At the very end of Terraria, after you’ve done just about everything else there is to do and beaten every boss, you get the Drill Containment Unit. This flying mining tool allows you to blast through the world in mere seconds, obliterating everything in your wake; it’s the ultimate reward for a lifetime of hard work. But as anyone who’s played Deep Rock Galactic can tell you, the modern videogame dwarf spares no expense when it comes to digging, and so it is in new indie game Bore Blasters, a delightful cacophony of crust-carving, out now on Steam.
The premise of Bore Blasters is simple but effective. Sitting in a dwarven gyrocopter (something especially pleasing to Dota 2 fans such as myself), you’re equipped with a powerful machine gun capable of crunching your way through the proverbial rock and stone at a rapid tick. As well as drawing from some of the best indie games as noted above, there’s also a splash of the roguelike in here with run-based action that sees you heading out across a wide range of different biomes with procedurally generated layouts.
As you dig out the valuable rocks you’ll have to contend with hostile enemies in the caverns, along with natural hazards such as explosive veins and vines that grow back as you cut them away. Find those valuable resources, snag temporary mid-run upgrades, and unlock new playable characters with their own abilities as you go. Then, head back to base and invest in permanent upgrades including all-new weapons and tools for your gyrocopter to take your next run even further.
Developer 8BitSkull says it has designed Bore Blasters to be the perfect bite-sized game with minimal punishment. Runs can be just a few minutes, or last up to 10-15 minutes for more deep-dive outings. If you still need to jump out of a run early, however, you can do so while holding onto everything you’ve gathered so far. The whole loop is somewhat reminiscent of the also-wonderful Dome Keeper, and I’m very much here for it.
Bore Blasters is out now on Steam. Its simple but satisfying premise makes it a fantastic game to play during those little breaks you’re never quite sure what to do with, or while you’re waiting for your friends to get online. It’s also 10% off in a Steam sale until Friday, March 22, so expect to pay $8.99/£7.19 down from $9.99/£7.99 if you buy it now.
Can’t get enough of that ‘one more run’ feeling? We’ve picked out the best roguelike games to give you just that feeling. Or find plenty more to pass the time with the best free Steam games to play in 2024.
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