Based on the popular Space Western franchise, SteamWorld Build sees several steambots establishing a town in a barren desert, seeking a means away from their troubled world. By exploiting the nearby mine, they discover long-lost ancient tech to help in their endeavor. Of course, one must first build up the town, attracting miners, engineers and other residents while catering to their needs.

On top of this, SteamWorld Build’s mining sections feature Dungeon Keeper-like mechanics, where you must construct defenses and traps against enemies. Head here for our review.

The new Jingle Bolts update is live, bringing some holiday cheer to the city-builder, but more updates that promise “more variety and fun” are coming in 2024. The Station and Thunderful will share more details next year, so stay tuned.

Some new options include adjusting the scaling for standard tooltips, the construction tooltip’s scaling, position and transparency, and even the scaling of the information windows on the bottom left. You can also turn off screen shakes and hold down the buttons for adding/removing resources in the trade window instead of pressing/clicking them repeatedly.

The UI bar in the miners section will also provide feedback when you can’t recruit specific types because the global cap has been reached. The camera will also focus on the main mineshaft when entering a mine floor for the first time in Sandbox Mode. Check out the full patch notes below. You can also read our review for SteamWorld Build here.

HOT FIX UPDATES:

• Added accessibility option for changing the scale of standard tooltips.
• Added accessibility option for changing the scale of the construction tooltip that appears when constructing buildings, roads, rooms, etc.
• Added accessibility option for offsetting the position of the construction tooltip that appears when constructing buildings, roads, rooms, etc.
• Added accessibility option for changing the transparency of the construction tooltip that appears when constructing buildings, roads, rooms, etc.
• Added accessibility option for changing the scale of the bottom left information windows.
• Added accessibility option for changing the scale of the tooltips that appear when hovering the panels in the top-screen UI bar.
• Added accessibility option for disabling screen shakes.
• Holding down the buttons to add/remove resources in the trade window will add/remove resources at a faster rate the longer the buttons are held down to avoid having to spam click.
• The right hand side scroll-list of resources to buy in the trade window will now also show red/green arrows to indicate the production status just like the left-hand side.
• Added feedback to the miners section in the top-screen UI bar by making the background red if not all supported miners of a specific miner type can be recruited because the max miner global cap has already been reached.
• When playing in sandbox mode the camera will be focused on the main mineshaft the first time you enter each mine floor instead of the secondary leading down.
• Removed Playfab and updated EULA.

The update transforms the game’s western wilderness setting into a snowy winter wonderland. Citizens of your city can be found wearing Christmas hats and snowman heads, and the update brings with it new Holiday-themed items to build, like candy cane fences, snowmen, a gift sleigh, and of course, a Christmas tree.

The studio has announced that Jingle Bolts is only the first free seasonal update for SteamWorld Build, and that more such updates are planned for the game for release in 2024.

SteamWorld Build was released on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch earlier this month. The game puts players in charge of a mining town that has to be built up with infrastructure, while at the same time also managing a mining operation to find new resources.

For more details about SteamWorld Build, check out our review.

Along with a 10 percent launch discount, SteamWorld Build is also available through Xbox Game Pass. Players that own every other game in the SteamWorld franchise also get an additional discount, having to pay $28.79 for SteamWorld Build along with its soundtrack.

SteamWorld Build puts players in charge of a mining town that has to be built up. Along with building out the town with new infrastructure for steambot citizens, players will also have to keep them fed, as well as provide entertainment. There is a second layer to the game as well, and players will have to venture into the abandoned mine to start building out their industry.

Players can use resources they find above ground to research technologies and build up their mine underground, allowing them to go deeper to get their hands on more valuable minerals.

For more details on SteamWorld Build, check out our review.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

After many open world games that were released in 2023, we have another game that looks to end the year on a high note with Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora. Developed by Massive of The Division fame, it sees players traversing the new Western Frontier and meeting the different tribes. Of course, the RDA remains a threat, and thus, the player must fight back.

