Assembly Planter

Assembly Planter

After 25 hours here are my thoughts.

This is my first assembly automation style game I’ve played that I can remember. Initially I was drawn to the fact it had a loose similarity to farming style games (ie: Stardew Valley). I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, but ended up kinda of digging the experience. I’ve watched people play Factorio, Satisfacory and Astroneer and this reminded me of those games in many aspects as far as the automation went.

The interface is a bit awkward in the game was the first thing that struck me as far as mechanics go. Your hotbar is a bit of a mess sometimes because you can’t lock items in place that you commonly use. It was a bit of a frustration to me, but one I got used to after about 30 minutes of playing it. The mechanics are straight-forward; pick something, pick a spot, execute the action.

Real player with 33.6 hrs in game


Read More: Best Automation Building Games.


TL;DR: Simple enough, but ends up being a numbers game where you’re constantly just reorganizing farms you’ve already set up slowing your progress.

The only bug I’ve noticed is that Packed Sand is not included in the filter splitter options. Devs, please fix.

So basically, you start out “farming” on your own. Then you unlock machines that plant and harvest for you as well as collect all the drops. Then you get an area to design a new machine where you can put the planters and harvesters so the new machine automatically produces items for you. Then, you can expand that area to allow you to produce even more items! (the reorganizing farms idea from above) The machines and setting them up are not that complicated either. There’s really no “fancy” setups. It’s really simple, but it then turns into a numbers game of “this machine produces 5/s, but this machine needs 6/s so I can waste 1/s or build 3 of this one and 4 of this one and split this output into 3 and then 2 and then divert these over to this machine….” and it’s just unfun at that point. You pretty much progress towards a “re inserter collector” and then you redo your machines. Then, you get a transmutation table that turns dirt into wood or wood into copper or copper into iron, etc and you have to redo your machines again. In my honest opinion, they need to get rid of the transmutation table. I think if you are to play this game, do not use the transmutation table and you will have more fun. I’m just going to do that on my next run.

Real player with 28.9 hrs in game

Assembly Planter on Steam

Plantera 2: Golden Acorn

Plantera 2: Golden Acorn

The round blue Mellows return to tend to the garden once more and grow the big magical oak tree that have been rumored to have placed its seed there. Build up your garden around the tree to attract Mellows, round blue creatures that will help you pick up things and harvest your plants.

Tend to the oak tree and grow it to the sky to harvest its Golden Acorns.

Adorn your garden with decorations and watch as your garden grow more lush than ever before with new plants, bushes and trees and get populated by new animals, both in the sea, on the ground and in the sky.

If you want you can pluck trees and harvest plants yourself, or let your Mellows do the work for you while you watch or build and invest in new plants. The Mellows will even continue to work and tend to the garden while you are not playing the game!

As you play you will unlock new items and as you continue to expand and improve your garden your magic oak tree will grow even bigger with it, soon reaching its crown to the sky and beyond!


Read More: Best Automation Clicker Games.


Plantera 2: Golden Acorn on Steam

Plantera

Plantera

This is a cute, psuedo-clicker that is extremely simple compared to many of the other titles in the Clicker genre. Everything goes together very nicely. The only problem is that it’s mostly a quest to complete the achievements, and then there isn’t much to do. The garden gets maxed out. The upside is that it doesn’t require micro-transactions (I’m looking at you, Clicker Heroes, Adventure Capitalist, etc) to “complete” the game.

The idea is to build a garden with 3 layers of plants (trees in back, bushes in the middle, and vegetables in the front) to harvest, as well as animals to get “produce” from, such as wool, milk, eggs, and random stuff the pigs dig up. There are various critters that will try to interrupt the farming. Wolves and foxes will scare the animals, rabbits will steal vegetables, and birds will fly away with one produce item. Obviously this has minimal impact on the overall output, and they don’t really add much except something else to look at.

Real player with 86.6 hrs in game


Read More: Best Automation Clicker Games.


Published by: VaragtP

Developed by: VaragtP

Genre: Casual, Indie, Simulation, Family-friendly

Release Date: 29 Jan, 2016

Create, expand and watch your garden grown in this super addictive and totally adorable casual clicker game.

