I have really been on a Roguelike kick lately. I played a lot of Hades over the holidays, and I’m still trying to make my way through the endgame of it. I’ve also been playing other Roguelikes and just trying to see what the best games in the genre are right now. UnderMine actually brings me back to the days of early Roguelikes like The Binding of Isaac but with some quality of life improvements in terms of progression.

In UnderMine, you play a Peasant that is delving into the titular underground mine to uncover its secrets. Along the way, you will find people who have been lost in the mine, who will return to the surface and help you on subsequent runs. Some of them will offer you upgrades you can buy for gold, while others may help you purchase or craft things to make subsequent runs better.

The controls are simple in theory but take some time to master. You can jump, swing a pickaxe, throw your pickaxe, and drop bombs among other things. Learning how to interact with the environment, solve puzzles, discover treasure, and defeat the myriad of enemies in the UnderMine is important. Every run is a learning experience.

As you progress further, other mechanics make themselves apparent, which is a testament to UnderMine’s period in Early Access on PC. There are things such as curses, blessings, and all sorts of unique bosses that you discover over time. You also find blueprints for items that you can craft. Once you’ve crafted them, they will appear in future runs.

Overall, this sense of progression is something that permeates UnderMine. Every run lets you come back up top and buy upgrades, new items, and ultimately prepare for your next journey down. You lose a portion of your money when you die, akin to Rogue Legacy, but even this can be upgraded over time.

After playing other Roguelikes with shall we say… minimalist progression systems, UnderMine is a breath of fresh air. Runs take more time as you progress, but there is even a bit of a “fast travel” you can unlock later on to reach lower floors faster. UnderMine really evokes comparisons to The Binding of Isaac in its Relics (items) which can synergize with other items to make really powerful runs.

With the right mix of Relics, you could easily far surpass your previous record in terms of how deep you get into UnderMine, even with few permanent upgrades under your belt. However, you’ll need to fight each boss a few times (most likely) in order to learn the best methods to succeed.

Honestly, I could easily see myself dumping hundreds of hours into UnderMine, much in the same way that I’ve done with Hades. They are two very different experiences, but UnderMine is enjoyable on a more laid-back, chill basis. Hades is a great game for its storyline and customizable playstyles, while UnderMine is great for relaxed, deep progression and versatility in runs.

The visuals are fun, the characters are fun, the storyline is somewhat lacking, but I don’t really think that storyline is the point of the game really. Is this my favorite Roguelike ever? No, but it is one of the better ones I’ve played in recent years. It is easily in my Top 5.

If you have a friend that likes Roguelikes, or you like them yourself, this is a great one to buy as a gift or just to try. If you know someone that wants to get into Roguelikes at a slow pace, this is also an easy game to understand. I wish it had something like Hades’ God Mode, but I’ve found myself saying that about a lot of Roguelikes lately.

UnderMine is a palatable, accessible Roguelike for beginners or veterans. The dev team has put a lot of heart and soul into it and it shows. Whether you take UnderMine on the go or play at home on your TV, I can see kids, adults, and everyone in between enjoying UnderMine.

A Nintendo Switch review copy of UnderMine was provided by Thorium Entertainment for this review.

Phenixx Gaming is everywhere you are. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram.

Also, if you’d like to join the Phenixx Gaming team, check out our recruitment article for details on working with us.

Phenixx Gaming is proud to be a Humble Partner! Purchases made through our affiliate links support our writers and charity!

UnderMine

$19.99 USD

9.5

Score

9.5/10

Pros

• Leisurely Paced Progression
• Tons of Content
• Easy to Understand Controls
• Fun Synergies and Gameplay Elements
• Unique Visual Aesthetic

Cons

• Storyline is a Little Sparse