I play as a lone dwarf in Deep Rock Galactic: Survivorarmed with weapons, running around the mines of Hoxxes IV in search of valuable minerals. I blow away hordes of monsters, dig out supply stashes, and upgrade my weapons to shoot even hotter death. But there’s one thing that always catches my eye and turns me into a homing missile. It’s a silly little slug that brings me so much joy.
Known as the Huuli Hoarder, the snail acts similarly to the Treasure Goblin from the Diablo series. It appears without warning, and its presence can be the climax of a game. Upon spotting a dwarf, the snail lets out a high-pitched squeak, wiggles its butt, and runs offscreen. There’s a built-in risk-reward ratio here; chasing and killing the snail rewards you with a huge amount of experience and a random upgrade. But the snail runs wherever it pleases—often toward environmental hazards, immense masses of monsters, or a compact corner of the map.
Each level lasts only a moment; time spent chasing the snail could worth it… or it could lead to a general loss of resources as you leave mining nodes and gain experience on the map. You’re a corporate employee, after all, delving beneath the crust of a hostile planet to kill aliens and earn money. It’s a pretty restricted situation, and positioning is very vital if you want to stay out of the reach of endless alien swarms.
This video by YouTuber RubyWeapon shows Hoarder in action, and I hope his little scream and vibrations bring you as much joy as they do me. He can’t even attack! He’s just a scared pacifist in a lonely cave, endlessly trying to escape.
Gamers have been tormenting this little snail for years Galactic Deep Rockbut I think that lonely nature Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor makes the snail-hunting process more personal than the original four-player game. Sorry, buddy, I’m not trapped here with you — you’re trapped here with I.
Sometimes it’s tactically worthwhile to prioritize chasing the Huuli Hoarder, because it can drop upgrades or a huge amount of resources. Unfortunately, I’ve ended my runs many times obsessed with the snail, chasing it to the breaking point, only to be surrounded and murdered. I have to admit that I don’t always think about the long game. Sometimes just spotting the Huuli Hoarder activates a part of my primal lizard brain and I lose all control. I have to chase it. I have to secure the snail.
The Treasure Goblin-style monster isn’t super uncommon in games; it’s more of a fun curveball to throw at players. But there’s something so pathetic about the Huuli Hoarder that it lives in my mind, rent-free. Its little shrieks, its useless spinning, and its utter cowardice appeal to me. In many ways, I’m a Huuli Hoarder myself.
Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor was a huge success as a spin-off, and it helps that the main co-op game’s rogues gallery of beasts is already there. I haven’t been able to reliably get a full squad of four players together, but I can always fit in a round or two Survivor among other duties. It’s a straightforward pleasure, punctuated by delightful moments — like stumbling upon and opening a silly little Huuli Hoarder.
