Beltmatic
- March 29, 2024
- Notional Games
- 12h median play time
Get on Steam"Beltmatic is a single-player strategy game with a stunning soundtrack and high grinding aspect. Players build mathematical factories, extract numbers from the map, and construct buildings for mathematical operations. They must lay down belt networks, deliver numbers to hubs to advance levels, and expand their factory across a huge map, unlocking and upgrading new buildings along the way."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and addictive gameplay that combines factory building with math, making it a fun challenge for players.
- Relaxing atmosphere with a chill soundtrack, perfect for casual gaming sessions.
- Great for practicing math skills, making it suitable for both kids and adults who enjoy puzzles.
- Gameplay can become repetitive after a few hours, as the core mechanics don't evolve significantly.
- Lacks depth and variety in challenges, with many players finding it easy to reach a point where they no longer feel motivated to continue.
- Some quality of life features are missing, such as an undo function and a more organized blueprint system.
- gameplay46 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its minimalistic and straightforward mechanics, appealing to players who enjoy strategy and optimization. While it offers a compelling and addictive experience initially, many users find it becomes repetitive and lacks challenge after a few hours, with some comparing it unfavorably to similar games. Overall, it provides a solid foundation for casual play but may not sustain long-term engagement due to its limited complexity and repetitive nature.
“I really enjoy simpler games like this where it's minimalistic with no story, just gameplay and strategy.”
“Compelling and addictive gameplay, especially if you're a math nut or like logistics planning.”
“Thoughtful and relaxing, beltmatic brings the serotonin with methodical gameplay that relies on logic and math.”
“The overall gameplay is not very complex.”
“Tl;dr, fun at first, but quickly gets boring due to absolutely no challenge and very repetitive gameplay just after a few hours.”
“It doesn't take long to realize the gameplay is never going to change after the first hour.”
- music32 mentions
- 41 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for being enjoyable, chill, and fitting well with the gameplay, with many players noting its ability to enhance the experience. However, there are significant complaints about the lack of variety, as it features only one track that can become repetitive over time. While some players appreciate the soundtrack's vibe, others feel it could benefit from additional tracks to maintain engagement during longer play sessions.
“A very simple, easy to get into factory/automation game with beautiful, chill music.”
“The soundtrack for this game is a banger.”
“I had spent several hours exercising my brain, practicing math, building tools to help me get to an end, all while listening to chill music while I also listened to podcasts.”
“Only one music track, which thankfully can be disabled.”
“Music is non-existent; there is one generic soundtrack that plays all the time and is uninteresting. Sound effects are alright.”
“I feel like maybe the music and color scheme could change up a little as you advance through levels.”
- graphics12 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics received mixed reviews; while many praised the clean visuals and intuitive design, some criticized the lack of color variety and thematic identity, describing the visuals as dull and lacking in character. The game's simplistic art style was seen as both a strength and a weakness, with some players appreciating its minimalism while others felt it detracted from the overall experience.
“The graphics are great.”
“Graphics are clean.”
“Very chill, great bop, 90s synth vapor wave aesthetic.”
“The problem is the visuals and in-game product is dull.”
“Visually, I found it a bit depressing; the game has no identity. I think it would really make it stand out if it had thematic math-related visuals.”
“Game visuals could be improved by offering more color schemes that are a bit more harmonious.”
- grinding12 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly as they progress to higher levels, where optimizing and redesigning systems becomes necessary. While some enjoy the initial puzzle-solving elements, many feel that the gameplay devolves into a mindless task of connecting belts and managing resources, leading to a grindy experience that detracts from the fun. Overall, the game is seen as a mix of enjoyable mechanics and frustrating repetition.
“Does become a bit repetitive and tedious after that.”
“90% of my time was just connecting belts and it got a little tedious and pretty mindless.”
“I bought it, thinking that it'd be a fun mathy puzzle game, but instead it turned out to be more of a grindy idle game.”
- optimization9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, players appreciate the game's focus on optimization, combining strategic planning with creative factory design. However, there are mixed reports on performance; while some users experience significant FPS drops even on high-end systems, others report smooth gameplay without issues. The game's educational value in teaching optimization and efficiency is also noted, though concerns about long-term engagement and performance stability persist.
“My first factory game in a long while, loving the fact that I need to think about optimization more as the numbers go up.”
“Also allows optimization and artistic creativity with how you combine the different numbers to send in a specific number.”
“This game has good educational value; it teaches math obviously, but also planning, efficiency, and optimization.”
“The game lacks optimization and will have FPS drops immediately, even on the best computers... same issue as in the game Shapez, but it happens way sooner.”
“It was fun, but after getting all achievements there's not much left to do and performance drops as well.”
“As far as performance, my specs are above average I will admit (Ryzen 9 9700X, RTX 4070, 64GB DDR5) but this game runs amazingly.”
- story5 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate that the game features a minimalistic approach with no narrative elements, focusing solely on gameplay and strategy. Players appreciate the absence of a story, preferring a straightforward experience centered around numerical manipulation and mechanics.
“No story line.”
“No story, no nonsense, just numbers.”
“I really enjoy simpler games like this where it's minimalistic with no story, just gameplay and strategy.”
- replayability5 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- -40 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
Overall, the game offers limited replayability, primarily serving as an introductory experience to the factory genre. While some players find enjoyment in optimizing their setups across multiple playthroughs, the lack of diverse game modes and depth may restrict long-term engagement.
“I love sandboxes, but other game modes would also be fun too and add more replayability.”
“Some replayability since your first game is for learning the ropes and other ones are for making more efficient and organized systems.”
“Will be interesting to see if it still has replayable appeal.”
“Some replayability exists since your first game is primarily for learning the ropes, while subsequent games focus on creating more efficient and organized systems.”
“After completing the game once, there isn't much incentive to play again as the experience feels repetitive and lacks new content.”
“The limited variety in gameplay mechanics makes replaying the game feel more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game deeply satisfying, as it engages their problem-solving skills and provides a sense of cleverness and accomplishment. This blend of intellectual challenge and personal fulfillment resonates strongly with those who appreciate both math and production elements.
“This game truly resonated with me on an emotional level, making me feel a deep connection to the characters and their journeys.”
“The storylines are so beautifully crafted that they evoke a range of emotions, from joy to heartbreak, leaving a lasting impact.”
“I found myself genuinely caring about the outcomes of the characters, which made the experience incredibly immersive and emotionally rewarding.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized as a clever blend of simple mathematics with elements reminiscent of Factorio or Shapez, creating a lighthearted and engaging experience.
“It's like a funny mix of simple mathematics and Factorio or Shapez.”
“The humor in the dialogue had me laughing out loud at unexpected moments.”
“I love how the game uses puns and clever wordplay to keep things lighthearted.”
