SteamWorld Build is a fun and cutesy Wild West-inspired title. However, it twists the narrative with its steam-powered robots and its familiar franchise branding. Moreover, its short, sharp playtime ensures that this can be enjoyed casually. Consequently, unlike some of its heavy-hitting peers, you won’t worry about a complex time sink or a brutal learning curve.
This town building simulation title was developed by Thunderful Development and published by Thunderful Publishing. Additionally, if you are an Xbox gamer, it is included in the Game Pass subscription service. Accordingly, you can try this without investing any of your hard-earned cash. Yet, if you are subscription-free but love the genre, this might be one city builder that piques your interest.
SteamWorld Build tells a tale of evolution and decay.
I love this franchise. As such, when this was announced, I couldn’t wait to get started. Furthermore, I was impressed when it was confirmed as a key title for Microsoft’s flagship subscription service. Additionally, if you consider the gentle learning curve, fun characters, and interesting multi-terrain gameplay, this has many strings to its bow. However, it doesn’t break the mould and fans of this genre will notice some well-trodden gameplay mechanics.
SteamWorld Build asks you to create a self-sufficient city that flourishes above and below ground. On top of this, you must evolve your robot citizens whilst managing resources, dealing with outsiders, and fighting bugs, monsters, and jealous rivals. If you can somehow spin these plates at once, you must build a rocket and escape your hellish prison. Every element requires an eye for detail and the skill to stay calm. If you have these traits, you’ll adore every futuristic moment that you face.
Familiar tropes.
A game that relies on familiar genre tropes can become tedious and lack originality. However, this isn’t the case with this title. Instead, I loved the fun story, the whacky characters, and the logical gameplay loop. Moreover, the progressive layers unfold at a comfortable pace. As such, you never feel out of your depth and this makes it accessible for newcomers.
Alongside this, the developers have balanced the obstacles and problems perfectly. Accordingly, though the monsters and the raiders are a nuisance, they prevent you from hitting each goal too quickly. Whether you are evolving your residential area or your industrial sector, or you are searching for ore, oil, or old tech, there is a logical linear path to take. Consequently, the timely hurdles prevent you from galloping ahead and this keeps things interesting.
Basic upgrades.
Unlike its peers, SteamWorld Build doesn’t offer complex upgrades or a massive development tree. Instead, it allows outside traders to improve your town with otherwise unobtainable goods. This was an enjoyable twist to the action that kept you looking for visitors while improving various layers of the action.
On top of this, each building has upgrade slots that improve your workers or productivity. This was a fine choice that tweaked the gameplay without changing the base mechanics. What’s more, there was a nice trading system to remove excess resources to make some extra cash or buy much-needed supplies.
SteamWorld Build is well-polished.
Though much of the action is familiar, the visuals will impress. I loved the vibrant graphics and the isometric viewpoint. Additionally, the excellent free-moving camera and stripped-back UI keep things clean and straightforward. Alongside this, the assets were easy to identify, and the character models were great to look at. Moreover, the variety of maps ensured that the action remained fresh even if the gameplay followed the same path.
This franchise has some memorable audio. Thankfully, the latest addition didn’t break this trend. Accordingly, the characters sound fantastic and their distinctive accents bring a smile to your face. Furthermore, the soundtrack is upbeat, and the sound effects are varied whilst adding drama and energy to the gameplay.
Exceptional controls.
This genre is better with a mouse and keyboard. However, the developers have done a great job with their controller inputs. Subsequently, the controls are exceptional and easy to understand. Alongside this, the thorough tutorial was straightforward, and you’ll have the basics mastered in no time.
Though the action revolves around a core gameplay loop, there are 5 unique maps to explore. Furthermore, the completion of a level unlocks permanent upgrades that improve the productivity and other elements of that stage. Though this doesn’t mix things up too much, it makes replaying each level more bearable.
SteamWorld Build is good but not exceptional.
There is a lot to like about SteamWorld Build. However, its lack of genre evolution and its reliance on a safe gameplay model will disappoint veterans. Yet, its user-friendly approach and the ability to play it on Game Pass will appeal to many people. On top of this, it is fun, and it works well when playing on Xbox. As such, I love it and I recommend that you buy it here! Can you build a rocket and escape? Plan your town, repel your enemies, and dig for valuable resources.
