Developer: BitBorne Studio
Publisher: BitBorne Studio
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Goblin Company – Review
It’s no secret that multiplayer-focused games have been booming, especially when it comes to the party games genre. We have seen so many titles similar to R.E.P.O. that are currently being promoted on social media, roping players into buying these games. While many of them have a lot of charm, we personally experience burnout from this trend, as a lot of these party games tend to be fun for a session or two, never to be touched again afterwards. This brings us to the subject of today’s review, Goblin Company, which initially gave us similar vibes when we looked at very early footage. Luckily, we were proven wrong, and we were fortunate enough to enjoy this fantasy-inspired mining simulator that we could play with up to three friends.
Story
There’s not really anything worth mentioning here in terms of story. You’re an expendable goblin for a mining company who has to put its life on the line to mine precious materials. You’ll get a few bits and pieces of information about your next objective, but that’s pretty much it. We didn’t mind the absence of a storyline here, but we wouldn’t have minded a fleshed-out narrative either.
Graphics
Graphically, Goblin Company looks good, even though the developers opted for ‘sillier’ graphics rather than more realistic visuals. The goblins look like they could come straight out of another fantasy title, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. There are a lot of costume options for the green disposable workers, but these actually failed to impress us. A lot of these are just simple recolors of the same item over and over again, with only the different hats feeling a bit more original and fun. The environments look nicely done within the boundaries of a dark underworld setting. While most parts of the underground looked rather monotone, there were quite a few bigger rooms that looked very impressive before we started tearing them up.
Sound
The sound design isn’t too bad here, but it’s a bit limited. You’ll have decent SFX that go hand in hand with the onscreen actions, and a few grunts and screams coming from your disposable goblin. The soundtrack is extremely catchy, but the music tends to loop quickly. If there were a few more tracks, things would have been a bit more interesting, but even so, we really enjoyed the music.
Gameplay
Goblin Company is all about mining for a, well, goblin company. You’ll play as an insignificant goblin who starts digging for the company to reach new stations, find relics, and eventually unlock upgraded tools, allowing you to reach even more locations. It’s a very straightforward experience that holds very few surprises, but it’s simply old-fashioned fun. You can play the game solo or with up to three other players. We preferred playing the game with someone else, as it’s easier to get bailed out when you meet your untimely demise, or it’s sometimes simply a lot more convenient working on the same objective together.
The game drops you into the experience with very little explanation. You can try out different features in the lobby, but other than that, you are on your own. You’ll get some objectives and their locations, for you to then dig your way to said locations. You’ll have to overcome hurdles like rocks you can’t break yet, mining resources, working your way around lava, and so on. Many of these initial problems eventually disappear as you unlock better mining equipment and other power-ups. You’ll eventually create a massive network of rails and mine carts, allowing you to navigate the map more quickly. It’s a bit of a rinse and repeat cycle, but an amusing one at that. The gameplay becomes enjoyable, even though there are clearly still some rough edges to be found.
Whilst we encountered a lot of minor bugs that often resulted in silly situations, we do have to mention that the ‘driving’ controls in this game are among the worst we have ever encountered. More often than not, we were facing the right direction in our cart or locomotive, only to go backwards when pressing forward and vice versa. Even in the middle of rides, this would happen frequently. It grew increasingly frustrating during our play sessions. That being said, we still loved speeding across the tracks, and we wouldn’t mind seeing a VR update somewhere in the future.
Conclusion
Goblin Company is a blast to play with friends, and while there are still some rough edges present, most of them are only minor blemishes on an otherwise entertaining experience. We loved digging through the different areas of the game, and we eventually figured things out on our own because the game never makes things overly complex. To top off an amusing gameplay loop, you’ll be treated to decent visuals and a catchy soundtrack. If you’re looking for a fun multiplayer activity, or you just like digging holes on your own, then we can easily recommend checking out Goblin Company.
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