As a first-person game, players can use firearms and bows to take out enemies. There are other things to immerse players in the experience, from free-running through environments and checking landmarks to finding specific objectives to a mini-game for plucking fruit. Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora launches on December 7th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC, and should be a strong end to a year of blockbusters.

Batman: Arkham Trilogy (Switch)

One of the most acclaimed superhero games of all time and one of the best video game trilogies is finally coming to Nintendo Switch in Batman: Arkham Trilogy. It’s out on December 1st and includes Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City and Batman: Arkham Knight with all their skins, Challenge Packs and story DLC. Altogether, it requires 53 GB of space on the Nintendo Switch, with the physical version requiring a download of the second and third games. How performance pans out remains to be seen, but Batman: Arkham Trilogy warrants a look for newcomers on the Switch.

SteamWorld Build

Image and Forms’ SteamWorld series returns with SteamWorld Build, which launches on December 1st for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. Unlike previous entries, this is a city-builder with elements of Dungeon Keeper thrown in. As part of a group of robot settlers, you build up a town, aiming to excavate Old Tech from the mine to find a way off the dying world.

It’s your job to hire Workers, expand the town, rebuild the train station and mine, bring in Engineers, manage resources and expenses, and much more on the surface. Meanwhile, you mine different resources below, fight off dangerous creatures (including giant worms with an appetite for robots) and explore relatively unknown paths while delving deeper.

The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria (PS5)

Despite its flaws, The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria is an interesting take on Tolkien’s world and launches on December 5th for PS5. Set in the Fourth Age, players create their custom Dwarf and venture to Moria to reclaim it. One doesn’t simply walk in, even with the word “friend”, so you must navigate its once-grand halls, desolate caves and abandoned quarters filled with Orcs, Goblins and other nasties.

As a survival sandbox adventure, gathering materials and crafting new weapons and armor is necessary, especially when encountering powerful bosses like the Watcher in the Water. There’s plenty of mining, though staving off the darkness, eating and establishing bases throughout is also important.

Baldur’s Gate 3 (Xbox Series X/S)

Probably the biggest release of the month already available on other platforms, Baldur’s Gate 3 is a headliner for Game of the Year. The game features an intriguing journey with multiple quests, unique consequences and an incredibly reactive world, including the titular city itself.

With hundreds of different ways to play, a typical playthrough can take about 75 to 100 hours, depending on the player. The Xbox Series X/S version is out next month, with the developer to announce a proper launch date at The Game Awards on December 7th. Local split-screen won’t be available for Xbox Series S at launch, but it’s still in the works.

Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance

As a “gritty” real-time strategy game, Slitherine’s Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance focuses on future wars between humans and Legion in the Dark Fate timeline. As the Founders’ commander, you must fight back against the deadly machines, battling across maps and recruiting allies to your cause.

Between different tactics, unit training, vehicles, weapons and more, you can also make decisions that influence a faction’s behavior towards you. If that weren’t enough, physics-based destruction allows for even more mayhem, while Skirmish and Multiplayer allow for playing as the Resistance and Legion. Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance launches on December 7th for PC.

The Day Before

After delays, a shift to Unreal Engine 5, even more delays, a trademark dispute, and – you guessed it – delays, Fntastic’s The Day Before is finally launching on December 7th for PC…via Steam Early Access. Players can explore New Fortune City and its surrounding areas, purchase and customize weapons, scavenge resources and fulfill requests for Woodberry Survivor Colony’s residents.

There’s an extraction shooter vibe, especially since you can encounter other players while battling against hordes of zombies. We won’t believe it until it’s in our hands, but The Day Before has our attention. Time will tell if the gameplay can keep us hooked until more updates roll out.

Custom Mech Wars

Craving mech combat action, especially after clearing Armored Core 6 three times? Need something to fill the void? D3 Publisher’s Custom Mech Wars probably isn’t the answer, but it looks like a fun time. Launching on December 14th for PS5 and PC, you can customize whatever mech you want. It can result in hilarious combinations, from tanks with legs to oversized arms and much more with no restrictions. A story mode with support for up to four players is available, promising a “variety” of missions.

