Automachef

Solid and definitely has an audience. There could be some hard-to-ignore faults, but the experience is fun.

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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

Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 231 reviews

gameplay9 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Engaging and challenging puzzle mechanics that require strategic thinking and planning.
Unique blend of cooking and programming elements, providing a fresh take on the automation genre.
Charming visuals and humorous narrative that enhance the overall experience.

Clunky and unintuitive user interface that makes navigation and machine configuration frustrating.
Difficulty spikes can be abrupt, leading to potential frustration for players not familiar with programming concepts.
Limited flexibility in solutions, often requiring specific setups to meet level objectives, which can feel restrictive.

gameplay
31 mentions
29 % positive mentions
61 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of factory-building and simulation mechanics, reminiscent of games like Factorio, offering a blend of fun and depth, though it suffers from repetitive elements and poorly explained mechanics. While the initial experience is engaging, players often encounter jankiness and inconsistencies, particularly with efficiency scoring and machine functions. Overall, the game provides a solid foundation with structured levels and a tutorial, but some mechanics feel like busywork and could benefit from clearer explanations.
- “Despite the inconsistent rules on efficiency score, the gameplay is intuitive with great depth in mechanics at the same time.”
- “If there’s one thing the developers did phenomenally, it’s the gameplay.”
- “This is a great simulation/puzzle game, with polished graphics and interesting mechanics, similar to Factorio, but with food.”
- “On level 3, but so far it seems full of jank and boring, repetitive gameplay.”
- “But in the end, your gameplay will boil down to building your initial factory, testing every menu item, sitting through the whole day of being open to customers, realizing you're not fast/energy efficient/frugal enough, tweaking your factory, and running through the whole simulation again.”
- “UI still sucks, the machines breaking mechanic is obnoxious and not fun, and machine behavior is still unintuitive.”
story
18 mentions
11 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around a humorous, megalomaniac robot attempting to take over the world, guiding players through a series of challenging missions that require strategic planning and resource management. While the narrative is engaging and filled with wit, some players feel that the tutorial and explanations for new devices could be improved to enhance the overall experience. The campaign offers a mix of main and optional missions, maintaining a rewarding gameplay structure despite some challenges in the contract mode.
- “Has a great sense of humor as your megalomaniac robot partner guides you through the campaign missions.”
- “The humor 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.”
- “It would be nice if they had a story with a good tutorial telling how to do the puzzles.”
- “The story mode is definitely challenging but the contract mode definitely needs more improvements.”
graphics
15 mentions
53 % positive mentions
27 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing art style, capturing a retro aesthetic reminiscent of the 1950s, and are complemented by satisfying sound design. However, some users note a lack of quality-of-life features and technical issues that detract from the overall experience. While many appreciate the unique visuals and animations, there are criticisms regarding usability and optimization.
- “I really wanted to like this game, as the premise and the visuals were really different and nice for a factory puzzle game.”
- “The art style is very retro with the right colors to catch your eye so well, and the audio is just the icing on the cake.”
- “I love the cute graphics and animation as well as the running gag of the sinister world domination plan of the robot guide.”
- “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.”
- “What could be improved is selecting multiple items for move, turning, copying... having the usual ctrl, shift + draw a rectangle around items or click an item to add/remove it from the selection (well known from graphics programs and other games) would save the user's time and make it much more convenient.”
optimization
12 mentions
42 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its challenge and factory optimization mechanics, likening it to other titles in the genre. However, many criticize the game's lack of open-ended optimization options and the need for more sensible parameters, leading to frustration with its design and execution. Overall, while it may appeal to fans of puzzle and automation games, its optimization features are seen as a significant drawback by some players.
- “A fun Zachtronics-like engineering and optimization game.”
- “Automachef is a fun little factory optimization puzzle game in the same vein as the Positech published Production Line and Big Pharma.”
- “Tldr; if you're into factory optimization games, you probably won't be disappointed picking this one up.”
- “Could also use more sensible optimization parameters.”
- “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.”
- “This game technically is offensively bad, almost everything is bad: UI / UX / graphics / optimization / animations / art / progress / clarity / systems / usability.”
music
10 mentions
40 % positive mentions
30 % neutral mentions
30 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its ability to create an immersive atmosphere, effectively capturing the 60's diner vibe and complementing various settings like busy airports and calm parks. However, some players find the music repetitive and grating over extended play sessions, leading to a desire for a larger song selection. Overall, while the music enhances the experience for some, it can become a drawback for others due to its repetitiveness.
- “The music is so great, really setting the 60's diner mood :)”
- “There’s ambient music played in the background along with the different sounds of your machines hard at work.”
- “Nice music that soothes the nerves.”
- “My only complaints are that the liquid mechanics kind of seem like thoughtless busywork (they're in the later half of the game) and given the time you'll put into it, it could use a few more songs it could cycle through.”
- “Update: I checked after patch #1 and all these points still apply - they fixed some obvious bugs but the UI remains obtuse, music and sounds grating, and the game illogical and annoying.”
- “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!”
humor
9 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in Automachef is characterized by its lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek style, featuring a quirky robot partner that adds charm to the gameplay. While many players appreciate the game's funny elements and clever scenarios, some feel that the humor may not be consistently strong throughout. Overall, it combines a playful atmosphere with engaging automation challenges, making it enjoyable for those with a fresh mindset.
- “Automachef is an innocent automation game with tongue-in-cheek nerd humor.”
- “Has a great sense of humor as your megalomaniac robot partner guides you through the campaign missions.”
- “Great '60s environment and a funny little robot... human helper!”
replayability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game boasts an extensive amount of content that significantly enhances its replayability, making it a worthwhile investment for players. Many reviewers highlight its ability to provide hours of engaging gameplay, appealing even to those who may not typically enjoy this genre.
- “Crazy amount of content with high replayability justifies the price.”
- “If you’re looking for a game that offers a lot of replayability, then you’ve definitely come to the right place.”
- “This is a great game with hours of play and replay value that also comes at a nice price and is well worth a look, even for people who would not usually play this type of game.”
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players note that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, as it often requires repeatedly running through certain rooms hundreds of times to achieve progress or unlock achievements.
- “Grinding achievements: no... well... you will have to run some rooms hundreds of times; I'll call that grinding.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- “I spent hours grinding for resources, and it felt like I was just wasting my time without any real progress.”
stability
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is criticized, with users reporting frequent bugs and instances of the game locking up, leading to a frustrating experience. Overall, it appears that players have not found effective solutions to these issues.
- “Nobody seems to have found a good use for them, and they are also buggy and sometimes lock up and stop working.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users noting that it is well-crafted and contributes significantly to the overall experience.
- “This is all put together with a really nice atmosphere.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game has elicited a strong reaction, leading some users to feel hesitant or unwilling to engage with it further.