Sprocket

About

"Sprocket" is a tank design game that allows players to create and customize tanks using a dedicated designer. The game presents realistic armor mechanics and covers tank design challenges from WW1 to the late stages of WW2. Players can design hulls, turrets, armor, and cannons by setting thicknesses, shapes, and angles, while considering the trade-offs between space, weight, and firepower. Currently, tutorials are lacking, so a solid understanding of tanks is recommended .

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 6,697 reviews

gameplay80 positive mentions

stability110 negative mentions

gameplay
292 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
4%
The gameplay of this tank-building simulator is characterized by a steep learning curve, requiring players to master complex mechanics for effective tank design and operation. While the building mechanics are praised for their depth and creativity, many users express frustration with the lack of tutorials and limited gameplay content, leading to a somewhat repetitive experience. Overall, the game shows promise for enthusiasts of mechanical engineering and tank history, but it currently lacks engaging objectives and diverse scenarios to enhance the gameplay experience.
- “Once you learn the mechanics and create your first detailed design, you'll fall in love with it.”
- “Sprocket excels in its unique tank-building mechanics.”
- “This game takes some time to get the hang of, but once you start to figure out how the mechanics work, it becomes a playground with endless possibilities.”
- “Gameplay can get boring quickly, but you can build your own tank.”
- “Maybe I'm just not smart enough for a game like this, but a tutorial aside from other people half mumbling into their microphones for poorly edited YouTube videos would do wonders for this game, particularly in learning the freeform mechanics.”
- “The only issue is the actual gameplay with the tank you made is extremely limited.”
story
207 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
80%
9%
The game's story aspect is largely absent, with players noting a lack of a cohesive narrative or campaign mode. Instead, it features a limited number of simplistic missions that serve primarily as testing grounds for tank designs, leading many to view it more as a sandbox experience. While the missions can be enjoyable, they are repetitive and basic, leaving players eager for more diverse and engaging content in future updates.
- “The missions are really fun; it would be nice if there could be some kind of indicator or location the enemy tank AI would drive to after a certain time - had to literally drive around the whole map to find one guy hiding.”
- “The developer has a few fun scenarios that you build tanks in specific times (means weight, cost, and performance limits btw) and have to design a combat-effective chassis to beat these missions.”
- “I hope in the future we see some features like blueprint sharing or even custom missions since the scenarios are a little bare bones right now, so you run out of things to do with your tanks pretty quick.”
- “As of now, the game lacks a cohesive narrative or compelling missions that drive the gameplay forward.”
- “The only cool thing about this game is building the tank, but that's pretty useless if you can only play 8 missions which are as bland as oatmeal.”
- “The game's true fault currently lies in its limited scope, both in lack of volume for missions and the scope of the missions/maps themselves.”
graphics
133 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
54%
4%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising their solid quality and optimization, especially for an indie title developed by a single person. While some players find the visuals impressive and comparable to AAA games, others criticize them for lacking detail and realism, particularly in certain settings. Overall, the game is noted for its decent graphics that run well even on lower-end systems, though there are calls for more customization options and improvements in aesthetic elements.
- “The graphics look solid and the game seems to be optimized.”
- “The game features a striking art style with detailed and realistic tank models.”
- “This game is an incredible experience to play, it has amazing graphics and is incredibly realistic while not needing too fast of a computer.”
- “Don't recommend, looks so bad especially on ultra wide and max graphic settings. I've seen better graphics on Roblox. The UI is lacking, especially for a game focused on customizing tanks.”
- “The only negative thing I could talk about is the lack of graphic settings.”
- “Give this a skip - not worth the dollars unless you are a serious specialized mechanic: suspension overly complex with no guidance or feel to what you are changing, UI is incredibly small to read the specifics, graphics look like it was created 10 years ago.”
stability
114 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
4%
96%
The game is currently experiencing significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users, which is typical for an early access title. While some players find the game enjoyable despite these problems, many express frustration over the frequency and impact of the glitches on gameplay. Overall, while the game shows promise, potential buyers should be prepared for a rough experience as the developer continues to address these stability concerns.
- “Updates come very often, and the game is mostly bug-free.”
- “Not too buggy either, which is great.”
- “Very enjoyable game; can easily take up hours without you realizing, and for just one developer, it's very bug-free.”
- “Very buggy in the current state, playing the game and installing and deleting causes many issues that are very annoying to deal with.”
- “Too many bugs and glitches that take so much time to try and fix your design, all for your time to be wasted by a glitch that makes your design unusable.”
- “Cannot recommend it right now, it is so buggy the hull and tracks will mess up all the time and ruin your design.”
humor
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
5%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players enjoying the absurdity of creating comically designed tanks and engaging in hilarious gameplay scenarios. Many reviews highlight the joy of experimenting with unconventional builds, leading to amusing outcomes and memorable moments. Overall, the game is praised for its lighthearted approach, making it a fun experience for those who appreciate quirky tank designs and chaotic gameplay.
- “If funny random stuff plus making tanks was a game, this would be the game.”
- “The controls are a bit weird, but when you learn them and make a few tanks, the game gets really fun and is really funny when you put a 250mm gun on a 2-meter tank and make the barrel 60 meters long.”
- “Build massively cursed tanks and just die from laughing with friends.”
- “I am not funny.”
- “The jokes fell flat and didn't land at all.”
- “The humor felt forced and often missed the mark.”
optimization
56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
64%