Pioneers of Pagonia

Between SteamWorld Build and Against the Storm, it’s a month of city-builders, and Pioneers of Pagonia is yet another to add to the list. It’s set in a world of numerous islands, as you build a settlement, make alliances and explore the world (with maps procedurally generated). Of course, you’ll need to deal with bandits, wild creatures and more while helping fellow tribes. Launching in Steam Early Access for PC on December 13th, there are over 40 buildings and 70 goods to manage, along with a map creator and difficulty options.

Trinity Fusion

Currently available in Steam Early Access, Trinity Fusion is a rogue-lite action platformer where players control their parallel selves on a mission to save the multiverse. Levels are procedurally generated, with “hundreds” of custom rooms, though some hand-crafted areas and challenges are also in play.

There are three different parallel versions, each with unique abilities, and their worlds offer different biomes to explore, from caverns and labs to cities in the sky. Overall, the visuals look good and the gameplay smooth – we’ll see how the final version fares when it launches on December 15th for Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5 and PC.

December 5th sees the arrival of the multiplayer voxel title Clone Drone in the Danger Zone and blacksmithing adventure While the Iron’s Hot for Xbox Series X/S, PC and cloud. Rise of the Tomb Raider returns on the same day. On December 7th, Goat Simulator 3 arrives for cloud, PC and Xbox Series X/S, followed by Against the Storm on December 8th for PC.

Lemmings-like puzzle title Tin Hearts debuts on December 12th for the service, while Far Cry 6 is available on December 14th. As for Game Pass Core (the replacement for Xbox Live Gold), it will offer Chivalry 2 and Totally Reliable Delivery Service on December 6th. Check out the titles leaving Game Pass on December 15th:

• Chained Echoes (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Opus Magnum (PC)
• Potion Craft: Alchemist Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC)
• Rubber Bandits (Cloud, Console, and PC)

In a report published on Dealabs, the leaker has claimed that the first half of December will see nine games being added to Game Pass, including the aforementioned Remnant titles, and on December 1, SteamWorld Build, which is confirmed to be a day and date release for the service. On December 8, as previously confirmed, Against the Storm will release day and date for Game Pass as well.

Among the rest, the two most prominent titles are Far Cry 6 and Rise of the Tomb Raider. They will allegedly be accompanied by World War Z: Aftermath, Spirit of the North: Enhanced Edition, Goat Simulator 3, Tin Hearts, Clone Drone in the Danger Zone, and While the Iron’s Hot.

Microsoft will likely be officially announcing its wave 1 lineup for Game Pass’ December additions soon, so stay tuned for that.

A return to platforming goodness seemed a given, and thus, we got SteamWorld Dig 2, a massively improved follow-up that offered a much tighter experience. However, lo and behold, the developer was off again in another genre, this time a deck-building turn-based RPG with a medieval fantasy twist in SteamWorld Quest. Why is this all relevant? Because SteamWorld Build once again ventures into a relatively untapped genre for the series – a city-builder with a twist.

"The world of SteamWorld has seen better days, and it’s only a matter of time before it dies out. Leading a group of robotic settlers, Jack Clutchsprocket and his daughter, Astrid, look to the stars for hope."

This time, The Station of, er, The Station fame is the developer. I admittedly had concerns that SteamWorld Build was aiming for a completely different vibe that eschewed the older games’ quirky, space-western atmosphere. However, it capably delivers a SteamWorld experience through the guise of a city builder instead of simply plastering quirky robots into the genre and calling it a day.

The world of SteamWorld has seen better days, and it’s only a matter of time before it dies out. Leading a group of robotic settlers, Jack Clutchsprocket and his daughter, Astrid, look to the stars for hope. With the help of the mysterious Core, they set about building a town and investigating the mine for Old Tech, which turns out to be pieces of a rocket.

However, it’s clear that Core has some less-than-noble intentions, and with Astrid capable of hearing the Old Signal, which she describes as a sad song, there’s more going on than meets the eye.

