Spirit Mancer
Spirit Mancer
Game
Game2024
EcoGnomix
Developer Irox Games
A quirky mix of roguelite and city builder. Build a lively little city above, by looting mystical caves with a team of gnomes below! Use multiple runs to unlock upgrades and abilities to help your gnomes venture deeper into the dangerous underground. From the Steam store page
129 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Lemmy, Mastodon) · newest Sep 23, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
81
LovedLoved
87 positive · 21 negative
95% range 72–87%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 87 | 21 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Lemmy * | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Mastodon * | 0 | 1 | 3 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
91 of 112 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
81% recommend · 87 yes, 21 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 108 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Mostly Positive (239 of 310 positive).
Players praise the blend of city-building and roguelite mechanics as addictive and refreshing. [1][2][3] Some find the food management and RNG frustrating, especially in later runs. [4][5][6] The game's charm, art style, and soundtrack are widely appreciated. [7][8][9]
Liked
Representative posts
- [4]
I really like the look of the game but the food management is wild. I could be playing badly but I smoked the first two runs easily but now food is a huge issue and the town upgrades dont help. I also REALLY dislike that the only permanent upgrades for your gnomes are just more stuff to buy in the shop mid level. I thought for sure they would be actual permanent upgrades and not just more stuff to clog the upgrade …
- [18]
[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/38553778-All-about-Strategy-Games/] Follow my Curator Page for more Strategy Games! EcoGnomix is a roguelite city-builder with turn-based battles. There are basically two different aspects in the game: The city builder and looting the caves. Looting the Caves When going into the caves, your goal is to get to the end. You will have two resources: wood and food. With food, …
- [2]
The Good: EcoGnomix is what happens when you mash a roguelite RPG with a city builder and sprinkle in some gnomey whimsy. Sending your pint-sized prospectors into mystical caves to loot resources is addictively fun, like directing a team of bearded Indiana Joneses. The strategic depth of upgrading your gnome village and unlocking new abilities keeps you hooked, with each run feeling like a treasure hunt. The quirky …
- [3]
I’ll spare you the gnome and economy puns for now... I originally just wanted to give EcoGnomix a quick try after seeing it at a convention last year, but I couldn’t stop playing! The game has a delightful sense of humor and keeps you motivated with its addictive mechanics. It’s a great mix of city-building and roguelite that offers plenty of variety and challenge. And yeah... I’ll definitely be spending a lot more …
- [1]
First of all, citybuilding and roguelike together is just a very enticing genre mix. I love the setting and how everything complements it from art style to sound and music. American banjo and Germanic gnomes works really well together for some reason I cannot explain lol. Worldbuilding is spot on and game is very addictive.
Summarised from 34 of the 137 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 13, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
81% of the 108 Steam reviewers we collected recommend EcoGnomix. The complaint that keeps coming up: food management can be overly punishing. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Reactions
60 of 129 · most liked first[url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/38553778-All-about-Strategy-Games/] Follow my Curator Page for more Strategy Games! EcoGnomix is a roguelite city-builder with turn-based battles. There are basically two different aspects in the game: The city builder and looting the caves. Looting the Caves When going into the caves, your goal is to get to the end. You will have two resources: wood and food. With food, you feed the bats. Bats live in the cave and they want food. If you run…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EcoGnomix, a roguelite town-builder x exploration/mining game hybrid, released on Steam.
