Wrench
- December 19, 2018
- Missing Digit
- 4h median play time
Get on Steam"Wrench is a single-player platformer mechanic simulator, focusing on preparing and maintaining race cars with stunning game mechanics and visuals. In this early access game, players open their own shop, take on customer cars, and level up to enter self-restored cars into races. However, watch out for bugs during gameplay."
PC
Windows
Cloud
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
Reviews
- Incredible attention to detail and realism, making it a great learning tool for car mechanics.
- The game offers a satisfying and immersive experience, especially in VR, allowing players to engage deeply with car assembly and maintenance.
- Active developer support and frequent updates show commitment to improving the game and expanding its content.
- The controls can be clunky and unintuitive, especially for non-VR players, making it difficult to navigate and interact with parts.
- Currently limited to one car model, which can lead to repetitive gameplay and a lack of variety in tasks.
- The tutorial and in-game instructions are often vague, leaving new players confused about how to proceed with tasks.
- gameplay916 mentions
- 26 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Wrench" is praised for its depth and realism, offering a highly detailed car mechanic simulation that appeals to both enthusiasts and those looking to learn about automotive mechanics. While the game features a steep learning curve and can be frustrating for newcomers, it provides an immersive experience with intuitive controls, especially in VR. Players appreciate the intricate mechanics, such as the need for proper torque specifications and the realistic assembly and disassembly of car parts, making it a standout choice for those seeking a more challenging alternative to traditional mechanic simulators.
“Genuinely one of the best car mechanic sims out there; it doesn't have stuff like pro demand or Alldata to help you out, but this is so much better than CMS18 and the new one.”
“This is the perfect mechanic simulator for anyone who has any sort of interest in cars and engineering.”
“Very realistic mechanic simulator.”
“While the game aims to deliver a realistic car mechanics experience, the steep learning curve can be frustrating for players who aren't already familiar with vehicle repair.”
“Unfortunately, this game suffers from clunky mechanics, an overly complicated control scheme on desktop, and the UI and menus are very disorienting and blocky. I really wanted to love this game because it has Miata motors, which I own one.”
“I want this game to be good and I find it fun for the most part, but I would not recommend anyone to buy this in its current state for full price, unless you are extremely into cars or in training to be a mechanic.”
- graphics116 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the phenomenal detail and realism, particularly in VR, where the visuals are described as near photo-quality. However, some users note that certain environments feel featureless and lack polish, with placeholder graphics present in some areas. Overall, while the graphics are generally well-received, there are calls for further refinement and additional content to enhance the visual experience.
“Very in-depth, very satisfying, and phenomenal graphics!”
“The graphics are amazing and everything feels extremely realistic.”
“The visuals and attention to detail are excellent, A+ for that.”
“Your garage is very white and featureless, for example, and some things like the trash can are clearly placeholder graphics.”
“Graphics are blurry, it lags, very imprecise movement... it's just not worth it.”
“This game needs visuals for people who aren't actual mechanics.”
- music46 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's music aspect is largely criticized for its lack of in-game background music, leaving players to rely on their own playlists for a more enjoyable experience. While some appreciate the ability to play personal music through a radio feature, many express a desire for added in-game audio options, such as a jukebox or ambient sounds, to enhance the overall atmosphere. Overall, the absence of a dedicated soundtrack is seen as a missed opportunity to enrich the gameplay experience.
“Just very relaxing, and music while you play is such a vibe.”
“Loving this game so much! If you enjoy the kind of 'Lego for adults' vibe, put on some chill music and just rebuild engines and service cars. It's a very addictive kind of mindlessness.”
“Just open up your Spotify app or favorite playlist in the background and boom, it's even better than generic background music.”
“One thing that is missing is music.”
“It's tedious and there is no soundtrack or any form of music.”
“At the moment it feels a bit too emotionless and robotic; needs some background music and some early instructions.”
- stability44 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game currently suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs and glitches reported by users, particularly in its early access state. While some players find potential and enjoyment in the experience, many recommend waiting for further updates and optimizations before purchasing, as the game is not yet fully enjoyable. Overall, the developers are acknowledged for their progress, but a considerable amount of work remains to improve stability and user experience.
“This is a wonderful piece of software; it gives you just enough assistance with placing objects so that the experience isn't too buggy or cumbersome, and enough rope to hang yourself with so you can do things wrong or forget pieces and have to take it back apart again.”
“It isn't perfect (I can't always get the tool belt to work bug-free, for example), but there is a lot to enjoy in this game, including the attention to detail.”