Along with Jack, Astrid and Core are a motley cast of robots, from the greedy Gunn-Britt Gildenwire to the precarious Trader. My favorite is probably Clark Piston, an enforcer who says “Yep” to anything and everything, regardless of the situation.

"What starts as a quaint town quickly grows into a sprawling city, and suddenly, the Aristobots are moving in, demanding Waxing Shops, Diesel, Robo Cuisine and Hats, of all things."

Each character brings something unique, but given the nature of the game, I missed that central protagonist who could serve as a narrative anchor for the experience. A believable robot that grew into an extraordinary hero you could embody and whose struggles become your own.

In SteamWorld Build, it feels like watching other characters’ stories unfold instead of actively experiencing them – which isn’t bad, given the strong voice acting. The characterization could be more nuanced, but the writing maintains a humorous, easy-going tone without losing the plot.

When starting, you only have a few wooden planks, a rundown train station and a shoddy mine entrance. Setting up several Worker residential houses generates income, and you can set about repairing the train station. You will need more Workers, which means more wooden planks, which means constructing a Forester to chop down nearby trees and a Lumber Mill to make planks. A General Store and Service Shop are also required to satisfy the needs of your workers, and from there, it’s one big spiral of upgrades, resource management and town planning.

The Workers also require Cactus Water and Charcoal to keep going, necessitating a farm and kiln. Eventually, you’ll want to upgrade them to Engineers, who can construct Tools for better Pickaxes. Their needs are even more complex, as they’ll require Spare Parts, purified Water, a Surveyor Office, a Saloon, a Burger Meister and much more.

"The mines offer more direct control to the player as you instruct miners where to dig, but you have to construct pillars to prevent cave-ins and bridges for crossing gaps."

Everyone needs access to the train station, and Warehouses must be in place to manage the influx of deliveries for different establishments. What starts as a quaint town quickly grows into a sprawling city, and suddenly, the Aristobots are moving in, demanding Waxing Shops, Diesel, Robo Cuisine and Hats, of all things. Even they have their uses, though, helping to invest in Carbide Drills for digging tougher rocks in the mines and Steam Furnaces to boost the efficiency of nearby refineries.

From the outset, SteamWorld Build sounds like a robust but streamlined city-builder, but that’s only one part of the gameplay loop. After fixing the mine, you can switch to a randomized location with materials to mine and walls to knock down.

It’s a different dynamic, as you need to build quarters for Miners to dig through walls while adding Prospectors to manage materials like Scrap and Ironium. Mechanics are necessary for setting up machines that can automatically mine Scrap and Ironium, along with Dirty Water and Oil, for the needs of those up top.

The mines offer more direct control to the player as you instruct miners where to dig, but you have to construct pillars to prevent cave-ins and bridges for crossing gaps. Mined resources like Ironium and Scrap are returned to the surface, while Gold Nuggets can be used to hire more Miners, Prospectors and Mechanics. Of course, you also want to set up a Surveillance Station and a Radio Tower to search for rocket parts. Blueprints for new technology and chests with materials and buffs for the mining crew are also discovered if you look around enough.

"The station does allow for setting up trades and offloading any excess materials you have for money (or even trading for resources you’re short on)."

It’s very reminiscent of SteamWorld Dig 2, where you would return to the surface after mining materials and acquire upgrades to delve even further. In this case, the resources are a key part of the town’s progress, allowing for the development of Sheet Metal and Plastics. New facilities emerge as you complete milestones and the needs of your populace become more complex.

The train will also periodically arrive in town, bringing three new items to purchase. They offer benefits for buildings like levying more service tax at restaurants and saloons, expanding on a Warehouse’s simultaneous deliveries and much more (though you can only equip these items on one building at a time). You’ll often need Rubies, which you can discover in the mine, and heaps of cash to purchase them.

As appealing as this is, the offers can get pricey. It’s sometimes a toss-up between investing in your town and mine or delaying those upgrades to afford an item. Sometimes, an absurdly expensive item appears and it’s completely out of your reach.

