Oddsparks: An Automation Adventure

Starting at $29.99Buy now

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.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 673 reviews

story13 positive mentions

grinding39 negative mentions

Charming art style and adorable character design, making the game visually appealing.
Engaging gameplay that combines elements of automation and exploration, reminiscent of Pikmin and Factorio.
Smooth controls and good performance, even in multiplayer, enhancing the overall experience.

The game can feel grindy, requiring excessive manual resource gathering before automation becomes available.
Some quests can be confusing or require items that are not yet unlocked, leading to frustration.
Limited building space and obstacles in the environment can hinder factory design and expansion.

story
104 mentions
13 % positive mentions
83 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story and quest system are seen as charming but flawed, with many players noting that the quest structure can feel overwhelming and disorganized, leading to confusion about progression. While the quests provide a sense of direction and introduce players to the game's mechanics, they often require tedious fetch tasks and lack clarity in objectives, making the gameplay feel more like a drawn-out tutorial. Overall, the narrative elements are appreciated for their cuteness and potential, but significant improvements in quest design and pacing are needed for a more cohesive experience.
- “The game is very charming, the sounds the sparks make are absolutely adorable, the way the tutorial eases you into automation through the quest lines is just lovely. I have found this much more appealing to play than the likes of Factorio, which is the king of automation games but also very daunting to dive into.”
- “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.”
- “The game is throwing so many quests and unlocks at you all the time that it's easy to feel overwhelmed and lost.”
- “There is no real order to the quests, so the progression doesn't feel cohesive, and the game fails at guiding you in the learning process.”
- “Progression only comes from story quests, and quests pretty much all boil down to a lot of inventory management and running back and forth.”
gameplay
88 mentions
39 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many praising its charming aesthetics and engaging automation mechanics reminiscent of games like Factorio and Pikmin. While some players find the core gameplay loop addictive and enjoyable, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking depth, particularly in combat and exploration. Overall, the game shows promise with its unique mechanics and polished design, but it may require further refinement to enhance player creativity and satisfaction.
- “The mechanics are really fun to figure out and work with, and I love how you can pretty much do things however you would like, especially when it comes to designing paths and setting up your little automation stations.”
- “These tiny, industrious beings operate an intricate automation engine that you build, and their endearing animations and personality quirks make every moment of gameplay delightful.”
- “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.”
- “Gameplay for me is rather boring, since there aren't really interesting production chains to engage with until 10-20 hours into the game.”
- “The game's mechanics also stifle creativity and freedom when it comes to building bases, which was a big letdown for me.”
- “The monotony of its tasks and the rigid gameplay mechanics made it feel more like a repetitive job than an enjoyable gaming experience.”
graphics
84 mentions
46 % positive mentions
50 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their charming and cute art style, which enhances the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the vibrant visuals and unique character designs, noting that the graphics are both polished and inviting, contributing to a cozy atmosphere. However, some users express a desire for more customization options and variety in aesthetics to further enrich the visual experience.
- “The art style is adorable, and everything from the characters to the world feels so charming and inviting.”
- “The graphics are vibrant and inviting, with each spark sporting a unique look and personality that adds a touch of warmth and humor.”
- “The art style is cute and cozy.”
- “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
39 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious and overly time-consuming, particularly in the early stages where manual resource gathering is necessary for progression. While some appreciate the cozy and laid-back nature of the gameplay, others feel that the reliance on fetch quests and manual farming detracts from the automation experience, leading to a repetitive cycle that can diminish enjoyment. Overall, players recommend the game for its charm but caution that those seeking a streamlined automation experience may find the grinding elements frustrating.
- “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
19 mentions
47 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
16 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally well-received, with players noting great performance on handheld devices and smooth gameplay even in complex scenarios. However, some users have reported occasional performance issues, particularly during autosaves and in busy environments, suggesting that while the game is polished, there is still room for improvement in optimization. The balance between accessibility for casual players and depth for veterans is appreciated, indicating a solid foundation for future enhancements.
