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Hammerting, a colony management sim with RPG elements, throws players into the depths of a mountain to establish a thriving dwarven colony. While the building genre has its dedicated fanbase, it’s a challenging one to crack. Games like Oxygen Not Included, Frostpunk, and Honey, I Joined a Cult have found success, but others have faltered. Does Hammerting bring enough to the table to stand out, or will it be buried under the weight of its predecessors?

Hammerting Dwarves mining

A Blend of Genres

Hammerting incorporates core building game mechanics. From quarrying stone to constructing elaborate workshops, the building process is structured and challenging. However, it goes beyond simple construction. Like a tree needs leaves and flowers, Hammerting borrows elements from other genres to create its unique identity.

Hammerting Underground Base

Unlike traditional top-down building games, Hammerting opts for a side-on view, focusing on a smaller-scale society with limited workers. Taking cues from management sims like Oxygen Not Included, you begin with three dwarves whose individual needs and skills must be carefully managed. Each dwarf has a unique personality, abilities, and specializations. Their development depends entirely on your management.

Dwarves progress through six tiers, with lower tiers unlocking new abilities for higher ones. While crafting a super-dwarf proficient in all skills is tempting, ensuring their survival is paramount.

Hammerting Dwarf Skill Tree

But how do dwarves die in a building game? While workplace accidents are a concern, the real threat lies in the monsters lurking below. Hammerting blends building with combat. As you expand your subterranean domain, you’ll encounter hostile creatures. With light RPG elements, you lead your dwarven warriors into battle, clearing the way for further expansion.

Hammerting Dwarves Fighting

A Dwarven Tale

The fusion of RPG and building genres stems from Hammerting’s protagonists: dwarves. The game’s narrative revolves around the war between the League of Methis (dwarves) and the Dread Horde. Forced from their homeland, the dwarves seek refuge in an ancient mountain, mirroring the journey in The Hobbit. Players guide this group, establishing a new home and supplying the war effort on the surface.

Hammerting World Map

Survival underground presents its own challenges. Managing food is surprisingly complex. Forget automated farms; most food comes from seeds requiring manual planting and care. These seeds are also crafting materials, creating a delicate balance between sustenance and production. Water management is another layer of complexity, with various liquids requiring deep excavation, increasing the risk of encountering dangers.

Hammerting Farming and Food

Crafting is a unique aspect. The game’s motto could be “Anyone can forge a sword, but only a dwarf can haggle with a dragon to forge a +2 sword.” Supplying the war effort is crucial. A world map facilitates trade, with different regions offering varying resources and demands. Trading unlocks quests and supply requests, ranging from processed stone to heavy weaponry. Failing to meet these requests can lead to lost allies and new enemies.

Lack of Challenge?

Despite its intricate mechanics, Hammerting isn’t overly difficult. The interconnected features function like a well-oiled machine, requiring players to simply guide them from A to B. Even changing the order rarely alters the outcome. For instance, digging deep yields orichalcum and diamonds, but their “rarity” feels no different from iron ore. Everything ultimately ends up in the forge, with minimal impact on the dwarves’ lives.

Hammerting Initial Game Screen

While dwarves can “die,” they are easily revived with no penalties, rendering combat more of a formality than a strategic necessity. Perhaps the most disappointing aspect is the game world. Despite the narrative of a grand war, your allies are largely ineffective, mostly requesting walls for protection. Victory seems achievable regardless of supply contracts or trade wars, diminishing the impact of these promising features.

Hammerting Negative Review Point

Conclusion

Hammerting presents a unique blend of genres with a compelling dwarven backdrop. However, its lack of challenge and underwhelming world may leave players wanting more. While the core mechanics are well-executed, the overall experience feels somewhat predictable and lacks the depth one might expect.