Dwarf Delve Digs Deep Developer D'trailer

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Earth is a ball with a radius of about 3655 miles, a bit more at the equator and less at the poles. The deepest hole ever drilled goes down a mere 7.6 miles, which sounds impressive until you realize that's a bit less than a mile deeper than the Marianas Trench. The deeper under the earth you go the hotter it gets, and it doesn't take more than a mile or so before the heat is lethal. Even with that limitation, though, there's a lot of underground to play with, and while it's mostly dirt and rock there are always going to be pleasant surprises waiting for an industrious dwarf to harvest. The ancient mines lead to hidden caverns and loot, and even the greatest dangers in a fragile cave are a risk worth taking for any dwarf worth their beard.

The underground world of Dwarf Delve isn't safe by any definition of the word but dwarves are professional miners so they’ve got the tools to deal with it. The game is a first-person adventure through a procedurally underground system of caverns, with more than a little influence from Minecraft in its blocky setup. Wielding a trusty battle mallet, the dwarf beats on blocks to free up the gems and minerals within while hopefully not causing a cave-in or setting off long-dormant traps. Early runs into the mines are for gathering the needed resources to build the necessary items for longer runs, such as beams and foundations to shore up the terrain, plus better tools and storage for the longer expeditions. Eventually rails and mine carts will show up to handle all the loot, which can be spent or forged back at home base. The underground stretches on forever and is filled with riches, but there's really no point in harvesting it all without a custom-designed home to enjoy the wealth in.

Mining games have had a rich history, from Miner! on the Commodore PET (play it here in browser) to the Xbox Indie Games mini-classic Miner Dig Deep, Steamworld Dig and its sequel, and of course the king of the genre Minecraft. There's something satisfying about heading into the earth and breaking every block available to see what it either holds or covers up, but like every mining game, surviving to carry back the haul is always going to be a challenge. The developer-commentary reveal trailer shows off Dwarf Delve in overview, and while there's no Early Access release date yet it should be along soonish. It's a big world on the surface but every dwarf knows that underground is where all the good stuff is hiding.