"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.
The game offers a unique free-form building system that allows for incredible creativity and customization.
The programming interface is intuitive and powerful, enabling players to create complex machines and vehicles.
The game has a charming art style and engaging challenges that keep players entertained.
The game has been abandoned by the developers, leading to a lack of updates and content.
The building mechanics can be frustrating and unintuitive, making it difficult for new players to get started.
There are significant bugs and performance issues, particularly with vehicle physics and multiplayer functionality.
gameplay
124 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
38%
44%
The gameplay of Main Assembly is characterized by its creative building mechanics and extensive freedom for experimentation, allowing players to construct a wide variety of vehicles and contraptions. However, many users find the building system awkward and the driving mechanics lacking, with some comparing it unfavorably to similar titles like Scrap Mechanic and Trailmakers. While the game offers a unique visual programming interface and potential for complex creations, it also suffers from bugs and quality of life issues that detract from the overall experience.
“Very nice building mechanics, super intuitive and user-friendly.”
“Creative gameplay and fun times with friends guaranteed.”
“You have access to plenty of mechanical things to make the vehicle you want, as well as a very powerful wire-based programming system that lets you set up custom functions for all of your pieces.”
“The building system is horrible, the driving mechanics are even worse.”
“The game's building and coding mechanics are not hard, but the building system is just straight-up awkward to work with.”
“I want to build great stuff in the game but the game UI and building mechanics always seem to be acting against me.”
graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
46%
6%
The graphics in the game are widely praised for their bright, cute, and artistic style, offering beautiful visuals that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the high-quality design and smooth performance, although some note that the game can be slightly graphics-intensive and may require better optimization options. Overall, the visuals contribute significantly to the game's appeal, making it enjoyable for both casual and dedicated players.
“Beautiful graphics and design.”
“Beautiful game with a lot of thought put into it, polished graphics and features.”
“The graphics aren't overly flashy, but they are relaxing and beautiful.”
“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... that junk that causes such high usage of CPU... 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.”
“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.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
52%
24%
The game lacks a substantial narrative, with many players noting the absence of a compelling story or single-player content, which diminishes motivation to engage with the building mechanics. While there are enjoyable missions and challenges, they tend to become repetitive, and the overall experience is more focused on sandbox-style gameplay rather than a cohesive storyline. Despite this, the game offers a variety of modes and creative building opportunities that can still be entertaining.
“Epic story.”
“Decent story and graphics.”
“In short, a panoply of choices to add to the 'neverending story' of building everything you want.”
“This game has no story.”
“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
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, crashes, and unplayable moments, particularly in multiplayer and control interfaces. While some players acknowledge steady updates and minor improvements, the overall experience remains marred by persistent glitches and limitations in the input system. Despite its creative mechanics, the game's stability issues significantly detract from its enjoyment.
“Still has some bugs, but no game is bug-free.”
“Has been abandoned, buggy and at times unplayable.”
“It's buggy as hell and it crashes constantly.”
“Game is very buggy and inconsistent.”
optimization
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
55%
18%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players noting serious performance issues, particularly on weaker PCs, and long load times for certain screens. While many users report stable in-game performance and minimal lag, there are concerns about CPU usage and a lack of optimization options in the graphics menu. Overall, despite some crashes and optimization shortcomings, the game still offers a solid experience with potential for complex creations.
“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. Oh dear, the programming system is 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. However, 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 it is not optimized for CPU usage. At minimum, this game needs more options in the graphics menu to reduce CPU usage.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The music in the game is highly praised, with many users rating it a perfect 10/10 for its soothing and immersive qualities. It enhances the overall atmosphere, contributing to a blend of relaxation and a slight horror vibe reminiscent of "Blade Runner." The victory music is also noted for its upbeat and engaging nature, making the gameplay experience even more enjoyable.
“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.”
“You then get to spend the next ten minutes to several hours slapping together a contraption with which to tackle the problem(s), along with however many of the bonus goals you feel like fulfilling before you park your bot in the designated completion zone and spin wildly in the air to some mad chipper victory music.”
“To top it off, the background music is soothing and relaxing.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely praised for its humor, featuring a quirky atmosphere filled with adorable details and a humorous robot voice that adds comedic commentary throughout gameplay. Players appreciate the funny tutorials and engaging content, contributing to an overall enjoyable and lighthearted experience. With frequent updates, the humor remains fresh and entertaining, making it a standout aspect of the game.
“This sandbox and construction game comes with some humor, adorable details, and some cool features.”
“Has a funny tutor in the tutorials which drops some good phrases.”
“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.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
25%
67%
Players express significant frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, describing it as excessively tedious and time-consuming, often requiring an unrealistic investment of time. The building mechanics, particularly chassis modification, and the lack of meaningful customization options contribute to this sense of monotony, making the overall experience feel burdensome.
“A lot of grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This game would have been my new favorite had it not made things so freaking tedious.”
“The building gets tedious (especially modifying the chassis).”
replayability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it highly replayable and engaging, particularly for those who enjoy building elements, others feel it lacks depth and is not particularly replayable unless specific interests align.
“Replayability out the wazoo!”
“Infinitely replayable in multiplayer.”
“Not a huge game, nor hugely replayable, unless you just love building stuff.”
“Replayability out the @zz!”
“I think this is the most replayable game I have in my library.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
37%
25%
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 whole atmosphere surrounding this title is based on the humorous sense of the game.”
“The game mode and the ambience remind me of Portal!”
“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
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has been widely criticized by users, who label it as a blatant cash grab, indicating a focus on profit over player experience.
“Cash grab!”
“Cash grab!”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is criticized for lacking clarity, as players find it difficult to discern interactions between parts, which detracts from the overall immersive experience.