Introduction

Plantera is a simple and highly addictive clicker game, where the basic objective is to build and expand your own garden. As your garden grows, you collect more coins which allow you to further boost your garden (and coin collecting efficiency). Boosters can be bought with the coins, which allow higher value of produce, collecting coins when the game isn’t running for larger periods (I can currently leave my game for 12 hours, and come back to a large sum of coins waiting for me!), and guard dogs and scarecrows to scare away the critters trying to steal your produce! Though I’m not generally a fan of clicker games, I have really enjoyed Plantera thus far.

Real player with 73.2 hrs in game

Plantera on Steam

Blub Emporium

Blub Emporium

This game is truly unique, colourful, and bubbly (or I guess you could say blubbly ;))

While playing through this game, the first thing I noticed was the vibe it gave when I was watching the emporium sell, the blubs buying items or sitting down, maybe even playing on an arcade; It is really something else, especially with the soundtrack adding to it; It sounds relaxing and ambient, yet it sounds like there’s a powerful meaning behind every song.

I also find that the factory is super fun! It’s puzzles are very challenging, but very possible; Meaning it has a very nice balance! The Farm has a lot more depth than most would initially expect with how you can harvest items and whatnot, you can even automate some parts of it! :O

Real player with 186.5 hrs in game

I’ve played a few hours and it’s very fun :)

Really cute aesthetic which is a blast to decorate, a relaxing farm which is super therapeutic, and (my favourite) a really interesting factory which plays just like a puzzle game! (with a ton of potential to improve at, optimise, and experiment with).

This game is a perfect example of being worth more than the sum of it’s parts, and there’s something in it for everyone - it’s not the sort of game I would normally play, but so far I’ve had a blast, and look forward to playing more (THERE IS SO MUCH CONTENT O.O)

Real player with 157.3 hrs in game

Blub Emporium on Steam

Project Existence - Multiplayer Sandbox

Project Existence - Multiplayer Sandbox

Before anyone gives this game a bad review, remember it is in very early access. I have enjoyed the game so far for what it is, and I can’t wait to see it grow into something much bigger.

Devs are very responsive on Discord and are always happy to answer any questions/suggestions players have.

Real player with 24.6 hrs in game

Most current reviews are poor due to it being a very early version game, the game is actually well put together for such an early version of the game, and the Devs are awesome

If you are reading my review you are reading the best one, please ignore all currently negative reviews and either try it or write the name down and come back later…

I hope the Devs, the players and everyone else has a lovely day, afternoon, night (relatively)

Real player with 11.7 hrs in game

Project Existence - Multiplayer Sandbox on Steam

Captain of Industry

Captain of Industry

Captain of Industry is a construction and management simulation game where you and your loyal crew escaped to an abandoned island to start a new colony after the world has spiraled into chaos. In order to survive, you will need to mine raw materials, harvest food, build factories, manufacture products, construct vehicles, research new technologies, and explore your surroundings. If you are successful, you can even start a space program, build rockets, and assemble your own space station! With all that power and technology, you might be even able to end the word chaos. It’s all in your hands.

Manufacture products

Start simple - smelt iron, mix concrete, create construction parts, and grow food. Soon you will be able to expand into crude oil processing, electronics, solar panels, datacenters, and even rocket parts. There are over 100 unique products to work with!

Build efficient factories

To build an industrial empire, you need to be clever. Place machines carefully to connect them more efficiently with conveyor belts. Refine raw resources close to their mining location to save fuel needed for transportation.

Shape fully dynamic terrain

No mountain is tall enough for your fleet of excavators! You can shape your island to your will - build natural bridges and ramps to access remote areas. Are you running out of space? How about dumping some rocks into the ocean to create new land!

Mine raw resources

Find the natural riches of your land and use them to expand your factories. Mine coal, iron, copper, gold, or pump underground water!

Farm your land

You need to feed your people. Start basic by growing some potatoes on farms. But this won’t be enough. Later, use fertilizers and advanced greenhouses to keep up with the food demands.

Research new technologies

Research is a must have! Unlock new buildings and materials and make your factory more efficient. New technologies will change the course of your future.

Construct new vehicles

Trucks, excavators, and tree harvesters! Upgrade your fleet to make the most of it but make sure you are producing enough fuel to run all of these heavy machines!

Explore the world

Repair and upgrade your ship with better engines, armor, and weapons. Explore your surroundings, find refugees, discover more resources, and be ready for naval battles!

