Main Assembly

About

Main Assembly is a single player and multiplayer racing game. It was developed by Bad Yolk Games and was released on January 25, 2021. It received very positive reviews from critics and positive reviews from players.

"Main Assembly" is a robot construction and design game that allows players to build robots of any shape or size, program their movements with visual programming, and test them in custom-built obstacle courses. Players can also collaborate with others to create shared worlds and compete in bot challenges. The game offers a "Starter Collection" of combat-ready machines for instant brawling.

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83%

Audience ScoreBased on 994 reviews

graphics16 positive mentions

gameplay31 negative mentions

Main Assembly offers a robust set of tools for creative players to build and experiment with robots, allowing for limitless creativity.
The game features a unique free-form building system that enables players to create complex designs, making it a standout in the vehicle-building genre.
The programming interface is intuitive and allows for a high degree of customization, making it enjoyable for both casual and advanced players.

The game has been abandoned by the developers, with no updates or support for years, leading to a lack of content and unresolved bugs.
The tutorial is limited and does not adequately prepare players for the complexities of the building and programming systems, resulting in a steep learning curve.
Many players have reported frustrating bugs, crashes, and issues with the physics engine, which can detract from the overall experience.

gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
35%
46%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, with some players enjoying the creative freedom and unique building mechanics, while others find the controls and building system frustrating and unintuitive. Many comparisons are made to similar titles like Scrap Mechanic and Trailmakers, with opinions divided on whether this game surpasses or falls short of those experiences. Overall, while the game offers potential for complex creations and fun multiplayer interactions, it suffers from awkward mechanics and a lack of polish that can hinder the overall experience.
- “Very unique and cool building mechanics.”
- “Most innovative gameplay award.”
- “Creative gameplay and fun times with friends guaranteed.”
- “Building vehicles can be very tedious due to the fact the mirror mechanic is either inconsistent or just doesn't allow you to toggle it for specific parts. As far as I can tell, there is no key for fine adjustments, and it's also very easy to bend materials on the wrong axis without knowing until you realize there's an issue with your aerodynamics.”
- “This 'game' has possibly the worst building mechanics of any game I have ever played. Not only is it tedious, but even after doing all the things it trains you for, it is still so unintuitive and backwards. I'm sure some of it is a learning curve, but I have never been so lost playing a game.”
- “The game's building and coding mechanics are not hard, but the building system is just straight-up awkward to work with.”
graphics
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their beautiful, bright, and cartoonish art style, with many users noting the polished visuals and high poly counts that enhance the overall experience. However, some players have reported issues such as screen filters causing visual distortions and performance concerns, including lag and high CPU usage, suggesting that while the graphics are appealing, there is room for optimization. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's enjoyment, making it a standout feature despite some technical drawbacks.
- “The graphics are cute and bright.”
- “Beautiful graphics and design.”
- “They went to great lengths to have a nice artistic style/theme for both the visuals and audio.”
- “I can't even compliment the graphics because every so often there was this filter put on my screen that made everything a sickening wobble of pixel soup.”
- “I would if it didn't crash really quickly whenever I play, and if it wasn't so laggy even in the flat world with the worst visuals.”
- “Normally in these scenarios, I look to the visuals menu to tone things down; usually it is something like shadows, bloom, field of view... but in the menu, there is only a single drop down for quality, and once you hit 'low' you can't go any lower, and it still consumes a ton of CPU.”
story
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
52%
24%
The game lacks a substantial narrative, with many users noting the absence of a compelling story or storyline-driven missions. While it offers a variety of challenges and modes, including a tutorial and sandbox, the overall experience is more focused on building and puzzle-solving rather than storytelling, which some players find disappointing.
- “☐ epic story”
- “There isn't much for story, but there's a ton of challenges to face with detailed worlds.”
- “In short, a panoply of choices to add to the 'neverending story' of building everything you want.”
- “But if you're looking for some sort of story or events, I suggest otherwise.”
- “It's lacking a story or an incentive to actually push you to build more complex vehicles.”
- “Lack of storyline is disappointing, but it works as a puzzler/constructor.”
stability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
94%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, buggy controls, and unpredictable physics that hinder gameplay. While some appreciate the creative mechanics and ongoing updates, the overall experience is marred by glitches and unpolished systems, making it feel more frustrating than enjoyable. Many players express a desire for improved functionality and smoother interactions, particularly in the programming and multiplayer aspects.
- “The game runs smoothly most of the time, providing a stable experience.”
- “While there are occasional bugs, they don't significantly impact gameplay.”
- “Overall, the stability of the game is impressive, allowing for an enjoyable experience.”
- “Crashes mid-build, buggy programming logic and unpolished systems drag down what could have been a truly exciting engineering playground.”
- “It's buggy as hell and it crashes constantly.”
- “Game is very buggy and inconsistent.”
music
