This game was originally covered as part of our Nindie Round Up series that sought to give coverage to a wider breadth of Switch eShop games beyond our standard reviews. In an effort to make our impressions easier to find, we're presenting the original text below in our mini-review format.

Steamburg is an adventure puzzler that is quite polarising. On the one hand, its visuals are gorgeous, with a steampunk vibe that is appropriately mechanical, dark, and apocalyptic. However, its core gameplay, while not inherently bad, is clunkier than its robotic enemies.

You play as Professor Vincent Moore, fighting a robotic invasion to save his fiancée from a presumably grim fate. As the blurb states, ‘Vincent is unarmed so he must be really smart.’ Thus, you’re left to use the environment to your advantage as you navigate each level, trying to collect three optional power orbs for further unlockable bonuses.

This works in principle, but the awkward controls that force you to move at a lethargic pace hurt the experience. The clunky control, unfortunately, isn’t just limited to the walk cycles either, as your throwing arm is about as user-friendly as a fairground claw attraction. That said, there isn’t anything inherently game-breaking here and every map is completely achievable. There is, however, a long-windedness that lacks the pick-up-and-play factor that makes a Switch port so appealing. If you’re in the for a night and can get into the rhythm of each level, you might still find some enjoyment here.

Overall, the gorgeous steampunk style with surprisingly great voice acting doesn’t entirely make up for a slow, clumpy puzzler. The music is also great and the concept ambitious, but its mechanics and sluggish pace make it feel dated. Hardcore fans of adventure puzzlers or steampunk stories will likely enjoy it, but it won’t be to everyone’s tastes.