The Dig
The Dig is a 1995 adventure game developed by LucasArts. Conceived in part by Steven Spielberg, it follows a small team of astronauts who divert an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, only to be transported by the asteroid's hidden mechanism to a mysterious, long-abandoned alien world from which they must find a way home.
Built on the SCUMM engine with striking pre-rendered backgrounds, the game distinguished itself with a serious, contemplative science-fiction tone unusual for LucasArts. Its puzzles centered on understanding alien technology and the mechanics of the deserted world, while its story explored isolation, obsession, and the moral cost of resurrection through a life-restoring crystal. An evocative orchestral score by Michael Land and a tie-in novelization by Alan Dean Foster deepened its reflective mood, which set it apart from the studio's comedic adventures and gave it an enduring, if divisive, reputation.
The Dig remains available through digital re-release services that repackage classic LucasArts titles for modern PCs.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to The Dig, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
Lifeless Planet Premier Edition Indie
€ 9,99A lonely walk across an abandoned alien world, piecing together what happened there.
Lifeless Planet Premier Edition runs on PC, Linux, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Playable.
Primordia Indie
€ 11,99An indie sci-fi adventure with atmospheric puzzles and world-building.
Primordia runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Technobabylon Indie
€ 14,99A cyberpunk indie adventure with a strong story and detective structure.
Technobabylon runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Verified.
Journey To The Savage Planet
€ 29,99Alien-planet exploration and cataloguing, lighter in tone but the same sense of discovery.
Journey To The Savage Planet runs on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet. It is Steam Deck Verified.
The Dig
€ 5,99The classic sci-fi adventure, ready for modern systems.
The Dig runs on PC, Mac. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch. It is Steam Deck Playable.
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