neutral · AI labelView post →A mobile game pretending to be a real game. This game has exactly one feature that almost every other game lacks and it was what got me to buy it: when you place objects in your town, they blend organically. No clipping issues or model conflicts. Things just look cozy and cute no matter how chaotic their placement is. This is something that all building games should have, but this is one of the few that actually has it. And from that point there's only bad stuff. Tutorial messages and videos…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really like the look of the game but the food management is wild. I could be playing badly but I smoked the first two runs easily but now food is a huge issue and the town upgrades dont help. I also REALLY dislike that the only permanent upgrades for your gnomes are just more stuff to buy in the shop mid level. I thought for sure they would be actual permanent upgrades and not just more stuff to clog the upgrade shop. Speaking of the upgrade shop, so far only one upgrade is really worth…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Please consider following my [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/41005226/]Curation page. I cover a wide range of genres both paid and unpaid, providing unbiased opinions as well as regular giveaway events. Video Review https://youtu.be/B56XaiJCYT4 Artificial Difficulty Sucks! The concept here? Solid, the foundation is designed to be a simple yet challenging strategy city builder in which you go deeper underground in search of additional resources as a group of gnomes, fighting off…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is pleasant, the graphics are good and nice. However i dont recommend it as it very frustrating, you will unlock new skills and abilities on the tree but they mean nothing because you will have to upgrade you gnomes every time you will go into a mine with random efects, whilst the dificulty always increase you are very dependant on luck for the tiles and boss's you find along the way. it has some level of skill but its rather a luck game at the end of the day, you dont feel like…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →There's too much RNG in this game and six slots for Gnomes feel like too few. Either you manage to get good material income early to buy a third and fourth gnome, or you don't and end up running out of material and/or food. Visually this game needs another pass, the colours are either too muted or too much, the gold stands out, and the tiles that are broken are easily covered by whatever is on top of them. It's good fun when things are finally running well, but that's not the case for me…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EcoGnomix has been nominated for Best New Original IP Audio at the 2025 Annual GANG (Game Audio Network Guild) Awards at GDC!!! One of the most exciting milestones in my career to date! Might have to head to San Fransisco again next year!
neutral · AI labelView post →This game isn't for me but otherwise I saw nothing wrong with it so I'll give it a thumbs up. I didn't realize it was a puzzle punisher game and I don't like those type of games. However, I think the graphics are quite awesome and for someone who enjoys the punishment these type of games dish out I'm sure it will be an enjoyable experience for them. In this game's case it's the ever increasing amount of food the bats take from you if you don't play the game "correctly".
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a shame. This game is interesting. I could enjoy it but it's just not balanced. The bats are the thing destroying all the attempts I've made to get to the bottom of this first cave. I have all the upgrades, tried different setups and gnomes. Nothing can complete it. Some caves have no chance of getting more food than the bats are going to take but you can only skip one a go (you have to pick that before going tho) The upgrades can help but the shop only has space for 2 options. I…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its sort of fun, but suffers from choice bloat. To get 'cool' upgrades you need to unlock a load of lower tier ones first. This dilutes your draw pool of available choices for upgrade stages. One of the first upgrades you have before unlocking anything doubles your workers action. This is one of the best upgrades and if you 'unlock' new stuff it makes the game harder not easier as you see this upgrade less. This is just poor design. You can't turn the 'upgrades' off (as far as I can…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First of all, citybuilding and roguelike together is just a very enticing genre mix. I love the setting and how everything complements it from art style to sound and music. American banjo and Germanic gnomes works really well together for some reason I cannot explain lol. Worldbuilding is spot on and game is very addictive.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gnomes just rule over dwarfs! More charming in every way!! Other than that, the rogue gameplay is catchy and hugely fun. Also, you wanna get this gnome city growing. So, I see myself playing a while longer.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is such a cute and charming gem. I think the other reviews are overstating how harsh the food system is, as it can easily overcome with the right upgrades and traits. I will say it can be hard to get the ball rolling, but again, its the core obstacle in the game as it effectively acts as your HP. Regardless, dont be scared off! its a relitively short game that's a lot of fun if you enjoy puzzle roguelikes!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is so refreshing to play a game where the developers have the skill to introduce a player to mechanics in a natural and fun way. This game has a fun vibe, good art style and unique and satifying gameplay loop. Edit: After a few hours, I lean to avoid. It doesn't quite nail the "progression" part of the rogue-lite and can feel a little too RNGish. Bad runs don't really allow you to level anything up significantly enough to improve your chances on the next run... Maybe buy only on…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's pretty glitchy, especially the last of the three caves, and not terribly well-balanced. There's some good stuff there, but in the end not enough to outweigh the bad.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I was expecting the blancing update to make the game more enjoyable, but unfortunately the gameplay remains frustrating. Disappointing.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Good: EcoGnomix is what happens when you mash a roguelite RPG with a city builder and sprinkle in some gnomey whimsy. Sending your pint-sized prospectors into mystical caves to loot resources is addictively fun, like directing a team of bearded Indiana Joneses. The strategic depth of upgrading your gnome village and unlocking new abilities keeps you hooked, with each run feeling like a treasure hunt. The quirky aesthetic—think gnomes battling bizarre underground critters—oozes charm. It’s…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Last night was the 23rd Game Audio Network Guild Awards! I was there representing @iroxgames.bsky.social as EcoGnomix was nominated for Best Audio in a New IP! Congratulations to @moonloopgames.bsky.social and all the other winners! And thanks to @gamesbavaria.bsky.social for helping me be here!
