Production Line

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Production Line is a factory simulation game that allows you to design, build, and manage your own car production line. Create and customize your factory layout, choose from a variety of car models and parts, and manage your production chain to maximize efficiency and profit. Expand your business and compete with other AI-controlled car companies to become the leader in the market.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,066 reviews

gameplay55 positive mentions

stability44 negative mentions

Engaging and addictive gameplay that challenges players to optimize their production lines.
Extensive tech tree and customization options for vehicles, allowing for strategic decision-making.
Active developer support with regular updates and responsiveness to community feedback.

Frequent crashes and bugs that disrupt gameplay and lead to loss of progress.
Clunky user interface and controls that can be frustrating, especially when managing complex factory layouts.
Lack of depth in economic mechanics and market competition, making the game feel repetitive over time.

gameplay
212 mentions
26 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally described as engaging and addictive, with a solid core mechanic centered around factory management and car production. However, many players note a steep learning curve, repetitive gameplay, and various bugs that detract from the experience. While the mechanics are simple to grasp, the lack of depth and variety in gameplay, along with a poorly designed user interface, lead to a sense of frustration and diminished replayability after initial hours of play.
- “The gameplay loop of starting macro and becoming more and more specialized is addictive, and works very well.”
- “The core gameplay of making more cars, making money, upgrading the factory, and making more cars is great.”
- “Once you learn the mechanics, it is a pretty addictive game.”
- “There just isn't enough meta events to shake up the gameplay.”
- “Many of these could maybe be overlooked, but in the end, the base gameplay loop of 'build a boring factory with a clunky building UI' -> 'go AFK as you wait for research and money' -> 'repeat' is just not fun.”
- “Gameplay at the moment is very basic and once you learn the game mechanics it gets extremely boring and repetitive.”
graphics
127 mentions
37 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the simple yet effective design that complements the gameplay, while others criticize them as outdated or lacking polish. Many users note occasional graphical glitches and a need for improvement, but overall, the visuals are deemed satisfactory for the game's mechanics and style. The isometric perspective and attention to detail in animations are highlighted positively, contributing to an engaging experience despite the graphical limitations.
- “Fantastic game using such simple graphics to bring all the aspects to life that we expect from a car factory!”
- “Its beautiful somewhat cartoonish-realistic graphics and its great animations produce a pleasant, dynamic atmosphere: you really enjoy watching how your large chain of production flows in an organic way.”
- “The graphics are good enough such that you can zoom in on your factory and see your vehicles being built in reasonable detail.”
- “The only thing I don't really like about it is the graphics look like they are from a game from 20 years ago.”
- “Lastly, it looks like the game was clearly developed on a timeline and/or budget with no real room for exploration of better visuals and dynamics into managing an automotive manufacturing company.”
- “But initial joy in playing is let down by numerous bugs, poor graphics and repetitive gameplay.”
optimization
63 mentions
27 % positive mentions
68 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews; while many players appreciate the depth and challenge of the optimization mechanics, significant performance issues arise when scaling up factory operations, leading to crashes and lag. Some users report smooth performance on smaller maps, but larger setups can overwhelm the system, detracting from the overall experience. Despite these concerns, the game is praised for its engaging optimization puzzles and potential for strategic planning, making it appealing to fans of the genre.
- “If you enjoy strategy, optimization, and the satisfaction of seeing your creations come to life, Production Line is well worth your time.”
- “Highly recommended to anyone with even the smallest interest in kanban, constraint theory, and system optimization who'd like a sandbox to test out all that theory within a reasonable timeframe.”
- “Overall, it is clear the developers have prioritized attention towards what makes games like this compelling and challenging: the focus is on the optimization through building, placement, routing, and light resource/time management for the building of the cars you are creating.”
- “The only problem is if you run this like a non-stop factory on a bigger scale, the performance will drop significantly, and crashing seems to be a common occurrence. It's fine when I run it on a smaller map.”
- “Very, very bad performance issues; it is essentially impossible to build a large factory without getting a really bad experience due to low performance.”
- “Edit January 3, 2022 - I guess I can stop waiting to see if this gets fixed, as the developer abandoned the game way before it was in a playable, optimized, and relatively bug-free state.”
music
52 mentions
29 % positive mentions
60 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the soundtrack as enjoyable and motivating, while others find it repetitive and limited, often leading them to mute it. Many appreciate the dynamic volume changes that correspond to zooming in and out, enhancing the gameplay experience, but several users report issues with the music stopping unexpectedly after extended play. Overall, while the music is generally considered good, it could benefit from a broader selection of tracks to maintain player engagement.
- “The music is good - quite motivating and provoking at the same time.”
- “When you zoom out, the music volume pumps up, giving you this feeling of watching the factory floor from some manager's office above it; zooming in brings the volume down, allowing you to concentrate on whatever you're building or inspecting.”
- “The soundtrack is somewhat like other simulation games, a continuous loop of different themes that alternate between upbeat and chill.”
- “Not enough music tracks.”
- “The only negatives I found were a couple of bugs – the music would stop after a few hours, which was also a kind of handy way to tell me I needed to take a break (and go to bed).”
- “The soundtrack is awful, though this may have been updated since I muted it.”
stability
48 mentions
8 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
92 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of bugs, crashes, and graphical glitches that significantly hinder gameplay. Users have noted issues with item placement, particularly with conveyor belts, and many have experienced frustrating freezes and crashes that can lead to lost progress. While some players see potential in the game, the overall consensus is that it feels unfinished and requires substantial improvements to achieve a stable experience.
