Fireworks Mania (FM) is a simple sandbox experience that delivers casual fun with few hitches. The gameplay is easy to learn and to use, allows a decent level of creative freedom, and provides very satisfying rewards for time invested.

🖱FM supports only keyboard & mouse.🖱

Players have access to an inventory of unique fireworks that can be placed almost anywhere – even mid-air. The selection includes rockets, firecrackers, tubes and more, though there are no adjustable parameters on the fireworks themselves; said adjustment is instead provided by fuse wires that burn at different speeds. In addition, a few props such as wooden crates and explosive canisters are provided.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2361514945
Movement and camera controls feel smooth and fairly precise, as does the adjustment of firework position. What the game does lack, however, is a flying mode to allow players to easily place objects in high places, though this may have been excluded intentionally for the sake of immersion.

Though FM already meets the criteria of an enjoyable sandbox experience, additional gameplay elements such as simple, optional goals to give direction to players' creativity would add replay value, and potentially provide even more enjoyment.

Both of FM's two maps feature a surprisingly high level of detail, including decorated interiors and multiple physics objects that be affected by fireworks. There's no activity going on besides that of the player, making the locations feel a bit desolate, but this is not unusual for a sandbox. One of the maps has a giant flamingo, though. That's pretty cool, right?

This game was played with the following PC specs:
AMD Ryzen 5 3600
16GB RAM
GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER 4GB
1680x1050 resolution
Windows 10
Game installed on HDD

FM is a pretty game, with nice lighting and a detailed low-poly environment. The particle effects used for the fireworks are crisp and vibrant, making the game's key element very satisfying to play with.

Using the specs listed above, FM ran at a consistent 140+ fps on Ultra settings. The lack of a framerate cap or VSync meant my GPU was constantly running at ~90%. Once capped at 60fps using third party software, there was no problem.
https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2361513968
I intentionally tried to break the game by spawning and detonating a ridiculous amount of objects at once, and the game handed this very well, with only a brief dip in fps during detonation, and no crashes.

The firework sound effects are excellent, further adding to the satisfaction of using them. In addition, the game features a few high quality ambient sounds, such as crickets chirping.

FM lacks a soundtrack, though I didn't notice until it came time to write this review. The sound effects are the main focus of the aural experience, so the absence of music is not a detriment – especially considering many indie game soundtracks are very generic.

Gameplay features:
As mentioned earlier, the ability to fly or hover would be useful when creating fireworks displays, though the lack of such a feature may indeed be a conscious decision on the part of the developer, who may have wanted to keep players grounded for the sake of immersion.

Game options:
A framerate limiter or VSync option would be nice, as they prevent unnecessary power drain and heat generation from components.

Fireworks Mania is an enjoyable little game that accomplishes everything it sets out to do, with few flaws to speak of. It's a great foundation for more content – more fireworks, maps or even activities.

If you like long, detailed reviews, check out our curator page, Devils in the Detail.

[h1][i]Well polished, pretty and fun.[/i][/h1] [h2][i]-[u]Overview[/u]-[/i][/h2] [i]Fireworks Mania (FM)[/i] is a simple sandbox experience that delivers casual fun with few hitches. The gameplay is easy to learn and to use, allows a decent level of creative freedom, and provides very satisfying rewards for time invested. [quote]🖱[i]FM supports only keyboard & mouse.[/i]🖱[/quote] [h2][i]-[u]Gameplay[/u]-[/i][/h2] Players have access to an inventory of unique fireworks that can be placed almost anywhere – even mid-air. The selection includes rockets, firecrackers, tubes and more, though there are no adjustable parameters on the fireworks themselves; said adjustment is instead provided by fuse wires that burn at different speeds. In addition, a few props such as wooden crates and explosive canisters are provided. https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2361514945 Movement and camera controls feel smooth and fairly precise, as does the adjustment of firework position. What the game does lack, however, is a flying mode to allow players to easily place objects in high places, though this may have been excluded intentionally for the sake of immersion. Though [i]FM[/i] already meets the criteria of an enjoyable sandbox experience, additional gameplay elements such as simple, optional goals to give direction to players' creativity would add replay value, and potentially provide even more enjoyment. [h2][i]-[u]World Design[/u]-[/i][/h2] Both of [i]FM's[/i] two maps feature a surprisingly high level of detail, including decorated interiors and multiple physics objects that be affected by fireworks. There's no activity going on besides that of the player, making the locations feel a bit desolate, but this is not unusual for a sandbox. One of the maps has a giant flamingo, though. That's pretty cool, right? [h2][i]-[u]Technical[/u]-[/i][/h2] [quote][b]This game was played with the following PC specs:[/b] AMD Ryzen 5 3600 16GB RAM GeForce GTX 1650 SUPER 4GB 1680x1050 resolution Windows 10 Game installed on HDD[/quote] [h3]Visuals:[/h3] [i]FM[/i] is a pretty game, with nice lighting and a detailed low-poly environment. The particle effects used for the fireworks are crisp and vibrant, making the game's key element very satisfying to play with. [h3]Performance:[/h3] Using the specs listed above, [i]FM[/i] ran at a consistent 140+ fps on Ultra settings. The lack of a framerate cap or VSync meant my GPU was constantly running at ~90%. Once capped at 60fps using third party software, there was no problem. https://gtm.steamproxy.vip/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2361513968 I intentionally tried to break the game by spawning and detonating a ridiculous amount of objects at once, and the game handed this very well, with only a brief dip in fps during detonation, and no crashes. [h3]Audio:[/h3] The firework sound effects are excellent, further adding to the satisfaction of using them. In addition, the game features a few high quality ambient sounds, such as crickets chirping. [i]FM[/i] lacks a soundtrack, though I didn't notice until it came time to write this review. The sound effects are the main focus of the aural experience, so the absence of music is not a detriment – especially considering many indie game soundtracks are very generic. [h3]Design Oversights:[/h3] [b]Gameplay features:[/b] As mentioned earlier, the ability to fly or hover would be useful when creating fireworks displays, though the lack of such a feature may indeed be a conscious decision on the part of the developer, who may have wanted to keep players grounded for the sake of immersion. [b]Game options:[/b] A framerate limiter or VSync option would be nice, as they prevent unnecessary power drain and heat generation from components. [h2][i]-[u]Summary[/u]-[/i][/h2] [i]Fireworks Mania[/i] is an enjoyable little game that accomplishes everything it sets out to do, with few flaws to speak of. It's a great foundation for more content – more fireworks, maps or even activities. [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/37072886][quote]If you like long, detailed reviews, check out our curator page, [b]Devils in the Detail[/b].