Mad Digger
- December 12, 2017
- Berezka
- 23h median play time
Get on Steam"Mad Digger" is a digging adventure game where you play as the Mad Digger, tasked with finding a hidden treasure deep in the ground. With each descent, you must manage your oxygen levels, extract minerals to upgrade your equipment and tools, and use explosives to quicken your progress. Upgrade your pickaxe, oxygen tank, and drill to reach the treasure before your oxygen runs out.
Reviews
- Casual and straightforward gameplay makes it easy to pick up and play for short bursts.
- Charming pixel art style and smooth animations add a lighthearted visual appeal.
- The upgrade system provides a sense of progression, keeping players engaged for a limited time.
- Gameplay quickly becomes repetitive with limited variety in goals and challenges.
- Lacks depth and content, with few upgrades and no meaningful objectives to strive for.
- The second stage is excessively grindy and frustrating, detracting from the overall experience.
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Mad Digger is characterized by a relaxing and repetitive loop that appeals to players seeking a stress-free experience. However, the enjoyment of the digging mechanic diminishes quickly due to a lack of variety, content, and objectives, leading to a sense of monotony. While it caters to both casual and hardcore gamers, the absence of a compelling story or unique mechanics limits its long-term engagement.
“Relaxing gameplay loop: For players who enjoy repetitive, relaxing games, Mad Digger offers a stress-free experience.”
“From the gameplay to the intricate lore, it caters to both casual and hardcore gamers.”
“From the gameplay to the lore, this game is for casual and hardcore gamers alike.”
“While the digging mechanic is fun for a short time, the game quickly becomes repetitive.”
“There’s no story to uncover or unique mechanics to explore, which makes it feel like the game ends before it even begins.”
“The gameplay loop is relaxing but becomes repetitive quickly due to the lack of variety, content, and objectives.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is heavily criticized for its excessive grinding, requiring players to repeatedly farm resources to progress, which can lead to frustration and diminished enthusiasm. Many players feel that the upgrades, such as pickaxe enhancements, are ineffective and contribute to the tedious nature of the gameplay, making the experience feel like a time sink rather than enjoyable. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as a major drawback, overshadowing any potential enjoyment from the game.
“Incredibly grindy, so many things that are trying to kill you, and the pickaxe upgrades do absolutely nothing but waste your resources if you buy them.”
“I was ready for it to be over after the first hour, and the fact that you cannot reach the end without a ridiculous and tedious grind through a deadly obstacle course killed whatever little enthusiasm I had.”
“A lot of real time wasted just farming to progress past them.”
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal and lacks complexity, focusing instead on simple mechanics of digging and collecting without a compelling narrative or goals. Players feel that the absence of a deeper storyline or unique mechanics detracts from the overall experience, making it feel incomplete. While the premise revolves around treasure hunting, the story is largely inconsequential to gameplay.
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“You'll find yourself digging, digging, digging through the earth like a mole on a mission, just to see what goodies you can uncover.”
“There’s no story to uncover or unique mechanics to explore, which makes it feel like the game ends before it even begins.”
“Some sort of goal system or storyline would have added a lot more value.”
“The premise is simple: you are digging for buried treasure; honestly, the story doesn't matter at all.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The graphics feature a charming pixelated art style that complements the game's lighthearted tone, though opinions vary on their overall quality, with some describing them as either appealing or poorly executed. The nostalgic aesthetic is enhanced by upbeat music, creating an engaging atmosphere for players.
“The pixel art graphics are a total throwback, and the music is so upbeat it'll make you want to boogie while you burrow.”
“The pixelated art style is cute, and while not highly detailed, it suits the game’s lighthearted tone.”
“Graphics are appealing (at least to me).”
“Graphics are essentially either really poorly hand-drawn garbage, or Unity flips.”
- music5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
The music in the game is described as upbeat and enjoyable, providing a relaxing backdrop despite its repetitive nature. While the sound design is considered basic and functional, it contributes to a nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of classic games. However, some users noted issues with muting options, which detracted from the overall experience.
“The pixel art graphics are a total throwback, and the music is so upbeat it'll make you want to boogie while you burrow.”
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
“Sure, this game is a watered down version of Motherload, with repetitive music, limited upgrades, and very low effort characters... but it's actually quite good.”
“Pretty terrible you can't even mute the game properly because the drill still makes sound even after I muted music and game sounds.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game offers minimal replayability, as players find little incentive to revisit once they have upgraded their tools and explored deeper levels.
“Minimal replayability: once you’ve upgraded your tools and dug to deeper levels, there’s not much reason to go back and play again.”
“After completing the main story, I found little incentive to replay the game; the side quests felt repetitive and uninspired.”
“The lack of meaningful choices and consequences means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
