SteamWorld Dig 2 Review (Switch)

Game: SteamWorld Dig 2
Genre: Platformer
System: Switch (also on 3DS, PC, PS4, and Vita)
Developer|Publisher: Image & Form
Age Rating: EU: 7+| USA: Everyone, 10+
Price: €19,99| £14.99|US $19.99|AUS$ 11.99| CA$ 28.13
Release Date: 21 September 2017

No review code was provided, bought the game myself.

The sequel to SteamWorld Dig 1 is prettier, cleverer, and an even better game than its predecessor. Plus, with new gadgetry introduced in Dig 2, you can fly (sort of), and who wouldn’t want to?

On our last dig…

The underground hunt for shiny ore continues, this time with a more troubling mystery to solve in the depths of earth.

Dorothy is looking for fellow robot Rusty, the protagonist from Dig 1 who’s now missing. You have Dorothy digging deeper and deeper below ground for clues and valuable ore. Returning to town periodically, you exchange ore for cash, then invest the money in upgrading your pickaxe, armor, lantern, and other gear.

The Dig games are equal parts platforming, exploring, and puzzle-solving. None of it is particularly difficult. As such, they are great gateway games for players who aren’t very experienced or skilled in the platforming genre. I’ve found that SteamWorld games (including SW Heist and SW Quest) are great at keeping gameplay simple and easy to learn.

As with every SteamWorld game, the initial draw is how good it looks. Though gameplay is the focus, with everything else as icing on the cake, I’d say the SW games rock at the icing–the visuals, the music, the writing of colorful characters and lively dialogue–even if the plots aren’t as enlivening.

Still, I liked the small connections drawn between Dig 1, Dig 2, and SW Heist‘s story. But each of these games stand alone, so you don’t have to play one to enjoy another. In fact, I’d recommend diving straight into the mines of Dig 2.

New and improved

This sequel introduces to new tools which are a thrill to use: the Hookshot and Jet Engine. Used in combination, they’ll have you Spiderman-ing and Green Goblin-ing across chasms, lava pools, and spiked dangers. There’s a real sensation of flying that makes traversing these earthy labyrinths a joy.

Plus, the Hookshot and Jet Engine will help you return to surface much faster than jumping ever could. And if you haven’t obtained these tools yet, there are always teleporter tubes–a new feature–which will send you to town in a wink, or to any other teleporter. Fancy that! No more tedious climbing back to town, one button mash at a time, while the light of your lantern fails. And have I mentioned that returning to town now restores your hearts automatically? You don’t have to purchase life points anymore!

Each gear upgrade unlocks abilities which you can activate with cogs, a new resource. The absolutely neat thing is that you can swap out cogs to activate abilities you want to use while deactivating ones you don’t need. For instance, an ability called the Portal of Pardon can be activated for three cogs, allowing you to teleport to town from nearly anywhere.

In Dig 2, the entire map is predetermined, including where all the ores are located. Gone is procedural generation, so unlike Dig 1, the map is no longer different each time you start a new game. But that’s no loss, because what Dig 2 gives you in return is a nice variety of wonderfully designed puzzle caves.

Puzzle caves are the most enjoyable and interesting part the game. Solving them requires use of your acquired tools, a little curiosity, and a keen eye. They aren’t difficult, though some caves contain harder-to-find optional treasure. But quite conveniently, your map tells you if a cave has been exhausted of all its secrets with a simple check mark. The map, by the way, now has a zoom-in feature, so more no squinting.

Dig 2 basically corrects all that was annoying in the first game and improved on what was already good.

A light expedition

I was surprised by how easy the final boss fight was, considering the tough battle I had in the previous game. But that shouldn’t bother you unless you were looking for a platformer about combat, which Dig 2 isn’t, though it has a good share of enemies to dispose of (or avoid).

Some players have complained about the game being too short for its price tag. It can be completed in several hours. I took my time, and those 14 hours only saw 77% of the secrets uncovered.

I think it’s worth $20 for the quality game design and nary a tedious moment. However, compared to SW Heist ($20) and SW Quest ($25), it does fall short of replay value. There’s hardly a reason to restart Dig 2 from scratch.

Conclusion

Dig 2 is a well-paced, fun little treasure hunt. Thoughtfully and lovingly crafted for the curious player, it’s worthy of a place on your shelf. I loved the new tools, new features, and corrections to all that was annoying in Dig 1. If you’re looking for a casual platformer with exploration and puzzle elements, you can’t go wrong here.

Verdict: I like it a lot!