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Besiege is a physics-based machine-building game about designing contraptions, testing them against objectives and revising your ideas when they fail. Its appeal is broader than simply knocking down castles: the campaign asks for different kinds of solutions, while an editor, Workshop content and multiplayer options extend the creative play. Rick Lane’s 2020 PC Gamer review praised its tools and puzzles, though he noted occasional camera friction.
What kind of game is Besiege?
Besiege gives you construction tools and objectives, then lets physics determine whether your design works. The official Steam listing frames it around medieval machines, armies, castles and obstacles. Rather than relying on one prescribed weapon or tactic, the central loop is to build, test, observe what goes wrong and make changes.
That structure makes it a puzzle game as much as a siege game. PC Gamer’s review describes campaign tasks that go beyond destroying castles, with varied objectives encouraging players to create different machines. A contraption that succeeds at one job may be a poor fit for another, so the satisfaction comes from adapting your design rather than repeating a single solution.
What do reviews say about Besiege?
Rick Lane’s PC Gamer review scored the release version 85/100 on February 25, 2020. Lane praised the creation tools and finely made puzzles, especially the freedom to approach objectives in different ways. As he put it, “Besiege is at its best when it’s encouraging creativity, presenting you with a problem that can be solved in multiple ways.” Read the PC Gamer review.
#1 Best Overall
- 13TH-LEVEL ADVENTURE, FOURTH OF SIX CHAPTERS - Siege of the Dinosaurs continues the Extinction Curse Adventure Path for a traveling circus of heroes.
- DINOSAUR-RIDING MONSTERS FROM BENEATH THE EARTH - A subterranean threat besieges the town of Willowside just as the circus arrives, giving this volume a distinct monster theme.
- AN ANCIENT MYSTERY AND A CUNNING BETRAYAL - The missing town protectors point to something deeper than a monster attack, keeping the mystery-driven tone of the campaign going.
- THE CIRCUS OF WAYWARD WONDERS CONTINUES - Heroes lead a traveling circus across the islands of the Inner Sea, a premise unique to this Adventure Path.
- PART OF A SIX-CHAPTER ADVENTURE PATH - This is Part 4 of the Extinction Curse Adventure Path; other chapters continue the campaign and are sold separately.
Lane also identified occasional camera friction as a weakness. That is one reviewer’s assessment of the release version, not a claim that every player or edition will have the same experience. Steam’s listing has displayed “Overwhelmingly Positive” reviews across all languages and “Very Positive” for English; those are live platform summaries that can change, rather than a fixed critic consensus. Check the current Steam listing.
What features are included?
Campaign challenges and machine building
The core experience is building machines to meet objectives. The open-ended nature of the construction tools is the main draw for players who enjoy experimentation: a problem can often invite several plausible designs, and failure gives you information to use in the next attempt.
Editor and community content
Steam lists a level editor and Steam Workshop, giving players ways to create and share content beyond the included challenges. The Steam listing also includes cooperative and competitive multiplayer options. Those Steam-specific features should not be assumed to match every console edition; the cited platform pages do not establish feature parity.
Is Besiege worth playing if you like building machines?
It is a strong fit if you enjoy tinkering, physics-driven trial and error, and puzzles that let you choose your own approach. It is less directly suited to someone looking primarily for conventional action gameplay with a fixed set of moves and a tightly prescribed route through each encounter. Its most distinctive appeal is the freedom to invent a solution and then see what the simulation does with it.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Which platforms can you play Besiege on?
The Steam listing offers a PC edition with Windows, macOS and SteamOS/Linux requirements. Spiderling Studios’ official site says the game is out for console and PC, and the U.S. PlayStation Store lists a one-player PS5 edition. Availability and specific editions can vary by region and storefront, so check the relevant listing before buying. Spiderling Studios · U.S. PlayStation Store listing.
Do not assume PC and console editions have identical controls, content or creation features. Steam explicitly lists Workshop and its multiplayer options for that storefront; the cited console listing establishes a PS5 product and one-player detail, but not equivalent access to those PC features. Steam also lists digital add-ons, including The Broken Beyond, The Splintered Sea, an original soundtrack and a Supporter Pack. The cited listings establish digital products, not physical editions.
Verdict
Besiege is an appealing choice for players who want to solve varied problems by building and revising their own machines. Its creativity-focused tools and puzzles are the strongest points supported by the cited review, while camera handling is a noted possible annoyance. The 85/100 score belongs specifically to PC Gamer’s 2020 review of the release version; current storefront summaries and edition details can change.
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Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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