Super Motherload Reviews
Super Motherload is perhaps PS4's strangest launch title, but far from being its best.
Super Motherload's premise of digging for richs on a lonely planet sounds about as boring as actually digging for richs on a lonely planet. But stick with it long enough, and you'll find an eerily soothing adventure with addictive strategy elements that make for a wholly enjoyable next-gen gaming experience.
The Mars underground is a rich sandbox, but the repetitive nature of digging and climbing back to refuel gets tedious
Super Motherload offers a peaceful respite from the cacophony of civilization.
Super Motherload is just about long enough for what it is, wrapping up before getting tedious while still providing plenty of gem and mineral harvesting action. There's no real reason for it to be on PS4 versus any other system, of course, but that doesn't prevent it from being a fun bit of digging with an excellent soundtrack.
The visuals may make even Knack look like a system seller, but there's a quiet pleasure to Super Motherload's simple but addictive gameplay.
In the end, XGen's writing is entertaining enough, the digging puzzles are devious, and with co-op and Hardcore mode anyone can find an experience they'll enjoy.
And what a fantastic experience it is, despite its flaws. Super Motherload is simple enough so that anyone can pick it up and play, but complex enough for mining veterans to keep coming back to fully upgrade characters or even risk playing in hardcore mode. The sci-fi '80s vibe is delightful and the perfect setting for this ridiculously addicting game. I find myself coming back to it at the end of every day, ready for a new adventure underground.
Super Motherload is a game that will appeal to casual gamers and hardcore gamers alike. Solving the puzzles and blasting your way deep into the heart of Mars is entertaining, despite it feeling somewhat repetitive at times. Throw in a few friends and the formula definitely comes alive, though, making this something of an unpolished gem.
Without online co-op, Super Motherload falls a bit short of gaming greatness, but the marriage of entrancing sound and gameplay is still a fun experience.
So bottom line, I became a bit addicted to the digging and gathering aspects of the game, and that's fine because it's a quality title. I have issues with the music looping at almost weird intervals when the music goes dead for minutes before starting back up, but that's pretty much my only complaint. If you're like me and have some strange affinity for tunnel building, then 5/5 for this game. However, if you're just a person that wants to enjoy a quality video game with a pretty fun, if repetitive game mechanic, interesting story, quality production, then Super Motherload is a game that should easily be worth checking out. I just can't guarantee you'll get the same obsessive streak I found myself developing.
Super Motherload may not be the most action-packed or technically impressive game on the PlayStation 4, but what it does offer is surprisingly addictive, especially for a game entirely about digging. Puzzles, strategy, multiplayer, a haunting atmosphere, and a fantastic soundtrack — Super Motherload packs a wealth of material into a small, though somewhat repetitive, package.
Super Motherload communicates a desire for players to learn its regimen while simultaneously uncovering its content. It's a neat balance, one that rewards acquired skill with valuable efficiency, at least until its disparate final act trades musing discovery for twitch reaction. "What's at the bottom" was a force that drove me to Super Motherload's completion. Learning the answer diminished a desire to return.
Super Motherload features 4-player local cooperative play and is arguably more exciting when played with friends. Not realizing the benefit of combining elements at first, the strategy of maximizing benefits and cargo space later in the game becomes important (especially due to the high upgrade costs). I can't see myself playing through the game multiple times on my own besides for hunting trophies, but cooperatively it can be enjoyed in small doses.
Super Motherload does exactly what it sets out to do: create a fun little digging game that belies its dark storyline.
Fun games can be simple, and simple games are often fun, but there's a tedium at the heart of Super Motherload that it just can't shake. With a number of tweaks that added more interesting puzzles, made the game less grindy, and reduced the amount of up and down necessary, it could've been a lot better. As it is, I think I'd really rather go back to playing Diamond Mine in Bejeweled 3.
Out of all the digital launch games, Super Motherload is one to give you hours of enjoyment, simply based on its high replaybility. Not only are the level layouts different each time, skills and upgrades shift around as well, which will usually drastically change up the way you play.
For all of its obvious flaws, basic mechanics, and even more basic visuals, Super Motherload is still a great experience, one that you can pick up and play during a spare 10 minutes, or plough a whole afternoon into with ease. The bonus of unlockables and a multi-player mode ensure that this is one you can keep coming back to.
As a fresh alternative to meandering $60 games, 'Super Motherload' nails the kind of value proposition offered by good independent games. My towering expectations burned out during one of the many backtracks through the endgame area, and I can't help but wish for more than what the story delivered. But when the game is humming along, the experience is fun and unique among the offerings of Sony's new system. The game's charm, couch multiplayer, and Remote Play support make me treasure its presence on my PS4's hard drive.
Super Motherload feels expertly hand-crafted and exudes more love and care than any AAA game could ever hope to. An inspiration to developers everywhere that balance and understanding of pace can carry even the most simple of games. Besides its small flaws Super Motherload is not only an example of a small game done right but, frankly, a joy to play.