The Steam rocket called Factorio really took off five years ago, but the GameStar test has been a long time coming. We are finally going to remedy this problem!
“The factory has to grow”. This statement, which has meanwhile become the mantra of the Factorio community, expresses the motivation behind this game better than any other despite – or perhaps because of – its simplicity. We should build a factory and always do it expand.
Sounds like monotony and boredom? Not at all, as the community feedback already shows: Two and a half million sales, 98% positive User Reviews – Factorio is one of the most successful games on Steam. And not only that, the influence of the community with their mods and insane large-scale projects even goes far beyond the game limits of Factorio. A lot has happened since the beginning of the Early Access phase in 2016; the game was officially released last year. So it’s high time for a follow-up test!
Goes with you if …
- … you like to work as efficiently as possible.
- … you bring a lot of creativity with you.
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Doesn’t suit you if …
- … you need bombast graphics.
- … you value a gripping story.
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It takes a lot of time in Factorio to build such a well-lubricated machine from … well, machines.
Spaceship wrecked in nowhere
Always those cheap flights! You actually crash your spaceship and strand on an unknown planet. You don’t know background information, dialogues, even the name of your little character. Factorio does not offer a main story apart from the (by the way very useful and recommendable) tutorial. However, it is clear that you do not need to count on outside help. But the man / woman / pixel figure is himself!
The author
Enrico Marx made his first gaming experiences with classics of the mid-noughties, including Star Wars: Battlefront, Anno 1503, Gothic 3 and the farming simulator. Since then he has mainly played action, role and strategy games. He has a fondness for tables and likes to tinker with his own creations for his life – so he was predestined for the Factorio test. Enrico studies German and English, is a musician and sometimes even plays sports (if you can believe the rumors).
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You steer your character from a bird’s eye view to the nearest ore deposit and start mining in order to finally launch a rocket and complete Factorio with it. With your starting resources (iron, coal, copper, stone, wood) you craft items such as ovens, boxes and ore conveyors. However, it quickly becomes apparent that it is not particularly effective to break down and process materials by hand. Clearly, automation is needed!
