Craftomation 101: Programming & Craft

About

"Craftomation 101: Programming & Craft" is a craft automation game where players program robots called CraftoMates to harvest and terraform a frozen planet. The game offers visual programming and regular updates every 2 weeks, with a discord stream every Friday for community engagement. Players can get involved by filling a form, joining the discord, wishlisting on Steam, or simply following on Twitter, with an optional Pay What You Want support offer available.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Craftomation 101: Programming & Craft screenshot

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 213 reviews

gameplay12 positive mentions

stability17 negative mentions

Engaging automation mechanics that reward logical thinking and creativity.
Intuitive visual programming system that is accessible for beginners while offering depth for experienced players.
Charming aesthetics and relaxing gameplay create an enjoyable experience.

The game currently lacks content and can be completed in a short amount of time, leading to a feeling of limited replayability.
Numerous bugs and UI/UX issues hinder the overall experience, making it frustrating at times.
Resource management can be tedious, requiring constant attention to keep bots powered and tasks running smoothly.

gameplay
38 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
55%
13%
The gameplay of Craftomation 101 is centered around automating tasks, crafting resources, and optimizing workflows in a mysterious frozen world, offering a unique blend of challenge and creativity. While the minimalist design enhances the experience, players have noted some frustrations with repetitive elements and AI issues, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall execution. Despite these drawbacks, the game is praised for its engaging automation mechanics and potential for long-term replayability, making it appealing to both newcomers and experienced players.
- “The core gameplay revolves around automating tasks, crafting resources, and optimizing your workflow to conquer the challenges of a mysterious frozen world.”
- “Craftomation's gameplay offers a perfect balance of challenge and reward.”
- “In conclusion, Craftomation 101 is a masterfully crafted experience that seamlessly blends crafting, automation, and programming into an addictive gameplay loop.”
- “Parts of the game are fun, but parts of them are tedious, and the thorn mechanic is just straight obnoxious.”
- “But the gameplay is bad... too repetitive, and the worst thing is that they use up things you need; they ate a storage?!?”
- “The basic gameplay mechanics were not thought out well.”
stability
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that hinder gameplay. While some players appreciate the concept and enjoy certain features, the overall experience is marred by instability, making it difficult to recommend at this stage. Improvements are anticipated, but current issues detract from the enjoyment.
- “The game is so buggy at this point that I can't recommend it.”
- “Now, it is a buggy mess at times.”
- “It is very buggy (I crashed 2 times with progress loss and was locked in interface 4 more times in 2 hours).”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
22%
33%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their charming aesthetics and retro visuals, contributing to a relaxing and engaging atmosphere. Users appreciate the clear 2D graphics and the pleasing art style, though some note that there is room for improvement. Overall, the visuals are considered good, with a score around 8/10, making it appealing for fans of indie titles.
- “The charming aesthetics and ambient soundtrack create a relaxing yet engaging atmosphere, making it easy to lose track of time.”
- “With charming retro visuals and a fitting soundtrack, this game is a gem worth exploring for any fan of indie titles.”
- “Nice, meditative gameplay with pleasant graphics.”
- “The graphics feel outdated and lack the polish expected from modern games.”
- “The character models are poorly designed and lack detail, making them feel lifeless.”
- “The environments are bland and repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often feeling like a chore rather than an engaging experience. While some enjoy the core gameplay and the potential for creativity through automation, many express frustration with the reliance on manual tasks and the need to grind for resources, which can detract from the overall enjoyment. The game is perceived as overly focused on resource management, leading to a grindy experience that limits player creativity.
- “Everything relies on fire (2 stone combined, + 1 coal, combine) which is extremely tedious and you need to devote the majority of your robots to just produce batteries and fire.”
- “Feels like a tedious (even when automated somehow) and repetitive version of a supply chain game that leaves only a very thin margin for your creativity.”
- “Also, even basic actions are locked behind quests, which means that you cannot automate anything properly without first grinding semi-manually.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with some users experiencing significant performance issues, such as low frame rates and stuttering, particularly in the full version compared to the demo. While there are engaging optimization puzzles, the overall performance can hinder progress and enjoyment, especially when dealing with a high number of bots. Additionally, blocking internet access may contribute to these stuttering problems.
- “There are a lot of simple scripting puzzles and one pretty interesting optimization puzzle that appears in both 'fire' and 'water' tending tasks.”
- “But again, if you like optimization and logic games, you could be entertained for hours without making much progress on that content.”
- “Once I had a performance degradation when I reached a certain number of bots.”
- “Very bad FPS and stuttering in the full product and not in the demo.”
- “The game also asks for internet access, which I blocked, and I am unsure if this causes the stuttering issue.”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The music in the game is praised for its charming aesthetics and ambient soundtrack, which contribute to a relaxing and engaging atmosphere. While some users note that the music can become repetitive, it is generally considered a fitting complement to the retro visuals, making the game a worthwhile experience for indie fans.
- “The charming aesthetics and ambient soundtrack create a relaxing yet engaging atmosphere, making it easy to lose track of time.”
- “With charming retro visuals and a fitting soundtrack, this game is a gem worth exploring for any fan of indie titles.”
- “The music gets repetitive.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game features a captivating story that enhances the gameplay experience, complemented by engaging missions and innovative mechanics. Players appreciate the blend of narrative depth and creative freedom, making it a standout title for those looking for a unique adventure.
- “All coupled with an interesting story and frozen ground mechanics.”
- “With its captivating story, intuitive mechanics, and endless possibilities for creativity, it's a must-play for anyone seeking a truly unique gaming experience.”
- “More missions?”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
While some users highlight the potential for new mechanics and challenges that could enhance long-term replayability, others feel the game currently lacks sufficient content, making it less replayable in its present state.
- “The potential for new mechanics and challenges promises long-term replayability.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the game to be genuinely humorous, with many appreciating its comedic elements and overall fun experience. The humor contributes positively to the game's appeal, making it worthy of a favorable review.
- “This is a funny game.”
- “I was trying to be funny the first time around, but this game deserves a good review.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The game's charming aesthetics and ambient soundtrack foster a relaxing yet engaging atmosphere, allowing players to easily immerse themselves and lose track of time.
- “The charming aesthetics and ambient soundtrack create a relaxing yet engaging atmosphere, making it easy to lose track of time.”
- “The game's world is beautifully crafted, immersing players in a rich and vibrant environment that feels alive.”
- “The atmospheric sound design and stunning visuals work together to create a sense of wonder and exploration.”