There is something inherently strange about this game. It plays nothing like it looks. It's the average person at the bar that you just can't get a good look at but every once in a while they turn around and your heart skips a beat. What is it about this person that is so enthralling? You have to go up and talk to them regardless of what your friends think. Turns out you have the most amazing conversation ever and watch the sun come up in the parking lot, not once making a single move on them. You go home happy, revitalized and content, patiently waiting for them to text you.

On the surface it appears to be a management simulator, chock full of interesting things to do, with equally as many ways to do them. Beneath the surface lies something that I didn't expect, something that didn't quite sink its teeth into me until around 20 hours in; there is always a better way to do things and you will dream about them regardless of how often you play. Belt systems can be merged, split and re-routed in a million different ways, smelting grids can be reformatted to minimize their footprint but maximize their output. Electricity becomes an art as you weave power lines aesthetically around your base being extra careful not to create a criss-cross which, while functional, looks terrible and we can't have terrible looking things in our base...

You start to grow content with your output, making mental notes of how you would like to move things around to make room for future upgrades. You sit back and enjoy your creation and how well everything is running. Suddenly, a red exclamation point shows up next to your toolbelt...hmmm, what's that? Your map shows it as well. You mouse over it, thinking that maybe you ran out of power or something simple, then it happens...

The biters are ripping through your iron mining in the northwest corner of your base! They are shredding metal like hot butter. The miners are taken out and the biters turn their sights on you. With almost supernatural speed they race toward you, fangs wet with a taste for blood. You have only a pistol to protect you. 10 measily bullets because you didn't spend the research points to get weaponized. The screen goes red and your stats are shown.

You vow to do things better. You will be ready the next time they attempt to breach your walls. Your factory will be stronger. You will be faster. They will be deader. This means war.

Updated: 2 and half years after my original review, I still continue to come back to this game religiously. Play time has slowed a bit as new updates are released but my overall opinion of this game hasn't changed. Amazing management simulation, endless amount of replay value and every new changelog is for the better.

There is something inherently strange about this game. It plays nothing like it looks. It's the average person at the bar that you just can't get a good look at but every once in a while they turn around and your heart skips a beat. What is it about this person that is so enthralling? You have to go up and talk to them regardless of what your friends think. Turns out you have the most amazing conversation ever and watch the sun come up in the parking lot, not once making a single move on them. You go home happy, revitalized and content, patiently waiting for them to text you. On the surface it appears to be a management simulator, chock full of interesting things to do, with equally as many ways to do them. Beneath the surface lies something that I didn't expect, something that didn't quite sink its teeth into me until around 20 hours in; there is always a better way to do things and you will dream about them regardless of how often you play. Belt systems can be merged, split and re-routed in a million different ways, smelting grids can be reformatted to minimize their footprint but maximize their output. Electricity becomes an art as you weave power lines aesthetically around your base being extra careful not to create a criss-cross which, while functional, looks terrible and we can't have terrible looking things in our base... You start to grow content with your output, making mental notes of how you would like to move things around to make room for future upgrades. You sit back and enjoy your creation and how well everything is running. Suddenly, a red exclamation point shows up next to your toolbelt...hmmm, what's that? Your map shows it as well. You mouse over it, thinking that maybe you ran out of power or something simple, then it happens... The biters are ripping through your iron mining in the northwest corner of your base! They are shredding metal like hot butter. The miners are taken out and the biters turn their sights on you. With almost supernatural speed they race toward you, fangs wet with a taste for blood. You have only a pistol to protect you. 10 measily bullets because you didn't spend the research points to get weaponized. The screen goes red and your stats are shown. You vow to do things better. You will be ready the next time they attempt to breach your walls. Your factory will be stronger. You will be faster. They will be deader. This means war. Updated: 2 and half years after my original review, I still continue to come back to this game religiously. Play time has slowed a bit as new updates are released but my overall opinion of this game hasn't changed. Amazing management simulation, endless amount of replay value and every new changelog is for the better.