Automation Empire
- November 19, 2019
- DOG HOGGLER
- 23h median play time
Get on Steam"Automation Empire is a simulation/management game focused on efficiency and expansion. Create and manage a network of factories and machines, using various modes of transportation such as mine carts, drones, and trains to move resources. Design complex systems, optimize production, and expand your industrial empire to new worlds." Less than 300 characters.
Reviews
- The game has a unique puzzle-like gameplay that challenges players to optimize their factory setups.
- Graphics are appealing and the animations are well done, making the game visually enjoyable.
- The ability to delete buildings for a full refund encourages experimentation and creativity in factory design.
- The game lacks a tutorial, making it difficult for new players to understand mechanics and controls.
- The tax system is poorly designed, leading to frustration as it can quickly drain profits and force players into bankruptcy.
- Limited building options and the inability to resize factories after construction make it tedious to adjust layouts.
- gameplay183 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and engaging progression loops, while others criticize its limitations, lack of depth, and frustrating mechanics. Many users highlight the absence of a tutorial, which contributes to a steep learning curve, and express disappointment over poorly designed systems, such as the taxation mechanic, that detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the game shows potential with its visuals and core concepts, it suffers from execution issues that may hinder enjoyment for some players.
“Great game and very well written, and the mechanics are flawless.”
“Very satisfying gameplay and progression loops.”
“The core gameplay (which is designing your factories and making everything as optimal as you can get it to be) is present and pretty challenging.”
“Current gameplay is extremely limited.”
“The style is bland and uninteresting, the gameplay is basic and boring, and the mechanics are just not fun to play around with.”
“The mechanics are beyond broken.”
- graphics112 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received a mixed response, with many praising the high-quality visuals and art style, particularly at higher resolutions, while others criticize them as outdated or lacking depth compared to competitors like Factorio. Some players appreciate the charming and clean design, noting that the graphics enhance the overall experience, but there are complaints about performance issues and a lack of graphical options. Overall, while the graphics are generally considered good, they are not universally acclaimed, and some players feel they do not compensate for gameplay shortcomings.
“The graphics are outstanding, along with the wonderful and captivating sounds of machinery with noise for every process.”
“It is truly a remarkable game, well thought out, practical and good quality graphics which at 3840 x 2160 look great.”
“The graphics are amazing for this type of game and it's great to be able to zoom in.”
“The maps play mostly the same with different graphics; the scenarios aren't that unique.”
“Too many graphic glitches for a game priced at $22.”
“Full release and $30 for a game with so-so graphics, barren worlds, and very few things to do until you get hopelessly bored.”
- music77 mentions
- 5 % positive mentions
- 84 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The game features music only in the main menu, with no in-game soundtrack, which many players find disappointing and off-putting. While some appreciate the absence of distracting music during gameplay, the overall lack of audio variety and background music has been a common criticism, leading to a perception of the game as lacking depth. Players often resort to their own music to enhance the experience, highlighting the need for a more engaging audio environment.
“The menu music will blow you out of your chair, but then for some reason the game has no in-game music-- which is just fine with me, I typically turn game music way down anyway.”
“What makes a lot of these routine play games great is the daze you go into while listening to a great soundtrack.”
“I hope that Dog Hoggler adds some ambient background music in a future patch.”
“But if you're looking for music in-game, this is not for you.”
“The glaring omissions from the game are the lack of full tutorial (other than a hint screen and a table for how to craft and merge items) and no in-game music.”
“However, there is zero music in this game outside of the title screen, which is unacceptable.”
- stability38 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 5 % neutral mentions
- 76 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and lag, particularly during late-game scenarios. While some players have experienced smooth gameplay without issues, a significant number have noted persistent micro-freezes and crashes that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game appears to be unfinished and in need of substantial bug fixes to enhance stability.
“Smooth automation, no glitches that I have found.”
“Seems to be pretty bug-free; I haven't found any issues yet.”
“One of the most polished games to come out in recent years, virtually bug-free.”
“What put me over the edge, though, were the bugs and glitches.”
“The lag is still there, the bugs, the glitches, and late game lag still persist and have not been addressed.”
“Before I get into the major gameplay shortfalls, the biggest show stopper is the constant freezes and crashes.”
- grinding35 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious and repetitive nature, primarily due to the lack of features like bulk deletion, blueprints, and the inability to modify existing factory layouts. Players find the process of rebuilding and reorganizing their factories cumbersome, which detracts from the overall enjoyment, making it feel more like a chore than a fun challenge. While some appreciate the complexity and potential for fun, many agree that the game can become excessively grindy and frustrating over time.
“Not to mention the lack of a copy and paste function and the ability to expand a factory without tearing the whole building down makes the game rather repetitive and tedious at times.”
“The ux decisions about not being able to modify the factory once in place, and the inability to blueprint makes the game a tedious slog.”
“In general, I liked the game but after several hours it becomes tedious and a bit of a grind.”