“But it is too damn buggy to play right now.”
“That game is a buggy mess, with aspects that make no sense.”
“For people who have real-life experience with cars and better PCs, this game is perfect, but for me, it's just too buggy, poorly optimized, and complicated.”
- grinding42 mentions
- 2 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 90 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, especially in the early stages where they are limited to a few job types and must repeatedly perform simple tasks. While some enjoy the challenge and complexity that emerges later on, many express frustration with the lack of a compelling narrative and the imprecise interactions, which can make the grinding feel aimless and unnecessarily drawn out. Overall, the experience can shift from tedious to enjoyable as players unlock new jobs and progress through the game.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Additionally, the lack of a compelling narrative or diverse objectives leaves players feeling aimless, with little incentive to keep grinding through repairs and modifications.”
“To start, you only have 3 job types and you can unlock more, but you need to repeat the same few jobs over and over to get there, which makes it really just a grinding game.”
“It's unnecessarily tedious at times to get things just right.”
- optimization40 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players find it better optimized than many AAA titles, others report significant bugs and performance issues, particularly on lower-end PCs. The game runs smoothly for some, especially those with high-end setups, but many users express concerns about its current state and the need for substantial updates to address optimization and bugs. Despite these issues, the game's realism and attention to detail are praised, making it a worthwhile experience for car enthusiasts.
“In early access but better optimized than most AAA games.”
“The game is extremely well optimized.”
“Better stability, better optimized, better gameplay loops, easier to play.”
“Given the development speed has slowed down significantly and the developers have run into challenges, I recommend not investing in this game until they bring some substantial updates to this store platform, release a general bug, optimization, or quality of life update, or in some way show this is not an abandoned project on the road to a Wrench 2 early access announcement.”
“Bugs and optimization are also lacking.”
“For people who have real-life experience with cars and better PCs, this game is perfect, but for me, it's just too buggy, poorly optimized, and complicated.”
- story38 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with players expressing a desire for a multiplayer story mode akin to the single-player experience. Many reviews highlight the lack of missions and narrative depth, making the gameplay feel limited and frustrating, especially for seasoned players. Overall, while the game shows potential in graphics and detail, the current lack of a compelling story detracts significantly from the experience.
“If the multiplayer had a story like single player, then this would be a top-tier game for sure.”
“Compared to CMS 18 and MSC, those are still good games, MSC for the story and CMS for multiple engines and cars, but this game blows them out of the park with graphics and detail.”
“You cannot do story but only sandbox on the multiplayer version, and the game is very buggy and does have potential but is at least, in my opinion, years away from an enjoyable point!”
“The downside, in my opinion, is the lack of a story mode/missions and only working on one exact car.”
“Another complaint was you couldn't free build anymore, and the new story mode and progression was painfully slow to seasoned players.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its humor, with players finding it both fun and entertaining, often laughing at its quirky mechanics and situations, such as the ability to pick up a fully built engine. The creator's sense of humor and responsiveness to player feedback also contribute positively to the overall experience. However, some players note that certain gameplay elements, like the toolbar and physics interactions, can be frustrating despite their comedic potential.
“The engine mounting and unmounting is finicky at best and you can still pick up an entirely built engine with your bare hands, which is pretty funny.”
“Funny mechanic game that's very detailed and fun and taught me how to change a head gasket in under 5 minutes.”
“Sometimes collisions result in something being yeeted across the workspace, which is funny but rather inaccurate from a physics standpoint.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been criticized as feeling like a cash grab, with users expressing frustration over aggressive monetization strategies. However, some players appreciate the educational value and engaging features of the game, suggesting that despite the monetization issues, it offers a rewarding experience for those interested in car mechanics.
“Game is pretty much a cash grab.”
“Feels like a cash grab!!!”
“Game is pretty much a cash grab.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express significant frustration and emotional distress due to concerns about losing progress in the game, leading to a reluctance to continue playing until the issues are resolved. This sentiment highlights a strong emotional investment in the game, which is currently overshadowed by technical problems.
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally appreciated for its pleasant qualities, but there are notable areas that require improvement.
“The atmosphere is incredibly immersive and captivating.”
“The game's atmosphere draws you in and keeps you engaged.”
“The ambiance created in this game is truly remarkable.”
“The atmosphere needs some work.”
“The atmosphere needs some work.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a desire for improved gameplay before fully engaging with the game, indicating that current issues may hinder replayability. Many are willing to support the developers in hopes of future enhancements that could enhance the overall experience.