The station does allow for setting up trades and offloading any excess materials you have for money (or even trading for resources you’re short on). Clicking on the random metal tumbleweeds that pop up periodically can also help, as they randomly disperse money, Tools, Rubies and other goodies. Still, some tuning to the item prices would be nice.

"Perhaps because of how streamlined the game can be, some quality-of-life features are sorely missed. Seeing how many types of a certain building you have is a little iffy."

Of course, when you have a handle on everything SteamWorld Build throws at you, it goes all Dungeon Keeper. The second floor of the mine introduces enemies, from creeps that emerge when mining certain sections to giant worms that can eat your miners and mechanics. You’ll need to invest in an Armory for traps and turrets, hire Guards to protect your miners and much more. It’s a brilliant wrinkle to everything you achieved on the first floor, adding some hazards and obstacles now that you know how to find rocket parts.

You may think that SteamWorld Build gets overwhelming, what with a multi-faceted town and several floors of a mine to manage. Not only is it easy to pick up, but the overall pacing is very tight, gradually rolling out new features and mechanics before increasing the challenge or throwing something else into the mix.

On Balanced difficulty, while rearranging buildings to facilitate the ever-increasing population or exploiting other resources to make up for deficiencies, I rarely faced any problems. Sure, I immediately pushed to pause and swap over to a mine floor when the cave-in notification popped up, but more due to general paranoia than any immediate danger (don’t ignore potential cave-in threats, by the way).

Perhaps because of how streamlined the game can be, some quality-of-life features are sorely missed. Seeing how many types of a certain building you have is a little iffy. Instead of quickly highlighting them on the map or tracking them in a separate window, you click on, say, an Engineer Residential. This will highlight the buildings it has access to, allowing you to single out specific types. Problem solved, right?

"In terms of performance, SteamWorld Build is simply impeccable. The highest settings pose no slowdown as the city grows, the mine expands, and you switch between them with gusto."

But what if you click on an Engineer Residential that doesn’t reach the Surveyor Office? Then you won’t know where the latter is. You can alternate between resource nodes like Ironium, Dirty Water, Oil and whatnot in the mines before placing a machine by hitting Tab, but can’t jump to the next building of the same type in town using a similar method.

Granted, it’s just another click on a building having its needs met, but a way to view a building type and how many of it exists, especially given how important coverage can be, would be appreciated. Hotkeys for different functions would also be appreciated. What if I want to immediately place some Worker Residentials down and upgrade them to Engineers? Or quickly select and cycle through different decoration types to spruce to place them around town?

Something as simple as independently selecting game speed and pausing instead of cycling between the three options feels rudimentary for a game like this. How much these omissions will matter depends on you – they amounted to minor annoyances instead of major hurdles during my playtime. At least when placing buildings, you can see their relative distance to the required needs and the coverage provided. The interface is also good at notifying you about issues without overloading the player with information.

In terms of performance, SteamWorld Build is simply impeccable. The highest settings pose no slowdown as the city grows, the mine expands, and you switch between them with gusto. Zooming in is also smooth and seamless, and while your various robot denizens don’t have teeth, they boast distinct animations and mannerisms. Your average Worker moseys down the street while the Delivery bots rush about, resulting in a constant buzz of activity.

"There aren’t many tracks that stand out on their own, like SteamWorld Dig 2. However, the soundtrack is still enjoyable enough, complementing the experience without wearing on you after extended sessions."

The buildings are also beautifully animated, whether you’re watching a Cactus Water farm or the making of plastics, complete with unique sound effects. The complexity in architecture and character models isn’t going to rival the genre’s titans, but it’s in line with the franchise’s aesthetics while looking unique and appealing in its own right.

There are five different maps in SteamWorld Build, each offering some interesting details and themes. Depending on the points of interest, you often need to build around them, getting creative with the city planning, especially when the rocket construction site opens up. Still, I appreciate the dilapidated Drive-Thru with the big screen and the rollercoaster ride surrounding the monument with some very familiar faces.

As for the music, it has that Wild West twinge to it with mostly relaxed tones that don’t overpower the experience. Meanwhile, in the mines, there’s a buzz, a feeling that something is waiting past the next rock, and the music reflects that. There aren’t many tracks that stand out on their own, like SteamWorld Dig 2. However, the soundtrack is still enjoyable enough, complementing the experience without wearing on you after extended sessions.

