$14.99Gnomoria A cozy kingdom with teeth
Dig deep, build workshops, wire up machines and grow a tiny band of gnomes into a thriving underground kingdom, one disaster at a time.
Is Gnomoria worth it?
Gnomoria is worth it if…
- you like colony sims that let you dig, build and rearrange every tile of the map
- you enjoy slow, careful planning more than fast action
- you want a gentler-looking take on the deep fortress-building genre
- you like runs that play out differently each time, from a fresh world every game
- you don't mind learning systems through trial and error rather than tutorials
Screenshots
A world you can take apart
Everything in Gnomoria can be mined, dug, chopped and rebuilt somewhere else. That one rule shapes the whole game. A hillside becomes a hollowed-out home with farms on top and workshops below. Trees become beds, walls and training dummies. You dig deep for ore and gems, and every tunnel you carve is a decision: dig greedily and risk what sleeps down there, or stay shallow and stay safe. The map is procedurally generated, so no two kingdoms start from the same ground.
Levers, hatches and steam engines
Beyond sawmills and stonemason workshops lies a research path into proper contraptions. You build mechanisms from parts like hatches, levers and steam engines, and wire them into your fortress however you like. A lever that seals the front gate is a good start. Traps, ranged weapons and elaborate machine setups come later, and figuring out which gadget solves which problem is half the fun. The other half is watching it work when the goblins arrive.
Every gnome has a job, and you decide which
Your settlers are individuals with their own skills, and you can reshape them as you like. A miner can tend the farm between stone jobs, soldiers can haul crates on quiet days, and workshops can be reserved for one gnome so nobody else poaches the work. Later, you build a military: design uniforms, mix melee and ranged squads, and set perks that work together, like one position that knocks enemies down and another that hits harder while they're down. Small colony, many plans.
Grow a town worth moving to
You start with a handful of gnomes and empty land, and growth comes from wealth. Stockpile enough valuables and wandering gnomads arrive to join your cause, bringing random skills and new hands for your workshops. That makes layout and economy matter: more gnomes mean more food, more beds, more water, more everything. You can play it as a peaceful settlement puzzle, laying out a tidy little town, or let the population climb and deal with the crowding.
Harsh lands, friendly face
Survival here starts from almost nothing. Your gnomes need food, water and sleep from day one, so the early game is a scramble: gather, plant, build shelters, keep everyone fed while the first workshops come online. Goblins, skeletons and other beasts show up as your kingdom grows, so walls, traps and soldiers move from afterthought to necessity. The pixel art stays bright and cheerful the whole time, which makes it all the funnier when something goes wrong underground.
What should you know before playing?
Can you play it solo?
Yes, it is a singleplayer game through and through. You manage the whole colony yourself, at your own pace, and there is no pressure from other players. It plays well in short sessions too: check on the gnomes, queue some jobs, watch the chaos unfold, then leave them to it.
Is there combat and danger?
Yes, but on your terms. You can play peacefully and focus on building, or invest in a military and fend off invasions. Enemies like goblins and skeletons come for wealthier kingdoms, and digging too deep has its own risks. Combat is simple rather than tactical, so the real defense is what you build before trouble arrives.
How long does a game last?
As long as you want. A modest run through the first few in-game years takes several hours, and a thriving kingdom can keep going for decades of game time. Because every world is procedurally generated and your early choices shape everything after, starting over with a new plan is a big part of the appeal.
