Underworld Idle

About

Underworld Idle is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Aleksandr Golovkin and was released on February 2, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Underworld Idle is an idle management game where higher-order units produce lower-order units across diverse factions like demons, undead, and utopians. Players expand resources, engage in infernal contracts for prestige, and explore various locations such as labs and libraries. The game offers infinite progression with unique unit-creation mechanics and dark fantasy themes.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 798 reviews

gameplay35 positive mentions

grinding38 negative mentions

The game features charming art and a unique theme that keeps players engaged.
The mechanics of resource management and progression are interesting, with different factions interacting in unique ways.
It's a fun idle game that can be played in the background while doing other tasks.

Progression is extremely slow, making it feel tedious and unrewarding at times.
The game lacks meaningful offline progression, requiring constant active play to make any significant advancements.
There are aggressive monetization tactics, with expensive microtransactions that can hinder free-to-play players.

gameplay
101 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
61%
4%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating its simple mechanics and engaging art style, but criticizing its slow progression and lack of innovative features. Many users noted that while the game offers a variety of mechanics, it often feels grindy and disconnected, leading to a gameplay loop that can become tedious over time. Overall, while some find the game enjoyable and addictive, others feel it lacks depth and meaningful engagement, particularly in its later stages.
- “I absolutely love the numerous mechanics that go into this game.”
- “The game has a great number of cool mechanics, but the midgame progression gets incredibly confusing and the late-game progression is still being worked on.”
- “The mechanics work perfectly in tandem with each other, to the point that I struggle to find another game that gives such a strong feeling of cohesion between its systems.”
- “There is very little gameplay or mechanical innovation after 'use this unit to make other units'.”
- “The game has a lot of mechanics to play around with, some of which deserve a bit more, but the systems themselves are fundamentally great.”
- “This game is fun and fast-paced at first until you hit about 2 hours of gameplay; past that point, there is very little to no progress.”
graphics
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
39%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the unique and beautiful art style, which is often described as cute, charming, and retro. However, some users feel that the visuals are simplistic or lack depth compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, while the aesthetic is a highlight for many, there are criticisms regarding the game's reliance on pixel art and the absence of more sophisticated graphics.
- “The art style is beautiful and the game aspects are simple to follow along.”
- “Beautiful artwork; unique from other idlers in both format and style!”
- “I love the graphics and the style.”
- “Overall I recommend Underworld Idle to... yeah... people who like idle games... there are no fancy graphics like in idle RPG games, for example.”
- “Like most GameMaker Studio construction kit games, this features lazy 2D retro pixel art instead of professionally done, contemporary PC graphics.”
- “Regardless, the poor quality of the visuals, with retro 2D pixel art being used instead of proper contemporary graphics, shallow, repetitive, pointless gameplay, and locked resolution all make this not worth downloading.”
grinding
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring players to engage in repetitive tasks for minimal progress. While some players appreciate the depth and mechanics that come with grinding, many find it frustrating, especially with the presence of multiple currencies and significant paywalls that can hinder advancement without spending money. Overall, the game is deemed too grindy, making it a challenging experience for those who prefer more streamlined progression.
- “The gameplay loop for this particular game can be very tedious if certain concepts of the game are misunderstood, as the existence of factions severely impacts how long you get stuck in a rut.”
- “There are multiple currencies tied to waiting real-life hours or days, and you can pay money to get packs to skip this tedious step and progress the game marginally faster.”
- “The game is also very grindy, which combined with the active nature of progression makes it a huge time sink.”
monetization
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
44%
47%
The monetization model of the game has been widely criticized for being overly aggressive and resembling a cash grab, with numerous microtransactions that significantly impact gameplay enjoyment and progression. While some players appreciate that in-game purchases do not completely dictate advancement, many feel that the balance is skewed towards encouraging spending, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, the game's monetization strategy detracts from its potential, overshadowing its positive aspects like art style and mechanics.
- “Fortunately, in-game purchases will not determine how far you can go indefinitely.”
- “Over a hundred hours with no badgering for microtransactions or attempts at ad revenue and a reasonable pace for getting the in-game currency without paying, which already makes it better than 90% of games in the genre.”
