Factorio is one of those game that took me by surprise. The idea is that you need to build these awesome factories in order to make all kinds of stuff.
Starting off, you need to do pretty much everything by hand, but then as you progress your factories become so advanced you create a series of automated factories that can work wonders.
There are of course many obstacles getting in your way such as local creatures that for some reason take a dislike to you and your factories.
I think my love for games like Theme Park, Theme Hospital and Jurassic Park Operation Genesis is what made Factorio click with me. As well as those three games though, today I am sharing with you these alternatives too Factorio.
IndustrialCraft 2 (Minecraft Mod)
This is not a full game it is actually a mod for Minecraft that allows you to build factories.
Look, Minecraft is clearly the go to for a game like Factorio, but I felt that was too obvious. IndustrialCraft 2 though is a unique and fun mod for Minecraft that is well worth checking out.
Like Factorio the idea of IndustrialCraft 2 is to not just build factories, but build them so that they are automated. While building the actual factories is cool. There is a lot of thinking and strategy involved here in how you make it so the factories you build are fully automated.
If you love games where you build things with a purpose I think you will have fun with this.
Oxygen Not Included
Words cannot stress how much fun I had with Oxygen Not Included!
If you love your games to have a sci-fi twist then you are going to love this.
What makes Oxygen Not Included like Factorio is the way you have to think about each thing you do. It is set in outer space, an alien rock to be exact.
In order to make sure your group survives. One of the best parts is the developing of technologies to make sure your group thrives.
Not only is there a fair bit of strategy involved with Oxygen Not Included, but they have also given it a really cute and funny art style and that is a huge part of what keeps you hooked. This is a game that really does have a lot of charm, but under that charm is quite a challenge.
If you like Oxygen Not Included you can check out these alternatives.
InfiniFactory
InfiniFactory is one of those games that at first, I did not think I liked, but then I realized it was after 10 PM and I had been playing for a couple of hours.
I think InfiniFactory is the most similar. In this game you are responsible for building factories, making products and making sure that your alien overlords are happy. You do this and they might not kill you.
InfiniFactory is in full 3D and it actually looks great, you go to different alien locations and the game, to be honest, is very story driven.
I think that InfiniFactory is one of the most fun and addictive games on this list and if you are looking for a similar experience to Factorio this is it.
Dwarf Fortress
Dwarf Fortress is a fantastic game and while we are talking aboutFactorio today, I would say if you are into games similar to Sim City as well, Dwarf Fortress is perfect for you.
The idea of the game is that you first choose a location to settle on, but then you are responsible for making sure the dwarfs survive.
Each dwarf has their own personality and skills which make them a unique individual who can be utilized in a certain way. You can have them protect the others from goblins, collect resources or even build.
There are different game modes and that makes Dwarf Fortress have a ton of replayability. The main mode is open ended where you just try to make your civilization of dwarfs thrive.
The other is kind of like a rouge like style game where there are objectives, a story and an in depth combat system.
Here are some games similar to Dwarf Fortress.
Planetbase
Planetbase is a really fun game that has a sci-fi twist which I really dug.
The idea of this game is that you are settlers on a strange and unforgiven planet and you need to make sure you survive.
You need to build your buildings so that your people have a place to live. Make food, collect resources and even build robots that can make things for you. It is this aspect which I feel makes it one of the better games in this article.
One of the things that I really enjoyed about Planetbase and I am sure you will is how large your colony can grow to be. You start off with just a couple of buildings and then before you know it, you have all kinds of buildings, tons of settlers and an automated series of bots that know what to do!
Gnomoria
Here is a game that really took me by surprise. While the fantasy based setting makes it an odd choice to be on a list, I feel that it is very similar in its tone.
The idea of Gnomoria is that you take control of a bunch of little gnomes and then you are the one responsible for making sure they survive.
You can break and collect pretty much anything you come across which you then can use to build structures and things that will help them survive.
One of the most exciting aspects of Gnomoria is not just the crafting and survival aspect. It is when you come across another group of characters.
These will either see your bustling society and want in….. or they may want to take what you have!
Fortresscraft Evolved
There is so much going on in Fortresscraft Evolved that I will admit that at first, it can seem like it is a little intimidating.
There is a learning curve here, but stick with it and you will find Fortresscraft Evolved to be one of the most rewarding gaming experiences you have had in a very long time.
You crash land on a planet and need to help your group survive. While there is a lot of crafting, collecting resources, building structures and so on.
There is also some tower defense style gameplay here because there are aliens who want you dead! So you will need to make sure that you have good defenses so that they do not destroy what you have worked so hard to build.
The aliens get tougher so you have to keep developing new and improved weapons to keep them at bay.
Prison Architect
Prison Architect is a game that I just recently got into (it was a free Games With Gold on Xbox One) and I got into it right away.
The idea of the game is what it sounds like, you need to build a prison and make sure that it is running properly and that those inmates know who is the boss.
No doubt this is a game you have heard of and I can tell you right off that bat that the construction aspect of this game is easy to pick up, but it is also far more in-depth than you would think.
The idea of the game is to build all that you would expect a prison to have. Cells, canteen, a place to work out, bathroom and so on. You need to keep order in your prison or hell can break loose. While you are free to just mess around and build your dream prison.
What I really enjoyed about playing Prison Architect is that there is actually a pretty interesting story that runs through it.
You can check out games like Prison Architect here.
Stardew Valley
Unless you have been living under a rock, chances are you have heard of Stardew Valley.
This has to be on this list! I and millions of other people fell in love with Stardew Valley the moment it started.
The idea is that you inherit a rundown farm and you need to bring it back to life, make friends, grow crops, make money and maybe even find love! It is a charming, adorable and one of the most addictive games I have played.
While the base version of Stardew Valley is fantastic. The mods that you can install if you have the PC version are crazy! You can get the basics like unlimited money and resources, but there is so much more.
You can even make things fully automated so your crops and animals are taken care of without you having to worry about it. Stardew Valley is a game that I cannot recommend highly enough.
If you like Stardew you can check out these games like it.
Banished
Banished is a game that at first, I was not sure that I would like it, but Banished has a hook that made it really stand out for me.
That hook is that your biggest resource in the game is the people that are part of your settlement. You are in charge of a group of people who have left their home (well they have been banished) they have nothing with them except some meager resources and they need your help to survive.
While you, of course, need to find materials and build places for them to stay and live. It is keeping your people happy that will allow you to progress.
You see the people need to be happy, fall in love and have kids. If they do not your group will die! People are your number one resource in Banished and that is what made it such an interesting game for me.
You can check out these other games like Banished here.
Terraria
Terraria really blew up and became a monster of a hit and I would say that it is one of the most well-known games on this list today.
While there is a lot of crafting and building involved in the world of Terraria. That is not all you have to do, combat is a major aspect of the game and once you find the right kind of weapons and armor, you can feel like an unstoppable warrior!
This is not just a world-building game, think of it as an action game as well. It is this that makes Terraria such a huge hit and a game that has appealed to so many different kinds of gamers.
You are always moving forward to try and find the best armor and the best weapons so you can take down anything that stands in your way or anything that has what you want!
So there you have it. If you like games where you need to build things, gather resources, take care of people and of course work on having some kind of automated factory. You are going to have fun with all of the games listed.
However, I wanted to pick a personal favorite, but I cannot! I am torn between two.
First up is Stardew Valley, this is honestly one of the best games in this style that I have ever played. With mods or without mods, you are in for a really fun time.
The other game that I really, really enjoyed was Planetbase. I feel that Planetbase is offering a very similar kind of experience as to what Factorio is offering.