neutral · AI labelView post →EcoGnomix, a roguelite town-builder x exploration/mining game hybrid, released on Steam.
neutral · AI labelView post →This is definitely one of those games where I would give it a neutral rating if I could. It is not terrible, but there are things that could definitely be done better. It is a roguelite where you go down into caves with your gnomes, trying to collect resources and defeat bosses. There are three different caves, each with its own unique boss at the end. In between runs, you can build a small settlement where you craft different resources, which you can use to unlock new gnomes, buildings, and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →not what i expected this game to be and while i think some ppl will enjoy it i don't think its for me . the bats take way too much food and the loop is pretty monotanous for other similar style games tho i haven't seen too many of this hybrid style. its definately a neat concept but just not for me. ... also the voice acting while rare i find pretty grating to my eats honestly.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not exactly what I thought it was going to be when I first played. This game feels and looks like a game I would find on my grandma's computer from before I was born. I don't mean that in a disrespectful way at all I very much enjoy this game. It's a fantastic puzzler that has a unique and special feel that gives me that hint of nostalgia.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My pc is fixed! Adding an extra day this week, because there is so much game goodness to share! Wed: I Am Future - released 1.0 today Thurs: Bitcraft - Alpha 3 is here Fri: EcoGnomix - first play experience Sat: New World Aeternum - continuing adventures 💜 On Twitch and Youtube starting at 9pm EST 💜
neutral · AI labelView post →Fun short game, beat it in 2 days. I wish there was an endless mode to see how far down you can go. I really like the turn based strategy here. I think it has more room for potential.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I will start this review saying that it was made AFTER THE BALANCE UPDATE. So, if you read reviews about the game being unbalanced or too hard after the first area, notice that it has been fixed, and now the second area, even when being harder than the first one, it is fairly hard. Ecognomix is a game that perfectly mix the feeling of a Euro Board Game (if you are not familiar with them, they are basically board games usually with resource gathering and managing mechanics) with the roguelite…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EcoGnomix, a roguelite town-builder x exploration/mining game hybrid, released on Steam.
neutral · AI labelView post →[@games](https://lemmy.world/c/games) EcoGnomix Bizarre premise, and even more bizarre gameplay, it's a turn based economy and savaging game, economy because half of the gameplay loop is about constructing your city to reach the bottom and the treasure, the other half where you have to scavenge level by level the resources need to survive, mainly wood to hire gnomes and food to keep the bats at bay. I came out of this demo with a perplexed face, I'll have to double think whether if this…
neutral · AI labelView post →EcoGnomix is on the longlist for the @filmfestgent.bsky.social WSA Game Music Award! So cool seeing it beside many amazing soundtracks, composers and a few friends! Huge thanks to Mariya Anastasova (vocals) and Jeff Saxon (whistling), @iroxgames.bsky.social, @untoldtales.bsky.social and many more!
