10 awesome games like Factorio

Factorio is an overwhelmingly positive rated Steam game with a raving fanbase. The premise of the game is building factories to further advance your production capabilities while defending it from hordes of monsters.

While the game’s premise sounds relatively simple, it’s far from it. Factorio gets more complicated as your factory gets bigger, and becomes more addicting the longer you play it. Because of it’s addicting nature, many players of the game seek out other games that give them the same sense of satisfaction.

The games on this list aren’t in any particular order, but you can be sure that they all have a similar feel to Factorio.

1. Satisfactory

Platform: PC

Out of every game on this list, Satisfactory is the closest match to Factorio. The premise of the game is identical, but it’s in 3D rather than Factorio’s 2D gameplay. Factorio’s player base is just as thrilled with the game, with most saying that playing in 3D turns building factories into a completely new experience.

One main difference between the 2 games is that Satisfactory is significantly more difficult to run due to its 3D graphics. If you have a PC that’s powerful enough, Satisfactory is a game you won’t want to miss out on.

2. Rimworld

Platform: PC, Mac, Linux

Rimworld is an incredible sci-fi colony simulator game driven by an AI generated story. Random events will befall your colony as you slowly create your own civilization.

It’s another overwhelmingly positive game that has the potential to become a major time suck, but its players unanimously state that it’s worth it. The AI generated story and random events add another layer to the game that draws an even wider audience than Factorio.

From all the reviews I’ve seen, there’s barely anything negative about the game, so if you enjoyed Factorio then this should be the next game on your list.

3. Mindustry

Platform: PC, Android, IOS, Linux

What would you get if Factorio was a game more focused on combat and less focused on factories? Mindustry is exactly that. It’s a tower defense game focused on resource management and production.

Since you’re looking for games similar to Factorio, Mindustry is a great game that takes some of the basic factory concepts and implements them into a purely tower defense game. Fans of other tower defense games will especially enjoy playing Mindustry.

4. Oxygen Not Included

Platform: PC, Mac, Linux

Oxygen Not Included is a colony simulator game by Klei Entertainment, the creators of Don’t Starve. They bring their adorable visuals and complicated gameplay mechanics into a sci-fi simulator game with a mindblowing amount of depth.

If you’re familiar with the learning curve of Don’t Starve, then you’ll understand just how complicated this game can get. Some players say it’s complicated to a fault, but the general consensus is that learning is part of the fun.

Since you already are familiar with how complicated Factorio is, then you’ll probably have no trouble getting into Oxygen Not Included.

5. Prison Architect

Platform: PC, Mac, Switch, Android, IOS, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Linux

Prison Architect is a game quite similar to Oxygen Not Included, except you design prisons instead of sci-fi colonies. The reviews aren’t overwhelmingly positive like the listed games above, but there is still a great time to be had with it.

It’s been described like the opposite version of the Escapists, but with the complexity and personalization of Factorio. You take the role of a warden, and the order of a prison is completely in your hands. You decide whether your prisoners have a good quality of life, or if it devolved into total anarchy.

It’s not as complicated as Factorio, but fans of that game will often enjoy Prison Architect.

6. Cities: Skylines

Platform: PC, Mac, Linux, Switch, Xbox One, PS4

Since this game came out in 2015, it’s been a major hit. Cities: Skylines allows you to create and manage entire cities, and you create everything from infrastructure to commerce. That game has tons of things to do and there are limitless possibilities of what you can create.

The game can be as simple or complex as you want it to be, since it allows you to take a city from humble beginnings and develop it into a sprawling metropolis. Its many expansions such as the natural disasters expansion give you even more ways to play, so it’s definitely worth checking out.

7. Dwarf Fortress

Platform: PC, Mac

Since we’re on the topic of a complicated game like Factorio, we might as well mention one of the most complicated games of all time: Dwarf Fortress. This game has been in development since 2002, and is mostly based off of ASCII graphics.

The premise of the game is to take your small caravan of Dwarves and grow a civilization out of them, and the different options you're given are mind boggling. Beginners’ guides to this game are regularly 45 minutes or longer, and that’s just showing you the basics.

The game has been free since it’s 2006 release, but the developers are currently working on a Steam edition with full textures. If you have a lot of extra time, it’s worth checking out this infamously complex game.

8. Factory Town

Platform: PC, Mac

Factory Town is a 3D top-down village creation game very similar to Factorio. The goal is to give your village its maximum efficiency and profitability, and it gives you many ways to do so.

The graphical style is definitely unique, and the whole game is very pleasant and relaxing. It’s currently still in early access so Factory Town will definitely change over the course of its development. It might not be as complex as Factorio, but it’s a great time waster with some very pleasant graphics.

9. Good Company

Platform: PC

Good Company is another game with a unique graphical style, but this game is focused on creating a manufacturing empire. Create production lines, hire staff, automate processes, and invent products in this creative factory tycoon.

It’s still in early access so some bugs and unfinished parts are expected, but what the game includes so far is impressive. People reviewing the game say that it’s much more in-depth than they first thought, but not in a bad way.

There are even some single player campaign scenarios to play, or simply the classic endless freeplay mode. Fans of Factorio are sure to have a fun time with this title.

10. Automation Empire

Platforms: PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One

The Witcher 3 is considered to be one of the greatest action-RPGs of all time. There's no denying that the gorgeous landscapes and incredible dialog make it a game that's worth playing through many times.

This single-player masterpiece has recently been ported to the Nintendo Switch, a feat that most people thought would never happen. Due to its immense depth and platform versatility, it's a no brainer that it would make this list.

It's one of those games that every RPG fan needs to play at some point. No matter what platform you play on, it's bound to become one of your favorite titles.