Captain of Industry on Steam

JUNKPUNK

JUNKPUNK

Very fun finished it a bit fast but it’s early access so that’s understandable (Suggestion) need tools upgrade, a way to block the weather from blowing through structures walls, Lighting types, more building shapes, large ceiling and floor tiles placement, double stairs for a 2nd floor access, better placement snapping for building, rotation & raising/lowering of foundation tiles, keybinding access, body upgrades like a bigger backpack & foot jets, a items list for tracking builds, a auto-reset camera position to move cam freely, and a way to repair and use the crashed spaceship, a upgrade to breakdown all of the giant metal structures laying around the region & more quest.

Real player with 32.2 hrs in game

Junkpunk is a good game with a lot of future potential. At the current price it is easily a good value and a lot of fun. I have spent the last 8 hours playing and it is only day one. Yes, I am aware that means I have no life, lol. In this 8 hour play through, I have had zero crashes, 7 hours I had a buddy connected to me and I was the host with only 1 single disconnect. I have come across no bugs, glitches, or any major concerns.

With all the positives, there are a few things I would like to see but are mostly small complaints:

Real player with 22.6 hrs in game

JUNKPUNK on Steam

Autonauts

Autonauts

Thanks to Aaron and Gary for their game and their thoughtful and constructive response to my hasty previous review.

I would recommend this game for fans of complex city or factory games, and for anyone even mildly curious about programming.

Autonauts is a beautiful little zen garden in which you build and operate a colony of spoiled and helpless colonists, using an unlimited army of multi-purpose programmable robots. The player is never penalized for not playing a certain way. The colonists become more and more demanding with each level, but nothing bad happens if one of their demands is not met. There’s nothing even demanding that you raise colonists at all, you and the bots can happily build and play without that progression but higher levels of construction are only unlocked by meeting colonist goals.

Real player with 506.4 hrs in game

Duration: ?? hours – 70 Hours played at time of review, still lots to discover!

What is it? Don’t let Autonaughts’ cutesy aesthetics fool you, Autonaughts is a hardcore colonisation and crafting sim. Starting with nothing, you build up your colony automating activities to robots (which you also craft). Virtually everything can be automated, and programming is simple: The robots just copy what you show them (and then you insert repeat and conditional loops). Programming is all done keyboard free (mouse and CTRL key only required). The GUI is excellent.

Real player with 110.7 hrs in game

Autonauts on Steam

Farm Folks

Farm Folks

This game published by Crytivo

Join Farm Folks email list to receive news about game updates and potentially get invited to test game.

After washing ashore on Softshoal Island, you are given a chance at a new life. A plot of land awaits your green thumb to transform it into a booming farm, and a new world beckons you to explore its secrets.

Farm Folks offers a delightful mix of RPG and farming mechanics, giving you the freedom to get lost in the world while you build a farm from the ground up. There are many friends to be made, many crops and animals to tend, and a whole island to discover. What are you waiting for?

As you begin to nurture your plot, uncover great mysteries, and meet the citizens of the island, you’ll experience the everlasting magnificence of your new home first-hand–all while you rekindle the memories from your past that caused you to embark on this grand, exciting adventure in the first place. You never would have guessed that finding your purpose in life was just a shipwreck away…

In Farm Folks, live your life as you see fit–there are so many experiences to be had! Working the land and rearing animals is a bunch of fun, but there is so much more on offer here. Let’s run through what you can expect:

It wouldn’t be much of a farming simulator without farming, would it? Farm Folks features the time-tested farming mechanic in which players can purchase or forage seeds and begin to grow their farm into a bountiful and rewarding resource.

Once the soil is tilled and the seeds are nestled firmly into the ground, it’s time for some TLC–Tender Loving Care. You’ll water your plants daily, either by hand or through other means, until each crop has reached its maturation and it’s ready for harvest. Harvesting your hard-earned bounty can reward you in many ways, but if you’re focusing on that bottom line, then it’s time to put some coin in your purse.

After loading your haul onto your trusty mount, you’ll head into town and sell your goods to the island’s exporters. As your purse grows fatter and fatter, the farming process can be enhanced and streamlined until you’re running the island’s most booming farm.

Soon you’ll be wondering if it’s time to invest in one of those fancy mainland automobiles….or maybe someone who can help out around the farm…

Softshoal Island’s farmland is so very fertile because of the island’s local animal population and the generations they’ve spent grazing every acre of the luscious landscape. Today, farmers can continue to reap the rewards of Softshoal’s four-legged (and two-legged!) friends by giving them homes on your property.

