Drill Down
- June 10, 2022
- Dakror
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Drill Down" is a mining and factory management game where you start by extracting resources from the surface and gradually dig deeper to discover new materials. With 100 different machines and 100 resources/products, you'll need to optimize your conveyor belts and processing chains to create highly advanced tech, such as computer chips. The procedurally generated world provides unique challenges and opportunities with each playthrough, offering about 30 hours of gameplay until you create your first chip.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and engaging factory logistics experience, with a complex tech tree and enjoyable resource management mechanics.
- It's a great value for the price, providing hours of gameplay and a fun puzzle-like challenge for fans of automation games.
- The developer is responsive and has improved the game with recent updates, making it a hidden gem worth exploring.
- The user interface and controls are clunky and poorly optimized for PC, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- There is a lack of quality-of-life features, such as hotkeys and blueprints, which can make building and managing factories tedious.
- The graphics are basic and may not appeal to players looking for a more polished visual experience.
- graphics8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic and functional, with a minimalist style that some players appreciate, while others find them crude and reminiscent of older flash games. Although the visuals lack the polish and detail seen in similar titles like Factorio and Satisfactory, they are clear enough to support the gameplay. Overall, while the graphics may not impress everyone, they do not detract significantly from the game's core experience.
“The graphics could be a negative strike for some, but I enjoy the minimalist style of this one.”
“While the graphics are basic, everything is very clear.”
“The interface is crude, the graphics remind me of an old flash game, but the basic concept of factory building works fine.”
“If you put it head-to-head against the other games of this little genre (like Factorio and Satisfactory), then it doesn't have the graphical punch or the polish that those games bring.”
“Aside from the basic graphics, the UI can be pretty clunky.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Gameplay initially presents a challenge due to clunky controls, but players often find themselves persevering for the engaging factory mechanics. While the game lacks external pressures and a strong narrative, it ultimately shines with solid core mechanics that offer hours of enjoyable logistical planning, especially considering it was developed by a single individual.
“Mind you, it was a bit frustrating to start, but after I got a better feel for the mechanics, this game ended up shining nicely.”
“On the other hand, this was developed by one person and the core mechanics are solid, providing hours of good logistical planning fun.”
“The first 10-20 hours you push on despite the controls, fighting them constantly but wanting to enjoy the rest of the factory gameplay elements that drew you in.”
“There are no gameplay reasons to worry (no external pressure like aliens), and there is no narrative structure to pull you along (just amorphous unlocking of techs).”
“The mechanics feel clunky and unrefined, making it difficult to enjoy the experience.”
“The lack of meaningful objectives leads to a monotonous gameplay experience.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its smooth performance and functional graphics, effectively presenting a compelling logistical optimization puzzle. Its extensive tech tree and unique gameplay mechanics contribute to a well-optimized experience overall.
“It gets so many things right - a big tech tree, a nice hook (moving product between fixed size mining floors), runs smoothly, graphics are basic but functional.”
“It presents a great logistical optimization puzzle.”
- story1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is primarily focused on automation mechanics, appealing to players who prefer gameplay over narrative, as it lacks a significant story or enemy interactions.
“It's a good automation game if you don't like story or enemies and instead want to work your way through things at your own pace.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the absence of advertisements in the game, highlighting it as a positive aspect of the monetization strategy.
“No ads!!”
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't disrupt gameplay.”
“I appreciate that I can enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend money.”
