Top 7 factory-building automation games you must try in 2022 

Nothing beats the feeling of creating a sprawling factory automating tons of production as players set up trade routes between more factories and progress further. First popularized by Factorio, the factory-building automation genre of games has successfully carved out a niche for itself.

Over the span of the last few years, several small to medium-sized studios have come up with their own twists on the factory-building automation game formula. As a result, fans of the genre now have a wide array of high-quality games to choose from.

This article presents an assortment of the top seven factory-building automation games.

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Top 7 factory-building games to scratch the automation itch

7. Hydroneer

The voxel-based terrain system is at the heart of Hydroneer’s gameplay. In this mining sandbox, the main objective is to dig up gold and other resources so that players can build mining machines and erect bases of operation.

Using primitive tools, hydro-powered machines, and player-built structures to dig, players progressively evolve their operations in the tycoon-style progression system of the game.

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6. Automachef

Rather than building traditional factories, Automachef puts a kitchen-themed twist into the array, resulting in the creation of one of the most eccentric factory-building games that the genre has to offer.

In this automation-oriented logical puzzle game, players are not only in charge of designing a solution to a given menu, but also of optimizing the efficiency by trying to use the least amount of ingredients, power, and money to build all of it.

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5. Factory Town

The player's goal in this solo dev project is to build a thriving village in the wilderness, supplied with a wide selection of food, clothing, tools, books, and magical artifacts that are produced from raw materials.

Rather than being a city builder with automation elements, Factory Town can be best described as an automation game using settlement-builder precedents for its framework and tech tree/setting.

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4. Captain of Industry

Captain of Industry is a factory-building and colony sim game wrapped in one. The protagonist's journey starts with a small crew of survivors on an abandoned island.

On their way to build a self-sufficient colony, players will need to do the usual like mining raw materials, growing food, building factories, manufacturing products, constructing vehicles, researching new technologies, exploring their surroundings, and trading with other islands.

The endgame comprises a space program where players can build rockets and venture into space. The manipulatable terrain of Captain of Industry is what sets it apart.

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3. Dyson Sphere Program

Dyson Sphere Program is a factory-building automation game with an insane sense of scale. Players have to build the most efficient intergalactic factory by harnessing the power of stars, collecting resources, planning and designing production lines, and developing their interstellar factory from a small space workshop to a galaxy-wide industrial empire.

Regardless of its early access tag, the game has hundreds of hours worth of content. At a certain level of infrastructure, resources are no longer a concern, setting players free to craft the sphere as if they were working clay, leading to all sorts of gigantic, satisfying pieces of art - it is almost like a Spirograph in space.

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2. Satisfactory

Satisfactory sets itself apart from the herd with its first-person and 3D approach where players have a much more personal touch with their factories. The hand-crafted open world is also a key selling point as it rewards exploration and custom-made logistics solutions by joining the satellite factories that players will be building across the map.

After the Update 5 release last year, Satisfactory is miles ahead of its peers when it comes to the freedom to build whatever one's heart desires. Exploration-focused Update 6 is now on the experimental branch, soon to hit the stable version as the game approaches its full 1.0 release in the next few years.

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1. Factorio

This is the game that spawned it all. The grandaddy of factory-building automation games is still arguably the best in terms of logistics management.

For the uninitiated, Factorio is a game where players mine resources, research technologies, build infrastructure, automate production, and fight insect enemies as their industrial empire grows and disturbs the locals of the alien planet.

The game has a sprawling modding community, with mods for small tweaks and helper mods to complete game overhauls.