Orebound is (at present) an Early Access adventure-survival-factory-builder that places you in the role of a dwarf tasked with unearthing the legendary Emberstone.  Carve your way through mountainsides, set up elaborate mining networks, and unearth precious metals and gems to send back to your kingdom. But is this pickaxe-wielding adventure a shimmering diamond or a lump of coal?

A Royal Quarry

As a dwarf on a royal mission, you’ll carve your path through the infinitely-generated mountains, unearthing a treasure trove of minerals and gems (of which there are plenty!).  These resources fuel your crafting endeavours, yielding tools and runes that empower you to delve deeper.

While the story is a straightforward hunt for the Emberstone, its steady pace keeps you engaged as you explore the subterranean world.  Don’t expect a sprawling epic, but the gameplay keeps you busy and the narrative provides a compelling reason to keep swinging your pickaxe.

There are several enemy types to encounter as well as numerous problems to solve along the way. The map is procedurally generated, meaning that no two playthroughs will be the same.

There are two key areas of focus in Orebound – construction and resource mining. One feeds into the other and vice versa, creating a satisfying loop of mining and building.

Forging Your Fortune: Mechanics

Orebound takes place in a voxel-based world, a world built from charmingly chunky cubes that lend the game a delightful retro aesthetic. The open-world environment grants you the freedom to explore the plentiful mountains at your own pace.

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As I have already touched upon, the core gameplay loop revolves around mining, crafting, automation, and the occasional tussle with subterranean nasties (which are all, by the way, utterly adorable).  As you accumulate resources, you’ll craft better equipment and ingenious contraptions to streamline your mining operation which in turn will allow you to mine more efficiently.

This automation aspect adds a layer of strategic planning, as you design intricate networks to maximise your mineral extraction.

A Beautiful, Plentiful World with Lots to See and Hear

Orebound‘s voxel-based visuals, while not cutting-edge, boast a certain undeniable charm.  The visual appeal leans towards a delightful retro aesthetic, with modest system requirements that make it playable on a wide range of computers.

The soundscape is also decent, albeit limited. For example, jumping will always produce the same grunt from your character, and although this is a small detail, it would be nice to have some variety around such things. With Orebound being in Early Access, there is indeed potential for this to change.

The sound in a general sense is also functional, offering a decent variety of sound effects and atmospheric music whilst you carve our your own path (no pun intended).  While the audio doesn’t leave a lasting impression, it competently complements the mining ambiance.

A Lonely Descent

Currently, Orebound is a single-player experience only.  While this doesn’t necessarily detract from the core gameplay, the potential for cooperative mining expeditions or competitive races to the Emberstone adds a tantalising “what if” to the mix.  There are other NPCs (non-playable characters) throughout Orebound who are on your side, as such, and who you can interact with for certain things. Based on this, it seems that putting a human being in control of additional in-game characters could work nicely as each person could be in charge of a certain aspect of the project at hand.

The developers have mentioned plans for future multiplayer implementation, so keep your beardy chins wagging for updates!

Back for More Gems?

While the core campaign can be completed in a handful of hours, Orebound offers a decent amount of replayability, mostly because there’s a certain allure to uncovering the game’s hidden secrets and scooping up every last gem.  The Early Access status also bodes well for future content additions, potentially offering new challenges and experiences down the line.

Conclusion

Orebound emerges as a competent game with a distinctive retro charm.  It’s easy to grasp and offers a satisfying blend of mining, crafting, and automation mechanics.  However, the experience itself isn’t particularly deep or challenging, and the audio isn’t bad by any means, but it fails to leave a significant mark.

Orebound doesn’t feel like a chore to play and the tasks are fun and challenging in a good way.  If you’re looking for a quick and engaging delve into the world of mining, then Orebound might be the perfect pickaxe for you.  However, if your thirst for adventure craves a more complex and challenging experience, you might need to continue your explorations elsewhere.

Pros and Cons

Grade: 7/10