This review contains spoilers
Factorio is fun enough as a game to explore and tinker with until the player hits a wall or becomes completely hooked. I felt the draw to this game and even started watching some tutorials online to help me optimize my progression. However, I ultimately gave up on the game after playing multiplayer through a mod with some friends.
My issue with this game is that, unlike other crafting-progression style games that I've played, there never came a point where I felt I could just sit back and admire the progress I'd made so far. In other games, some items feel like milestones, allowing the player to make visible, important cosmetic changes or feel a significant growth in combat prowess. While I understand that some would find the same satisfaction in a well-working factory line, this simply isn't gratifying enough for me.
I would recommend this game to those who want to solve the challenge of logical puzzles and efficiency with minimal risk.
My issue with this game is that, unlike other crafting-progression style games that I've played, there never came a point where I felt I could just sit back and admire the progress I'd made so far. In other games, some items feel like milestones, allowing the player to make visible, important cosmetic changes or feel a significant growth in combat prowess. While I understand that some would find the same satisfaction in a well-working factory line, this simply isn't gratifying enough for me.
I would recommend this game to those who want to solve the challenge of logical puzzles and efficiency with minimal risk.
This is going to have a more far-reaching impact on the world of indie games people realize even now in 2020 as it hits its 1.0 release. Factorio's tight build/fight/fix loop is overlooked in favor of its fun and brain-candy feeling of automating production, but the genius of the game lies in its ability to cater to people who want a sandbox and to those who want a tighter, more dangerous experience.
The most satisfying, customizable, enjoyable game I've ever played. 550+ hours over 7 playthroughs, still haven't touched the two most well-regarded content mods.
Update 2023: Over 1k hours now. Best modpack is Krastorio 2. AngelBob is a bit too heavy, shelved it temporarily about halfway through. Space Exploration is very mediocre.
Update 2023: Over 1k hours now. Best modpack is Krastorio 2. AngelBob is a bit too heavy, shelved it temporarily about halfway through. Space Exploration is very mediocre.