Neon Noodles

About

Neon Noodles is a single player simulation game with kids and science fiction themes. It was developed by vividhelix and was released on August 3, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

In a future where food is the ultimate symbol of status, you're a recipe automation technician for a ruthless aristocracy. Create, test and optimize your culinary machines in this deliciously dark zach-like!

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 72 reviews

story6 positive mentions

grinding5 negative mentions

Fun and engaging gameplay that combines programming and puzzle-solving in a whimsical, cyberpunk setting.
Challenging levels with a variety of strategies to optimize solutions, encouraging replayability and competition through leaderboards.
Visually appealing with a unique aesthetic, and a story that adds depth to the gameplay experience.

User interface and controls are clunky, making programming and editing commands tedious and frustrating.
The game suffers from bugs and quality-of-life issues, such as overlapping menus and difficulty in managing long programs.
Difficulty spikes and pacing issues can lead to frustration, especially for players expecting a smoother learning curve.

story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The game's story is praised for its intriguing premise and self-awareness, effectively addressing societal issues within a cyberpunk setting. However, some reviewers feel that while the narrative is enjoyable, it lacks depth and significant developments compared to other titles in the genre. Overall, the story enhances the gameplay experience, surprising players with its quality despite initial expectations.
- “Very cool, you can take your time, the story is great, and something about the self-awareness of the plot is extra cool.”
- “I'm just getting into the thick of the story and am quite curious what's going to happen.”
- “I never expected this game to have such a good story; I was just expecting the plain old lazy story that is in most automation games, but wow, this story really complements the amazing gameplay.”
- “But compare it to something like Opus Magnum or Alan's Automaton Workshop, where just about every level in the main story had some dialogue leading in, and sometimes there were pretty major developments between chapters!”
- “There's a very good premise, but there's just not that much to the actual storytelling.”
- “The only way the story ties into the food is that someone snuck a (computer) virus into the food somehow, or someone poisoned the food, or you're just making the food for someone important.”
gameplay
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
42%
25%
The gameplay is characterized by clever mechanics that reward players for problem-solving, making it engaging and fun, particularly for fans of "zach-like" puzzle experiences. While some players found the pacing slow and certain mechanics frustrating, many appreciated the easy-to-learn nature of the game and its strong narrative that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the gameplay is seen as interesting and enjoyable, despite some initial hurdles.
- “The mechanics are clever, and it does such a good job of rewarding you when you figure out a solution.”
- “It's a fun 'zach-like' puzzle/programming experience that I've found it more approachable than other mechanically similar games.”
- “Unfortunately, the pacing made me lose interest long before many key mechanics (loops and links) are introduced.”
- “The presentation is nice, but the mechanics are pretty lackluster and frustrating.”
- “You will want to invest some time into mastering the game mechanics.”
graphics
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
11%
33%
The graphics of the game are praised for their clean, futuristic, and cyberpunk art style, which effectively complements the game's themes. While some players may not personally favor the aesthetic, they acknowledge its intuitive design and ability to enhance gameplay. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing to the game's appeal, especially for fans of the genre.
- “Great and fun game, the sound, the graphics, and the gameplay are all amazing. I would definitely recommend it if you love puzzle games or even cyberpunk games in general.”
- “Great neon, cyberpunk-inspired art style.”
- “Like any good cyberpunk story, this makes a point about society, about corporations at the top controlling everyone down to the food we eat... but this is undermined by how clean the game's visuals are.”
- “Its not my particular style, but the aesthetic works.”
- “The cyberpunk aesthetic fits really well with the theme of the game.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The optimization aspect of the game is generally well-received, with players enjoying the challenge of programming robots for efficient assembly lines. However, there are concerns about pacing, user interface, and the need for better tutorials to enhance the optimization experience. Overall, while the core concept is engaging, improvements in usability could significantly enhance player satisfaction.
- “Awesome optimization game.”
- “Work to program a fleet of robots to create the perfectly optimized cooking assembly line.”
- “Fun take on the 'Zack-like' genre of programming/optimization games.”
- “To make up for that, they give you the programmable robot, which is just ridiculous overkill and loops straight back to 'oh, well this is literally just programming now - not automation or optimization.'”
- “I think it's a great idea, but the pacing, UI, fonts, etc. need some work and more intermediate lessons to stop common player problems and help with optimization.”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to a cumbersome user interface and a lack of efficient editing options for command sequences, leading to frustration when correcting errors. Many feel that the game lacks the quality-of-life features present in other titles, making the experience less enjoyable and more laborious. Overall, the grinding mechanics are seen as a significant drawback compared to similar games.
- “But just about everything it does well, Opus Magnum does better, and it's missing some very large quality-of-life features that made the second half of the game tedious in a way most Zachtronics aren't.”
- “For me, this led to a lot of frustration and fixing up alignment between multiple bots was very tedious, definitely not as polished as some of the other games out there.”
- “Still a little tedious but not hand-achingly so (deleting 100 commands to change one thing is mind-numbing). Still a semi-thumbs down though; 5 out of 10 would be my rating were the Steam reviews allowed that measure instead of the binary yes/no one.”
music
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The music in the game is praised for its calming quality and integration with the environment, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users noted an issue with tracks abruptly stopping and restarting, which detracts from the immersion. Additionally, the game offers customizable audio settings, allowing players to adjust music and sound volumes.
- “Loved how the programs kind of look like music sheets, and the effort put into the environments for each room was amazing!”
- “Probably odd to focus on, but my favorite part is the calming music.”
- “Great art, music, and community!”
- “The music occasionally just stops in the middle of a track, with a loud click, and then restarts from the beginning of a track.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features a solid programming automation system complemented by a gradual learning curve, all set within an engaging and immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.
- “A solid little game with a gradual learning curve and a fantastic atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is immersive and captivating, drawing you into the game's world.”
- “Every detail contributes to a rich atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the game feels stable and user-friendly, particularly with keyboard and mouse controls, while also being playable with a controller. However, there are some issues noted with the leaderboards, which appear to be buggy.
- “The leaderboards seem buggy.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers strong replayability through its puzzle mechanics, allowing players to revisit levels to improve their scores and efficiency, making it an engaging experience for those who enjoy optimizing their strategies.
- “Great puzzle game to pass the time, and you can repeat levels to try and beat your highest score, which adds to the replayability for people who want to be as efficient as possible with the layouts.”