9%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its solid graphics and smooth performance, while others report significant issues such as crashes, low frame rates, and high CPU/GPU utilization. Many users suggest that while the game shows potential, it requires further optimization, especially for lower-end PCs, to address the performance problems and enhance overall gameplay experience. Overall, the game is seen as a fun project with an active developer, but it still needs substantial improvements in optimization before it can be fully recommended.
- “The graphics look solid and the game seems to be optimized.”
- “Fidelity: game looks very nice, runs smoothly and has been optimized amazingly.”
- “The visuals are amazing, and the game is very well optimized.”
- “It's a good game in terms of what it's trying to achieve, though it really needs some optimization fixes as my game always crashes about 4-5 minutes after loading into a map, though I have yet to find out which ones do and don't crash.”
- “Very poor optimization considering War Thunder with 32 much higher fidelity models and in-depth damage models will run at 144fps.”
- “However, it seems to be poorly optimized as of this review, along with no FPS cap, causing even high-end PCs to run at 100% CPU and GPU utilization, almost like crypto mining.”
grinding
27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
30%
59%
The grinding aspect of the game is widely regarded as tedious and time-consuming, with many players feeling that it requires an excessive investment of time to progress. While some appreciate the challenge of optimizing vehicle builds within strict historical limits, others find the overall experience frustrating and lacking in purpose. New players may struggle with the learning curve, further contributing to the perception of grinding as a significant drawback.
- “A bit grindy sometimes.”
- “The only game in its genre that isn't as tedious as voxel-based games.”
- “Everything is free except for the base game, no grinding required.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The game is way too tedious at the moment.”
- “A genuinely good game deserves a good review; imagine War Thunder, but instead of grinding literal years for tanks, you can just suffer by making your own tank and watch it fail every mission because it gets killed by the environment every single time.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its calm and thoughtful soundtrack that enhances the gaming experience. Some find it well-composed and fitting, while others describe it as weird or overly depressing. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a strong point, though some players express a desire for more customization options regarding music and sound effects.
- “One surprising thing that I quite like is the soundtrack; it's got a very calm and thoughtful vibe that really resonates with me.”
- “The music is very well done and matches the game beautifully; it isn't too loud or too soft.”
- “The music is an absolute banger.”
- “Even some music would do - Balatro went straight to the game awards with music from Fiverr.”
- “My only gripes with it are the really depressing music and the bare-bones damage model, but other than that, I would absolutely recommend.”
- “- Add the option to implement your own gun/engine sounds, music, and decals to the game for that added extra touch (Battlefield 1's music would work wonders for the WWI scenario).”
replayability
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
31%
23%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while the campaign is short and scenarios are currently limited, players appreciate the extensive customization options and sandbox mode that offer significant replay value. Many users find the scenarios challenging and enjoyable, contributing to a good level of replayability, but some express a desire for more content and user-generated features to enhance it further. Overall, the potential for endless replayability exists, especially with future updates and modding capabilities.
- “Once you master the mechanics and have a good understanding of how to fight other tanks and improve your own, you will find near limitless replayability.”
- “Its replayability is good because you can design almost everything about your tank, and if you want a challenge you can play a challenge level, or if you just want to build to your heart's content you can do that too!”
- “This game is not an experience that one can easily forget, and it has (to some degree of creativity) endless replayability.”
- “At the moment, the scenarios are quite limited, so the replayability is fairly low.”
- “Otherwise, for the sake of overall content and replayability, I'd wait if or until the devs add a mission designer.”
- “If the ability for users to mod the game and create additional items and features for tanks is added, then the replay value of this game will see a huge boost as well.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express a deep emotional connection to the game, feeling both challenged and fulfilled by the intricate mechanics of tank design. The experience evokes a sense of nostalgia and appreciation for the developers, as it allows players to engage creatively with their passion for tanks. Overall, the game successfully taps into players' desires for both challenge and creativity, fostering a heartfelt connection to the gameplay.
- “This game made me feel like a tank.”
- “I look forward to seeing how this develops and I give a very heartfelt thank you to the developers who were finally able to scratch that itch of designing tanks that I have always wanted.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, offering a purely community-driven experience without the typical monetization issues found in many tank games. Players appreciate the absence of scummy monetization practices, making it a standout title in the genre.
- “There's no microtransactions in it, but maybe a multiplayer mode and workshop are needed; otherwise, it's pretty good.”
- “Many tank games tend to have issues with monetization and game design, so I'm happy to inform you that this one is purely community-driven and very likely won't have any of that!”
- “Many tank games tend to have issues with monetization, game design, etc. so I'm happy to inform you that this one is purely community-driven and very likely won't have any of that!”
- “Build tanks, fight tanks, all without scummy monetization and terrible teammates - okay maybe the AI is a bit rough - but this game is great.”
- “The best tank-themed game currently available on Steam simply because it lacks any microtransactions.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
100%
The game's atmosphere is criticized for being lackluster and overly tame, with reviewers suggesting that the single-player experience fails to create an engaging environment. Enhancements to aesthetic elements, such as grass and interactive objects, are recommended to improve immersion and interaction with the tank.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with stunning visuals that draw you into the game world.”
- “The sound design enhances the atmosphere, making every moment feel intense and engaging.”
- “The overall ambiance of the game creates a captivating experience that keeps you on the edge of your seat.”
- “Unfortunately, the game only stands as a single-player experience, and the scenarios are very tame; in other words, it lacks an atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere could be improved; grass and other aesthetic objects should be revamped a little bit so that they interact with the tank better.”