Dig or Die

About

"Dig or Die" is a strategy-based game with physics-centered building mechanics and a water cycle that affects gameplay. As a CRAFT & Co. representative, you must sell automated fabrication tools and use them, along with local resources, to build defenses and escape a hostile planet. The game features classic solo and multiplayer co-op modes, as well as custom game modes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

91%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,005 reviews

gameplay92 positive mentions

grinding61 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of exploration, crafting, and survival elements, making it engaging and immersive.
The water physics and structural integrity mechanics add depth and challenge to base building and exploration.
The game has a solid progression system, where players must gather resources and upgrade their equipment to survive increasingly difficult night raids.

The game can feel repetitive due to a limited variety of enemies and crafting options, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
The difficulty spikes can be frustrating, especially when players are penalized for killing new enemy types that then attack at night.
The lack of multiplayer options and character customization limits the game's replayability and social interaction.

gameplay
281 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
62%
5%
The gameplay of "Dig or Die" is characterized by its engaging mix of survival, crafting, and tower defense mechanics, enhanced by unique features like fluid dynamics and a dynamic day-night cycle that influences enemy behavior. Players appreciate the depth of its building mechanics and resource management, although some find the controls and certain mechanics, such as the jetpack and platforming, to be less polished. Overall, while the game draws comparisons to titles like Terraria, it offers a distinct experience with innovative gameplay elements that keep players invested.
- “From the moment I started playing, I was hooked by the game's captivating world and challenging gameplay.”
- “The fluid, electrical, base building, and defense mechanics are top notch!”
- “The gameplay loop is addicting as hell; it's easier to jump back into and play than other games of its style.”
- “Some of the gameplay is just damned tedious.”
- “The building mechanics are terrible.”
- “The gameplay is easy to learn, but the mechanics feel awkward because of the odd physics in the game.”
music
118 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
3%
The music in "Dig or Die" is widely praised for its engaging and atmospheric qualities, enhancing both exploration and combat with upbeat and soothing tracks. While many players find the soundtrack immersive and nostalgic, some note that it can become repetitive over time. Overall, the game's music is considered one of its standout features, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
- “In addition to its compelling gameplay mechanics, Dig or Die also boasts a fantastic soundtrack that sets the tone for the game's intense moments and atmospheric exploration.”
- “The up-beat soundtrack sets the rhythm of the gameplay, driving the exploration and combat encounters with an infectious energy that always keeps you engaged.”
- “The music is probably the best feature of this game, with atmospheric music that lends to the situations you find yourself in.”
- “The only things I did like were the shotgun and the music, but the negatives surpass the positives.”
- “There are also a short amount of soundtracks, so it gets super annoying after a while once you get into the game.”
- “The music is okay, but repetitive.”
graphics
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
66%
4%
The graphics in "Dig or Die" are generally praised for their vibrant and appealing aesthetic, with many reviewers noting the game's colorful visuals and detailed weapon designs. While some players appreciate the modern, high-resolution art style compared to pixelated games like Terraria, others criticize the graphics as simplistic or in need of improvement. Overall, the visuals are seen as a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the gameplay experience, despite some technical issues like water physics causing latency.
- “The graphics in Dig or Die are vibrant and visually appealing, creating a stunning backdrop for the player to explore and build in.”
- “The graphics are well done, and the music is great.”
- “The graphics in the game are truly lovely, and the music... wow.”
- “Might be worth in a sale but right now I feel like 10 bucks is unjustified for this kind of low quality, meager presentation and graphics and lastly the gameplay which does not feel tight at all.”
- “The visuals need some work - the Mega Man aesthetic is neat, but poorly realized, and lacks cohesion between various elements, particularly the game and the UI.”
- “Unlike Terraria, however, the visuals are fairly weak, the gameplay feels awkward because of the odd physics in the game (why does a plasma rifle knock you back...?), and overall it's not very fun.”
grinding
67 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
1%
91%
Overall, players report a mixed experience with grinding in the game. While many appreciate the reduced need for grinding compared to similar titles, some find certain aspects, particularly in the late game, to be tedious and grindy, especially regarding resource collection and base defense. The balance between exploration and resource management is generally seen as favorable, but there are still moments where the gameplay can feel repetitive or overly demanding.
- “Exploration involves a ton of fighting and digging, but it's not tedious like the beginning of Starbound or Terraria.”
- “Mining isn't as tedious, and construction is a lot of fun.”
- “No grinding, just fun exploring.”
- “The end game is extremely tedious, long, and super grindy.”
- “Right from the get-go you have to start grinding away for an uncommon resource to get the first tier of required gear.”
- “The game difficulty increases near-exponentially while your ability to upgrade is tediously slow.”
story
59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
78%
5%
The game's story revolves around a crash landing on a hostile planet and the quest to escape by building a spacecraft, providing a straightforward yet engaging narrative. While some players appreciate the blend of sandbox mechanics with a mission-driven plot, many criticize the story for being short, linear, and lacking depth, leading to a sense of repetitiveness. Overall, the narrative serves as a backdrop for gameplay rather than a compelling driving force, with potential for expansion in future updates.
- “The game provides a lot of interesting challenges to solve and overcome throughout the entire storyline from the start to the very end.”
- “Whereas Terraria would be all about the bosses, RNG weapon/item drops from monsters and fantasy, and Starbound is about the exploration of strange new worlds and upgrading your spaceship, Dig or Die is a shorter, more personal story about survival and escape from a hostile planet.”
