Neon Noodles - Cyberpunk Kitchen

Review

Selecting to play a new game from the main menu screen will take you to the level screen. Choosing to continue a previous game from the main menu will take you to the game level you’re currently on. On the first level, Sliced Avocado, you’ll be welcomed to Neon Noodles! From here you’ll continue an existing program and be instructed on what to do. You will also get more information as you progress through the levels.

To begin with on the first level there’s already a couple of workstations, along with ingredients (Avocado) and a robot. In the top right corner of your screen is your current Goals and Recipes. In the left corner of the screen is the Controls, Stats and Undo; along the bottom of the screen is where your programmed movements are stored for your robots. Each level is displayed in a grid of ten-by-six squares which is your workspace.

Using the preplaced workstations and robot on the first level (the following levels won’t have any preplaced workstations or robots; you will have to place them down yourself) you must program the robot so that it takes the ingredients listed in the Recipes and combines them so that you complete the current Goal of the level; in this case the recipe is for Sliced Avocado. The recipe for Sliced Avocado is simple, just sliced Avocado. This is shown in the Recipes as icons representing an Avocado, a Knife (Cutting Station) and an Avocado in two halves.



You need to move your robot to the workstation containing the Avocado. Then take the Avocado to the Cutting Station and slice the Avocado, and then you must take it to the Consumer to complete. To do this you must select a square from within the grid where you would like to place a workstation; this will open a window of your current options. Once you’ve selected the position of your workstations, it’s time to add a robot, which you do in the same way as your workstations.

When you want to start programming the robot’s actions you first select the robot and then select the Edit icon.  Move the robot by selecting the squares in the direction of your chosen workstation. You can also use the Controls on the left side of the screen to program its movement. Now that you’ve moved your robot to the ingredient workstation, you must select the ingredient and carry the ingredient to the Cutting Station, which will slice your ingredients. In the case of the first level, once you have your sliced Avocado you must then deliver it to your consumer.

Each action you make, whether it be to move forward, turn left or right, or pick up and put down your ingredients, all require you to program your robot. Your actions are displayed along the Program Timeline at the bottom of the screen. Here you can add or delete any actions required so that your robot performs their task flawlessly. You can check how your programming is working out by running the program using the Controls in the top left corner. This is advised especially when using multiple robots and more complex recipes. Even if they complete their tasks through one full program cycle with no errors, in the second or third cycle there is the potential for robots to collide with each other. This is because they may have a different number of program instructions, thereby becoming unaligned in further cycles.

There are different robots to use as you progress through the game. Along with the basic robot that you start with, there are the Rail and Drone robots. The Rail robot is good for moving down a line performing actions without the need to turn. The Drone robot is great for moving over obstacles which would prevent the Basic and Rail robots' movements.

Repeat all actions until you have completed the Goals without any errors, after which the level is completed, and you will be able to move on to the next level. At the end of each level you will be able to compare how well you’ve done with other folks on that level. Histograms will display the Number of Cycles, Program Size and Bot Area of your current score compared to other players.

In the options you’ll find Music and Sounds Volume Controls, Resolution, Full Screen On/Off and Keyboard Layouts (QWERTY, QWERTZ, AZERTY, DVORAK AND COLEMAK).

I’m not much of a cook (I once set fire to the kitchen doing some cheese on toast - all Sonic’s fault), but my cooking skills have gone through the roof now that I’ve been playing this game! I can now make things (eventually) like Goulash, Chicken Mole, Peri Peri Chicken, Maple Beans, Fried Rice, Poutine and the Great English Breakfast (although it was missing some Black Pudding) without worrying about whether or not my kitchen is safe.

For an Early Access game, it’s well made, it looks good and plays very well.  There are currently no achievements or cards, but this may change once the game comes out of Early Access. I’ve enjoyed playing Neon Noodles and give it a Big Thumbs Up!

 

Review written by Piston Smashed™ for Zeepond.com!


Positives

+ Easy to learn
+ Enjoyable to play
+ Nice graphics

Negatives

- No achievements currently
- No cards currently

Review Summary

Why bother to prepare and cook food when you can program robots to do it for you? (Just need some robots now for the cleanup.)

Share this review!

Zeepond Rating: 8/10

Video