Craft The World

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,300 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • grinding
Craft The World Game Cover
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Craft The World is a sandbox strategy game where you control a tribe of dwarves, guiding them to dig, build, and craft items in a randomly generated world. As a god-simulation, you must provide for your dwarves by gathering resources, creating weapons, and using magic to aid in fights against various creatures. The game features multiple levels of earth to explore, from sky to boiling subterranean lava, with day and night cycles and changing weather conditions.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Gog Com
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,300 reviews
gameplay155 positive mentions
grinding170 negative mentions
  • Fun and addictive gameplay with a mix of crafting, building, and tower defense elements.
  • Charming graphics and humorous animations that enhance the overall experience.
  • High replayability with different biomes and seasonal events, along with regular updates and DLC.
  • Poor AI pathfinding and decision-making, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • Tedious crafting and tech tree progression that can feel grindy and repetitive.
  • Bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, including issues with text display and character behavior.
  • gameplay453 mentions

    The gameplay of "Craft the World" is a blend of resource management, crafting, and real-time strategy, reminiscent of titles like Terraria and Dwarf Fortress. While many players appreciate its engaging mechanics and the depth of the tech tree, criticisms arise regarding poor AI pathfinding, lack of clarity in mechanics, and repetitive gameplay that can lead to frustration. Overall, the game offers a casual and addictive experience, but it suffers from significant flaws that detract from its potential enjoyment.

    • “Craft the world actively involves players in the gameplay, promoting creativity and allowing them to take their time without rushing through levels.”
    • “With its blend of exploration, crafting, strategy, and a touch of magic, Craft the World guarantees hours of enjoyable gameplay and a chance to unleash your creative instincts.”
    • “The gameplay is masterfully paced in a way that delivers a persistently fun and long-lasting experience.”
    • “The gameplay is also just super boring.”
    • “There is not a single reason to prefer this game to either Terraria or Dwarf Fortress, since both can offer much deeper and more polished gameplay than what you're going to get here.”
    • “However, it lacks depth and has some major issues with game mechanics.”
  • graphics359 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the charming, colorful art style and attention to detail, which enhances the overall experience. However, some players criticize the visuals as feeling simplistic or reminiscent of mobile games, leading to a perception of lower quality. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good and appealing, opinions vary on their depth and suitability for the game's genre.

    • “The graphics are beautiful, and the game plays very smoothly.”
    • “The graphics are charming for a 2D side scroller, and I have yet to really experience any game-breaking bugs.”
    • “The graphics are crisp, the gameplay is solid, and there is a good bit of variety in the (currently 4) world types.”
    • “Something about the art style of this game just screams 'mobile game for children' and every time I boot this game up there's a pit in my stomach that grows greater and greater as I become more and more sick and nauseous looking at the game I'm playing.”
    • “This feels like a mobile game that was ported with some new graphics to cover how bad it is.”
    • “Graphics 2/10 - it's obvious as soon as you see the title screen it's designed for phones/tablets.”
  • grinding173 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, particularly in crafting and resource management. While some enjoy the initial gameplay and the sense of accomplishment from building and exploring, they often express frustration with the slow progression and micromanagement required later on. Overall, the game is described as grindy, with a crafting system that can feel cumbersome and a tech tree that extends the grind unnecessarily.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game locks what the player needs behind tedious actions that are done solely for the sake of doing them, making the game even more of a slog than it already is.”
    • “The tech tree requires grinding, and players may face limited resource availability, precious ores like iron and mithril.”
    • “The crafting system is tedious and seriously annoying.”
  • story100 mentions

    The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of depth and coherence, with many players noting that it feels non-existent or overly simplistic, often reduced to basic survival tasks without a compelling narrative. While some enjoy the world-building aspects and quest mechanics, the repetitive nature of missions and poor AI detract from the overall experience, leaving players wanting a more engaging storyline. Overall, the game is seen as a fun sandbox experience, but it fails to deliver a meaningful or immersive story.

