Steamworld Dig 2

There are no signs of rust in this spacious sequel.

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Brjann Sigurgeirsson has learned his lesson. The Image & Form CEO, slightly bleary-eyed upon his return from GDC, is playing his cards close to his chest after giving away a little too much a little too soon for his studio’s previous release, Steamworld Heist. Though the finished game – a refined, inventive side-scrolling strategy title with realtime aiming – was really rather good, Sigurgeirsson had discussed concepts during its early development that hadn’t come to fruition. One critic was moved to chastise the developer at the beginning of his (otherwise positive) review, Sigurgeirsson recalls. “But he was right: it is a problem when developers talk too much about their games,” he tells us. “You market it so hard that there’s nothing exciting at the end. It’s like watching close-up porn – there’s nothing more to reveal. You should always leave something to the imagination.”

With a prime slot opening Nintendo’s most recent indie-focused Direct, it’s clear SteamWorld Dig 2 isn’t just a big deal for Image & Form; it matters to the platform holder, too. Like Dig and