Donut County Review: That’s a Pretty Deep Hole

There are some games that pack on all sorts of replay value around a general concept; but then there are some games that rely on said concept and still keep people coming back for more, even if replay value isn’t generally considered.

Take Katamari Damacy. It’s simple in nature but so much fun to come back to, just because you mash together whatever you can from whatever you can run over. There’s something immensely satisfying about that.

And Ben Esposito’s Donut County falls into the same category. The game is built around a simple concept of swallowing everything up with a giant hole, and watching as it gets bigger and bigger until it’s eventually the size of a gaping maw that can eat up an entire traffic jam within seconds. And yet, it’s hilariously satisfying, and well worth coming back to, if only for its bizarre yet light-hearted concept. (Which, ironically enough, actually came from a Peter Molyneux tweet back in 2012.)

The game follows BK, a troublesome raccoon, alongside his human friend. They work at a local donut shop, where customers consistently call to get donuts. That should be a good set-up for a game, right? But instead of sending over food, this anti-hero sends over said “donut,” the hole that begins growing in size as it swallows up more stuff. This content can range from killer snakes to rock formations to entire ranger stations, depending on how good you get with its size.

A Hole Different Side of Things

But Donut County offers a little bit more strategy than that. Sometimes you have to be strategic with removing elements from the field. For instance, using the tail of a snake that just won’t go down the hole to activate buttons and take apart things within the environment, just so you can collect it all. There’s also interesting challenges involving water, putting together an ideal soup for a fuzzy bird eater, and avoiding cockroaches. You’ll get to that point when you see it.

It sounds complicated; but Donut County is a breezy, fun ride. Granted, it’s probably not the greatest recommendation for those seeking a challenge. But there are some fun, intuitive puzzles to solve here; and the story moves along swimmingly with growing situations, particularly around BK’s conflict with a self-absorbed “Trash King.” It’s pretty hilarious, thanks to Esposito’s meaningful dialogue. And though it ends a bit too quickly, it’s always fun to jump back in and see if you can clear stages in faster time. (And you can always goof off in the gyrocopter, if that’s your thing.)

Donut County also has some great themes going for it. Sure, you’ll chuckle at some of the lines, but you may also learn a thing or two about friendship and responsibility. Yes, you can actually learn such things from sucking up everything into the Earth. Who knew, right?

Let Donut County Suck You In

The game also benefits greatly from a charming, simplistic presentation. The graphics aren’t “wow” worthy, but they are well done, with characters that spring to life with each new scenario (and kind of stay calm as everything’s getting sucked up in the world — maybe they’re too relaxed) and charming tunes that play throughout each stage. It’s a place well worth revisiting, even if the game isn’t packed with side missions.

What Donut County lacks in the long-term game, it more than makes up for with charm, personality, and depth. It’ll suck you in just as much as the hole does with, well, everything; and its characters have meaning and purpose, instead of chatting away uselessly. Plus, you can actually learn a thing or two from BK, when you’re not being a jerk and sending obnoxious duck images to your buddy via text. (Aw, come on, who can resist?)

Kudos to Esposito for taking something small and building on it. It’s more than enough to make up for whatever kind of “garbage day” you’re having.

WWG’s Score: 4 out of 5

(Disclaimer: A review code was provided by the publisher.)