- “There is a page for microtransactions, but I haven't felt that as obtrusive or necessary.”
- “Unfortunately, the developers are greedy, and that's why it has a million microtransactions that you would need to activate if you wanted it to be really enjoyable.”
- “An initially promising idle game ruined by glacially slow progress and essentially the whole mid-late game being balanced around stupidly expensive microtransactions.”
- “When you see all the microtransactions that can give you triple boosts to all productions, and the ability to spend $500 to boost them a further 32-40x (if not more), it makes me think the developer wants people to spend to avoid playing their game as intended and just get to the end of the content.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
70%
15%
The game's music aspect has received mixed feedback, with many users expressing disappointment over the complete absence of background music and sound effects. While some players appreciate the ability to play their own music, they feel that the addition of thematic soundtracks could enhance the overall experience. Overall, the lack of audio elements is seen as a significant drawback, detracting from the game's atmosphere and engagement.
- “Perhaps a bit of musical enhancement could add an extra layer of intrigue to the experience.”
- “I think possibly introducing a dialog within the factions as well as adding some thematic music would improve the overall atmosphere/feel of the game.”
- “Yes, the game could do with a few tweaks here and there, what with a tutorial or some background music, but the main game is totally solid.”
- “It's a bummer there's no music.”
- “Holy crap this game is bare bones boring crap, there's no music or sounds or anything, just some generic profile pictures and numbers going up... that's it.”
- “This is not a game to play if you primarily enjoy graphics (which are limited, but serviceable), music (absent) or story (which is essentially absent).”
humor
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating the funny character descriptions, hilarious flavor text, and quirky jokes that enhance the overall experience. While some found the humor to be hit-or-miss, many highlighted the combination of amusing commentary and charming pixel art as a standout feature. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay, making it enjoyable for those seeking a fun and casual experience.
- “The little character descriptions are funny and cute.”
- “Hilarious text and great graphics.”
- “Good progression, amazing pixel art, hilarious flavor text.”
story
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The story aspect of Underworld Idle is largely criticized for its absence, with many users noting that there is no narrative or audio to engage players. While some express that the lack of story does not detract from their enjoyment, others feel that a more developed narrative or descriptions for units would enhance the experience. Overall, the game is seen as lacking depth in storytelling compared to similar titles.
- “This is not a game to play if you primarily enjoy graphics (which are limited, but serviceable), music (absent) or story (which is essentially absent).”
- “Could use a little more description on some of the units (many are blank at the mid to higher tiers); a little story would be nice.”
- “It's finished, unlike Guild Quest and many more these days.”
- “Comparing to similar titles, Underworld Idle impresses with its addictive gameplay, but falls short in graphics and story depth.”
- “There is no audio or story in this game either; it's just mindlessly watching numbers go up.”
- “This is not a game to play if you primarily enjoy graphics (which are limited, but serviceable), music (absent), or story (which is essentially absent).”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
Character development in the game is highlighted by outstanding and cutesy designs for the demons, showcasing the artist's talent. However, some users feel that the overall character designs lack inspiration, suggesting a mixed reception regarding the depth and creativity of character development.
- “A fun idle game, with the character design for the demons being absolutely outstanding!”
- “Love the character designs for every one of the demons.”
- “The artist they chose for this project is clearly more adept at drawing 'cutesy' things, and the character designs are very uninspired.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game presents an intriguing concept; however, it suffers from significant bugs and pacing issues that affect overall stability.
- “Interesting idea, but currently pretty buggy with pacing issues.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy the experience.”
- “I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted gameplay and immersion.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
33%
Reviewers suggest that enhancing the game's atmosphere could be achieved by incorporating dialogue among factions and adding thematic music, which would contribute to a more immersive experience.
- “The atmospheric design of the game truly immerses you in its world, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
- “The combination of stunning visuals and haunting soundscapes creates an unforgettable atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its rich lore and detailed environments, making exploration a captivating experience.”
- “I think possibly introducing dialogue within the factions, as well as adding some thematic music, would improve the overall atmosphere and feel of the game.”