    • “Outside of these few technical difficulties which are now resolved, the game has been a fantastic experience that I can see providing ~60 hours of enjoyment with current story content alone with plenty more on freeplay modes.”
    • “There's a solid story mode, which allows players to acclimate to the game.”
    • “While that seems to be the extent of the story, it's more than enough to keep you and your dwarves digging deeper, darker tunnels, upgrading equipment and fighting increasingly difficult monsters.”
    • “There is a very basic storyline, and barely any characterization.”
    • “There's no apparent plot or end goal besides unlocking all the crafting recipes, which is fairly enjoyable, but not enough to motivate me to continue playing with the incompetent AI.”
    • “There is no story or overarching goal here.”
  • stability91 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and AI issues that hinder gameplay, especially as the player’s population increases. Many players experience crashes, freezes, and pathfinding problems, making the game feel unfinished despite its potential. While some find it enjoyable and acknowledge ongoing updates, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration due to its instability.

    • “It is rare to find a game from an independent studio that is this well polished and bug-free; games like Oxygen Not Included can learn a lot from Craft the World.”
    • “The graphics and attention to detail are awesome, and it's virtually bug-free.”
    • “This game runs great even on my very old laptop, so anyone should be able to play it without worrying about their PC specs.”
    • “The game gets very slow and buggy if trying to work on more than 30 tiles at once.”
    • “This game is totally broken and buggy to the point of being unplayable.”
    • “I have already run into a bunch of glitches/bugs in game to the point where it is unplayable midgame.”
  • replayability87 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is highly praised, with many players noting its sandbox nature, diverse biomes, and frequent updates as key factors that enhance replay value. While some reviews mention limited replayability after completing certain objectives or worlds, the majority highlight the game's addictive qualities and the potential for countless hours of enjoyment through varied gameplay experiences. However, a few users express concerns about repetitive elements and a lack of significant variation in gameplay, suggesting that replayability may vary based on individual preferences.

    • “It provides a sandbox experience with high replayability, allowing players to explore, build, and create to their heart's content.”
    • “The devs come out with DLC pretty often and all of the game is usually changed with the DLCs, making it always very replayable.”
    • “Can be hard to start out, depending on the generated map, but every game is different, leading to endless replayability.”
    • “Replay value is near zero.”
    • “However, lack of mods and pace of gameplay limit replayability.”
    • “Very little replay value, since the only variations are the worlds, which aren't all that different, and you still need to grind through the same tech tree over and over.”
  • humor82 mentions

    The humor in the game is largely centered around the quirky and often foolish behavior of the dwarves, whose silly animations and gibberish dialogues elicit laughter from players. Many reviews highlight the amusing situations that arise from the dwarves' poor decision-making and the game's lighthearted tone, making it a fun and engaging experience. While some players find the humor repetitive over time, the overall consensus is that the game successfully combines charming graphics with a playful sense of humor.

    • “The graphics are pleasant, and the dwarves in the game are adorable, complete with funny animations.”
    • “Your dwarves are painfully stupid and make hilariously terrible decisions at the worst possible time, and when you try to control them to save their life, they end up going right back to what you did not want them to do.”
    • “Actually, this is a game that doesn't really take itself seriously - you have unlimited freedom over the things your dwarves do - sometimes, it is just as fun to watch them go about their daily stuff (sleep, snore, eat, talk to each other, make funny sounds, etc.).”
  • music80 mentions

    The music in the game is generally described as charming and catchy, enhancing the overall experience with its cute and energetic themes. However, many players note the limited variety, often leading to repetitiveness that can detract from enjoyment, prompting some to turn it off in favor of their own playlists. While the sound effects are well-received and contribute positively to the atmosphere, the lack of a more extensive musical score is a common criticism.

