Ready Steady Ship is a fun co-op puzzle game that takes inspiration from other cornerstones of the genre. When factory work can be fun.
Cooperative puzzle games are definitely fun pastimes. They do not need an accurate plot and therefore can afford the most absurd narrative pretexts. Ready Steady Ship is no exception and takes us inside a factory, with the aim of delivering delayed packages on time.
Lazy Workers
The world is under a grave threat: people no longer want to go outside and are running out of supplies. Luckily we intervene, with the task of delivering the missing supplies to the whole world. We immediately find ourselves having to fix conveyor belts, use all sorts of machinery and pay attention to the surrounding environment.
We can even be lazy and not correctly respect the number of cases to be delivered. However, this will also have repercussions if we will talk about it again in the following paragraphs. Ready Steady Ship uses a very simple pretext that sets off a series of bizarre adventures.
Hard Life in the Factory
From the early analysis of the trailer (which you can read at this link) the game takes strong inspiration from titles such as Overcooked. The environments, the environmental dangers and the strong cooperative nature are essential elements of this title. The gameplay at the beginning is based on simple concepts: take the missing parts of the transporter and put them in the empty slots. Our avatar must take, push, pull and rotate these parts in the right direction. After this we can pull the lever and start the conveyor belt. Once the required number of crates is satisfied, we move on to the next stage.
However, things get complicated very quickly. The lines and boxes increase, have different colors and should not be mixed. Each truck must be loaded with the indicated boxes. Some parts of the conveyor are too heavy to rotate, so we can only push or pull in the right direction. Other parts will start to break but players can repair them.
The broken parts must be put into a shredder to get a new one.
Players have vehicles such as rolling machines, cranes or forklifts at their disposal.
Obviously, physics heavily influences our avatar, parts of the transporter, boxes, and other mechanisms.
There is no shortage of dangers or environmental conditions that will challenge and sometimes help the player.
With a good dose of imagination you can find different tricks to overcome the levels. Let’s say that we can use the various machines in a truly creative way, taking advantage of lateral thinking. The game pays tribute to the numerous mechanics included, the environmental interactions, and the imaginative design of the levels. I won’t give spoilers but I can tell you that the factory is not the only setting in the game. There are others, as original as they are dangerous for our workers.
Here Come Packages, Here Come Troubles
Despite the captivating graphic aspect, a fun soundtrack and some really interesting ideas, we have to talk about the weak point of the title: Physics.
Physics strongly influences all the vehicles, accessories, and crates, often working against the player due to its occasional imperfections. The packages sometimes seem to take on a life of their own, ruining all the operations carried out previously. Although there are no gigantic problems, these inaccuracies can also be frustrating in the long run, especially if you play alone. Another sore point is the management of the machinery and indirectly also that of the protagonists. Their ride feels too “slippery” and lacks proper management in terms of handling. Considering the general complexity of the last levels, it significantly affects the overall result. It’s a shame because the game explains the controls well and makes them very intuitive.
Let’s Sum it Up
Ready Steady Ship is definitely a fun game, designed for couch co-op but not online. Created by a solo developer Martynas Cibulis, it is certainly a product suitable for everyone and which will entertain and engage players. Despite the undeniable defects, if played by two it does not lose its creative and fun streak. The designers put a lot of care into the game, although some of their creations are unfortunately not very successful. I applaud the quantity of ideas put into the game and their originality.
By the way, I highly recommend playing locally with a friend.
The game is available for Steam, XBOX SERIES X|S, PS5 and Nintendo Switch.
Played on Nintendo Switch.
Ready Steady Ship
PRO
- Fun and original ideas
- Good graphic aspect and fun soundtrack
- Better play in co-op
CON
- Slippery controls
- Some physics issues
7/10