"Despite some mild annoyances with the lack of hotkeys and the interface, SteamWorld Build is a worthwhile addition to the franchise and a pretty good city-builder in its own right."

SteamWorld Build may not get as much attention with the year winding down. It probably doesn’t do anything you haven’t seen before, but it combines several interesting strategy planning sub-genres into a compelling whole.

The sheer robustness of the experience will appeal to different kinds of city-building fans, whether you want to challenge yourself and manage resources (especially since the toughest difficulty doesn’t refund materials on destroying buildings) or chill out and vibe to the story. It’s ideal for those who get a kick out of min-maxing and perfecting their cities and those who want to watch their residents go about their day, admiring their little quirks.

Despite some mild annoyances with the lack of hotkeys and the interface, SteamWorld Build is a worthwhile addition to the franchise and a pretty good city-builder in its own right. There were times I planned to sit down for an hour and progress steadily, and ended up immersed for several hours at a time, managing different needs and guiding Miners on their next expedition. Its action may not offer the same thrills as SteamWorld Dig or Heist, but the atmosphere and charm more than make up for it.

This game was reviewed on PC.

The company has also announced that SteamWorld Build will be available on Xbox Game Pass on day one of its release. Players who have previously purchased the SteamWorld Complete Bundle on PC will also get a 20 percent discount on SteamWorld Build.

SteamWorld Build was originally announced back in January. The game takes place in the same setting as other SteamWorld titles like SteamWorld Dig and SteamWorld Heist, only this time around it’s a city builder.

Players are put in charge of building up and managing a mining town. By gathering resources above ground, players can research technologies and dig deeper underground in an abandoned mine filled with ancient technology. This, in turn, leads to the ability to build new buildings that attract new steamfolk to your town.

On the first party front, Microsoft will have a number of upcoming titles playable at its Gamescom booth, including Towerborne and Ara: History Untold, as well as ongoing games with new content in the pipeline, like Sea of Thieves, The Elder Scrolls Online, and Microsoft Flight Simulator. The company is also bringing Starfield, Forza Motorsport, and Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2 to its booth, but instead of having playable booths, their presence will be limited to photo opportunities, meet and greets, and theater experiences.

A numbr of major third party titles will also be present and playable, with one of the highlights being S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. Other notable titles that will be present include Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, Jusant, Under the Waves, Payday 3, Persona 5 Tactica, Sonic Superstars, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Mortal Kombat 1, and Ghostrunner 2, among others.

Meanwhile, a number of indie titles are also included in the lineup, including Lightyear Frontier, SteamWorld Build, The Lamplighters League, COCOON, Mineko’s Night Market, and more. You can check out the full lineup below.

Gamescom is set to kick off on August 22 with Gamescom Opening Night Live. Whether or not the show will also feature new looks at any of the titles in Xbox’s lineup remains to be seen.

Xbox Gamescom 2023 Lineup:

• Starfield*
• Towerborne
• Microsoft Flight Simulator
• The Elder Scrolls Online: Necrom
• Jusant
• Infinity Strash: DRAGON QUEST The Adventure of Dai
• Dungeons 4
• Under the Waves
• Ara: History Untold
• Sea of Thieves*
• Forza Motorsport*
• Senua’s Saga: Hellblade 2*
• Payday 3
• S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl
• Sonic Superstars
• Persona 5 Tactica
• Party Animals
• Immortals of Aveum
• Mortal Kombat 1
• Ghostrunner 2
• Overwatch 2
• Diablo 4*
• Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
• Another Crab’s Treasure
• Headbangers
• The Lamplighters League
• SteamWorld Build
• Worldless
• Lightyear Frontier
• Little Kitty, Big City
• COCOON
• Dead Pets
• Mineko’s Night Market
• Naiad
• Botany Manor
• Island of Winds
• Stumble Guys
• Antstream Arcade

*won’t have playable game stations