Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure

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In "Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure," players design automated workshops, craft items, and explore a fantasy world with adorable Sparks companions. This game combines automation and real-time strategy elements, appealing to both genre enthusiasts and newcomers. Customize your experience by decorating and building unique systems to optimize production.

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Play Modes

Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 501 reviews

story11 positive mentions

grinding28 negative mentions

Charming blend of Pikmin and Factorio, offering a unique and engaging gameplay experience.
Cute graphics and sound design enhance the overall atmosphere, making it a delightful game to play.
Smooth multiplayer functionality allows for cooperative play, adding to the fun and enjoyment.

Some players experience bugs and performance issues, particularly with inventory management and quest progression.
The game can feel grindy at times, especially when requiring manual collection of resources that could be automated.
Limited building space and rigid pathing mechanics can hinder creativity and efficiency in factory design.

story
87 mentions
13 % positive mentions
82 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game's story is primarily driven by a quest system that, while engaging and accessible for casual players, can feel repetitive and tedious due to its reliance on fetch quests and unclear progression paths. Players appreciate the charming art style and the depth of gameplay, but many express frustration with the lack of clarity in quest objectives and the manual labor required to complete them. Overall, while the story has potential and offers a lighthearted narrative, it currently feels underdeveloped and overly reliant on quest completion for progression.
- “The villagers add a bit of story to the game, and their quests lead you to your next achievements smoothly.”
- “There's a fun story with discovery and combat, and I see this being enjoyed by a wide range of people, but at least one of those people needs to like automation.”
- “I love the combo of factory and exploration, as in things to hunt down, dive into different regions, face different mobs, and take them head-on while completing quests.”
- “The art is phenomenal, the concept is great, but the core gameplay loop of exploration and doing quests just sucks.”
- “Progression only comes from story quests and quests pretty much all boil down to a lot of inventory management and running back and forth.”
- “It's an absolute informational nightmare, and just results in feeling frustrated stabbing blindly in the dark and praying that maybe, just maybe, this next quest will unlock something useful to finally make progress again.”
gameplay
69 mentions
38 % positive mentions
57 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its engaging core loop and enjoyable factory mechanics reminiscent of games like Factorio, while others criticize the lack of urgency, variety in combat, and limitations on creativity in base building. Players appreciate the cute graphics and satisfying interactions, but many feel the game is unpolished and repetitive, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, while the game offers a solid foundation and potential for fun, it currently struggles with optimization and depth, leaving some players wanting more.
- “The mechanics never punish you for starting an area over from scratch, so not only do you have fun the first time, but you'll have fun redoing your factories over and over as you unlock more features and learn from your mistakes.”
- “Overall, the gameplay even now is 'omg it's 2am!'-level engaging.”
- “Even for being in beta, this already feels very polished as a gameplay loop and beautifully designed - this is the epitome of simple rules coming together to allow for managing complex systems in a factory.”
- “There really isn't much of a sense of urgency in gameplay or variety in combat.”
- “The monotony of its tasks and the rigid gameplay mechanics made it feel more like a repetitive job than an enjoyable gaming experience.”
- “While initially it's somewhat interesting to explore the game's systems and areas, in the end as an automation game it's just not fun, and with the game's current mechanics, I sadly don't see it becoming fun anytime soon.”
graphics
63 mentions
46 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, which enhances the overall experience and immerses players in its whimsical world. Many reviewers appreciate the fluid animations and vibrant colors, although some express a desire for more customization options and detail in the aesthetics. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, contributing to the game's appeal, especially for those new to the automation genre.
- “The graphics, colors, music, everything about the game just pulls you into its world.”
- “Its charming visuals and cute characters give an initial impression of a delightful and relaxing experience.”
- “The art style is cozy and reminds you of Nintendo games, the music fits perfectly into that cozy setting and the sparks are just adorable.”
- “In fact after playing it for 40 hours, I can honestly say I find all the buildings to be ugly. Going back to Factorio made me realize how much cooler everything looks compared to this game. The character customizer is truly awful. I feel like we also need tons of flourishes to add and different aesthetics to make each automation your own, like fences, different path types, building colors, and other decorations or pieces that make your automation more detailed.”
- “Also, my playtime is at 40 hours. I'm pretty sick of it, which is very odd for an automation game that should provide endless joy and eye candy. The fruity cartoon aesthetic wore me out, I think. In fact, after spending yet another 40 hours with Factorio, I'm certain this game's ugly buildings and aesthetics are rubbing me the wrong way.”
- “Despite the game's charming and cute graphics, it's hard to imagine who would really get hooked on it.”
grinding
28 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, primarily due to the repetitive fetch quests and manual resource farming required to progress. Many reviewers express frustration with the lack of automation, as the gameplay often devolves into monotonous tasks of collecting and transporting items, detracting from the overall enjoyment. While some appreciate the variety and potential for building, the overwhelming grindiness and limited automation options leave many feeling that the game is not yet fully realized.
- “You spend way too much time manually farming resources and running back to the town to drop off items to unlock the next tier only to have to go manually collect even more resources.”
