If you like games like Terraria and Starbound but are looking for something new, Dig or Die is definitely worth your time. At $12 USD, it provides an incredibly challenging and new twist on the genre. But be advised: they aren’t kidding about the dying part. You’re going to do that… a lot.

The game… is basically Terraria. Unfortunately, the game doesn’t have the massive variety and polish of Terraria’s crafting system, doesn’t have the interesting biomes of Terraria, doesn’t have the crazy enemies of Terraria, and it doesn’t make allusions to Lovecraftian horror.

Dig or Die is more than just a clone of the titles that inspired it. It adds challenging gameplay in the form of aggressive and fearsome monsters, as well as a building system that requires some thought. In addition to this, the unique art style and audio that sets the scene perfectly lets the game stand out from others.

Dig or Die isn’t going to revolutionize the genre, and I don’t think it’ll turn into an indie darling the way games like Terraria have. That being said, it’s a fun game that’s worth sinking a few lazy nights into. The largely procedurally generated nature of the (surprisingly big) playable map keeps things fresh for multiple playthroughs after death, which is good, because you’ll quickly find Dig or Die living up to the second half of its name.

Dig or Die attempts to make up for its shortcomings with a simple-yet-engaging experience, where remaining active, steadily building, and fighting back, is a must.