Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop

About

"Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop" is a game where players, as the mechanic Wilbur, repair procedurally-generated spaceships for clients in a remote space station. With various tools, diagnostic devices, and parts, they'll tackle a range of tasks, from simple refueling to complete overhauls. The game offers a unique experience each time, focused on the simple joys of fixing things in space.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

87%

Audience ScoreBased on 987 reviews

gameplay79 positive mentions

grinding40 negative mentions

Unique and engaging gameplay that combines puzzle-solving with a charming narrative.
The art style and humor are delightful, creating an immersive and enjoyable experience.
Satisfying skill progression as players learn to fix modules without relying on the manual.

The roguelite mechanics can be punishing, with frequent deaths leading to repetitive early-game tasks.
Some modules, particularly the reactor, can feel unfairly difficult and lead to abrupt game overs.
The controls can be frustrating, especially when using a controller, making certain tasks cumbersome.

gameplay
311 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The gameplay of this game is a unique blend of mechanic simulation and roguelite elements, offering a satisfying and challenging experience that encourages players to learn and master various repair tasks. While many players appreciate the engaging mechanics and charming art style, some express frustration with the punishing nature of the roguelite structure, particularly the frequent resets and difficulty spikes that can hinder enjoyment. Overall, the game is praised for its innovative approach and depth, though it may not appeal to everyone due to its challenging mechanics and occasional repetitiveness.
- “The gameplay is super fun and unique, and the art style really sells the whole world they’ve built.”
- “This is one of the most addicting games I've played in years; the gameplay loop is immensely satisfying.”
- “The roguelite nature of the game is a genius twist on the genre that leads to another entire gameplay loop around building up your shipyard and managing money and items on top of the mechanism minigames.”
- “As a new player jumping in, I can tell you that playing frantic fixing, which is selected by default, is a terrible experience due to the rapid difficulty spike happening on day 3 and onward, essentially a brick wall resetting your run until you get good enough at fixing the plethora of new modules and mechanics thrown at you.”
- “I really like this game, but I don't think its mechanics really play well into the roguelike style. You will more often than not get bored with the menial repairs in the beginning while waiting for the more complicated ones to appear on later days, just for the fatal ones that set you up for failure to send you far back to the beginning again.”
- “Though its expressive fix-'em-up modules and its detailed manual made us want to love the game, we left Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop feeling frustrated, having been beaten down repeatedly by punishing, sadistic mechanics and unfriendly controls.”
story
170 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
75%
4%
The game's story is engaging and filled with charming characters, offering a mix of humor and heart that keeps players invested. While it features a mysterious narrative that unfolds gradually, some players find the repetitive nature of certain missions and the roguelike mechanics frustrating, as they often require restarting after failures. Overall, the writing is praised for its creativity and depth, with multiple endings and side quests that enhance the experience, despite some criticisms regarding pacing and the integration of gameplay elements.
- “The story is funny, cute, and slightly disturbing all in one.”
- “The art style is great, the characters are funny, the story so far has me hooked and I can tell there are plenty of secrets to uncover.”
- “Little secrets are tucked away, and the story has a surprising amount of heart.”
- “The story is barely there and hardly pays off its time-loop premise.”
- “The game's main story comes and goes with no buildup and no payoff.”
- “Lastly, some of the repeating story repairs get very old fast; you have to put up with them just about every time you go through a run, and they will take up your time you could be spending on learning new repairs or making money to meet your quota.”
humor
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, with many players noting the hilarious dialogue and unique character interactions that evoke genuine laughter. While some find the humor to be occasionally one-dimensional or repetitive, the overall tone is described as darkly funny and engaging, enhancing the gameplay experience. The combination of witty writing, quirky characters, and a distinctive art style contributes to a rich comedic atmosphere that resonates well with players who appreciate a blend of humor and challenge.
- “The dialogue is hilarious and is one of the few games that made me audibly laugh.”
- “The blue-collar, Cthulhu-punk vibe will have you laughing while you work.”
- “It's rich and funny and gorgeous and clever.”
graphics
79 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
38%
4%
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their charming and unique art style, which enhances the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the attention to detail, humor, and the engaging character designs, noting that the visuals effectively complement the narrative and mechanics. Overall, the art style is described as beautiful, flavorful, and integral to the game's appeal, making it a standout feature.
- “The art style and atmosphere is top notch.”
- “Between its killer bluegrass soundtrack reminiscent of Hardspace: Shipbreaker and Firefly, its unique gameplay loop, and roguelite nature (with some nice meta progression mechanics to boot), and beautiful art style, this game is an absolute gem.”
- “Starting out, I was immediately impressed by the art style and attention to detail this game has.”
- “The game's art style is simple and effective - not going to take your breath away, but still pretty nice looking.”
- “The rest of the game is very good despite these issues; I really like the art style and my only complaint there is for some more variety in music, I feel like the speakeasy needs its own ambience to really feel like its own location.”
