ITER-8

ITER-8 landed in my hands like a recommendation from a friend who forgot to mention the perilous explosions. Combining the satisfying rhythm of drilling with frantic turret defense, it tips a hat to games like Dome Keeper while carving out its own identity. What grabbed me right away was how quickly a calm mining session turns into desperate surface-battles — and how upgrades make those moments meaningful. It’s cheeky, sometimes brutal, and oddly relaxing when you let the soundtrack run.

Drilling, Mining and Managing Mayhem

The core loop of ITER-8 is gloriously simple: I drill down the Pillars, collect resources, and then sprint back to the surface to man the gun tower when enemies arrive. Mining feels tactile — you carve paths, expose veins, and decide which nodes to prioritize for upgrades. Between waves there’s this delightful little window to tinker with loadouts, slap duct tape on gear or buy an extra turret, and those choices actually change how a run unfolds. It’s a nice balance between calm resource management and sudden twitchy defense, where momentum matters and mistakes are punished. I loved the moments when a planned run goes smoothly and the equally fun chaos when everything goes wrong. The pacing keeps me engaged: mining gives you a false sense of security, then ITER reminds you survival is optional.

When Your Toolbox Becomes a Lifeline

What lifts ITER-8 above being just a clone is how upgrades and procedural challenges interplay: weapons, mining drills, passive perks and turret types all offer distinct playstyles. I found myself mixing a high-damage drill build with utility turrets to compliment careful digging, while other runs favored fast mining and big defensive investments. There’s a satisfying risk-reward loop in deciding whether to spend resources on immediate firepower or long-term mining efficiency. The game also sprinkles in small on-foot puzzle segments and interactive moments that break up the loop and feel like earned variety. These bits keep runs feeling fresh without bloating the experience — every upgrade feels impactful rather than filler. Plus, the roguelite elements mean every death nudges me to try a new combo.

A Polished, Charming Presentation With Rough Edges

Visually, ITER-8 wears its indie heart proudly: crisp pixel art that manages to be both readable and cute, with neat UI that doesn’t get in the way of frantic play. The soundtrack is a chill, synthetic backdrop that I happily left on while doing chores — I even played a few runs listening to a podcast with no problem. Performance was generally solid on my Windows setup, though multiple user reports (and my own brief issues) show that a few bugs slipped through — stuck z-axis movement, lingering explosion visuals that can corrupt a save, and occasional momentum glitches. Accessibility options are basic but present; I’d like to see FPS locks and more controller tweaks in a future patch. Overall it feels like a finished game with a couple of rough edges the developer seems eager to fix.

ITER-8 is a clever, well-paced indie that fuses mining and tower-defense into a highly addictive loop. I’d recommend it to fans of Dome Keeper, roguelites, or anyone who enjoys upgrade-driven runs — but hold off if you can’t tolerate potential save-breaking bugs. With a few patches this could easily become a staple in my rotation.