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You Must Build A Boat

PC (Microsoft Windows), iOS, Mac, Android, Linux • 2015

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Quick resume

You Must Build A Boat is the sequel to the award winning "10000000". Travel the world, run procedurally generated dungeons finding artifacts, capturing monsters and recruiting crew for your boat

Global score

82/100

Genres

Action, Casual, Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Puzzle

Similar games

    Pros

    • Addictive and engaging gameplay
    • Good value for price
    • Strong progression and upgrades
    • Charming pixel art and soundtrack
    • Varied dungeons and quests

    Cons

    • Repetitive and grindy late game
    • Reliance on luck over skill
    • Minimal narrative and social features
    • Some ui and technical annoyances
    • Short overall playtime

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Fellowship, Cooperation, Leadership, Violence. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Experimenting, Story, Competence.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      3

      "Players can choose quests and upgrades freely, and decide how many quests to tackle at once, allowing control over gameplay direction."

    • Competence
      2

      "Game involves skillful matching and timing but also relies significantly on luck, especially in later stages."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on personal progression and self-set goals rather than competing against others or leaderboards."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Addictive gameplay with a strong 'one more run' syndrome encourages long and repeated play sessions."

    • Cooperation
      -4

      "Gameplay is primarily single-player with no evidence of cooperative multiplayer or teamwork."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players customize and upgrade their boat and crew, but core gameplay follows a fixed match-3 structure."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control or superiority over others; interactions are individual and balanced."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game as a casual, stress-relieving distraction with engaging but light gameplay."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily for fun and personal interest without external pressure or obligation."

    • Experimenting
      1

      "Some exploration of upgrades and strategies, but core gameplay is repetitive and follows established routines."

    • Exploration
      2

      "Players progress through different dungeons and unlock new areas, providing some discovery elements."

    • Expression
      2

      "Boat and crew customization allow some self-expression, though visual options are limited and pixelated."

    • Fantasy
      3

      "Game features imaginative elements like monsters, spells, and a fantastical boat-building journey."

    • Fellowship
      -4

      "Minimal social connection; primarily a solo experience with little community interaction."

    • Growth
      4

      "Strong focus on upgrading equipment, recruiting crew, and improving abilities over time."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay typical of puzzle games with no physical activity involved."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires active attention and fast-paced matching; not suitable for passive or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No evidence of forming close relationships or emotional sharing within the game."

    • Leadership
      -4

      "No leadership roles; player manages own progression without directing others."

    • Progression
      5

      "Central gameplay loop involves accumulating upgrades, items, and crew to build and improve the boat."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Game offers a balance of challenge and flow, though some find it frustrating due to RNG elements."

    • Sensation
      2

      "Enjoyable chiptune soundtrack and pixel art provide sensory stimulation, though visuals are simple."

    • Status
      -4

      "Achievements exist but social recognition or popularity is not a major focus."

    • Story
      1

      "Minimal narrative; story is mostly a backdrop to gameplay progression and boat building."

    • Strategy
      2

      "Some strategic decision-making in upgrades and quest selection, but core gameplay is straightforward."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Fast-paced matching and timed runs provide some excitement and tension."

    • Value
      5

      "Highly praised for its low price and satisfying gameplay length, offering good value for money."

    • Violence
      1

      "Combat is present but cartoonish and light; focus is more on puzzle mechanics than violence."

    • Survival
      2

      "Players must avoid failure by managing resources and completing quests under time pressure."

    Where to buy

    Come talk about it on Discord!

    Last update: 29/04/2026