UNCLE CHOP'S ROCKET SHOP REVIEW - WHEN IKEA MANUALS MEET SPACE CAPITALISM
Ever wondered what would happen if someone turned Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes into a single-player game and added a healthy dose of crushing space capitalism? Well, Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop answers that question with a uniquely addictive blend of manual reading, frantic repairs, and just enough existential dread to keep you coming back for more.
WELCOME TO THE GRIND, MECHANIC
Let's get one thing straight: this game will consume your life faster than the sentient black hole consumes whatever random junk players feed it. The premise is simple enough - you're Wilbur, a space mechanic stuck paying ever-increasing rent to the corporate overlord Uncle Chop through honest work or whatever questionably legal opportunities come your way (LOOK, SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA DO WHAT YOU GOTTA DO TO MAKE RENT).
MANUAL LABOR OF LOVE
The heart of Uncle Chop's is its repair system, which turns flipping through a digital manual into something genuinely engaging. Each broken ship that limps into your shop presents a new puzzle, whether it's a simple refuel job or a nuclear reactor that's about to redecorate your shop in exciting new ways. The genius here is how the game makes reading comprehension actually fun - something my high school teachers would have killed to figure out.
TWO FLAVORS OF PANIC
The game offers two modes: Frantic and Focused. Frantic mode slaps a timer on everything and turns you into a caffeinated squirrel trying to fix as many ships as possible before the day ends. Focused mode removes the timer but makes the repairs more complex and mistakes more punishing. It's like choosing between being stabbed quickly or slowly, but somehow both options are fun.
THAT SWEET, SWEET PROGRESSION
Where Uncle Chop's really shines is in its progression system. While death will send you back to day one faster than you can say "reactor meltdown," you'll carry over station upgrades and, more importantly, actual knowledge. That repair job that took you five minutes of manual-flipping on day one? You'll be doing it in seconds by your tenth run, feeling like some kind of space repair god.
WHEN THINGS GO BOOM
Now, let's talk about those reactors. Nothing in gaming has given me quite the same panic attack as watching a reactor countdown timer while frantically flipping through manual pages, trying to remember which knob prevents the upcoming explosion. These moments of pure chaos are where the game truly excels, creating stories you'll be telling other players about for weeks.
THE STORY ACTUALLY SLAPS
Between repairs, you'll uncover a surprisingly deep narrative filled with space cults, corporate intrigue, and characters who are just the right kind of weird. The writing nails that sweet spot between humor and existential dread, making you genuinely care about this bizarre corner of space you're stuck in.
BUT WAIT, THERE'S A CATCH
The roguelike elements are both the game's blessing and its curse. Early game repetition can feel like you're stuck in a particularly unfun time loop, especially when you're doing your fifteenth refuel job just to get back to where you died. And some of those fatal jobs? They'll end your run faster than a Ponzi scheme during an audit.
THE FINAL WRENCH TURN
Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is like that project car in your garage - it can be frustrating as hell sometimes, but you can't help but love it anyway. Despite its occasional missteps with difficulty spikes and early game repetition, it's one of those rare games that actually makes you feel smarter as you play. Plus, any game that can make manual reading engaging deserves some serious credit.
Score: 8.7/10 - Like reading IKEA instructions while your house is on fire, but in space, and somehow that's fun
We at NLM received a key for this game for free, this however didn't impact our review in any way.