My Garage
- August 10, 2021
- Viking Game Studio
- 27h median play time
"My Garage: Viking Realms" is a simulation game that allows players to build and manage their own Viking settlement. Create and customize buildings, manage resources, and grow your community while defending against enemy threats. With various quests and challenges, players must balance expansion and defense to survive in the Viking world.
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of car mechanics and customization, allowing players to buy, restore, and sell cars.
- Active developer support with frequent updates and a responsive community enhances the overall experience.
- The ability to cut and weld body parts adds a satisfying level of detail to the car restoration process.
- The game suffers from numerous bugs and performance issues, making it frustrating to play at times.
- Lack of tutorials and guidance can leave new players confused about controls and gameplay mechanics.
- Driving physics are often criticized for being unrealistic, leading to a less enjoyable driving experience.
- gameplay430 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this car mechanic simulator is praised for its fun and engaging mechanics, combining elements from popular titles like "My Summer Car" and "Car Mechanic Simulator" while offering a more in-depth experience focused on bodywork and vehicle customization. Players appreciate the open-world sandbox environment, although some mention initial confusion with controls and a need for better tutorials. While the game is still in early access and has some bugs, it is considered a must-try for fans of the genre, with many expressing excitement for future updates and improvements.
“Amazing game, would really appreciate some in-depth tutorials though I get stuck on things often and I'm not a mechanic by trade, so I have to Google or YouTube fairly often.”
“Great game, I've learned a lot about cars through this, and as an aspiring mechanic, it's been really nice to get a feel for the work before I go into school.”
“The car mechanics are some of the most in-depth I've seen, and it is a lot of fun to mess around in.”
“Game is a pile of janky ass crap that has 0 gameplay design at all.”
“The gameplay is very repetitive.”
“You have to buy new electrodes and discs for the grinder at a store, which is boring and disrupts the gameplay loop.”
- optimization71 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting extremely low performance, frequent bugs, and a lack of developer attention to these issues. Players have noted that the game is resource-heavy, poorly utilizes graphics settings, and often fails to detect higher-performance GPUs on laptops. Overall, the consensus is that significant optimization is needed to improve gameplay experience.
“It's a great game if you know what you're doing, but could definitely use some graphical and performance updates.”
“The performance is very good and there's not a lot of bugs for an early access game.”
“The clouds look great, there is a day-night cycle of the right length, sunrise and sunsets look good, performance is very good - I get pretty much constant 52 fps (which I already limited to 52 anyway) which, considering the graphics and excellent skybox, is very impressive compared to most other beta games.”
“The optimization, as I implied at the beginning of the review, is abhorrent.”
“The game itself is very unoptimized, buggy and janky - the developer has no interest in optimizing the performance of the game.”
“This game's optimization is on par with triple-A games; it's so badly optimized and runs poorly. My PC isn't the best, but it can run Fortnite easily, so there's no reason for it to struggle on an indie game.”
- graphics67 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received largely negative feedback, with many users describing them as subpar, inconsistent, and poorly optimized, leading to low frame rates even on high-end hardware. Reviewers noted a lack of coherent art style, with a mix of low and high-quality assets that detracts from the overall visual experience. While some players find the gameplay enjoyable despite the graphics, there is a consensus that significant improvements in both visual quality and performance optimization are needed.
“Good graphics, voice over characters, huge map and tons to do.”
“The graphics might look a little simplistic but once you start playing this you will be amazed at all you can do.”
“The clouds look great, there is a day-night cycle of the right length, sunrise and sunsets look good, performance is very good - I get pretty much constant 52 fps (which I already limited to 52 anyway) which considering the graphics and excellent skybox is very impressive compared to most other beta games.”
“The graphics are terrible and the art style is just an ugly mess of purchased and free assets mixed together, with no coherent 'art style' at all - it's just a mix of assets slapped together, with no consideration for how well they fit together or any optimization at all.”
“To be fair, I don't know how true that review was, but I'm inclined to believe it based on the awful frame rates I experienced, the hideous graphics, and the frequent content updates.”
“The game needs to be optimized a lot; my PC can run Fortnite just fine, but this game lags at low graphics with only 21 fps.”
- stability67 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The game's stability is widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly hinder gameplay. While some players find the game enjoyable despite its issues, others express frustration over poor performance and a lack of developer responsiveness to optimization. Overall, the game is considered unpolished and janky, with many recommending caution before purchasing, especially at its current price point.
“The developer is active almost daily on their Discord channel, addressing bugs and issues promptly as soon as they are reported.”
“The game may have some bugs, but the developer's commitment to fixing them quickly is impressive.”