- “It's not bad, and I really love the basic story about crash landing on a planet and trying to escape it by ultimately building a new spacecraft.”
- “The world is empty, and once you've beaten the story, honestly, you don't want to come back.”
- “That being said, the game is lacking in story and depth, and feels very linear for a sandbox game.”
- “Reading through the story, the very short and just why you need to leave this planet story, it's apparent that you're not there to make it look pretty but rather to get off as fast as possible.”
replayability
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
53%
13%
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with many players praising features like randomly generated maps, multiple game modes, and creative modes that enhance replay value. However, some users express concerns about limited content and repetitive gameplay, leading to low replayability for certain titles. Overall, while some games offer substantial replay value through various mechanics, others fall short, leaving players with little incentive to revisit after initial completion.
- “The inclusion of a creative mode, available as a reward for completing the game, adds substantial replay value.”
- “Outstanding game, great value for money, very impressive depth, considerable replayability and excellent attention from the developer despite how long it's been released.”
- “You wouldn't think a game like this could be so replayable but with difficulty settings like brutal and hazardous environment, there is much more value and fun to be had after you've beaten your first playthrough.”
- “You can blow through the available content in a week or so, and there is almost no replayability.”
- “It does lack replayability, since it's literally the same thing over and over again, with very little variety.”
- “In order to justify charging more, they would definitely need to find some way of adding replay value, because once you understand the basic concepts, the game becomes quite easy even on the harder difficulties and there is no desire to replay the game once you've completed it a couple of times.”
stability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with some players experiencing random freezes and occasional bugs, particularly during multiplayer sessions and while saving. However, many users note that it is relatively stable for an early access title, with some describing it as mostly bug-free and enjoyable despite the typical issues associated with early development. Players are optimistic that ongoing updates will address the remaining glitches and improve overall performance.
- “Even though this is early access, it is mostly bug-free and very cheap.”
- “All in all, the cons that I can really think of could be ironed out during the development, but it's a very playable, fun, and bug-free game that I've noticed.”
- “Not too buggy as far as I can tell.”
- “Game hangs for a moment when saving, and it can be an issue if you are fighting monsters as the game freezes, and you like to jump around a lot.”
- “With so many early access games out there pissing me off with bugs, lack of content, glitches, crashes, and you name it.”
- “Random freezes.”
humor
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its hilarious mishaps and unexpected failures, which contribute to a fun and engaging experience. Players enjoy the comedic elements of gameplay, such as amusing deaths and quirky interactions, especially in co-op mode. While the humor is generally well-received, some players note that certain repetitive gags, like head injuries from jetpack use, can become tiresome over time.
- “Very nice game, some hilarious failures and other mishaps make the game so much fun.”
- “This game to the very end did not stop to surprise me, made me feel stupid at times and laughing :D.”
- “This is a genuine, challenging but very funny 'digging for survival' game.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The atmosphere in "Dig or Die" is highly praised for its immersive qualities, driven by a fantastic soundtrack that enhances both exploration and intense gameplay moments. Players appreciate the transition from a serene, laid-back environment to a more terrifying experience as night falls, creating a dynamic and engaging atmosphere that keeps them invested in the game. Overall, the combination of soothing music and environmental elements contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
- “In addition to its compelling gameplay mechanics, Dig or Die also boasts a fantastic soundtrack that sets the tone for the game's intense moments and atmospheric exploration.”
- “The music is probably the best feature of this game, with atmospheric music that lends to the situations you find yourself in.”
- “Starting at a laid-back atmosphere, it delivers a sense of safety while you collect your materials and begin crafting, but soon the fun turns into terror as night falls and the rains come.”
- “Starting at a laid back atmosphere it delivers the sense of safety while you collect your materials and begin crafting but soon the fun turns into terror as night falls and the rains come.”
- “The water just flows so naturally coupled with a soothing background music it creates such a serene atmosphere.”
- “The rocket blueprint is questionable and probably was stolen from someone's 8th grade science project and sold on craigslist, as the primary material needed to make it is the still-beating heart of an immortal space rock that floats in the atmosphere and probably was important to maintaining the planet's ecosystem, as killing it causes it to fall out of the sky, followed by a lot of rain, frogs, earthquakes, locusts, volcanic eruptions, plague, and a sudden disparity in the ratio of pro-life fish to their more aggressive eastern European cereal mascot shark counterparts, but what's important is that you get your awesome space funeral.”
optimization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
38%
25%
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while some users report smooth performance at high resolutions and frame rates, others highlight issues with modding support and express hope for future updates to address performance concerns.
- “Optimization: no issues to report.”
- “Performance: the game works without issues in 1440p, 85hz.”
- “Runs smoothly and I'm looking forward to the coming updates!”
- “The biggest complaint I have is that the game is not optimized for modding.”
- “Solid, the user interface has been optimized.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be a fun and wholesome experience that evokes a range of emotions, from laughter to surprise, while also providing satisfying gameplay mechanics. Despite some minor areas needing improvement, the overall emotional engagement is highly praised.
- “This game, to the very end, did not stop surprising me. It made me feel a range of emotions, from feeling foolish at times to laughing out loud.”
- “It's a much more wholesome experience, with enjoyable and satisfying building mechanics and depth that evoke a strong emotional connection.”
- “Very fun and wholesome game; I love it!”