This $5 Steam game centered around digging a hole has taken over my life.

      During the weekend, I attended a bar for a friend's surprise birthday celebration. When I greeted him, he mentioned that the event disrupted his other plans for the evening: digging a hole. He proceeded to talk about a new $5 Steam game titled A Game About Digging a Hole, where players dig a hole. I couldn't tell if he was joking or if it was an actual game. I laughed it off and continued with the evening.

      A few days later, while I was engrossed in the screen of my Steam Deck, I missed my subway stop and arrived late for a movie screening. A Game About Digging a Hole is one of those titles whose appeal is hard to explain. It belongs in the same niche as Powerwash Simulator, transforming a mundane concept into something captivating. I’m not even sure if I should officially recommend it, as it's best found by chance and purchased on a whim. Imagine I’m sharing this with you in a cozy bar corner between drinks.

      Cyberwave

      If you can read the game’s title, you’ve understood most of the premise. A brief story introduction informs me that my character has purchased a new house at a low price, which includes a bonus: treasure buried in the backyard. Armed with a battery-powered trowel, I start digging in a small grassy area outside. My initial holes are shallow, just deep enough to uncover stones. I can take these rocks to my computer and sell them for cash to upgrade my tools. I can buy a larger shovel, expand my inventory, upgrade my battery, and eventually acquire a jetpack. The cash can also be used to recharge my battery (which explodes when it reaches zero) and health, along with acquiring TNT and lamps — essential tools for deeper digging.

      What quickly becomes apparent is a deconstruction of Steamworld Dig, as I continue to dig for rare rocks, sell them, and gradually enhance my toolkit. The progression structure bears similarities to an idle clicker game, but with a shovel in place of a mouse. Within an hour, I’ve created a vast, chaotic hole in the backyard and started unearthing more valuable materials like silver for selling.

      Whether by design or by accident, developer Cyberwave uncovers surprising depth in simplicity. Digging transforms into a complex engineering challenge requiring keen spatial awareness. Before getting my jetpack, I must dig thoughtfully to ensure I can climb out of the hole if I dig too deep. I start making stair-step footholds to aid my ascent, while also needing to maintain them as the hole expands. As I delve deeper, I begin carving out tunnels in the dirt instead of merely digging downward. This poses risks, as it leads me through dark areas where I can easily lose my way. I end up creating my own liminal space reminiscent of The Backrooms — a maze of claustrophobic dirt corridors that might trigger someone's trypophobia. While it’s not a horror game per se, it’s easy to view it that way.

      Cyberwave

      Above all else, A Game About Digging a Hole evokes a fundamental pleasure. There’s something instinctive about sitting in a sandbox as a child, feeling drawn to dig. I can’t pinpoint what makes it such an absorbing activity. Perhaps it’s the chance of discovering something buried, a notion rooted in my childhood fascination with dinosaur bones. My modest quest here gives me the sense of being on an excavation mission, with the allure of a significant find enticing me.

      Is there truly something valuable hidden beneath all that dirt? I wouldn’t want to spoil that for you. Grab a shovel and discover for yourself. A Game About Digging a Hole is now available on PC.