neutral · AI labelView post →Not sure about the negative reviews. It's a game with a certain flavor. You think, you progress, you build. It's fun and cute. As you progress, the game changes, so you'll have to use some of the new upgrades that are unlocked with the new area to deal with the new situations. Unlocking more upgrades does add more to the shop (It's a random offering so more can be bad), but many of the upgrades are gnome dependent. If you don't have the gnome, they won't appear in the shop. This can actually be…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The devs completely f*cked up the roguelite elements, ie. the leveling and bonuses you get after each run that help you get further next time. Meaning you risk getting stuck like a f*ck on the first boss. I bought this game after Splattercat showcased it, and it looked fun; now, 4 hrs in, I cannot progress and I cannot refund. Do not buy; there's a b*ttload of roguelites that do it WAAAAAAAAY better in terms of progress. Das ist die Scheisse, die Scheisse und die Scheisse.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →very nice game. i can recommend it. its a roguelite where u delve deeper and deeper into 3 different biomes which all has its own difficulties to overcome. u delve with a team of 4-6 gnomes. you have to gather ressources like lumber and food. different gnomes can do different things so choose wisely who u bring with u. there are 3 bosses with 3 phases, and lots of minibosses. there is a bit of a base building aswell. its like a little puzzling game to fit the buildings in your crater. it…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game was fine, worked well, was cute. But seemed a little shallow/casual to me, and I didn't love the art design from a personal style perspective. Fine for what it is, but it is not for me. Anyway, a solid "B" effort, but wasn't overwhelming me with fun, and ultimately was a type of puzzle game I don't particular enjoy. I was hoping for more economic game-play.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’ll spare you the gnome and economy puns for now... I originally just wanted to give EcoGnomix a quick try after seeing it at a convention last year, but I couldn’t stop playing! The game has a delightful sense of humor and keeps you motivated with its addictive mechanics. It’s a great mix of city-building and roguelite that offers plenty of variety and challenge. And yeah... I’ll definitely be spending a lot more hours in this one (there’s the economy pun, I couldn’t resist). Highly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Loved the Demo and love the Game so far! The style and humor is kinda grim dark and also kinda quirky, love the mix. The game loop has a very interesting mix of a classic roguelite, with ressource/automation and a bit of into the breach positioning. The city builder + roguelike seems to become a thing now and i want more like this! I also had to fight against a giant chicken under the ground that drops eggs full chickens on me?! Love it! 10/10 would fight that chicken again! Also works like a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EcoGnomix is a creative blend of city-building, strategy, and roguelite gameplay that manages to feel both familiar and refreshingly different. Developed by Irox Games and published by Untold Tales, Gamersky Games, and Irox Games itself, it places players in charge of a small community of industrious gnomes who must balance life above and below ground. The premise is deceptively simple: you oversee a gnome settlement where resources are scarce and survival depends on daring expeditions into the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a really great game. Really cool mechanics and clever implementation. It really challenges your problem solving skills and gives you intresting option. Definetly worth a play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is well made and addictive game that is hard to put down. I constantly play one last round… The difficulty curve and the pacing are just right, each time you think you are ahead of the game it lets you have this moment, but only once. Afterwards it introduces some new mechanic that puts you and your gnomes back into place.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Back on days off which means... Stream time! Now live with shiny new indie game, EcoGnomix (kindly gifted by the devs). Excited to see what this one is like 🥰 #AuDHD #Disabled #Queer #ENVTuber #VTuber #Fundraiser
neutral · AI labelView post →Really great worker placement game. Especially love the division into multiple sub-turns that gives you the feeling of your slaves *ehm* I mean gnomes tirelessly working. Works great with the stop-motion-esque animations too! So far the game (I'm on phase 3 of the first boss atm) feels well balanced and gameplay provides interesting dynamics to explore! Imho the upgrades could be a bit harder to unlock in the beginning but all in all the game is great & definitely recommended! Edit: Works…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →No time for an extensive review now, I need to send more gnomes down to work! This gold is not coming up by itself!! First impression: Addicting game loop in a funny setting. Can recommend!!!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Me likey. Very nice game with engaging Gameplay and a good Level of Difficulty. I love that they integrated CityBuilding on top of the known roguelite mechanics to combining progression with roguelites. I sometimes did miss that in ever repeating rouges.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, great core loop, awesome soundtrack! Only thing I don't like is the Art style, I wish it would be better. But this that can be overlooked after some time. All in all this it is a lot of fun and gets really deep - get it? - deep.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Do you like Gnomes? If yes buy this game. If no, weird but whatever, buy this game. It is absolutely amazing