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
28%
27%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players find it soothing and immersive, enhancing the overall experience with a unique atmosphere, others feel it can become repetitive and annoying over time. Overall, many users praise the music as a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's ambiance and enjoyment.
- “To top it off, the background music is soothing and relaxing.”
- “Along with the 10/10 music and spooky feel when doing free roam, it feels like Blade Runner; just the airy cities, music, and weather all give out a similar vibe that this game has in single player, and I love it.”
- “This one is very well fleshed out, especially since many of these end up in 'early access purgatory.' While no one mechanic stands out, every feature - from music to map design to vehicle handling - is well done.”
- “Music is a bit stale and gets a little annoying after a while.”
- “The background music is soothing and relaxing, but it doesn't add much to the overall experience.”
- “While no one mechanic stands out, every feature - from music to map design to vehicle handling - feels underwhelming.”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews. While some players report serious performance issues, particularly on weaker PCs, others find the in-game performance stable with minimal lag. There are calls for better CPU management and more graphics options, but many appreciate the solid build mode and the potential for complex creations despite occasional crashes.
- “I've experienced maybe three or four crashes in about 90 hours of playtime, and generally the game is stable and runs smoothly.”
- “The build mode is optimized for keyboard and mouse (mostly mouse), while gameplay works very well with a controller.”
- “All the systems are solid and performance is good.”
- “Has very poor optimization, and despite having lots of potential, was abandoned by the devs. And oh dear, is the programming system awful.”
- “There are serious performance issues which might be a big problem for weaker PCs (over 20 seconds to load the configuration screen on my Threadripper), especially when editing even a bit complicated robots. But other than this, you can create very complicated robots, and so far there is still a lot to explore.”
- “I don't know how the game can be optimized for performance, but not optimized for CPU usage. At minimum, this game needs more ways to say 'stop eating my CPU!' by giving more options in the graphics menu to tone it down.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
78%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, particularly in vehicle building and customization, which is hampered by inconsistent mechanics and a lack of intuitive controls. Many reviewers express frustration over the time-consuming nature of modifications and the overall complexity of the game's design, leading to a sense of being lost rather than engaged. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
- “There's a lot of grinding involved, but it feels rewarding.”
- “You'll need a second life for all the grinding, but it's worth it for the progress.”
- “The grinding can be intense, but it adds depth to the gameplay.”
- “Building vehicles can be very tedious due to the fact the mirror mechanic is either inconsistent or just doesn't allow you to toggle it for specific parts. As far as I can tell, there is no key for fine adjustments, and it's also very easy to bend materials on the wrong axis without knowing until you realize there's an issue with your aerodynamics.”
- “This 'game' has possibly the worst building mechanics of any game I have ever played. Not only is it tedious, but even after doing all the things it trains you for, it is still so unintuitive and backwards. I'm sure some of it is a learning curve, but I have never been so lost playing a game. There is no easy way to play; it's either you get it or you don't.”
- “This game would have been my new favorite had it not made things so freaking tedious.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring adorable details and a lighthearted atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the funny tutorials and the presence of a robot voice that delivers humorous commentary, reminiscent of the Portal series. Overall, the humor contributes significantly to the game's charm and enjoyment.
- “This sandbox and construction game comes with some humor, adorable details, and some cool features.”
- “Good funny game with decent to good content and frequency in updates.”
- “While on the move or trying to produce something, you always have the company of a robot voice, reminiscent of the Portal game, which helps or denotes more humorous comments, depending on what is happening.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's replayability varies among players; some find it infinitely replayable, especially in multiplayer modes, while others feel it lacks depth unless players are particularly fond of building mechanics. Overall, it has a strong appeal for those who enjoy repeated playthroughs.
- “Infinitely replayable in multiplayer.”
- “Not a huge game, nor hugely replayable, unless you just love building stuff.”
- “I think this is the most replayable game I have in my library.”
- “Replayability out the wazoo!”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The atmosphere of the game is likened to that of Portal, featuring a humorous tone that contributes to its charm. However, some players feel that the overall atmosphere is somewhat lacking in depth, resulting in a "thin" experience.
- “The game mode and the ambience remind me of Portal!”
- “The whole atmosphere surrounding this title is based on a humorous sense.”
- “Atmosphere - 7/10”
- “Although, to me, the atmosphere feels thin.”
- “The whole atmosphere surrounding this title is based on the humorous sense of the thing.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, indicating that players feel the game prioritizes profit over player experience.
- “This game feels like a cash grab!”
- “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “I can't enjoy the game when it constantly pushes me to spend more money.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is hindered by a lack of clarity in interactions, as players find it difficult to discern when elements are connecting or overlapping, which detracts from the overall immersive experience.