Geo
- January 31, 2017
- Windybeard
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Geo is a single-player simulation game with stunning visuals and immersive music. As the head of an intergalactic mining corporation, players explore space, discovering and drilling comets, moons, planets, and gas giants. Building and expanding headquarters, hiring crew members, and collecting items for research are key elements of gameplay, with each playthrough offering unique discoveries."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Geo offers an addictive and engaging gameplay loop that combines mining, upgrading, and exploration, making it hard to put down.
- The game features a vast amount of content, including diverse planets, numerous upgrades, and a variety of collectibles, which keeps players coming back for more.
- The graphics and soundtrack are well-crafted, providing a charming aesthetic that enhances the overall experience.
- The game can be excessively grindy, requiring players to repeat levels multiple times to progress, which may lead to frustration.
- Some players have reported issues with the user interface being clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and management cumbersome.
- The presence of unkillable monsters can be frustrating, as players must avoid them without any means of defense, which can disrupt the flow of gameplay.
- grinding43 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is characterized by a significant amount of grinding, which can be both enjoyable and tedious depending on the player's preferences. While some players appreciate the meditative and addictive nature of the grind, others find it overly repetitive and frustrating, particularly as progression becomes increasingly reliant on extensive grinding. Overall, it appeals to fans of mining and collection mechanics, but those averse to grind-heavy gameplay may want to reconsider.
“Unlike those games, g.e.o. does something completely wrong; it takes the simple gameplay with upgrades and makes the game super grindy.”
“There's probably about 15 minutes worth of gameplay here before you realize you're grinding repetitively, and then the charm wears off.”
“The game has interesting mechanics and a lot of varying upgrades to unlock, but progression requires a ton of grinding.”
- gameplay43 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by simple yet engaging mechanics centered around drilling and resource management, with a strong emphasis on upgrades and exploration. While many players appreciate the addictive nature and depth of the upgrade system, some criticize the repetitive grind and lack of variety in gameplay loops, which can lead to a loss of charm over time. Overall, the game offers a relaxing experience with a solid soundtrack, but may not appeal to those who dislike repetitive gameplay.
“The mechanics of this game are that you keep the resources that you drill into, each world having slightly different materials. The more types you gather, the more rooms you unlock, which can increase your resistance to the negative effects of certain planets, such as extreme heat or cold, or give access to more pilots which provide a variety of different bonuses.”
“There are plenty of goals to reach, the mechanics are flawless, the gameplay is refined, the interface is a breeze, and the music is perfection, much higher quality than anyone would expect from such a small game like this.”
“The gameplay loops that emerge are fun and revolve around exploration and discovery.”
“There's probably about 15 minutes worth of gameplay here before you realize you're grinding repetitively and then the charm wears off.”
“Given that the gameplay is pretty simple and the general approach to a map doesn't really change from run to run, replaying them feels quite unrewarding.”
“Very grindy, but that's usually the essence of item-centric mining games, so if highly repetitive gameplay annoys you, I would probably stay away.”
- music35 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 31 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and suitability, with many players enjoying the upbeat and engaging soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. While some find certain tracks repetitive over time, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack is impressive for an indie title, often described as phenomenal and a perfect complement to the game's vibrant art style. Additionally, players appreciate the option to customize their listening experience, making it a versatile backdrop for both gameplay and other media.
“There are plenty of goals to reach, the mechanics are flawless, the gameplay is refined, the interface is a breeze, and the music is perfection, much higher quality than anyone would expect from such a small game like this.”
“Geo is a super-addictive space exploration and mining game that is full of colorful, fun art and has one of the best soundtracks in any indie game I have played.”
“The soundtrack is phenomenal, one of the best soundtracks I've heard in video games in a long time.”
“Music is repetitive, yet I listened to it for almost 2 hours without getting tired.”
“Music is okay, but certain tracks become annoying after some time.”
“Has its own soundtrack, but I prefer to make my own custom music playlist for this game.”
- graphics33 mentions
- 48 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the vibrant hand-drawn and pixel art styles, which are described as clean, appealing, and well-suited to the game's aesthetic. While some users find the visuals charming and fitting, others criticize them as simplistic or lacking in detail, suggesting that improvements could enhance the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are generally seen as a strong point, contributing positively to the game's atmosphere despite some noted limitations.
“I love the hand-drawn artwork throughout.”
“The artwork is bright and vibrant, the soundtrack is an absolute banger, and the developer has a cracking sense of humor.”
“The amount of effort that went into making this game is evident in the nice graphics, original music scores, and actual gameplay.”
“Graphics are poor, but in exchange, the rules are easy to learn, although they are deeper than they appear, and the product demands few hardware resources, running without bugs.”
“It also has fairly primitive graphics (not just in terms of being 2D and simple, but also in terms of poor color harmonies).”
“The graphics, while not impressive by a long shot, are still pleasant enough, but the sounds are a tad too repetitive for my tastes.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a strong sense of humor, particularly in its character and planet descriptions, which are often funny and engaging. While the humor is initially entertaining, some players find it becomes repetitive as the gameplay progresses. Overall, the game includes a mix of clever references and irreverent jokes, appealing to those who appreciate a more adult sense of humor.
“Often the descriptions of planets and characters are quite humorous.”
“Though grindy and somewhat repetitive, this game offers a strong sense of accomplishment in being able to conquer harder and harder drilling sites and research/achievement milestones, as well as a consistent source of humor and interest with the almost never-ending unlockable crew and base expansions.”
“Geo also has pretty dope music and even though it's virtually plot-free, it still manages to have a bunch of cool and funny stuff to read.”
- story8 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and often confusing, with players relying on trial and error to progress through repetitive missions. While the flavor text adds some context, numerous typos detract from the overall experience, leading to a lack of immersion and coherence in the narrative. Overall, the story is considered weak, with a rating of 5/10.
“Having mined a core, your goals may switch mid-mission from expediency (due to limited drill health) to wealth (aiming for the more valuable blocks).”
“The grind comes in drilling the same asteroid repeatedly to reach the core, and there's some tension as harder rocks will break your drill faster, so you have to abandon the mission, but you can take home everything you got before the drill broke, and after leaving you can go right back in and drill some more.”
“To me, those downsides did actually distract from the experience quite a bit. It's hard to get into a game where every other sentence contains a typo. I've been messaging the developer about these typos, and eventually many of them may be fixed, but it really needs a professional editor. Thankfully, most of the text is flavor text and not essential to understand, and the game has no real story. Typos aren't quite as bad if it's just flavor text rather than dialogue or story text.”
“I do remember being a little confused about a couple of the things, but trial and error will teach you much. If you're going to play this game, you're going to go on mission after mission after mission.”
“Since missions like this tend to be over quickly, it wasn't unusual for me to retry one over and over again for like 15-20 minutes.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game suggests a design intent for microtransactions that ultimately did not materialize, leaving players feeling that the game may have missed an opportunity for additional revenue. Additionally, there is a critique of misleading promotional materials that do not accurately represent the game's content, akin to deceptive food advertisements.
“This game feels like it was designed to have microtransactions, yet they somehow didn't make it into the game.”
“We’re more used to 'doctored' footage and images on the Steam store pages, which trick potential buyers nearly as efficiently as those juicy burger ads that thoroughly disappoint after you’ve unwrapped your next meal.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game enjoyable and note that it offers significant replayability and content, reminiscent of a flash game experience.
“It's sort of akin to a flash game, but pretty enjoyable with a lot of replayability and content.”
