Ever since humanity’s industrial revolution, the human mind has constantly sought the most efficient ways to automate industries, from mining raw materials to producing finished products. In video games, games such as Factorio and Satisfactory scratch that itch. From the developers of You Suck at Parking and The Almost Gone, Happy Volcano, comes a new 3D sandbox factory simulator called Modulus: Factory Automation.
Modulus: Factory Automation is a meditative factory automation game where you design not just the systems, but construct the very building blocks themselves. Cut, paint, stamp, and assemble 3D modules to build structures and meet the ever-evolving demands of the Colony. There are no enemies, no money, no timers, just you, your machines, and the quiet satisfaction of elegant design. Shape beautiful, efficient factories that reflect your creativity, one optimized block at a time.
Modulus: Factory Automation was full of eye-candy artwork. The balance between meticulous building, grid systems designs and the nature around each island of automated builds was aesthetically pleasing. The general art style contained a 3D cel-shaded look or was similar to it. The various green foliage and yellow trees added to the visually pleasing aspect, contrasting nature with machines. Anyone who has seen The Wild Robot will have a sense of that artistic harmony between machines and the outdoors.
“Modulus: Factory Automation was full of eye-candy artwork.”
Not only are the visuals meditative, but the sounds and music offer solace too. The sound design was purposefully satisfying, with many clicky and beep sounds when machines lined up or new modules were created. The atmospheric music was a great stress reliever for those who prefer a calm playlist to think better. Some people prefer louder, more upbeat music to focus on. I found myself playing my own playlist while figuring out how to build new modules, so maybe music options could be a nice touch.
The great part about Modulus: Factory Automation was that it offered a more progressive campaign-like game mode and a creative mode. As someone who has been a lifelong Minecraft and city-building player, I like both Survival/story mode and Creative mode. So, I figured I would give both modes a shot for this factory automation simulator.
Ultimately, the story mode offered clear objectives to work towards. Rather than completing different levels, the game built upon the modules the player had last learned how to build. I enjoyed this gameplay because it felt like learning was less isolated and more of a stackable learning experience to build a more efficient and well-crafted factory grid. The devs noted that this game was “designed for self-expression” and that “no two factories will look the same.”
What the devs aimed for with this game philosophy was true because the game provides the player with a module of a certain-coloured module layout to produce, in order to build a specific building. There was always a goal or tasks to complete in story mode, but there was never much hand-holding on how to create the solution, other than in the tutorial.
For the creative mode in Modulus: Factory Automation, the game offered full access to tools, paint, and expanded module sizes. Again, this mode is perfect for those who want to explore the game by testing out different production ideas, or simply want to make a visually stunning grid that is satisfactory to the eyes and productive to the automation line.
As I am sure there are many out there in the same boat, I am someone who prefers a good balance between creativity and achieving directives laid out for these types of games. The main sort-of campaign mode had fairly good instructions for completing dedicated objectives and builds set out by the game. There may have been a few times in the beginning when I was confused why I did not complete a task, but it made sense when I read the instructions back a few more times. The building videos near the start of the game helped a lot.
Whether someone is new to this particular genre or comes from a background in building or management simulator games, the controls felt intuitive. In fact, I was surprised at how the devs made it super easy to interweave some of the conveyor belts over each other. I was able to criss-cross conveyor belts through each other if I needed to get around completed factory lines with some future tech tunnels.
The only barrier to entry for a game like this would be how the initial module schematics in the story mode already begin at a challenging level. The tech tree and challenges would keep anyone busy, but a younger child may struggle to figure out how to make some of the initial modules. I believe the average child could figure out how to make a crafting table in Minecraft, but these module manuals were far more advanced. Other than that, I could see a young child express their artistic side in Modulus: Factory Automation’s creative mode.
Modulus: Factory Automation adds to the game genre, balancing intricate design voxels without any threats or time constraints. The art style was set behind a futuristic backdrop that blended a natural woodland vibe. For those who have spent hundreds or even thousands of hours in games like Dyson Sphere Program or Captain of Industry, this is another well-crafted automation game. It could also be a great intermediate-level building game for older kids and teens who like building and management games.
