King under the Mountain
- January 26, 2019
- Rocket Jump Technology
- 18h median play time
Get on Steam"King under the Mountain" is an Early Access settlement-building strategy game set in a simulated fantasy world. In this game, players manage a settlement and its inhabitants, who have personal needs and social interactions that are influenced by the changing environment and seasons. The game's development is actively shaped by player feedback, with an emphasis on a living, breathing world.
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Reviews
- The game has a solid foundation and shows great potential for future development.
- The developer is very active in the community, responding to feedback and implementing fixes quickly.
- The gameplay is enjoyable and offers a unique blend of mechanics reminiscent of Dwarf Fortress and Rimworld.
- The AI is often problematic, leading to issues like starvation and inefficient task management.
- The game currently lacks sufficient content and features, making it feel incomplete and more like an extended demo.
- There are numerous bugs and UI issues that hinder the overall experience, making it frustrating to play at times.
- gameplay14 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of familiar colony-building mechanics with unique features like a water piping system and mechanical power distribution, though currently, there isn't much to do with these systems. While the game is still in its early stages and has some bugs, players appreciate its potential and find the core mechanics enjoyable, especially for fans of Dwarf Fortress and RimWorld. Overall, the gameplay offers interesting challenges and moments, but it requires further refinement and development.
“The room/zone mechanic is an interesting variation on familiar colony builders.”
“A few bugs here and there, but the core gameplay works very well.”
“Gameplay-wise, you start with a small collection of dwarves and slowly build up your settlement using the resources around you.”
“No real gameplay.”
“Mechanics are simple, not well formed and the interface needs work.”
“Includes a water piping system and a Dwarf Fortress-style mechanical power distribution system, although there's not much to do with either at this point.”
- story6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional narrative structure, with no quests or explicit lore; however, players find that the emergent story of their colony develops in engaging and often dramatic ways. While some reviewers note the absence of a conventional story, they appreciate the unique storytelling that arises from gameplay experiences.
“There isn't 'story' in the traditional sense (no quests or obvious lore), but that doesn't mean the story of your colony won't unfold beautifully (or horrifically) along the way.”
“At present, this game tells no story and has no action.”
“There isn't a 'story' in the traditional sense (no quests or obvious lore), but that doesn't mean the story of your colony won't unfold beautifully (or horrifically) along the way.”
“There isn't a 'story' in the traditional sense (no quests or obvious lore), but that doesn't mean the story of your colony won't unfold beautifully (or horrifically) along the way.”
- stability5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is mixed, with some users reporting significant bugs and a lack of content, leading to concerns about its future development. In contrast, others have found the early access version to be relatively bug-free and well-performing, praising the developers for their responsiveness and frequent updates. Overall, while some players express disappointment over the game's unfinished state, others enjoy a stable experience with ongoing support.
“While the game is in early access, it's relatively bug-free, performs well even with a huge base and hundreds of dwarves running around on their respective tasks. The developer is actively involved and responsive to feedback.”
“It is early access, and there's still a lot to come in terms of features and options, as well as UI aspects that will improve. However, updates seem frequent, the developer is communicative, and my experience has been bug-free and already fun to mess around with.”
“Despite really liking the premise, it's still buggy as hell, with little to no content and the developers have virtually disappeared since February-March.”
“Sadly, this game has turned over and is no longer developed. I previously endorsed this game, but considering it's dead for good now, I can no longer advise people to buy this since you're buying something that is unfinished and buggy.”
“I ended up going to the Discord server to continue troubleshooting, and he ended up releasing a patch to the game to fix the issue that was preventing my game from launching.”
- grinding5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking essential controls, making navigation frustrating. While some enjoy the relaxing visuals of the characters engaging in farming and mining, the limited activities available, particularly in early access, lead to a sense of monotony and underwhelming gameplay. Overall, the grinding experience feels unbalanced and could benefit from more depth and variety.
“Currently it's playable but missing a ton of basic controls that make it pretty 'meh' and tedious to navigate if the thing you want to do is even possible yet.”
“Way too pricey for where it is in early access; I spent an hour in the game, and all I could do was farming.”
“I prioritized making planks, building beds, farming, and cooking.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics are generally well-received, with users appreciating the art style that resembles a more subdued version of RimWorld. While the visuals are entertaining, some artwork may not fully meet expectations, though it is not considered game-breaking.
“It feels good, I like the art style, and it's entertaining.”
“It's like a tame Gnomoria that copies the 2D art style of RimWorld.”
“Some of the artwork is lacking and feels unoriginal.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Overall, while the game shows promise with a solid foundation, players note that it requires bug fixes, optimization improvements, and additional content to enhance the overall experience.
“Yes, it needs some bug fixing, optimization, and more content, but there is a good foundation to build on!”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express concern over monetization practices, highlighting a prevalent culture of rushed, cash-grab games that have left many players feeling burned.
“That's super important in today's culture of rushed EA cash grab games where so many of us have been burned.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
“I feel like I'm constantly being pushed to spend more, which ruins the overall experience.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music and sound design in the game are praised for being well-executed, enhancing the overall experience without being distracting.
“The music and sounds were spot on and did not detract from the experience.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall atmosphere.”
“Each track is carefully crafted, making every moment feel immersive and engaging.”
