Doloc Town

Doloc Town is a cozy pixel art farm simulation game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Build your dream farm from scratch and explore this mysterious wasteland. Harvest, plant, build, and battle against ferocious creatures while discover the untold stories of this forgotten land!

Steam Description

Doloc Town is a pixel art indie title that combines elements of farming, survival, platforming, and exploration. It’s set in a bleak post-apocalyptic world and the demo offers a SOLID 4-5 hours of gameplay (at least) that introduces its world and all it’s systems. I gotta say, it was really slow to draw me in at first but over time, Doloc Town managed to uncover layers of charm and depth that kept me on the hook. The demo’s pacing and repetitiveness bring to light some areas where I believe it needs some improvement (at least in the early game) to fully meet its potential.

Highlights

Post Apocalyptic Mechanics

Stuff like acid rain, storing items in cardboard boxes, and recycling add a layer of immersion to the gameplay that really puts you in the setting. They reinforce the game’s survival theme while keeping the player grounded in a world of scarcity. You gotta be resourceful to survive in the world of Doloc Town, and the ability to craft tools and buildings from scrap material like plastic and cardboard makes it feel real.

Combat Drones and Exploration Combat drones add a unique element to the gameplay. Combat in general seemed slow and clunky at first just fighting with the pickaxe but then as the drones were unlocked it added some strategy and speed to combat encounters. Drone v. Drone combat is really fun too!

Tech Tree Progression

Unlocking tools and new mechanics in the tech tree is one of the most rewarding aspects. Each unlock feels intentional and satisfying, and it gives you just enough utility to stay motivated to do more stuff.

Pixel Art and Atmosphere

The pixel art is GORGEOUS. It has a cohesive color palette which captures the bleak yet hopeful tone of this post-apocalyptic world. The buildings are the real standout with their visually distinct and thematic style.

Music Composition

The music is well-composed and adds a relaxing atmosphere, however the limited variety and repetitive nature makes it get real old real quick.

Distinct Characters and Art

The townsfolk’s personalities are varied and distinct, and interactions with them are memorable. Their character art is equally impressive. The main character’s design too, especially their welding hat, is a lovely touch.

Thoughtful Gifting Mechanics

When you go to gift a villager something, you have to start by saying something like “I’ve got something for you” and then it prompts you what you are going to give them, even if it’s for a quest turn in. If you cancel out of this menu, a little speech bubble appears over their head like “???” and it is the cutest thing. They are just like c’mon man I thought you were gonna give me something!

D-Pad Shorcuts

D-pad shortcuts for the journal, inventory, and other menus is a nice design choice that makes the navigation quick once you get used to it.

Challenges

Repetitive Environments
Pixel art is fantastic, but the environments you explore in the demo are really kinda all the same. I love that the design integrates vertical levels (which platformers are great for) but I feel like it just needs something more. Adding some distinct biomes or a little more flair to the areas would be great, though I did stumble upon a landfill area which was really cool and distinct and I expect there will be more of this in the full game.

Early Game Pacing
The game starts REALLY slow and you have to really get into it to feel engaged. This might turn away players who are looking for quicker gratification. Progression feels very small and very incremental, and you have to have a good bit of patience to fully appreciate the systems. Early combat especially is just dreadful when all you have is the pickaxe, but I kind of think that was the point, so that you feel really rewarded when you get appropriate defenses. I just wish it didn’t take so long to get there.

Inventory Management
The extremely limited inventory space in the early game is absolutely brutal when you are trying to get your first survival stuff built. It can sometimes feel like unnecessary tedium rather than an engaging challenge.

Exploration Needs Better Rewards
Exploration, while more engaging later on, still feels a bit more like gated busywork than a true sense of discovery. There are hidden secrets in the platforming zones, but most of the time I played I just really didn’t feel compelled to go see what’s behind this wall or over this way or that, because I knew I’d just have to walk all the way back home before I got too tired. Some more meaningful rewards for exploration would go a long way, maybe even just some boxes with money in them or something.

Combat Mechanics
The combat drones add a really cool depth to the combat, the stick-aim mechanics and overall combat flow could use some improvement. Fighting enemies on platforms still feels clunky and it’s hard to get used to the way the drone kind of drifts around, so it’s not exactly like a stick shooter. Also RIP if you have stick drift at all on your right stick, cause the drone be firin’ if so.

Last Thoughts

Doloc Town shows a ton of potential as a post-apocalyptic farming and survival action/sim. The mechanics are super thematic and the progression system is extremely detailed. The pixel art is stunning and makes you feel like you are there even though most of the rooms are pretty flat and static. The game’s slow pace, repetitive environments, and early game tedium might be enough to turn folks away from it. Combat and exploration do become more engaging as the demo goes on, which hints at some great depth to come. Unlocking new zones like the outpost area really highlight the game’s Metroidvania potential, but you really have to push past that early game grind to get into it. If you enjoy methodical, atmospheric games with a survivalist twist and platformer controls, I’d recommend popping a wishlist on this one at least. It’s got a lot of promise! Doloc Town may be a hidden gem if that’s what you are into. If they keep adding polish and variety–especially in the way the game is paced, the environments, and the combat mechanics–then this one has the potential to be a standout indie title.