find a little pod that allows you to send resources back to the ship. The deeper you go, the more tempting those resources become, and naturally the more dangerous things get.
Picking Your Route
One of the more interesting touches is how MineGeon handles progression through its areas. Rather than simply throwing you into one room after another, you can choose a sequence of areas to explore, giving you a little more control over the direction of your run. You’ll encounter different types of rooms, from exploration areas to combat encounters, vendors and locations containing additional upgrades. It makes each run feel slightly less like you’re simply being funnelled through a corridor. There’s also a nice sense of discovery as you learn what each type of area might offer and decide whether it’s worth taking the risk.
Shoot, Mine, Upgrade, Repeat
The basic gameplay loop works well. You fight enemies, gather resources and gain experience. Level up, and you’ll get a choice of upgrades that can gradually shape your character. Then, when the run eventually comes to an end, you’re back aboard your ship with resources to spend. This is where the game starts throwing more toys at you. You can upgrade your ship, improve your character, unlock new facilities and even bring along a little pet companion. Yes, you can take a pet into the MineGeon. Naturally, this is an excellent idea.
You can also customise parts of your ship, including your bedroom, which is a relatively small feature but gives you another reason to keep collecting resources. There’s a talent system for your characters too, and I particularly appreciated that you can reset your points and experiment with different builds. You’re not permanently punished for deciding that your previous idea was, perhaps, rubbish. My favourite part in the hub area is that you can unlock a vacuum and literally clean up the ship, a feature I found pretty therapeutic after a run.
The Rough Edges
This is where MineGeon does show its current limitations. I encountered several technical issues during my time with it. There were crashes, lengthy loading problems and a few occasions where the dodge roll left me stuck in an awkward position. None of these completely ruined my experience, but there were enough little hiccups to remind me that this is a game that could use some polishing.
Combat is another area that didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The weapons simply don’t feel as powerful as I’d like them to. Some enemies can take a fair amount of punishment, while your own attacks sometimes feel like you’re politely asking them to leave rather than actually trying to remove them from existence. It makes certain encounters feel more drawn out than they need to be.
The character abilities also didn’t always feel particularly impactful. Each character has a special ultimate-style ability, but the one I used most often didn’t feel especially useful. I found myself relying on the basic weapons and abilities instead. That feels like an area where some balancing could make a significant difference.
Getting Patched
Despite all those complaints, I kept playing. That’s probably the biggest compliment I can give MineGeon. I encountered bugs. I had a few frustrating combat encounters. I questioned why some of my weapons appeared to be firing bullets made from particularly disappointed cotton wool. And then I went back for another run. The progression loop is doing its job. There’s always another upgrade to unlock, another resource to collect, another area to investigate or another build to experiment with. The game keeps dangling something slightly more interesting in front of you.
I also like that the developers appear to be listening. During my review period, the game had already received two patches, with further improvements being worked on. That’s encouraging because the problems here don’t feel like fundamental design disasters. They feel like things that could be refined.
A Colourful Little MineGeon
Visually, MineGeon keeps things fairly straightforward with its pixel-art presentation. It isn’t trying to redefine the medium, but I liked the variety between the different environments. The mines have enough personality to make exploring them enjoyable, and the various enemies and characters fit nicely into the overall style. The soundtrack didn’t leave quite as strong an impression on me, but it does the job.
For me, this isn’t really a game you’re going to play because you want to admire its technical achievements. You’re here to shoot things, mine things and desperately convince yourself that you can squeeze just one more valuable resource out of the current run.
Better With Friends?
MineGeon also supports co-op for up to three players, which feels like a natural fit. I didn’t get enough opportunity to properly test the online multiplayer during my review, so I won’t pretend otherwise, but the idea certainly appeals. The three different character classes, Tank, Gunslinger and Engineer, are clearly designed with co-operation in mind, and combining different abilities should make the deeper runs considerably more interesting. What I can say is I had a good time solo.
Conclusion: Keep on Mining
MineGeon: Renegades isn’t quite the finished article I think it could be. There are balancing issues, technical problems and a few mechanics that don’t feel quite impactful enough yet. The combat in particular could use some extra punch, because when I’m playing a top-down shooter, I want my weapons to make me feel like I’m actually causing problems for the things I’m shooting.
But there’s something here. The combination of shooting, mining, exploration and roguelite progression works. The constant stream of upgrades kept me interested, and the decision of how much to collect before returning to safety gives the runs a nice little risk-versus-reward element.
Most importantly, I enjoyed myself. MineGeon: Renegades feels like a game made by a small team with plenty of enthusiasm and some good ideas. With continued updates, better balancing and some technical polishing, I could see this becoming considerably stronger than the version I played. For now, I’d happily recommend keeping an eye on it, especially if you’re looking for a co-op-friendly roguelite with a slightly different flavour. There are a few rocks that still need chiselling away, but there’s definitely something valuable underneath.
Final verdict: I Like it
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