The local forester is also a great carpenter, and he’ll make any kind of coop or stable that’s available–for a price, of course. Once the structure is built, you’ll need to stop by the nearby animal breeder to purchase some healthy livestock! Before you know it, you’ll be in the ranching business. Milk, eggs, and wool, oh my!

Nurture and care is key to making sure your livestock is producing worthwhile products. The happier your animal companions are, the higher the quality of their yield! Make sure you’ve got your brushes and special feed handy!

Sometimes reward is found outside the fences of your farm. You’ll need to explore the wonderful and diverse settings of Softshoal to find the valuable items that can’t be found on a shelf in the local general store. These resources include minerals and materials for upgrading your tools–usually mined from Softshoal’s extensive cave system, or fish and other precious sea life that can be fished from the island’s various rivers, lakes and coastlines.

Your progression is enhanced by what you find in the wilds of Softshoal, and sometimes searching for something trivial can lead to a grand adventure you never saw coming. Get out there and see what you can find–don’t forget your pickaxe and fishing rod!

Softshoal’s local community is a character-rich roster of living and breathing souls, all of which are just waiting to share their story with you. From those that live in the island’s coastal town, Port Meridia, to those found out in the wilds, Farm Folks features a diverse, well-thought cast of over thirty characters.

You’ll meet them, find ways to further your relationships with them, and soon you’ll know each one by name. These citizens offer quests a-plenty, and spout dialogue that’ll keep you coming back for more. High relationships come with high rewards, but don’t think everybody in Softshoal is going to be easy to please…

The seeds you sow in the community will quickly begin to bear fruit. However, you better be careful not to grow weeds! Build your relationships with townsfolk by giving them gifts, attending special events, performing quests, and remembering their birthdays. Earn enough favor and maybe the townsfolk will begin giving you gifts in kind. Some nuts are harder to crack than others, but with some finesse, they just might come around. You never know - you might even find love out there.

There’s beauty and intrigue found in every corner of Softshoal. It’s a compelling place that calls the player ever further into the mysterious woods, down into the dangerous caves. As you explore, you’ll see things that you’ll never forget and you’ll experience adventures worth re-telling.

And where better to relay your stories of heroism than back in Port Meridia? This fair-sized town has plenty of places to kick back and enjoy a day away from the farm, but it’s also home to the many festivals that you don’t want to miss!

Every season brings with it a great calendar of holidays that are perfect cause for celebration. You’ll find the townsfolk have a festival for nearly every one of those occasions. Make sure you’re there!

Your character is a reflection of your personality (we assume that deep inside, everyone is an attractive, island-dwelling farmer). As such, they can be customized in any way you desire, including your gender. After creating a glorious persona, we know there will be fashionistas who want to take it a step further. Want to give them a more epic hairstyle or outfit? Visit the barber or tailor! You will soon become a shining star in the farming community.

And so much more!

Farm Folks is whatever you make of it. It’s an adventure driven entirely by you. There is so much more to discover and so much more fun to be had when you get creative. Live this pleasant life to the best of your abilities and become the greatest farmer that Softshoal has ever seen!

Farm Folks on Steam

Automation Empire

Automation Empire

I wanted to like this game, I really did. I put in a bunch of time so I could experience all versions and content of the game. Here is some of what I noticed:

1: There is no need to progress beyond steel plates and gold, you can win every map by using only those 2 material exports.

2: Every map is absolutely 100% identical when it comes to resources. They all have the same amount of iron, coal, gold and oil nodes.

3: Late game means severe and I do mean severe lag. 1 frame/2 seconds is not out of the ordinary on a game load.

Real player with 333.9 hrs in game

First I thoroughly enjoy this game, and it does have its ups and downs, but I cannot recommend it more highly.

I would like to address my opinion on what most negative reviews have to say. These are my opinion only. YMMV.

  1. it is not a sandbox or an optimization game. It is a puzzle race against the clock.

  2. It is NOT Factorio, that’s not a fault, it is just different. Why make a clone of another game?

  3. It does not have blueprints. - Part of the gameplay is to continually rebuild factories in new and different styles to match each level of tech you unlock, staying ahead of the tax curve. Blueprints would reduce this part of game play into cloning rubber stamps all over the map, and limits creativity and ingenuity.

Real player with 209.4 hrs in game

Automation Empire on Steam