Automachef

About

Automachef is a humorous single-player simulation game that tasks players with designing and building automated kitchens, then programming them to run efficiently. With challenging puzzles, multiple modes including a campaign, contracts, and sandbox test mode, and endless charm, Automachef offers a brain-tickling and entertaining experience. The game features striking visuals and a quirky protagonist, Robert Person, offering a unique and amusing narrative.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 501 reviews

gameplay12 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

Engaging and challenging gameplay that improves problem-solving and management skills.
Unique concept of automating a kitchen with a blend of strategy and puzzle-solving.
Satisfying to optimize production lines and achieve efficiency goals.

Clunky UI and controls that make setup tedious and frustrating.
Limited solutions for levels, often forcing players into specific designs rather than allowing creativity.
Lack of clear tutorials and explanations for new machines and mechanics, leading to confusion.

gameplay
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it tedious and frustrating due to complex mechanics and a lack of clear explanations. While the combination of cooking simulation and resource management offers a creative approach, many feel that the gameplay loop can become repetitive and shallow, especially with the introduction of unannounced mechanics. However, others appreciate the depth and challenge it provides, particularly for fans of similar games like Factorio, noting that it gradually increases in complexity and offers a fun, engaging experience once the mechanics are mastered.
- “Combining logic puzzles with cooking simulation and resource management really gave a creative approach to the gameplay.”
- “This is a great simulation/puzzle game, with polished graphics and interesting mechanics, similar to Factorio, but with food.”
- “If there’s one thing the developers did phenomenally, it’s the gameplay.”
- “The control scheme is quite frustrating and the gameplay loop seems shallow.”
- “On level 3 but so far it seems full of jank and boring, repetitive gameplay.”
- “The game is a cute puzzle game that makes you think on your feet, but the difficulty spike comes out of nowhere and it's hard to tell what exactly you're doing wrong, as the game doesn't explain some of its own mechanics very well.”
story
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
80%
7%
The game's story is characterized by a humorous and quirky narrative involving a megalomaniac robot guiding players through a series of challenging missions in a robotic kitchen setting. While many players appreciate the comedic elements and the engaging structure of the campaign, some find the story repetitive and the mission design frustrating, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, the storyline adds a charming layer to the puzzle gameplay, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate its unique humor.
- “I found the story in the campaign to be cute and funny.”
- “The humour is very nice and never feels contrived or cheap; it delivers a subtle tongue-in-cheek storyline.”
- “The story is about a robot trying to take over the world, but being obviously coy about it.”
- “This game gets very frustrating very fast, and the dumb story doesn't help.”
- “I couldn't even make it through the 3rd mission without falling asleep, while drinking coffee.”
graphics
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
41%
11%
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, featuring a sharp and clean aesthetic that appeals to players, particularly with its charming art style reminiscent of the 1950s. While many appreciate the cartoonish visuals and polished design, some users note issues with overlapping objects and selection mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the game's unique theme and engaging gameplay.
- “The game uses a sharp-but-clean graphics style.”
- “I love the cute graphics and animation as well as the running gag of the sinister world domination plan of the robot guide.”
- “This is a great simulation/puzzle game, with polished graphics and interesting mechanics, similar to Factorio, but with food.”
- “Graphically, it's not a pretty game.”
- “This game technically is offensively bad, almost everything is bad: UI / UX / graphics / optimization / animations / art / progress / clarity / systems / usability.”
- “- Trying to select a machine on the field, you often select the one above it because of the 2.5D graphics.”
optimization
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
60%
12%
The optimization aspect of Automachef is a mixed bag; while it offers a stable and polished experience, many players find the optimization mechanics lacking depth and flexibility. The game encourages players to create tailored solutions for specific levels rather than fostering open-ended optimization, leading to a sense of frustration for those seeking more complex challenges. Overall, it serves as a decent entry point into the automation optimization genre, but may not satisfy hardcore fans looking for extensive optimization options.
- “This game is great for fans of logic puzzles, automation games, and even ubernerds who want to literally write some assembler code to make their robot kitchen completely optimized.”
- “The true form of Automachef is about getting players to chase after optimization and improvisation for those additional bonuses and a feeling of completion.”
- “It's more complicated than I thought it would be, and each piece of equipment is basic enough to make a 'working but inefficient' design, or a fully optimized design, once you figure out what you're doing.”
- “The placement feels clunky; why is there no hotbar for the machines? Why can the long-handed inserter not go over other inserters? Optimization is not worth it; the UI is too big, leading to tons of scrolling; logic for the machines is minimal.”
