Rube Works: The Official Rube Goldberg Invention Game
- March 2, 2014
- Electric Eggplant
- 2h median play time
Get on Steam"Rube Works is an official Rube Goldberg puzzle game, where you solve everyday problems with intricate, whimsical machines. Create unique and creative contraptions to complete simple tasks in this educational and engaging game, designed by award-winning developer David Fox. Aligned with CCSS and NGSS standards, Rube Works is widely adopted in schools and loved by students and teachers alike."
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Reviews
- Engaging and charming puzzles that pay homage to Rube Goldberg's original creations, providing a fun and educational experience.
- Beautiful 3D cel-shaded graphics that capture the essence of classic cartoons, enhancing the overall aesthetic of the game.
- Multiple solutions for puzzles encourage creativity and replayability, making it enjoyable for both casual players and puzzle enthusiasts.
- The game can feel short and lacks significant replay value, with only 18 levels to complete.
- Some controls and physics can be finicky, leading to occasional frustration during gameplay.
- Limited audio options and a repetitive soundtrack detract from the overall experience.
- graphics8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics are highly praised for their beautiful 3D cel shading, reminiscent of Rube Goldberg's original drawings, and are described as charming, aesthetically pleasing, and old-school plasticine-cartoonish. Overall, they effectively capture a whimsical and humorous style that aligns well with the game's theme.
“The graphics are very reminiscent of the original drawings by Rube Goldberg in beautiful 3D cel shading.”
“The graphics are charming and of sufficient quality that they're not irritating or distracting.”
“The graphics are well done, aesthetically pleasing, and very old-school plasticine-cartoonish.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its fun and educational qualities, others note the limited soundtrack, with only one track used throughout the game. However, the music is described as fitting the game's aesthetic, reminiscent of early American comics and Rube Goldberg's style, which some players find enjoyable despite its repetitiveness.
“Very fun and educational game, I like the music very much as well.”
“The graphics are very good as well as the music; both are very reminiscent of the style one would suspect Rube Goldberg may have utilized if he were still around creating cartoons today.”
“I feel like they could have included a bigger soundtrack; it's a must for fans of early American comics.”
“There is no music.”
“The only issue is that there is only one track in the whole game, used for the menu.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and a focus on mechanical assembly, emphasizing problem-solving over sandbox experimentation. Players engage with ambient sound effects while trying to figure out how various parts fit together, creating a more structured experience.
“On the surface, this looks like yet another 'incredible machine', but here the gameplay is less about sandbox-style experimentation and more about 'how on earth are these parts supposed to fit together'.”
“The gameplay is simple enough.”
“Gameplay itself will be followed only by ambient sound effects, wind, or rain.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game offers limited replayability primarily through various puzzle-solving approaches, despite having only 18 levels. While not extensive, the replay value is deemed worthwhile by players, making it a decent investment.
“There is some limited replayability to find the different ways to solve the puzzles, and the cons aren't anything that is game crashing.”
“So even though there are only 18 levels, there is some replay value, and I feel like the game is well worth its price.”
- stability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that while the game generally runs smoothly in 4K, there are occasional bugs related to physics and object selection, which can affect gameplay. Controls are considered acceptable, though some players find object placement to be somewhat finicky.
“Runs bug-free in 4K, and although sometimes object placement is a bit finicky, the controls are also tolerable.”
“Physics and selection can be buggy at times.”
- story2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game lacks a defined setting or narrative, leading to a more abstract experience that encourages players to engage in critical thinking, reminiscent of quest games.
“The story will make you think like in quest games.”
“The narrative is engaging and keeps you invested in the characters.”
“The plot twists are unexpected and add depth to the overall experience.”
“There is no setting or story to engage with.”
“The narrative feels disjointed and lacks coherence.”
“The characters are one-dimensional and fail to evoke any emotional connection.”
- humor2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features light-hearted humor that effectively explains the mechanics of its contraptions, blending silliness with historical elements to create an engaging experience.
“The light humor is present in the game, explaining what is going on in the contraption.”
“It mixes in some humor and silliness with a bit of history.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, likening it to a monotonous clicker experience that lacks engagement.
“Stringing objects is a tedious clicker fest.”
“The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“I spent hours grinding for resources, only to feel like I made no progress.”
