The announcement of SteamWorld Build, a city builder and tower defence combination, came as a pleasant surprise to fans of the long-running steampunk brand. SteamWorld Build, like previous releases, takes the famous indie game brand into an entirely new genre while leaning into its distinctive cowboys-but-robots steampunk style.
Since its debut on the Nintendo DSi in 2010, the SteamWorld brand has ventured into a variety of genres. With Steamworld Dig, a Metroidvania with smart puzzles and platforming, the series fully came into its own. SteamWorld Heist, on the other hand, was a turn-based tactics game that emphasised precision targeting and angling shots, similar to sidescrolling billiards with firearms. SteamWorld Quest: Hand of Gilgamech, released recently, was a more classic party-based RPG featuring deck-building features. SteamWorld Headhunter, an unreleased third-person co-op adventure, was unveiled in 2021, thus it’s strange to see a different SteamWorld title taking centre stage today.
