Image & Form Games has announced the first direct sequel in its highly-acclaimed SteamWorld series, SteamWorld Dig 2, which will release first on the Nintendo Switch.
Unlike previous entries in the series, each of which has fallen into a different genre, SteamWorld Dig 2 will revisit the core gameplay of its predecessor as a platformer-based action-adventure game. A key difference, however, is that the first Dig‘s levels utilised a procedural generation system, whereas in Dig 2 every level has been hand-built. This new approach ensures that the Metroidvania trappings of the game are utilised more effectively than before.
SteamWorld Dig 2 sees Rusty, the player character from the first Dig, step away from the limelight. In his place Dorothy, a shopkeeper from the original game, takes the role as protagonist—accompanied by an as-yet-unconfirmed companion character. The change is less dramatic than it may seem, as Dorothy retains many of the same abilities as Rusty. Additionally, she can gain even more skills as the game progresses.
The game also will adopt a new setting, moving away from Tumbleton to the new town of El Machino, though how this will affect the story and gameplay has not yet been announced.
The SteamWorld series began in 2010, and Dig 2 will be its fourth release. OnlySP’s Gareth Newnham reviewed the previous game, SteamWorld Heist, scoring it 8/10 and saying, “[w]ith a deep and nuanced combat system and a sliding difficulty scale to satisfy pretty much everyone, it’s another fine entry into the SteamWorld series.”
Although SteamWorld Dig 2 is currently being billed as Switch exclusive, previous games in the series have enjoyed staggered releases across multiple platforms. A similar launch schedule should be expected from this latest entry, with other platforms receiving it at a later date.
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