Mountaincore

About

Mountaincore is a single player city builder game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Rocket Jump Technology and was released on April 22, 2025. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Mountaincore is a colony-building game set in a deeply simulated fantasy world, where you manage the needs and desires of your settlers while harvesting natural resources and crafting useful items. The game features dynamic weather and seasons, a deep crafting tree, and the option to battle monsters or play in peaceful mode. Twitch integration and future plans for adventuring parties add to the experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

71%

Audience ScoreBased on 108 reviews

gameplay6 positive mentions

grinding7 negative mentions

Mountaincore offers a charming and engaging colony-building experience, reminiscent of Dwarf Fortress and Rimworld, with a unique twist.
The game has a lot of potential, with active development and frequent updates from a responsive developer who engages with the community.
Despite being in early access, the game provides a satisfying gameplay loop with various mechanics like crafting, trading, and managing a growing population of dwarves.

The game suffers from a steep learning curve due to a lack of comprehensive tutorials and guidance, making it difficult for new players to grasp essential mechanics.
Many players have reported frustrating bugs and issues, such as settlers not performing tasks or the game crashing, which detracts from the overall experience.
There are concerns about the game's future, as it has been labeled as abandoned by some users, leading to uncertainty about ongoing support and development.

gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
57%
14%
The gameplay of Mountaincore features an engaging fantasy colony-building experience with a solid core loop, allowing players to manage resources and expand their settlements. While the game offers interesting mechanics and a casual, relaxing pace, it suffers from clunky controls, a subpar tutorial, and slow progression, which can hinder the overall experience. Despite these issues, the early access version shows promise, with a responsive development team and plans for future enhancements that could improve replayability and gameplay depth.
- “It has masses of interesting gameplay features.”
- “Even though the game is in early access, the core gameplay loop is solid: striking out with your 7 dwarves, building up and surviving your first winter to get migrants and managing an increasing complexity of industries, all the while anticipating the arrival of all sorts of fun.”
- “Definitely worth checking out if you're into games like Dwarf Fortress, RimWorld, Odd Realm, etc. The import/export mechanic is especially elegant and innovative and lets you tightly control the logistics of your base.”
- “Mountaincore has an interesting concept with its fantasy colony-building mechanics, but it’s bogged down by clunky controls, poor UI, and slow progression.”
- “Things that need improvement -- the tutorial is not the best and some mechanics required trial and error; it really needs a better tutorial.”
- “It's when those mechanics come into play that things... break.”
graphics
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The graphics in the game are characterized by a simplistic 2D art style reminiscent of titles like RimWorld and Prison Architect, featuring appealing designs and vibrant colors. While some players appreciate the charming visuals and find them easy on the eyes, others note occasional graphical glitches during gameplay. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's relaxing atmosphere, though some may prefer more detailed visuals.
- “With an art style very much in line with Prison Architect and RimWorld, you're introduced to some beautifully sculpted dorfs and environments.”
- “A fun, relaxing game with bold, colorful graphics and bonus cute animals.”
- “A nice colony sim game with an appealing art style to boot.”
- “There is a weird graphical glitch when you tear down things you built; you'll see the little deconstruction icon flashing after the item removed is long gone sometimes.”
- “The graphics of Mountaincore are pure 2D and kept quite simple, comparable to the models in RimWorld or Prison Architect.”
- “Don't waste your money, buy the original and get a graphics pack.”
grinding
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game, particularly farming and hunting, to be complex and often confusing. Issues include unclear mechanics for seed selection and planting, as well as challenges in managing farming plots and understanding combat elements related to hunting. While the game incorporates seasonal changes and skill levels, the lack of clear instructions can lead to frustration and wasted resources.
- “Farming was also tough to understand, especially when it came to selecting seeds and figuring out how to plant properly.”
- “The hunting animals is also considered combat and this took me even longer to figure out (it makes sense now kind of but still...) also when it comes to farming, it doesn't explain how to remove the farm easily and you can end up wasting seeds.”
- “I had the same problem when trying to organize farming plots.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is described as soothing and immersive, complementing the sound effects and animations to create a relaxing atmosphere that enhances gameplay. Players appreciate the thoughtful integration of music with the game's environment, contributing to a vibrant and engaging experience. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a significant factor in the game's charm and appeal.
- “The music mixed with the sound of the dwarves working is relaxing and makes the world feel alive.”
- “It is hard to pick out what exactly that special thing is for the game but perhaps it is an amalgamation of the many parts, from the beautiful music, sound effects (slurping of soup to the chilly winter weather), the wonderful animations of your dwarves, the cursor light and how light interacts with objects, to the obvious thought and love that has gone into the smaller details, it makes for a very chilled and enjoyable gameplay.”
- “Mountaincore has a dwarf fortress/RimWorld/Clanfolk vibe, intuitive game mechanics, wonderful music, and a responsive dev team with an active Discord and an extensive long-range plan for new content.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The game's story has garnered mixed reactions, with some users expressing interest in its narrative while others lament the lack of updates and the announcement of the developer's bankruptcy, suggesting the game may never fully release. Comparisons to RimWorld highlight a shift in tone, indicating a more serious or darker narrative direction. Overall, the story appears to be a point of intrigue but is overshadowed by concerns about the game's future.
- “Read posts if you are interested in the whole story.”
- “Update: as of 1/14/24, no more updates - the developer announced today a new story about the publisher, bankruptcy, etc. This game will never fully release.”
- “This game is what RimWorld was before the war crimes took over the story - and it runs on Mac.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight that the addition of diverse races with unique mechanics significantly enhances the game's replayability. With a wealth of content already available, many feel they can enjoy multiple playthroughs and get good value for their investment, especially with promising future updates on the horizon.
- “The evolution to add more races with unique mechanics will boost the replayability even further.”
- “There is more than enough to get an enjoyable game experience with replayability, and you can easily get your money’s worth as the game stands now, with plenty of interesting ideas for the game to be added in the future.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a deeply moving narrative that resonates with players, often evoking feelings of heartbreak and empathy throughout the development cycle.
- “The game takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, leaving you both heartbroken and hopeful.”
- “Every character's journey is filled with raw emotions that resonate deeply with the player.”
- “The storytelling is so powerful that it evokes a profound emotional response, making you feel every moment.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as exploitative, with many users labeling it a cash grab that undermines its potential.
- “Put a fork in the potential, this title is nothing but a glorified cash grab.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending extra money.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, turning what could be a great experience into a money-making scheme.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game to be a blend of dark and situational comedy, often eliciting both laughter and a sense of melancholy, particularly when characters face unfortunate outcomes due to player decisions.
- “I'm both sad and laughing at my mistake, and that it was my dwarf that paid the price.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
300%
The game is currently in early access, leading to some bugs and optimization issues; however, many users still find it a worthwhile purchase despite these challenges.
- “It is, obviously, in early access, so you will come across some bugs and optimization issues, but even so, it is a worthwhile purchase as it stands now.”
- “It is, obviously, in early access, so you will come across some bugs and optimization issues.”
- “The game suffers from significant performance problems that detract from the overall experience.”
- “Optimization is lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and long loading times.”