Create: Above and Beyond

This is probably my favourite modpack of all time and, honestly, I've played this pack for far too long as I took it slow both times. I couldn't help completing all the side quests and experiencing all the interesting processing mechanics this modpack offered.

While I had played create before, it was this pack that really showed me how great create could be, and it's obvious the impact it has had on modern pack making. Many packs have tried to imitate C: A&B but the original still remains the pinnacle of how to achieve progression on a tech pack in my eyes. The use of KubeJS to add more progression stages and mix up other mods is superb and this pack feels incredibly fresh compared to many other tech packs available.

Although this pack is getting on a bit, and is missing some of the modern create features, I would still recommend it to any fan of the create mod, as it is a shining example of what create can be.

Firstly, it's worth noting that I did quit playing this modpack around the second chapter as I was playing with a friend and we found something more interesting to do.

To those coming from modern Create (around 1.20), the modpack can be pretty different, as it's on 1.16 and features a more unpolished version of the mod. Bear in mind it hasn't been updated since 2021, so it's not going to recieve any updates. Overall though the modpack seems pretty decent, I love the integration of different mods (Kelp-based items from Architect's Palette are used to make Andesite Alloy), and although some of these recipes do depart from base Create, it's probably to be expected in an expert pack and is a welcome experience. There's also some random systems like a barrel you need to place down and open, with there being a chance for treasure or just another of the same barrel, which seem pretty fun.

The quest book is really helpful and informative, and the farms involved in progression are pretty satisfying to make if you're into automation.

I did encounter some weird chunk generation issues around spawn, but they weren't super annoying to traverse.

This modpack was my first experience with TConstruct, which was really fun to play around with.

Alongside a lot of tech mods integrated into Create, the modpack has a few random mods such as Buddycards, Darker Depths, Occultism, and Forbidden & Arcanus, and while some of these are quirky little mods to add to the game experience, the larger magic mods particularly feel unintegrated into the modpack experience, like they were added only because they add one specific item.

The textures of some of the original Create items and the Storage Drawers mod are a bit ugly in my opinion, and could benefit from resourcepacks, but they do also have a certain charm.

I'd overall recommend the modpack to fans of the earlier Create mod (from 1.16), who prefer automation-based packs. As an "expert" pack, it didn't seem to have a particularly steep learning curve either.

The modpack also has a remaster named CABIN, which may be worth checking out, as well as a few other similar modpacks such as Arcane Engineering and Advanced Industries.

Create is an innovative mod that promises a lot of potential, but because it's so open-ended, its progression can feel lacklustre. You're offered all these machines, but you're not sure what to do with them. Create: Above and Beyond is an official take on linear Create gameplay to showcase what Create is capable of. It's so successful that it has inspired countless other spinoffs.

The recipes for machines have become more expensive and complex, such that automation of their production would utilise almost all mechanics Create has to offer. All the different types of machines finally serve an overarching purpose, encouraging you to learn the intricacies of the mod, which is not difficult thanks to the ponder scenes. As a result, the modpack is beginner-friendly, yet you'll end up with a comprehensive understanding of Create, and a large factory that serves as your proof.

This modpack has an emphasis on the process of building the factory itself, which feels engaging. You'll fit together cogwheels and gearboxes to power belts, presses, and mixers along different axes of rotation. You'll figure out which combination of machines can interact with each other the right way to do what you want. If you like solving puzzles, this pack might be for you.

The progression is pretty rigid but the the challenges are unique and rewarding.
It's about automating everything from the get go. At the start you're limited to andesite components from create which creates a fun challenge. The chapters are not too long so that the limitations are not too annoying. There was only one thing I didn't like - the end game, as at least at the time I was playing, the rocket mod was a bit unstable, unintuitive and felt a bit off.