- “Game runs great.”
- “Production line has a pleasing aesthetic and runs great on PC.”
- “What is here is complete and so far almost bug free, and if you enjoy resource management games, then you will love the new style of this one.”
- “There are a lot of bugs; it can even happen that the game freezes and you lose everything you made.”
- “The game is incredibly buggy and crashes very often.”
- “Releasing a supposedly finished game with so much instability and graphical glitches made me choose not to recommend it.”
story
46 mentions
9 % positive mentions
74 % neutral mentions
17 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many users noting that there is no narrative or campaign to engage with, likening it to a gameplay experience focused solely on mechanics rather than storytelling. While some players appreciate the depth of gameplay and the challenge of optimizing production lines, they express a desire for more missions or a structured storyline to enhance replayability and engagement. Overall, the consensus is that the game lacks a compelling story, which detracts from its potential appeal.
- “What a fantastic game, I lose all sense of time while trying to beat the mission targets.”
- “Big Pharma had interesting missions, had a fairly nice visual style, and had much more strategy to the building of lines, with some being massive using dozens of machines to upgrade different things.”
- “Future, I would hope that for this game the future would bring more scenarios or maybe a story-style mission where you take over a failing company.”
- “This game has no story.”
- “There's no campaign, no story, no competition whatsoever, barely any challenge or something to do.”
- “There is no story, no career, no intuitive competition.”
replayability
27 mentions
11 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
The reviews on replayability are mixed, with some players finding the game offers limited replay value due to linear gameplay and simplistic AI, while others appreciate the depth and complexity that can lead to enjoyable repeated playthroughs, especially in sandbox modes. Many agree that once the core mechanics are mastered, the incentive to replay diminishes significantly. Overall, the game's replayability largely depends on individual player preferences for optimization and factory expansion.
- “Can be simple or very complex which gives it high replay value.”
- “The replayability is equivalent to Factorio or Satisfactory.”
- “Great game, loved it and very replayable, about to make my 4th large factory.”
- “Starting over at this point presents you with the reality that there is absolutely no replay value to this game.”
- “Very little replay value, with no user design, or creativity.”
- “But once you 'finish' the game, there's not much replayability.”
grinding
21 mentions
5 % positive mentions
10 % neutral mentions
86 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly as they progress and face repetitive tasks like feature additions and price adjustments. While the early stages present some challenge, many reviewers note that the gameplay can become monotonous and lacking in strategic depth, leading to a sense of emptiness once key features are unlocked. Overall, while the game is addictive, the grinding elements could benefit from more polish and variety to reduce the tedium.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “It's great, pretty simple but very tedious, not much challenge except on the early stage when the majority of people are struggling with income vs expenses.”
- “However, at some point you've unlocked all the factory parts and you're stuck in a grindy loop: unlock a new car feature, click 'add to all factory slots', add the feature to your highest-end models, go in and tweak all your prices, repeat ad infinitum.”
- “After a while, the progression gets tedious and after 7.7 hours of current game time over the past few days, I've almost maxed out the technology tree for what matters and the game just feels empty beyond researching technology and building an efficient layout factory.”
monetization
10 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users criticizing it as a cash grab and expressing concerns about misleading advertising. While there are suggestions for more diverse marketing options and better financial management features, the overall sentiment indicates dissatisfaction with the game's unfinished feel and lack of depth in monetization strategies.
- “Unfinished and feels abandoned, so it's just a cash grab.”
- “I was also planning on getting Democracy 4 by the same developer, but given that he just did a cash grab with this game, I won't be doing that - with his history, it'll sell a few copies and then be abandoned as well.”
- “The biggest downside so far to this game is something I'm sure they will fix, but the tutorial literally only gives you the basics and leaves you to figure a lot out on your own, including loans, market demand, and advertising.”
humor
10 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is frequently highlighted as a key aspect, with players finding it both funny and addictive, particularly in the context of optimizing production lines. The developer's engaging communication and humorous approach to game updates further enhance the experience, although some users feel that more detailed and amusing descriptions in the tech tree could improve the overall enjoyment. Overall, the game balances simplicity with complexity, providing a humorous yet satisfying gameplay experience.
- “As another user pointed out, it's a really funny game when you have to make your production lines more and more efficient every time.”
- “Quite an addictive game; optimizing the production lines is funny and satisfying.”
- “I've found Production Line to hold my interest because it contains humorous graphic elements, as much data as you'd like to consume, and can be played with different goals in mind.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
25 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its beautiful, cartoonish-realistic graphics and dynamic animations that create an enjoyable experience. While it effectively balances challenge and fun, some users feel that the atmosphere could be further enhanced for better presentation and playability. Overall, it successfully immerses players in a visually appealing and engaging environment.
- “It gives you the right atmosphere and is well balanced between challenge and fun.”
- “Its beautiful, somewhat cartoonish-realistic graphics and its great animations produce a pleasant, dynamic atmosphere: you really enjoy watching how your large chain of production flows in an organic way.”
- “I believe this could be better approached to give a more presentable and playable atmosphere.”
emotional
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users express frustration with the emotional experience of feeling overwhelmed and disengaged, particularly when gameplay involves long periods of inactivity and a lack of control, leading to a sense of boredom and disconnection from the game.
- “Made me feel busy, yet not in control.”