Ground
Divers!

Ground Divers! (2022) is a traversal game where you guide a sleepy robot as he mines through the crust of a distant alien world in search of its hidden secrets. You must ensure you don't run out of energy, otherwise you fall asleep and have to start over. While it certainly offers a challenge, it's the quirky humour, characters and infusion of anime and Japanese culture that truly make it stand out.

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You guide Tsuruhashi, a clumsy robot with a tendency to fall asleep through the vast expanse of rock and gemstone hiding beneath the surface of the planet, to uncover the secret of the mysterious rare matter lurking deep below. You explore by carefully placing pins to move, ensuring you don't run out of energy too quickly.

As you tunnel your way down you have to take on enemies, powerful bosses, and tough stretches of unrelenting rock. Manage to get your treasure back to the surface and you can customise your house, and unlock upgrades to help you progress further on your next run: dig faster, require less frequent recharges, or perform stronger attacks against enemies.

It's a unique game that offers a novel way to attempt to improve with each run. This is combined with the fun strategic play, engaging story, likeable characters and a novel art style.

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Our examiner, Ben Kendall, first checked Ground Divers! 22 months ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 14 months ago.