- “With a campaign that numbers 30 levels in total plus a procedurally generated mode, Automachef isn't light on content. However, all puzzles are fixed, so there's little incentive for optimization; it's much easier to create a tailor-made solution that aces a particular stage.”
- “The problem this creates is that the optimal solution for a given level is one that is optimized towards the specific incoming orders rather than a generic solution that can handle the incoming orders in any form.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its charm and ability to set a specific mood, particularly a nostalgic 60's diner vibe. However, many players criticize the limited variety and repetitiveness of the tracks, describing them as grating over time. Overall, while some find the music soothing and fitting, others feel it detracts from the gameplay experience.
- “The music and dialogue are quite charming and the levels introduce a good level of difficulty as you progress.”
- “The music is so great, really setting the 60's diner mood :)”
- “This game has the best soundtrack I have ever listened to.”
- “The music is infuriating, the UI is clunky, and the robot's world domination shtick is stale.”
- “The music and background sounds are repetitive and grating in a game where you'll spend long periods just trying to figure things out - you can turn them off - you will turn them off!”
- “The UI is very clunky, the repetitive music becomes grating after a while; there is an absurd difficulty spike starting at an obnoxiously hand-holdy tutorial and jumping to knowing how to code.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
5%
89%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and repetitive, with players noting that initial excitement quickly fades as they encounter excessive clicking, complex programming requirements, and cumbersome interfaces. Many feel that the mechanics, while potentially interesting, become a frustrating chore, particularly when dealing with more complex tasks and machinery. Overall, while some may enjoy the puzzle elements, the grinding experience is often seen as a significant drawback.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's a game which has a good idea but becomes tedious pretty quick.”
- “Starts out interesting but gets tedious fast, and then they introduce a mandatory assembly-style programming language (mandatory because the equivalent non-programmed machinery uses too much power).”
- “The solutions are very simple but the act of completing them is tedious, requiring several minutes of clicking through menus and lining stuff up.”
humor
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humorous storyline and quirky characters, particularly the megalomaniac robot partner, which adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. Players appreciate the tongue-in-cheek nerd humor and find the campaign's narrative cute and funny, although some feel the humor may not resonate with everyone. Overall, the humor is described as a blend of innocence and absurdity, contributing to the game's charm despite some clunky mechanics.
- “Automachef is an innocent automation game with tongue-in-cheek nerd humor.”
- “The dividers move so slow that if you feed too many of the same ingredient into them they can't actually do a 50-50 split, which I found hilarious.”
- “Has a great sense of humor as your megalomaniac robot partner guides you through the campaign missions.”
replayability
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The game offers significant replayability through its multiple modes and a wealth of content, encouraging players to experiment with different strategies and systems. Many users find satisfaction in discovering new approaches, making it a worthwhile investment for those seeking extended gameplay. Overall, it is highly regarded for its replay value, appealing even to those who may not typically enjoy this genre.
- “It's nice that the game has multiple modes, which enhances its replayability.”
- “There's a crazy amount of content with high replayability that justifies the price.”
- “This is a great game with hours of play and replay value, making it well worth a look even for those who might not usually play this type of game.”
- “There is some replayability.”
- “It's nice that the game has multiple modes, which adds to the replayability.”
- “Lots of satisfaction in finally getting a system to work the way you wanted, and when you come up with something that feels like a much smarter way to do things, it adds to the replay value.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting feelings of satisfaction and investment in optimizing gameplay, particularly in tasks like coding burgers. This blend of challenge and achievement contributes to a rewarding experience, though some may find it overwhelming at times.
- “Never has a game made me feel so satisfied and so invested in making a random kitchen as efficient as possible.”
- “I coded burgers, and it made me feel smart. 10/10”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent bugs that hinder gameplay, including UI malfunctions and instances where the game locks up. Overall, these stability problems detract from the initial enjoyment of the game.
- “Seemed like a fun game at first, but it turns out it is super buggy.”
- “Nobody seems to have found a good use for them, and they are also buggy and sometimes lock up and stop working.”
- “Sometimes the UI itself is buggy, and you have to click an element from the left menu several times before the machine pops up on the grid.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers consistently highlight the game's atmosphere as a standout feature, noting that it is well-crafted and enhances the overall experience.
- “This is all put together with a really nice atmosphere.”

75%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

Buy Automachef

7h Median play time

45h Average play time

5-105h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 5 analyzed playthroughs

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