- “I was delighted to feel like the first time I played a factory-building game while figuring out how my little friends could optimally transport enough wood for my factory to run smoothly.”
- “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.”
- “Although the game is easy to start playing, it offers depth that seasoned factory game enthusiasts will appreciate, including detailed graphs and charts that track the performance and efficiency of your sparks and projects.”
- “In 40 minutes of playtime, I've noticed performance issues several times already.”
- “Gameplay has optimization issues; there are chugging problems.”
- “This is obviously going to go down the busier the game gets, but it seems to scale really well, so I'm sure you can push the battery and performance further with tweaks.”
stability
14 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game demonstrates impressive stability, especially on the Steam Deck, with minimal glitches reported even in its early access phase. Users appreciate the smooth performance and natural controls, although some minor bugs and momentary freezes during autosaves have been noted. Overall, it stands out as one of the least buggy indie early access games in recent memory.
- “It runs great on the Steam Deck, and you don't need a convoluted control scheme to make it work.”
- “For an early access game, it runs almost bug-free, which is impressive!”
- “Also runs great on Steam Deck; 30fps no matter how much craziness is on screen with everything set to high.”
- “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.”
- “Reached the 'might be buggy from here on' notification after 3.2 hours.”
- “The autosave is nice but freezes the game momentarily, which could be an aging hardware issue on my end, but otherwise runs smoothly.”
music
14 mentions
50 % positive mentions
29 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally described as light, relaxing, and fitting well with the cozy art style, evoking a nostalgic vibe reminiscent of Nintendo games. However, some users find the music repetitive and generic, with a tendency to become annoying over time. Overall, while the sound design has its merits, it lacks variety and depth, leading to mixed feelings among players.
- “The musical atmosphere is light and relaxing, and the interface is well-designed and user-friendly.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
humor
6 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its vibrant graphics and charming characters, with players finding the little sparks both adorable and humorous. The funny creature names and amusing sound effects contribute to a lighthearted and enjoyable experience, enhancing the overall comedic appeal.
- “The game’s graphics are vibrant and inviting, with each spark sporting a unique look and personality that adds a touch of warmth and humor.”
- “The little sparks are adorable, and the funny sounds they make always bring a smile to my face.”
- “They're adorable and hilarious at the same time.”
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 a lovingly crafted 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.”
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 the main objectives are completed, there is little incentive to continue playing. Some suggest that the experience may be limited to a few runs, particularly distinguishing between single-player and multiplayer modes.
- “The worlds are procedurally generated, which really adds to the replay value.”
- “Each playthrough feels unique due to the random world generation, encouraging multiple runs.”
- “The variety of gameplay options and strategies keeps me coming back for more.”
- “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, and even with the random world generation, I am not sure about replayability (perhaps one world for single player, another 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
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to evoke a sense of warmth and coziness, highlighting its wholesome graphics and collaborative gameplay. It offers an emotional alternative to more competitive or environmentally destructive games in the genre, appealing to those seeking a positive and friendly gaming experience.
- “I played a lot of Satisfactory and I feel this is the kind of cozy, wholesome game that the genre has been missing.”
- “If you like Factorio but you don't like playing the bad guys ruining the environment and/or want wholesome, cute graphics, why haven't you bought Oddsparks already?”
- “Wanna enjoy a wholesome game that is inspired by Satisfactory or Factorio? You can even play it together with a friend!”
character development
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development in this game is highlighted by its charming and unique character design, which enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the blend of automation and exploration elements, reminiscent of Pikmin, that contribute to the characters' appeal. The cute portraits further enrich the game's aesthetic, making the characters memorable and engaging.
- “I love automation and factory games, and this is a unique version of those blended with some fighting, exploring (sort of Pikmin-like) and lovely character design.”
- “The character design and portraits are really cute.”