Ready, Steady, Ship! [PC] | REVIEW

Ever dreamt of working in a factory and dealing with the logistics of preparing and shipping deliveries? Ready, Steady, Ship lets you live out that fantasy, with players either working solo or as a duo as they handle an onslaught of deliveries in a chaotic factory setting.

Check out some screenshots down below:

In a similar vein to titles such as Overcooked, Moving Out, and so forth, Ready, Steady, Ship takes what should be a menial and ordinary task and adds a zany twist to it. Whilst the core gameplay loop essentially revolves around getting an array of packages from point A to B in a factory environment, there are a series of continually evolving mechanics in play that ensure your job is anything but simple.

Well… the core tasks are simple enough but putting them in motion in co-ordination with another player whilst trying to get the timing and positioning right is another thing altogether. Things start off simple enough with players having to set up conveyor belts to move their packages across the factory and into a delivery truck, with each carefully placed and rotated to ensure that they move each package down the correct path. Easy, right? Well, it doesn’t take long before things get more complex, whether that’s with different coloured packages that need to go to specific trucks, having to deal with broken machinery, or keeping away from hazards that’ll completely ruin your packages if you don’t set up the conveyor belts perfectly.

“I lost count of the amount of times I had to do something completely impractical and zany in order to succeed, but it just shows how creative the game can be.”

New mechanics are continually introduced that don’t only help the game maintain a steady challenge, but also keep the formula interesting. Dealing with the likes of vehicles, gusts of air, slippery surfaces, and so forth will always keep players on their toes, whilst the varying areas you visit ensure you’ll get to see some different sights as you progress. Admittedly, some of the locales were a little bit dull (its hard to make a factory setting exciting), but it’s nice to see things change up as you move between levels.

It takes a puzzle-like approach to its level design, with there always being a RIGHT way to handle each situation – players just have to experiment a bit to find the most efficient approach to take in a level to get the best score. It can require patience and wit to succeed, but you’ll also need quick reactions and good time management to keep on top of everything. I lost count of the amount of times I had to do something completely impractical and zany in order to succeed, but it just shows how creative the game can be. If titles like Overcooked stressed you out, Ready, Steady, Ship can be equally challenging with its gameplay, but that’s part of the appeal, and ultimately, it’s what makes the game fun to play.

Check out some screenshots down below:

There are plenty of things I haven’t mentioned in this review, such as the forklifts you get to drive (which can cause disasters if you’re not careful), the cranes that seems to require ABSOLUTE precision to use, the fact that some boxes are fragile and have to be handled carefully, or the sheer number of ways for things to go completely wrong in the factory, with Ready, Steady, Ship having plenty of ideas on show to keep players engaged when playing. It makes for a good time, whilst the focus on using conveyor belts ensures it does something a bit different to similar titles. Admittedly, I do think the likes of Overcooked and Moving Out are more polished than this, but it still manages to offer an entertaining (and utterly chaotic) experience for players.

It’s also worth noting that it has a campaign for both solo and co-op play, which is neat to see. Admittedly, I didn’t enjoy Ready, Steady, Ship half as much when playing solo, but going through cleverly designed levels that were completely dedicated to two-player action ensured that my co-op buddy and I always had our own roles to play. It’s still stressful and you’ll still argue with each failure, but hey… that’s part of the fun, right?

Developer: Martynas Cibulis
Publisher: Untold Tales
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2225610/Ready_Steady_Ship/