- optimization34 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance and enjoyable gameplay, particularly in late-game scenarios, many others experience significant performance issues, especially with large factories and complex builds. Users have noted that the game could benefit from further optimization to address stuttering frame rates and improve loading times, particularly on high-end systems. Despite these concerns, the core mechanics of factory and resource optimization remain engaging for players who enjoy strategic management.
“This is definitely one of the most fun-to-play games I’ve ever played, absolutely recommended for everyone who likes construction and optimization, although it has some minor quirks due to which it doesn’t feel completely finished.”
“The game does look very good and has a well-optimized world thread, so late game FPS isn't always atrocious.”
“It is fun to grow through the various stages of factory optimization as research is done and new things are unlocked.”
“Naw, it is what it is, a chopped down memory pig version of Factorio, with less content and no optimization.”
“There needs to be some serious optimization done to this game, especially on game loads.”
“Just built my new computer yesterday with a x670 TUF gaming motherboard and a Ryzen 5 CPU, and it won't even run without stuttering on simple graphics... hands down needs optimization.”
- replayability33 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a significant point of contention among reviewers. Many express that the lack of randomization in maps and limited gameplay variety results in minimal replay value, with some players feeling that once the main objectives are completed, there is little incentive to return. However, a few users note that the game can still provide hours of enjoyment, particularly with different areas to explore and potential for future updates or mod support to enhance replayability.
“This has amazing replayability and the difficulty level can be as brutal as you make it for yourself.”
“Lots of different areas to try gives this game tons of replay value...”
“Learning curve is pretty steep, but once you work out how it all combines, it's a fun challenge with lots of replay value.”
“The maps are all fixed with no randomness, limiting replay value.”
“This game has next to zero replayability.”
“The game does not provide too much for replayability and there is almost no reason to play again after you launched a rocket.”
- story32 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and narrative, with players noting that it primarily consists of repetitive missions without a compelling plot or clear objectives. Many users express a desire for a more engaging storyline or campaign mode to enhance the gameplay experience, as the current structure feels shallow and unfulfilling. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable mechanics, it falls short in providing a meaningful story or varied mission structure.
“Really fun game, and honestly, I feel like a second game could be fantastic as it could close up a lot of holes in the plot. For example, 'Where are all these trucks coming from?' or 'Where are all these different things going?' I'm delivering thousands of kg of golden plates, but we never see what they're used for. A second game could be cool, maybe about ordering all these things to make robot limbs to construct a whole robot and weapons for some kind of space war, which would be an amazing game.”
“At first, I thought it would have no plot and you just build stuff and then it's over. However, I wish there was a more compelling storyline around the objective, and I find myself wishing for a deeper leveling/tech tree.”
“Could use a little more storyline - I like building for the sake of building, but if you don't, this might get boring quickly.”
“This game offers no tutorials or help or quests of any kind so you can learn how to make the game work.”
“It makes no pretense of having any kind of a story and things just warp in from one side and go to the other in a shallow attempt to make bigger numbers.”
“There are no real goals, no story, no achievements.”
- monetization9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -22 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received significant criticism, with many users labeling it a "cash grab" due to perceived abandonment by the developers and a lack of meaningful content. While some players appreciate the game's quality, the overall sentiment leans towards disappointment, suggesting that the monetization strategy may not align with player expectations for ongoing development and value.
“There are no microtransactions, which makes the experience much more enjoyable.”
“I appreciate that the game doesn't have any microtransactions, allowing me to fully immerse myself without distractions.”
“The absence of microtransactions is a breath of fresh air in today's gaming landscape.”
“Look, I really wanted to like this game as the YouTube advertising campaign using YouTubers was a great publicity move, but the game, when you actually get it, is an empty featureless mess.”
“Had potential, but the developer stopped development (apparently) and just a cash grab.”
“Read all the negative reviews recently, very accurate, and this game is clearly a cash grab.”
- humor7 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as both entertaining and frustrating, with players finding the chaotic interactions of drones amusing yet ultimately unhelpful. While some appreciate the game's potential for humor, others feel that the developers' design choices detract from the overall experience, leading to a mix of hilarity and disappointment. Overall, the humor is seen as a highlight, but it is overshadowed by gameplay issues that hinder enjoyment.
“Potential to be a great game, but I get the distinct feeling that the devs are sitting behind me laughing maniacally whilst I play.”
“They bunch up and push each other around... it's kinda funny at first...”
“Addictive and very funny game; even though I've not played much yet, I see the potential and it's huge!!!”
“The objectives are all very shallow, as is the game... not funny at all... I've played it for a total of 17 hours and that's it, no more fun.”
“Developers have complicated a lot the way to do the most simple stuff, in a cry to make you play it longer... it's just not humorous.”
“If you play Factorio or Oxygen Not Included, you see how this game is light years behind... it lacks the wit and charm that makes those games enjoyable.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a sense of heartbreak, particularly due to its perceived abandonment, which resonates deeply with players.