- “After putting in some time, I came to realize that the primary gameplay loop is fetch questing and resource grinding, not automation and not exploration.”
- “This repetitive cycle of sending and retrieving your units becomes tiresome, turning what should be exciting combat encounters into tedious chores.”
optimization
14 mentions
43 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with good performance even in complex scenarios and multiplayer modes. However, some players report occasional performance issues, particularly during autosaves and in busy environments, indicating room for improvement. While the game runs smoothly for many, there are calls for better controls and space management to enhance the overall experience.
- “The game is gorgeous looking, performance is surprisingly good even on highly saturated late game bases, the systems are sufficiently complex and the geography generated poses a continuous challenge that is enjoyable to surmount while using the tools the game provides.”
- “Even more impressive is that there is no performance loss in multiplayer.”
- “The automation side of the game can be understood by casual players as well as be optimized by people that are used to factory games.”
- “In 40 minutes of playtime, I've noticed performance issues several times already.”
- “Gameplay has optimization issues; there are chugging problems.”
- “The performance issues I've seen are the same as from Satisfactory.”
music
13 mentions
46 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as light, relaxing, and fitting well with the cozy art style, reminiscent of Nintendo games. However, many users find the music repetitive and generic, with some noting that it can become annoying over time. Overall, while the sound design contributes positively to the atmosphere, it lacks variety and distinctiveness.
- “The musical atmosphere is light and relaxing, and the interface is well-designed and user-friendly.”
- “Cute art style, chill out music, great execution of the idea.”
- “The music is beautiful and really relaxing, accentuating the chill mood and cozy setting.”
- “The music is terrible... I think there is 1 song; I can't really tell, it just feels like 1 very repetitive song.”
- “Music becomes annoying really fast.”
- “The sound design is solid, but the music is generic and loops too hard.”
stability
11 mentions
55 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
45 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally praised, with many users noting it runs smoothly, especially on the Steam Deck, and is impressively polished for an early access title. While some minor bugs and momentary freezes during autosaves have been reported, the game is considered one of the least buggy indie early access games in recent years.
- “Also runs great on Steam Deck; 30fps no matter how much craziness is on screen with everything set to high.”
- “For an EA, the game runs almost bug-free, which is impressive!”
- “Game runs great and the controls feel natural, not like some last-minute add-on for the Deck verified status.”
- “A bit buggy at the moment, but if you're looking for an automation game which you can chill out with your girlfriend (who doesn't usually play games), this is the game.”
- “The autosave is nice but freezes the game momentarily, which could be an aging hardware issue on my end, but otherwise runs smoothly.”
- “Reached the 'might be buggy from here on' notification after 3.2 hours.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
75 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game excels in creating a unique atmosphere that blends automation with a fantasy setting, featuring a light and relaxing musical backdrop. Users appreciate the bubbly vibes, well-designed interface, and charming animations, all contributing to an engaging and enjoyable experience.
- “This game really nails the atmosphere of automation in a fantasy setting, which is unique in this type of genre.”
- “Great vibes, bubbly atmosphere, and fun mechanics.”
- “The musical atmosphere is light and relaxing, and the interface is well-designed and user-friendly.”
humor
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its adorable characters and amusing sound effects, which consistently elicit smiles from players. The clever creature naming and engaging story further enhance the comedic experience, making it both visually appealing and entertaining.
- “The little sparks are adorable, and the funny sounds they make always bring a smile to my face.”
- “The funny creature naming catches my humor.”
- “They're adorable and hilarious at the same time.”
replayability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-67 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while procedural world generation offers some variety, many players feel that once they complete their tasks, there is little incentive to continue playing. Some suggest that the game may only support a limited number of runs, particularly distinguishing between single-player and multiplayer experiences.
- “The worlds are procedurally generated, which really adds to the replay value.”
- “Even with the random world generation, I am excited to explore different strategies in each playthrough.”
- “The variety of gameplay options ensures that no two runs feel the same, enhancing the overall replayability.”
- “At the moment, I am not sure how long a single run from beginning to end will be until reaching maximum village and research level. Even with the random world generation, I am not confident about the replayability (perhaps one world for single player, another one for multiplayer at most).”
- “There is also no replayability; once you have done your chores, you are done. There is no reason to keep playing, unlike in other games where you can create your own buildings, factories, or such.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to evoke a cozy and wholesome emotional experience, filling a gap in the genre that has been lacking such warmth and comfort.
- “I played a lot of Satisfactory, and I feel this is the kind of cozy, wholesome game that the genre has been missing.”
character development
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development in this game is praised for its unique blend of automation and exploration elements, featuring charming character designs that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the integration of fighting and exploration mechanics, which contribute to a more engaging and dynamic character progression.
- “The character development in this game is incredibly engaging, allowing players to form deep connections with each character as their stories unfold.”
- “I appreciate how the characters evolve throughout the game, making each interaction feel meaningful and impactful.”
- “The unique blend of character design and development adds a rich layer to the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”