Mashinky

About

Mashinky is a single-player strategy game centered around transport empire-building, particularly trains, on procedurally generated maps. It features a unique blend of realistic graphics, isometric construction mode, and board game-like rules, but some users have reported bugs. The goal is to create and manage your own transport empire, providing various services while optimizing routes and expansion.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,031 reviews

graphics107 positive mentions

stability26 negative mentions

Mashinky offers a unique token-based economy that encourages players to engage with various industries rather than just focusing on cash.
The game features beautiful graphics and a seamless transition between isometric build mode and realistic view, allowing players to enjoy their creations.
The developer is highly responsive to community feedback and regularly updates the game, showing a commitment to improving the overall experience.

The signaling system can be confusing and lacks advanced features, leading to train collisions and traffic jams.
The game currently has limited content, with only a few eras available, which may lead to a lack of replayability for some players.
There are performance issues and occasional crashes, especially when managing a large number of trains or complex networks.

graphics
216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
49%
1%
The graphics in the game have received widespread praise for their beauty and detail, with many users appreciating the dual graphic modes that allow for both a simplified building view and a more immersive 3D experience. While the visuals are often described as stunning and charming, some players have noted performance issues and occasional crashes, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, the graphics are considered a significant highlight, enhancing the gameplay experience despite some minor optimization concerns.
- “The graphics are beautiful, from a satellite-like view all the way down to a first-person view.”
- “Stunning graphics (incredible zoom) and very detailed play-through are just some of the reasons why I love it.”
- “The visuals are stunning and love the 3D look of the world and the ability to go from that into build mode.”
- “Graphics are not staggering when you get down to the driving/walking level.”
- “Graphics are pretty, but 95% of the time you are in ugly/building mode so you don't get to see them.”
- “The game is currently pretty unoptimized especially since the game's graphics aren't really good.”
gameplay
163 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The gameplay of Mashinky is characterized by a blend of simplicity and depth, drawing inspiration from classic titles like Transport Tycoon while introducing unique mechanics such as resource tokens and town growth systems. Players appreciate the engaging and addictive nature of the gameplay, which allows for both casual play and complex strategy, although some have noted a steep learning curve and occasional performance issues. Overall, the game offers a rewarding experience with a solid foundation for future development, making it a promising choice for fans of transport simulation games.
- “Mashinky may initially resemble OpenTTD but offers a refreshing gameplay experience with its distinct game mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is not boring; you progress at a slower pace so you have time to upgrade machines and infrastructure, and it is a great competitive game when you are playing with or against your friends.”
- “The addition of resource tokens is a great mechanic; it encourages you to keep delivering as many resources as possible, creating a great gameplay loop.”
- “And at this stage, the entire gameplay collapses.”
- “But in fact, it is a simple sandbox which is rough around the edges, with very simple gameplay and core game mechanics that are not working well.”
- “Gameplay is rather repetitive.”
story
69 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
86%
4%
The game's story aspect is largely underdeveloped, with many players finding the missions uninspired and lacking depth, often feeling like simple fetch quests that do not enhance the gameplay experience. While there are optional quests that can provide rewards and some direction, the overall narrative is minimal, and the game is primarily a sandbox experience without a cohesive story or campaign mode. As it is still in early access, players hope for future improvements to the quest system and a more engaging narrative structure.
- “Within no time, you have a beautiful world resembling a model railway where you can imagine for hours, with the addition of puzzles and quests presented in a board game manner.”
- “It's great fun making tracks and moving passengers around, progressing through the different quests and challenges and watching my fleet grow.”
- “The game features a few quests and two eras in its early stage; it also has a tutorial to help you get started, and the ability to ride the train and toot the horn is a bonus.”
- “While this is early access and will likely change in the future, at present players who want a game that has a clear story and a robust quest/objective system should stay clear.”
- “More importantly, do not buy this if you want a story, you want the game to explain things to you, you want any kind of visual or audio bells and whistles, you want track laying that enables you to build complex, fun, visually impressive rail networks, or if you want a game that you spend more time playing than tinkering with or fighting with - because this one will be much the opposite.”
- “As an early access title, there are only a few train types, limited missions, and overall it felt like a framework of a full game, rather than anything complete.”
music
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
66%
6%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its charming jazz and blues soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. However, some users find the music repetitive and suggest that it could benefit from more variety and better control options. Overall, while the soundtrack is generally well-received, there are calls for improvements to keep it fresh and engaging.
- “It's very charming in ways only an indie game could be, and perhaps has accomplished the 'modern TTD' look, feel, and sound (particularly in the great music) better than any other game in this genre both out or upcoming on the market.”
- “The in-game music is relaxing and sets the tone for the game world.”
- “This game is very relaxing with no pressures to build quickly against competition, the soundtrack is really nice; the hours just fly by even though it feels like minutes of playtime.”
- “Music gets annoying pretty quickly.”
- “It gets pretty repetitive, and for some reason, the game has two copies of each song in the folder, so each song plays twice for a total of 20 minutes of repetition per each song.”