- “Some are pictographic, some are text only.”
grinding
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly at the beginning of each run, where tasks often feel monotonous and lack meaningful challenge. While some appreciate the cozy nature of the grind, many express frustration over the necessity to repeat tasks and the lack of practice opportunities for more complex modules. Overall, the gameplay loop is seen as a mix of engaging concepts overshadowed by a grindy execution, leading to a polarized reception.
- “The main problem with the game, though, is just how super tedious these tasks are.”
- “But the experience of getting there is repeatedly throwing away an hour of your life on a single run just to die to a single mistake or a couple of bad jobs, and grinding away at getting the chance to practice the complex puzzles and see the story.”
- “Starting a new run is tedious, and getting back to and learning the later modules takes a decent amount of time.”
music
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
59%
8%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many praising its catchy and engaging soundtrack, though some players note that it can be repetitive and loud during certain gameplay moments. While the music enhances the overall experience, several reviewers suggest that additional tracks would improve variety and prevent monotony. Overall, the soundtrack complements the game's charming art style and humor, contributing positively to the immersive experience.
- “Between its killer bluegrass soundtrack reminiscent of Hardspace: Shipbreaker and Firefly, its unique gameplay loop, and roguelite nature (with some nice meta progression mechanics to boot), and beautiful art style, this game is an absolute gem.”
- “This is all packaged in a superb art and animation style and accompanied by a rockin' soundtrack.”
- “Fantastic game, dark humor is spot on, yes it's tricky at first ...(ok it's hard) but if you like a challenge and fantastic art, music, and interesting challenges, then this is the game for you.”
- “I think the game could use a new music track or two when working, because the same song playing over and over gets old.”
- “I'm lukewarm on the music (my partner asked me if it bothered me that the music is so repetitive), but the other sounds are great.”
- “Audio/music: half star. The music is repetitive.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
91%
The game's stability is frequently criticized for being buggy and janky, leading to unclear penalizations that can frustrate players. While the core gameplay of troubleshooting is engaging, many users feel that the lack of clarity and the game's punishing mechanics detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, it reportedly runs well on the Steam Deck.
- “It runs great on the Steam Deck too.”
- “The game is buggy, janky, and generally just smacks you in the face for mistakes you didn't even know were a thing.”
- “Great game, but I agree the penalizations are seriously unclear at times to the point of looking buggy.”
- “That's the average reactor experience, and it's really not worth the risk because you don't have the chance to actually learn anything before it kills you, and the book doesn't give you a troubleshooting step by step or flowchart like it does for most of the other modules.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its charming and engaging qualities, complemented by a distinctive art style reminiscent of Newgrounds. Reviewers note that the attention to detail in the atmosphere, dialogue, and humor reflects the developers' dedication and love for the project. Overall, the atmosphere significantly enhances the experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “A tactile, tasty repair sim/puzzle game with a thick layer of charming atmosphere and Newgrounds art direction.”
- “The art style and atmosphere are top notch.”
- “The atmosphere, art style, dialogue, and humor are all very much on point, and it's clear the devs put a lot of love into this one.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Players express mixed feelings about the game's replayability, noting that while the initial experience is enjoyable, the implementation of roguelite elements feels superficial and detracts from the game's core charm. Many hope for improvements to reduce monotony in replaying earlier sections, as the current structure may lead to repetitive gameplay. Overall, the game's replayability remains a concern, with players eager for enhancements.
- “Loved the demo! So far, it's a really good game with strong vibes. I will have to see how it holds up in terms of replayability and story.”
- “It feels like the 'roguelite' aspect was kind of tossed on top of this game to make it replayable, ignoring the real charm of the game, which lies in the difficult modules that challenge your brain.”
- “It feels that 'roguelite' was kind of tossed on top of this game to make it replayable, ignoring the real charm of the game being the difficult modules that wrack your brain.”
- “Overall, I do enjoy every other aspect of the game but I'm hoping they would fix the replayability factor and make it less monotonous when playing the earlier sections over and over again.”
- “Overall, I do enjoy every other aspect of the game but I'm hoping they would fix the replayability factor and make it less monotonous when playing the earlier sections over and over again.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Players appreciate the game's emphasis on optimization, noting the satisfaction derived from discovering efficient fixes and streamlining processes. The potential for speedrunning is highlighted, as the game encourages players to find innovative ways to complete tasks more quickly. Overall, the optimization aspect adds depth and enjoyment to the gameplay experience.
- “There's a great sense of satisfaction to this as well: when you first fix a new module, when you fix it without using the manual, when you find small optimizations to fix it a little faster, when you start diagnosing multiple modules at once so you can make fewer trips to the workshop, etc.”
- “This game feels like it has some great speedrun potential, especially due to the sheer amount of optimization possible.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, with some feeling a genuine sense of immersion that evokes physical reactions, such as nausea. The experience is described as intense, making them feel like they are truly embodying the role of a mechanic.