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Play OverviewPlay Overview

Factorio (2020) is a construction strategy game where you crash-land on an alien planet and must harvest resources to create industry to build a rocket to escape (or fall in love with running your factory and stay on longer).

Factorio is a construction management simulation where you control your resources by clicking and dragging. The pressure is on to survive, so you must locate and harvest resources quickly to make the tools and machines you need.

From humble beginnings, you create a complex factory system that takes in raw materials and creates all manner of useful items. As you progress your automated factory grows into mining, transportation, processing, and assembly of more complex resources and products. You use menus to select which things to develop and research. This advances your technology level and opens new possibilities.

As you do this you have to defend again Biters, Spitters and Worm enemies. You place turrets, tanks, and other weapons to eliminate enemies. This means you need to balance how much resource is spent on development and how much on defence.

In addition to the main single-player game, there's a multiplayer mode where you play cooperatively or versus other people online. All players on a server share technologies, or can group into teams. These online games can include hundreds of players all competing for resources, an experience that is both exciting and challenging.

Our examiner, Andy Robertson, first checked Factorio 3 years ago. It was re-examined by Jo Robertson and updated 15 months ago.
Too complex for your family? There are lots of games similar to Factorio. Here are some easier younger-rated games:

Play StylePlay Style

This is a Simulation and Strategy game with Creative elements. You can play this by yourself or as a 100-player online game.

 
You can play this game in the following styles:

DurationDuration

Play Time: This game will take between 50 hours and 70 hours to complete. Players may extend this time by continuing after building the rocket. Others may also take more time to progress through the story.

Age RatingsAge Ratings

Content Rating

Rated PEGI 7.
 
Users Interact: The game enables players to interact and communicate with each other, so may expose players to language usually associated with older rated games.

In Australia, Australian state: Rated Mature (M) for Violence
Not yet rated, but expected to be PEGI 12 and ESRB TEEN from the alien blood and combat the game depicts. When you kill aliens they leave puddles of purple blood. There is a peaceful mode you can play that eliminates the fighting.

Parents should note that Factorio can be customised via player created mods. This can introduce older rated content that falls outside of the rating system.

Skill Level

10+ year-olds usually have the required skill to enjoy this game. It's a complex game that requires forward planing and management of multiple simultaneous systems.

Account Rating

  • You need be 18-years-old to subscribe to Nintendo Online, but can then create accounts for children of any age to play online with Nintendo Switch.

CostsCosts

Factorio usually costs £30.
 

Factorio

Steam Store PC £30
Steam Store Mac £30
Switch Store Switch -
There are the following additional costs associated with this game:
  • You need a subscription to play online:
    • You need to purchase a Nintendo Online subscription to play online with Nintendo Switch.
 
It's important to set up your accounts and devices appropriately. More information is on our Financial Resources page.
 

DetailsGame Details

Release Date: 14/08/2020, updated in 2022

Out Now: Mac, PC and Switch

Skill Rating: 10+ year-olds

Players: 1 (100 online)

Genres: Simulation, Strategy and Creative

Accessibility: 0 features documented (Tweet Developer )

Components: 2D Overhead, Grid, Open World and Pixels

Developer: Factorio Game (@FactorioGame)


Taming Gaming Book Written by parents for parents, the database complements the in-depth discussion about video game addiction, violence, spending and online safety in the Taming Gaming book. We are an editorially independent, free resource without adverts that is supported by partnerships.

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