    • “The music is excellently cute and tinkly and energetic and earwormish, and the visuals are suitably cartoony.”
    • “Along with those beautiful visuals come a great many sounds all accompanying in-game actions, coupled with very relaxing and soothing music to really make you enjoy this great game.”
    • “The music is nice and context-sensitive in a way I can appreciate.”
    • “The only downside is the lack of an in-depth musical score. What there is is lovely, but you get sick and tired of the same 2 themes, believe me. I usually keep the music off and play with just game sounds. Don't let this stop you from trying this gem; it's worth it even without a solid musical score.”
    • “I started the game... the moment the music started playing and the menu screen appeared I already couldn't hold back 'oh please no...' The music is generic and has such an ugly generic browser/android game vibe. The whole menu looks like it's from a cheap generic free-to-play browser/facebook/android game.”
    • “I had to turn the music off after a while as hearing the same song over and over as each day passes almost drives you to murder.”
  • optimization17 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with many players noting smooth performance and good graphics, especially on tablets. However, some users report critical performance issues, particularly when minimizing/maximizing the game, and mention the need for further optimizations, especially regarding AI behavior and occasional crashes on Mac. While the game is enjoyable and runs well for the most part, there are still areas that require improvement to enhance the overall experience.

    • “It is really well optimized even for a 2D game.”
    • “And I recommend it since it is fun, well optimized, great graphics...”
    • “I found it fairly bug-free and the performance was fantastic.”
    • “Had some initial issues with getting text to load on in-game descriptions, and have experienced critical performance issues when minimizing and maximizing the game.”
    • “- No optimized AI: dwarves go outside with backpacks almost full instead of depositing all in the stockpile first.”
    • “But I just started a new custom map, and I am not even halfway through the research tech tree, and the game is already stuttering.”
  • monetization14 mentions

    The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players perceiving the frequent DLC releases as blatant cash grabs rather than meaningful content updates. While there are currently no microtransactions, the game's design and marketing suggest a mobile game influence, leading to frustration over its perceived lack of depth and the prioritization of profit over gameplay quality. Overall, players feel that the focus on monetization detracts from the game's potential and enjoyment.

    • “So no microtransactions as of now.”
    • “It also may look like a mobile/casual game with microtransactions due to the art style, but it actually has none of that.”
    • “Interesting concept, until you realize it's a port of a phone game with all the elements in place for microtransactions, but without the microtransactions.”
    • “Gotta love a game that instead of continually improving its various flawed systems (UI, pathfinding, the dwarf task system, *insert basic game mechanic*) will instead continually insult me by announcing DLC after DLC as an obvious cash grab.”
    • “Used to work before, but it's clear this developer cares more about cash grab DLCs over making sure the game is playable.”
    • “Interesting concept, till you realize it's a port of a phone game with all the things in place for the microtransactions without the microtransactions.”
  • atmosphere12 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its relaxed and charming qualities, enhanced by vibrant graphics and cheerful music that create an engaging environment. Players appreciate the detailed art style and the immersive gameplay that keeps them captivated, making it a delightful experience overall. The combination of planning and crafting elements further contributes to a unique and enjoyable atmosphere that resonates with users.

    • “The atmosphere is fantastic and it is never boring to see them walk and build in the world.”
    • “The artwork, 2D platform, and atmosphere I find quite perfect, and the game is incredibly engrossing.”
    • “It is actually difficult to get out of the game, as it completely charms you with its simple but attractive gameplay and atmosphere.”
    • “There are obvious differences - and to me they are very enjoyable - for example directing versus controlling (though you can) the dwarves leads to a bit of a relaxed atmosphere and more of a 'planning' type gameplay.”
    • “And the look... the developers made the look of the game so lovely, so funny and so coherent, which represents the whole atmosphere.”
    • “I love the style of it, it has its own atmosphere.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted for its fun and varied gameplay, complemented by a distinctive art style and thoughtful character design. However, it features limited crafting and character progression, with gameplay elements reminiscent of underground exploration found in titles like Terraria.

    • “Fun and varied gameplay; I really appreciate the art style and character design, and I get the feeling that a lot of love went into the game.”
    • “The character development feels very limited, with a 2D map that restricts crafting and underground exploration, reminiscent of Terraria.”
    • “I found the character development to be lacking depth, making it hard to connect with the characters.”
    • “The game offers minimal character progression, which detracts from the overall experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally resonant, often revisiting it for its heartwarming qualities and appreciating the developers' ongoing improvements that enhance the experience.

    • “I return to this precious gem of my collection once or twice a year, and it is so heartwarming to see the developers keep improving it.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

34hMedian play time
80hAverage play time
10-97hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 65 analyzed playthroughs

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