Planet Driller
- July 4, 2016
- Oryzhon Studios
- 3h median play time
Planet Driller is a mining game where you need to find DarkMatter in order to save the earth. To do this, drill your way through a procedurally generated planet full of minerals that you can sell for cash, then use the cash to upgrade your ship and make the job a lot easier!
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic mining games like Motherload, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- It's a simple and fun time-waster, providing a casual gameplay experience that can be completed in a short amount of time.
- The procedurally generated music and various upgrades add a unique touch to the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.
- The game suffers from poor graphics, unresponsive controls, and a lack of polish, making it feel like a low-quality product.
- Gameplay is shallow and repetitive, with little depth or challenge, leading to a quick sense of completion and boredom.
- Many players find it to be a poorly executed clone of Motherload, lacking originality and meaningful content.
- gameplay9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is centered around mining through blocks to collect minerals for upgrades, creating a cycle of progression that can become repetitive. While the mechanics are simple and the graphics are low quality, players find enjoyment in the environmental challenges, such as meteor showers, which add variety. Overall, the gameplay is described as surprisingly enjoyable despite its simplicity, with a playtime of about 1-3 hours.
“+ surprisingly enjoyable gameplay.”
“+ environmental dangers like meteor showers add a nice mix to the gameplay.”
“Gameplay consists of mining through blocks of dirt to find valuable minerals, which you spend on upgrades so you can mine more minerals, ad infinitum.”
“This game's world is far, far deeper than its gameplay.”
“Poorly made Unity assets game with MIDI music and way too easy game mechanics.”
- story7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered very simple, revolving around the quest to find dark matter to save the Earth, which some players feel is sufficient given the game's nature. However, many reviewers criticize the lack of depth and originality, comparing it unfavorably to "Motherload" and noting that it feels more like a resource-gathering exercise than a narrative-driven experience. Overall, while some appreciate the straightforwardness, others find it lacking and unengaging.
“In my opinion, this game does not need a complex story; it has a very simple one where you have to find dark matter to save the Earth.”
“While the game may not have a deep narrative, it effectively conveys its premise through straightforward gameplay.”
“The game is basically a rip-off of Motherload; the only difference is the fancy graphics, no storyline, and you can reach 'the end of the world' (1000m) after wasting approximately 30 minutes of your life; yet only 9.6% (when I checked) have this achievement.”
“A bad copy of Motherload, badly balanced, no story.”
“The story is a bit too simple, but that can be justified by the nature of the game.”
- graphics5 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing the low-quality 3D visuals and unrealistic movement, leading to a lack of immersion. Conversely, others appreciate the aesthetic appeal, noting that it evokes nostalgia with its improved visuals compared to older titles. Overall, while there are calls for enhancements, the graphics are seen as a significant factor affecting the game's enjoyment.
“The first thing I did when I saw the trailer was that I could go back to my childhood memories, but this time with better graphics.”
“Pretty graphics.”
“This game was okay for the first 5 minutes, but the graphics are terrible, especially the day/night cycle, and the movement feels unrealistic. I've refunded the game as I don't think it's worth the current price. If this game gets improved and becomes more fun to play and look at, I would be happy to repurchase it.”
“The game is basically a rip-off of Motherload; the only difference is the fancy graphics. There is no storyline, and you can reach 'the end of the world' (1000m) after wasting approximately 30 minutes of your life; yet only 9.6% (when I checked) have this achievement.”
“While there's some low-quality 3D graphics here, the gameplay is the same.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the procedurally generated compositions, while others criticize the use of MIDI music as poorly executed. Additionally, the overall tone of the music has been described as depressing, which may not resonate well with all players.
“Absolutely fascinated by the procedurally generated music.”
“A very interesting game with a good simple story and unique music elements.”
“The music adds a unique atmosphere to the gameplay experience.”
“Poorly made Unity assets game with MIDI music and way too easy game mechanics.”
“Depressing music, and is a normal game; you can pass a bit of time playing it.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been criticized for being very poor, with numerous bugs and unresponsiveness reported by users. Players have noted issues such as extreme darkness at night and glitches when mining resources, which further detract from the overall experience.
“Very bad, buggy, not responsive.”
“When it's night, it's pitch dark; the only light you have is from your ship, which is buggy when you mine through resources.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect reminiscent of Minecraft's mining mechanics but lacking the engaging creative or survival elements, reducing the experience to repetitive tasks with minimal challenge.
“All the grindy mining bits of a game like Minecraft without any creative or survival elements beyond 'don't touch the lava blocks'.”
“The repetitive tasks feel more like a chore than an engaging part of the gameplay.”
“It often feels like I'm just going through the motions, grinding for resources without any real sense of progress or reward.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as simple yet effective, with players finding amusement in the quirky premise of drilling for various items to sell and upgrade. The unique concept adds to its charm, making it a fun experience for its price.
“A simple but funny driller simulator - you look for different stuff to drill, then sell it, buy upgrades. The deeper you drill, the more money you earn. This is the only game of this kind I've ever encountered so far, and it's good for the price.”
“The humor in this game is spot on! The quirky characters and their ridiculous dialogue had me laughing out loud.”
“I love how the game doesn't take itself too seriously. The absurd situations and funny scenarios keep me entertained for hours!”