Widget Inc.
- October 31, 2024
- Leaping Turtle
- 40h median play time
Get on SteamIn Widget Inc., you must rebuild human civilization using Widgets, a powerful technology, by creating a massive factory to craft them. Master manual crafting. then automate it to increase production. Research 12 technology tiers, each with unique crafting steps, upgrades, and gameplay additions. Continuously expand your factory to accommodate new tier requirements.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay loop with a satisfying progression system that keeps players coming back.
- Unique mini-games for each factory type add variety and charm, making resource gathering more interactive.
- Affordable price point for the amount of content and enjoyment it provides.
- Game becomes repetitive after a few tiers, lacking depth and new mechanics as players progress.
- The prestige system feels unfulfilling, offering minimal rewards and not significantly changing gameplay.
- Balancing production can be tedious, with unclear resource management leading to bottlenecks.
- gameplay25 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by a repetitive core loop typical of incremental games, but it features engaging mechanics such as mini-games, an upgrade tree, and tile placement synergies that enhance the experience. While the game offers a satisfying progression and is well-priced, players note a lack of depth and long-term value, with some suggesting the need for additional content and challenges to break the monotony. Overall, it appeals primarily to fans of the genre, providing around 10-20 hours of gameplay with potential for future updates.
“The concepts are new, the gameplay is engaging, and the execution is polished.”
“Reorganizing your factory and layout is easy and rewarding; you adapt to new mechanics as you get new tech, and by adapting, you get bonuses. It's awesome.”
“It's got some interesting mechanics, and if they plan to keep updating the game, I'll keep coming back to it for more.”
“The game just repeats itself endlessly and there's no proper prestige mechanic at all.”
“It lacks what some short incremental games have in terms of polish and gameplay design, and it has absolutely no depth nor long-term value.”
“The dev said it himself, exciting and gripping at the beginning, but needs some more fleshing out for the mid-game as the gameplay forces a loop of 'progress to next tier, add more lower tier production, build new buildings, research, advance, repeat.' Some tier-specific challenges to break that loop would be nice, maybe add some physical obstacle to 'clear' on the map or something.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews of the grinding aspect highlight a mixed experience, with some players finding it tedious and time-consuming, especially during later stages that require extensive clicking and resource management. However, others appreciate the balance between active and idle gameplay, describing it as "cozy-grinding" that encourages progress while maintaining a level of challenge. Overall, the grinding can be seen as a double-edged sword, offering both frustration and a sense of accomplishment depending on the player's approach.
“The final tiers are extremely tedious because you're constantly fighting with how expensive building new and more frames are.”
“Next prestige took me to prestige level 20, and that next run took me 44 hours because it was just so boring and tedious to the point I couldn't be bothered to optimize things and would rather just go AFK.”
“You have to manually place those on the map and it gets really tedious at some point.”
- graphics7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The graphics received mixed reviews, with some praising the art style and pixel graphics as well-executed and meaningful, while others criticized the visuals for being overly complex or poorly designed, suggesting a need for improvement. Overall, the aesthetic appeal is noted, but there are significant concerns regarding clarity and intentionality in the graphic design.
“The art style is amazing.”
“Pixel graphics are well done and meaningful in how the machines operate.”
“Love the art style.”
“The neat graphic style, the world placement gimmick, and widget minigames are just not sufficient enough.”
“I'd rather some visuals that look intentional but maybe less complex than the nest of pipes and lines the generation churns out.”
“I didn't, simply because there's nothing more to be seen at this particular moment besides losing eyesight on pretty bad pixel art graphics that seriously need a revamp.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its optimization potential, appealing to players who prioritize this aspect; however, some users report issues with CPU and battery life optimization, particularly experiencing unsmooth FPS at higher tiers. There is a desire for further improvements in optimization to facilitate a potential port to mobile platforms.
“I would like to see CPU and battery life optimization - FPS is not smooth for me at tier XI-XII.”
“Like I said, my first prestige took me 20 hours, and I was not very optimized.”
“If optimization is your thing, then this game is for you.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it amusing and reminiscent of quirky titles like the Bioshock series. However, some users note that while the game starts off entertaining, it can become repetitive over time. Overall, it offers a decent comedic experience for its price.
“Funny little game, interesting at first, but gets too repetitive later; not bad for the price.”
“Funny idle game.”
“Reminds me of the funny little BioShock games; I enjoy the puzzles in some of them.”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with players appreciating its cool sound and decent quality, though some find it becomes repetitive after extended play. It draws favorable comparisons to the soundtrack of Terraria, enhancing the overall experience despite its brevity.
“I like that every resource has its own mini-game, and there are certain bonuses from placing frames right. The soundtrack is also decent, albeit short.”
“The music was really cool, but after 12 hours, it got a little repetitive.”
“The music is nice, reminiscent of Terraria.”
“The soundtrack is decent, but it's also quite short.”
“While I appreciate that every resource has its own mini-game, the music doesn't stand out.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is limited, with most players noting that it offers little incentive to replay beyond attempting to complete it faster. While it provides 5-10 hours of semi-passive entertainment, its primary appeal lies in speedrunning rather than traditional replay value.
“The only niche this game has for itself is the replayability and speedrunning potential.”
“I don't really see any replayability other than completing it faster.”
“The game doesn't have any replay value, but it's an all right 5-10 hours of semi-passive entertainment.”
“The only niche this game has for itself is its replayability and speedrunning potential.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for lacking microtransactions, leading to a perception that it resembles a low-quality mobile game without the typical revenue-generating features.
“This game feels like a poorly designed mobile game that has all the microtransactions removed.”
“The monetization system is so aggressive that it ruins the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see essential features locked behind paywalls.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional investment in the game, demonstrating persistence and dedication despite technical setbacks, such as not receiving an achievement. This commitment highlights the game's ability to engage users on a deeper level, motivating them to continue playing and striving for success.
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game has been criticized for its lack of stability, with users describing it as a "buggy soulless mess," indicating significant technical issues that detract from the overall experience.
“Such a buggy, soulless mess.”