- “In a list of over 100 songs it can be rather tiresome if you have to click previous to listen to a track.”
optimization
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
69%
14%
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players noting significant performance issues, including low frame rates and high GPU usage, particularly in realistic camera modes. While some aspects, like building and rendering, run smoothly, the game struggles with multicore performance and can be demanding on hardware, leading to sluggish gameplay on lower-end PCs. Despite these challenges, players remain hopeful for improvements as the game is still in early access.
- “However, the actual simulation, building, and rendering of hundreds of vehicles runs smoothly.”
- “If you like your optimized setup as it is, then you can just let it run for a while, and you can marvel at how efficiently and nicely it works.”
- “Runs well at 4k and no performance degradation as you advance.”
- “There are no line mechanics, no way to build speed-optimized tracks, and no convenient way to upgrade trains.”
- “And terrible optimization - FPS drops to 5-10 in realistic camera mode.”
- “The game is currently pretty unoptimized, especially since the game's graphics aren't really good.”
stability
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
7%
93%
The game is experiencing significant stability issues typical of early access titles, with users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes, particularly during multiplayer sessions and when managing multiple vehicles. While some players have noted that it runs well on certain platforms and shows potential for improvement, the overall consensus is that the game remains unfinished and often frustrating to play due to its instability. Despite these challenges, many users express optimism for future updates and enhancements.
- “This also runs great on the Steam Deck for those who have one.”
- “Great immersion for an early access game, and new releases seem to be relatively bug-free.”
- “But it is still very unfinished and buggy, although the full version was promised for 2022.”
- “Yes, it's buggy and frequently freezes up, forcing a full log out or reboot, but it has a lot of potential to be a replacement for one of my all-time favorites, Chris Sawyer's Locomotion.”
- “This thing constantly freezes, either the game itself or the ability to interface with it.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
Overall, the game exhibits a strong replayability factor due to its procedurally generated maps and various customization options, allowing players to engage with different scenarios and challenges. While some users noted that the current content is somewhat limited, many believe that future updates will significantly enhance replay value. Currently, players report enjoying the game enough to return frequently, indicating a solid foundation for replayability despite some existing constraints.
- “The workshop elevates from a replayable game to a game that you actively want to play again under different restrictions and conditions.”
- “Great experience, the game has a huge replayability factor thanks to procedurally generated maps, so when you reach the final available era (so far) and master the balance of train routes and cargo delivery you can just hop on the next map and start over.”
- “Even with the current features, the game already shows massive amounts of replayability and countless hours of the happy, meticulous sculpting of a railway empire.”
- “As a result, the replayability is rather low at the moment.”
- “It is a good game, I think it will be really good, it just has no replayability at the moment.”
- “The replay value is limited right now, but will explode with additions of new content.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is perceived as tedious and frustrating, often feeling like an endless chore rather than an enjoyable experience. While some players appreciate the challenge and puzzle elements, many find the micromanagement and leveling requirements to be overly cumbersome, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “I understand this might be a lot of fun for another player, but for me, it just feels tedious and the game feels like some never-ending to-do list at work in futile hope to finally have some fun...”
- “Here, just laying any track from point A to point B involves tedious leveling of the ground, as the track laying system constantly complains about the slightest slope hitting the path of the track at the wrong angle.”
- “It gets really tedious micromanagement exercise pretty soon.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, providing an entertaining experience that keeps players engaged for over 20 hours, even in its alpha state. Users express excitement for future content, highlighting the game's comedic elements as a standout feature.
- “An overall funny and entertaining experience; I personally can't wait for new content to be released.”
- “The game is funny already.”
- “It is a big alpha, but it still offers about 20+ hours of deep, funny gameplay, mostly without critical bugs.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is widely regarded as exceptionally wholesome, evoking strong positive emotions and creating a heartwarming experience for players.
- “A downright wholesome game.”
- “This is just about the most wholesome game ever.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
200%
300%
Reviewers appreciate the immersive atmosphere created by the game's busy network, allowing players to enjoy the experience of riding along with trains or trucks. The absence of passengers or creatures is noted, but many players feel it does not detract from the overall enjoyment of the environment.
- “The atmosphere in the game is incredibly immersive, making every journey feel unique and engaging.”
- “The sound design and visual elements combine perfectly to create a captivating atmosphere that draws you in.”
- “I often find myself riding along with one of my trains or trucks, just soaking up the atmosphere of the busy network that I've created. At the moment, there are no passengers or creatures; I'm not sure if those are planned, but I don't really miss them.”
- “The game lacks a sense of immersion; the environment feels empty and lifeless, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- “While the visuals are decent, the atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, making it hard to get lost in the world.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as unprofessional, with users perceiving it as a cash grab rather than a genuine effort to develop the game.
- “This feels unprofessional and seems like a cash grab rather than genuine game development.”
- “The monetization strategy is overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully.”