Out of nowhere, your ship starts to sputter. Your oil is low, your radiation analyzer and tomfoolery modules are on the fritz, and you have to make a quick decision. Luckily, you look on your intergalactic map to see that Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop is within landing distance. You’re able to touch down safely on the platform and are met by a four-eyed “fox where it counts”, who leads you into a coffee shop before getting to work on your ship in need. That’s where you come in, playing that fox guy and helping customers in need so that you can pay R.E.N.T. to your employer before he murders you for being too much of a financial liability. Oh, and what a joy this arrangement is, as Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop is an employment contract I’d sign again and again.
Fix-it Fox!
Where do I even begin with how the gameplay works in UCRS? So, you’re a mechanic that wears many hats (literally, there are lots of skins/costumes that you can unlock) and carries around a VERY dense and thick manual with tons of instructions and guides on how to fix the many “modules” attached to the rocket ships that land on your repair platform to be fixed up. The goal of the game is to earn enough money by successfully and correctly repairing these various modules so that, after a preset amount of repair days, you can pay your glorious digital overlord “Uncle Chop” his rent money. If you don’t meet the quota every few days, you get killed (in various amusing ways, I might add) and your run ends. But! All is not lost! Throughout your runs, you get to earn and keep a different currency separate from the coins to pay rent. These can be used for persistent upgrades and keep adding to your ability to earn more coins and proceed further into runs, and consequently, the overlapping and various storylines and characters within the game.
These modules which require fixing are so all over the place in their design, and it is wildly fun, but somehow, strangely relaxing/focusing. It reminded me a lot of “Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes” but with crazy minigames and an inventory management system. One minute you’ll be flushing out oil, the next you’ll be frying donuts, and the next you’re running around in VR within the game to fix a lighthouse. Then, suddenly, you’re performing a seance or literally disarming a pipe bomb. Yes, all of these are real tasks that, for some reason, these rocketeers are keeping tucked away on the side of their ships. For each one, you’ll need to buy and work with a hefty amount of parts, devices, and systems to create parts needed for module fixing. As I learned how these various upgrades to my workshop operated, it really expanded on how many modules I could tackle on each rocket ship. My first few runs were ended simply by not understanding the order and processes needed in my workshop to fix a lot of the base modules. Once I knew this, my mechanic possibilities really started to expand with each one bought and installed.
Learn As You Go
As you play, you’ll start to learn and grasp the concepts between modules without having to consult your trusty manual every time. This is useful, because there are two game modes: one which is timed, but allows for unlimited repairs during that time limit (and less harsh penalties for mistakes), and one which isn’t timed, but limits you to three customers per day (and very harsh penalties for mistakes. I really appreciated this choice, as I quickly realized that there was so much going on with repairs when I first started that I didn’t understand yet. Once I switched to this “Focused Fixing” mode so that I could take my time and grow my knowledge, I didn’t feel the pull to move to “Frantic Fixing” mode. I really loved being able to take my time and dig into the modules and wonderfully drawn manual pages and listen to the customers' silly conversations and interactions without feeling rushed. This mode also made playing on my SteamDeck very accessible and the controls feel well intentioned for the system's unique controls. Mechanics in real life take all the time they want, so why shouldn’t I, right?
Oh, What a World! What a World!
Speaking of non-playable characters, boy howdy they are an eclectic bunch. The world of Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop is a really interesting one, with an overarching feel of a dark, demon-led underbelly overseeing this oppressive regime. Oh, and lest I forget to mention that though the aliens and artsy characters of this game may appear friendly and cute sometimes, they are definitely adults. The communication between characters, contents of some of the modules, and violent deaths are very much mature sometimes. It’s nothing way too over-the-top, and definitely not of the sexual nature that I ever saw, but it was a bit jarring the first time I saw swear words on the screen, ha! I enjoyed the world a ton, especially when it surprised me with new random events or characters to meet. There seems to be a bevy of paths to venture down related to these various tasks, including stealing items, keeping up with the quotas, or doing various things for loyal customers.
Stop and Smell the...Workshop!
What Uncle Shop really has going for it is a crisp, beautiful, flowing mix of art styles that bounces between multiple genres and feels with a deftness that can’t really be described and has to be seen. Every scene, module, room, and occasion was defined by how the art conveyed a feeling and added to the gameplay. It was like paging through a lovingly drawn graphic novel at every turn. Even the manual is a creative outlet for the designers, featuring hand drawn notes and scribbles, and a sense of humor that is unlike any other game I’ve played recently. You can just tell how well the art design team focused their efforts and managed to bring so many ideas together in one cohesive vision. It was an absolute treat to live in such a, really, downtrodden world that was filled with so much personality which oozed through every pixel.
Music to my Ears
Lastly, I have to mention the sound direction, which was another pleasant surprise. The backing music is a perfectly mixed selection of slightly Western, slightly techy overtones and melodies that admirably provide an inspiring feeling to your mechanic work. I found myself leaving the game on in the background while doing other work outside of the game just so I could enjoy the tunes. The repairing sounds were just loud enough to provide good audible feedback without being jarring, the characters mumbled in their own silly ways, and special events or character interactions were marked with changes in music and good sound stingers that were well mixed and emphasized the occasion. Thankfully this part of the game wasn’t pushed to the side, and was handled with the same care the gameplay and visuals were.
Run after run I found myself wanting to return to find more new events or modules to fix. I felt myself learning more modules and expanding on my own experiences within the world in the game. The reward system actually feels rewarding, and allowing me to play how I desired was a huge plus. As I really started to get the hang of it, I felt aptly equipped and prepared to face new challenges and modules without fear of ruining my run. Plus, if I did, I still had gained lots to prepare me for the next one, and I knew it would present me with new opportunities for the next one. Uncle Chop’s Rocket Shop is a brain stimulating, mind bending, visually satisfying, sonically pleasurable experience that I’ll return to again and again.
Uncle Chop's Rocket Shop is available on Steam, Xbox, Playstation, and Switch
