A Game About Digging A Hole Review

Every so often, a game pops up that feels less like a traditional release and more like a creative experiment, a small idea taken to its absolute extreme. A Game About Digging A Hole is exactly that. There’s no elaborate setup, no hidden twist waiting in the wings, and no narrative. It’s a shovel, some dirt, and the quiet satisfaction of watching a simple task slowly take shape. On Xbox, it arrives as a strangely calming distraction, the kind of game you load up out of curiosity and end up sticking with because its simplicity becomes oddly addictive.

Gameplay

Gameplay in A Game About Digging A Hole is as straightforward as it sounds, but that simplicity is exactly what gives it its charm. You’re handed a shovel, pointed at the ground, and left to dig as you wish. Each dig feels clean and responsive, with a steady rhythm that makes it easy to slip into a relaxed flow. The experience becomes a weird, addictive loop that makes you want to discover the treasure beneath you, but it isn’t straightforward to find.

As the hole becomes larger, the game adds small touches that keep things from feeling completely static. The soil changes, the lighting shifts, and the sense of depth becomes more noticeable, giving you a quiet feeling of progress without breaking the minimalist style. It’s not a game built around challenge or variety, but it delivers a calm, almost meditative routine that works well if you enjoy simple tasks done well.

Upgrade Your Gear

The upgrade system in A Game About Digging A Hole gives the simple gameplay a bit more direction, allowing you to upgrade your tools and make each dig feel a little more rewarding. As you collect resources, you can put them toward better shovels, faster digging speed, and other small boosts that help you push deeper without slowing down. None of the upgrades are complex, but they add just enough progression to keep you moving forward and give the game a light sense of purpose.

One of the standout additions is the jetpack, which becomes a huge help once your hole starts getting deeper. Instead of climbing your way back to the surface, the jetpack lets you surge upwards, making the whole process smoother and far less repetitive. It’s a simple feature, but it fits perfectly with the game’s laid‑back style — a handy tool that keeps the focus on digging rather than backtracking. Together, the upgrades and jetpack give the game a gentle push of momentum without ever breaking its calm, minimalist feel.

Visuals & Audio

The visuals in A Game About Digging A Hole are simple but effective, giving the whole experience a calm and steady feel. The world uses soft colours and clean shapes, which makes it easy to focus on the act of digging without any distractions. As the hole gets deeper, the look of the soil and the lighting slowly change, adding a small sense of progress even though the game stays minimal. It’s not trying to impress with big effects or flashy detail, and instead, it leans into a quiet style that suits the slow, relaxed pace of the gameplay loop.

The sound of the shovel hitting the dirt has a clean, concise feel that makes each dig satisfying, and the soft ambient noise in the background helps set a calm mood. There’s no big soundtrack or dramatic music; the game relies on small, steady sound effects to keep you focused and relaxed.

Final Thoughts

A Game About Digging A Hole was a nice, calm distraction from the chaos of all the multiplayer shooters. I found the whole experience oddly addictive and just ploughed through whilst listening to my favourite podcasts. This is a perfect game to just kick back and relax with, that’s for sure. Whether it clicks for you depends on the kind of gamer you are, but if you love titles that let your mind drift, then this will be right up your street. It’s also available on Xbox Game Pass at the time of writing and is Xbox Play Anywhere enabled; it costs less than the price of a pint, and you can purchase the game HERE.