Dome Keeper review - "Peak representative for pixel mobile games"

Dome Keeper on mobile is deceptively chill, but it absolutely refuses to let you relax. One moment you’re peacefully carving tunnels for resources, and the next you’re sprinting back to your dome because something is screeching its way toward your base.

It’s minimalist, it’s compelling, and it’s one of those games that feels tailor-made for roguelike enthusiasts and players who want to enjoy a quick gaming session - even though you’ll probably end up playing MUCH longer.

Not the best first impressions (but that quickly changed)

The very first thing I noticed when I started playing was the controls. It won't hold your hand or give you a never-ending tutorial, so you're left on an island (or rather, a remote planet?) to figure everything out by yourself. 

I can say for certain that the controls are not that intuitive, so it might take you a run or two to figure out how to smite the enemies destroying your dome, and what all the resources can be used for. Once you get a hold of that, everything becomes much easier and makes so much more sense. It takes a while to get used to (especially if your first time playing Dome Keeper is on mobile).

The goal is straightforward

Your goal during the gameplay is to dig and collect resources so you can make upgrades and eventually keep your dome safe in the face of all the enemy waves. You will have to go into the dome whenever a new wave spawns, so you can fire your laser and clear the wave.

Of course, you have limited resources you can pick up, and you have to put them to good use. You can upgrade your entire base (including your character) by spending the resources you collect by digging. Of course, the more you play, the further away from the dome you go. Therefore, upgrading your character's speed is also a feature you need to consider because you don't want to take too long.

One small detail I noticed that makes Dome Keeper so detailed and fun is the fact that the more items you carry, the slower your character moves. The physics implementation is just so good!

Lots of replay potential

With each run, you can unlock new domes and characters, and of course, that means new modes to play are unlocked. You have a lot of replay potential in that sense, since you can try out different builds (where you follow different upgrade paths). 

It might seem like a chill experience, which it is, but whenever you're under attack, your blood gets pumping - especially if you're at the beginning of a round where you have no upgrades.

That made me want to try out so many different builds!

Dome Keeper has some of the best graphics and sounds I've experienced in a long time

Starting with the visuals, I have to admit that Dome Keeper has amazing retro/pixel graphics, which are extremely detailed. They are simple, yet immersive - you can experience it as if you were there in the dome with your little character.

Even in the starting menu (which might overwhelm you at first), you will notice how smooth everything is, and just how much fun it promises the whole thing will be. Of course, you can tell a lot about a game by its main menu, and it speaks volumes in this case.

On to the music, I strongly recommend playing with sound on. Bonus points if you grab headphones for that immersive experience. 

The fun factor is there in every aspect

I have to admit - I couldn't help but compare it to Survivor.io. Instead of fighting enemies, you fight waves, and you protect your dome against them. In between the waves, you have time to explore underneath for resources to upgrade your dome, drill, engineer, shield, and laser. 

Discovering huge ore deposits can make you go "Wow!" (irl), and I haven't experienced that in a while. Even discovering how everything works will make you want to keep playing; if that's not the definition of a well-thought-out concept, I don't know what is.