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Deep Rock Galactic: No Dwarf Left Behind!

Deep Rock Galactic is a co-op-centric sci-fi FPS that just came out into early access. DRG features a group of awesome dwarves in a 100% full-destructible and procedurally-generated world.

Here are the key features:

  • 4-player co-op
  • 4 unique classes with their own weapons and abilities
  • Fully-destructible environemnts
  • Procedurally-generated caves and missions so no two missions are alike
  • Upgrades to gear & appearance earned from in-game mining and rewards

Before I jump into a quick explanation of how the game works, and a cool story from this evening's session, you can watch the video below to get a feel for what a mission is like. This is Graev and I playing online tonight.

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Here's a quick rundown of the game.

Gameplay Overview

You're a dwarf in a mining organization called Deep Rock Galactic. You're on an incredibly hostile planet called Hoxxes IV, and if you're going to survive your missions you're going to need to stick together!

Gameplay launches from a hub area that acts as a home base of operations. This is where you choose your class, upgrade them, deck the out with vanity items, and meet up with other players prior to setting out on a mission.

Once you pick a mission and get everyone into the game you jump into the drill and head deeper into the planet's cave core.

Once you disembark your drill you have a set of objectives to complete. Most of the missions we've done so far have been to gather specific resources (via mining) and bring them back to base.

You're not alone down there, though. The planet is home to some nasty bugs and they're going to swarm you hordes at a time. To survive you'll need to play smart, stick together, and squash from friggin bugs.

Gameplay is pretty simple. You get a main weapon, secondary, and other gear depending on your class. The Gunner, for example, gets a chaingun, pistol, zipline, and c4-like charge. Everyone gets a pickaxe (right click) to mine with, and the team is outfitted with a mule robot for you to deposit your ores, minerals, and other goodies.

Once you get everything you need for the objectives, it's time to call in an escape pod and gtfo of there.

The escapes have always felt down-to-the-wire and hectic. Those last minutes are always a mad dash to the drill to get away from what feels like a massive swarm of bugs on your heels. The video above shows that well.

No Dwarf Left Behind!

One of the coolest moments I've had in the game happened in our last game tonight. We had just finished getting the last Morkite and began the evacuation sequence. 5 minutes until the drill left with or without us!

We got split up. A few of us fell into a hole and were working out way back up by using engineer platforms and my ziplines. One of the team was already in the clear while Graev and I were ascending this deep hole.

As we reached the top, suddenly we hear a shout from below, "Hey don't leave me I'm still down here!"

One of our team had fallen and been knocked out! He needed our help!

3 minutes remaining until the drill leaves...

"GO NOW! I'll get him," I shouted to Graev.

I flung myself down the ziplines one by one and hurled myself down the platforms until I reached him.

2 minutes remaining until the drill leaves...

"You're not going to make it! The drill is preparing to leave and there are bugs everywhere," Graev was shouting!

"We're not leaving a single dwarf behind," I said in rebuke.

As I flung myself once again up the ziplines to the top of the hole, my injured teammate and I sprinted like mad through caverns and holes we had previously dug to get at the precious ores.

1 minute remaining...

Bugs sprang up from holes all around us. Bullets were wizzing left and right as we tried to defend ourselves. I would run ahead a few yards, turn, and lay down cover fire, then we would leap from and switch in order to make up ground.

As we rounded the corner with less than 30 seconds to go, we saw a sight for sore eyes!

Graev and our other teammate (both engineers) had set up an array of turrets and were spraying down the bug horde. 

WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT! I was shouting at this point.

We lept into the air hurling our stout little dwarven bodies into the drill as the door shut and we all made it to safely.

Massive cheers and screaming ensued.

No Dwarf Left Behind

No Dwarf Left Behind. Ever.

As we arrived back at home base, all we could say to each other was, "No dwarf left behind. Ever." 

What a FREAKING AWESOME gameplay memory that mission turned into! That one 18 minute mission has made me a devout fan of Deep Rock Galactic.

Though an early access title, I can't say enough good things about how much fun I've had spelunking with Graev and total strangers. I can't wait to go on another mission tomorrow.

  • I was looking at this also.

    It seems cool enough that I may need to invest time into developing some non-bar-related friends to play with.