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ecognomix is one of those games where I started thinking “this is a pretty decent strategy roguelike” and ended thinking “why does my laptop sound like it’s preparing for atmospheric re-entry?” Seriously, graphically the game looks perfectly average, yet somehow it managed to overheat my machine hard enough to shut it down twice during the campaign. Not during an all-night marathon either, just normal play sessions. I wasn’t fighting enemies anymore, I was fighting thermodynamics. That said,…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not the best, but entertaining for a bit and short enough to not overstay its welcome. The "supply chain" stuff is window dressing, but there are some fun builds to try with the different gnome upgrades.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EcoGnomix is officially out on Nintendo Switch!!! As someone who does most of their gaming on Switch, being part of a Switch release always has a special charm! 😄 I also think Switch is the best platform for a game like EcoGnomix! Such an exciting day! #gamedev #indiedev #gameaudio #voiceacting
neutral · AI labelView post →The story and voice over might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the gameplay of the turn based roguelike is very addictive and fun. "City Building" might be a bit of a stretch - it's moreso akin to what you might find in a mobile game, where you setup buildings and wait for a timer to elapse before collecting resources that make your trips into the mines easier. It very addictive, with lots of room for experimentation but the difficulty increases considerably after 3 or 4 hours. Your…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A very enjoyable roguelite, city builder, turn based puzzle with one significant game design issue. Most of the permanent upgrades you can purchase unlock new temporary upgrades for the current run/dive, which unfortunately dilutes the limited choices you get per shop, making it harder to find the all-important upgrades like Productivity. This is bad design that encourages you to not purchase upgrades. Other than that, it is just my thing and I love it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is a nice game where you have fun and think a bit or a lot and try to maximize your use of the units you can have. This sounds probably not very interesting but it is. In the beginning you have just the choice between wood cutters and hunters of different types. Later you get other units, like a chef who can triple the food income. But you need wood to get more units and you need wood to buy your units certain perks. You are always short on something and have to think. If you like…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I used to have a rule for the production of our first game Ecognomix: if a feature is too complex - as in requires multiple days to develop we don't do it. This turned out to be pretty great to keep scope and complexity down. (Even though we obviously ignored it a few times)
neutral · AI labelView post →Fun to kill a few hours with. Neat combinations of turn-based combat with a skill tree and minor economic elements in the background.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →EcoGnomix is a roguelike city builder, except you're an army of gnomes! I had a blast checking this game out with my first impressions on the game posted on YouTube. Huge thanks to Irox Games for sending over a code; be sure to give it a look! #AD youtu.be/rh96TKZ1x1U
positive · AI labelView post →I hope everyone had enjoyable Christmas time! I'm back tonight with #Disgaea4 for stream. I'll admit... I hadn't touched the game for a bit with EcoGnomix eating my time this week... but hey, that's okay! See you all soon~ #Twitch twitch.tv/chibikurousagi
neutral · AI labelView post →I see a gnome, I press like
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Good idea, but It is forced "upgrades are always stronger" progression instead of your own screwups that make you fail
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game! Sucked me right in for several hours. Love the quick runs and the combination of city-builder and roguelike elements. Plus, the humor is excellent. Also, sometimes the (I suppose randomly generated?) dungeon layouts are really unique/funny and challenge you to adapt your strategy in sometime hilarious ways. Can't wait to continue playing tomorrow. Some early balancing issues that some reviews mentioned were promptly fixed by the dev - now the diffculty curve feels more natural!…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is so incredibly cute and fun! I count myself among the "dumber" strategy players, so setting up my gnomes and pulling off a good move feels extra rewarding. The little upgrades you unlock make ever more complex setups possible without making me feel overwhlemed with too much new stuff all at once. And the voice acting is just so damn good! I could listen to the little gibberish noises Benjamin makes when talking in the town forever. I do fail a lot of runs, but it feels like…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Take my German Tax i paid to financial support random Video Games (without asking of course) and create a cheaply built, but overprized roguelite Game.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game, already liked the demo and the game expands nicely on it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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