“The game crashes, its glitches are ridiculous, the lagging and load times in-game are a headache. My other PC has the same issues and that's a 3080, 64GB, and an i9; same issues.”
“The game itself is very unoptimized, buggy, and janky - the developer has no interest in optimizing the performance of the game.”
“I want to like this game, but it's just way too buggy and unoptimized.”
- story33 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 36 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on a sandbox experience where players can build, repair, and collect cars. While some users appreciate the freedom to explore and engage in various activities, many find the absence of a story and the rough mission system disappointing. Overall, the gameplay is more about personal creativity and less about structured storytelling.
“Let me tell you a story about this game.”
“My summer car was more a story-based survival game; this is more of a sandbox do-what-you-want game where you can buy, restore, and repair cars, used cars, used parts, and new parts.”
“Like Jalopy, but that was more story-based and less technical than this.”
“No story (like My Summer Car), the only job is fixing cars which I found boring quickly, but building the cars and going out to the junkyard to collect parts is the fun in this!”
“My Summer Car was more of a story-based survival game; this is more of a sandbox do-what-you-want game where you can buy, restore, and repair cars, used cars, used parts, and new parts.”
“There is no story in this game; however, you can build cars from the ground up. The only way to tell if a part is damaged is by inspecting it by eye. It would be good if the developer added something into the game like pressing 'I' like you do with cars, but only for parts, that way it would show you what condition the part is in.”
- grinding20 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 10 % neutral mentions
- 70 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is described as somewhat tedious, especially at the beginning, requiring significant time investment for tasks like vehicle maintenance. However, many players find that the detailed mechanics and the satisfaction of restoring vehicles make the grinding feel rewarding rather than monotonous. Overall, while it can be challenging, the balance between realism and enjoyment keeps players engaged.
“This game is unique in that it is highly detailed in the parts that can break, but it isn't tedious in the process of replacing them.”
“It's not tedious like Car Mechanic Simulator, and the gameplay is perfect in my opinion.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“In typical mechanic style, this game can be tedious.”
“It is very grindy from what I can tell, but hopefully as I make money it'll be easier to get more.”
- humor16 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is largely derived from its quirky physics glitches, which often lead to unexpected and hilarious moments, such as cars spinning mid-air. Players appreciate the rough, unpolished nature of the game, noting that its bugs contribute to the overall comedic experience. The contrast between the lively driving mechanics and the oddly deserted towns adds to the game's charm, making it a fun and entertaining experience.
“The game is made by a solo dev; it's rough, not polished, has many bugs (usually really funny ones!), and it's not very pretty to look at.”
“I would say this game is legendary; this is funny as heck driving fast on dirt roads and all kinds of stuff. It's like My Summer Car but not as complicated; still, this game has features that My Summer Car doesn't have.”
“Graphically, it's pleasant and works well with a retro feel. The mechanics of the game work well, but sometimes the physics glitch with hilarious results unless you're trying to fit something and it springs off, lol.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability, particularly for fans of shop simulations and car-building mechanics, despite its unfinished state and average graphics. However, players feel it lacks content and variety, suggesting that additional vehicles and a survival element would enhance the experience. Overall, while enjoyable, the game may be better suited for those willing to wait for improvements or sales.
“The one thing this game does fantastic is its replay value.”
“As stated above, I overall do not recommend this game. Though this might change after it reaches a more complete state, if you do want it, I recommend you wait for it to go on sale as the price is far too high for a game this unfinished, with little to do. If you want a similar game, I heavily recommend 'Mon Bazou' or 'My Summer Car' as they are both cheaper and are in a more playable state.”
“The only thing it needs is more playable vehicles as well as a survival aspect (like 'My Summer Car' has).”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its enjoyable and relaxing quality, making it a perfect backdrop for activities like car restoration. Players find listening to the radio while working on their cars to be a fun and soothing experience, enhancing their overall enjoyment of the game.
“So much fun to listen to the radio (good music) and work on my car, really relaxing at the end of the day.”
“If you're looking to restore wrecks with some music in the background, you can stop reading here and buy it.”
“So much fun to listen to the radio (good music) and work on my car, really relaxing at the end of the day.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally described as chill and enjoyable, though some players have encountered frustrating technical issues, such as parts unexpectedly flying off during gameplay. There is also a desire for more vehicle and motorcycle options to enhance the experience further.
“- overall chill atmosphere”
“- overall chill atmosphere”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted through nostalgic and humorous reflections on personal experiences, particularly related to the player's first car. The vivid imagery and expressive language convey a sense of attachment and frustration, evoking a mix of fondness and exasperation that resonates with many players.
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy appears to involve a Pandora-style application that effectively localizes ads, enhancing user engagement through targeted advertising.