Foundry

About

"FOUNDRY is a Science Fiction Strategy game with a strong focus on factory building and automation. Play solo or with up to 2 other players in co-op or multiplayer modes. Create, optimize, and customize your factory in a procedurally generated voxel world, while maintaining its power system and researching new technologies. Despite some grinding, the game offers outstanding gameplay and visuals, and is sure to make you laugh."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+10

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,332 reviews

gameplay70 positive mentions

grinding116 negative mentions

Foundry combines elements of Factorio and Satisfactory in a voxel-based world, offering a unique factory-building experience.
The game features destructible terrain, allowing players to dig and shape the environment, which adds a fun layer to resource gathering.
The modular building system and the ability to create large structures provide a satisfying sense of scale and creativity.

The game suffers from a lack of clear objectives and motivation, making progression feel aimless and tedious.
Many players find the controls clunky and unintuitive, leading to frustration during gameplay.
The Paradox launcher is seen as unnecessary and adds an extra step to starting the game, which detracts from the overall experience.

gameplay
230 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
63%
6%
The gameplay of this factory automation game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its blend of familiar mechanics from titles like Factorio and Satisfactory, alongside unique features such as modular building and deep mining. However, some mechanics, like the deconstruct and load/unloader systems, have drawn criticism, and there are calls for quality-of-life improvements and additional content to enhance the overall experience. While the game shows promise and offers a solid foundation, players feel it still needs refinement and expansion to fully realize its potential in the genre.
- “The actual gameplay is good; it's a factory game, but compared to Factorio, Satisfactory, or Techtonica, I think that the game has a good start but not $40 CAD (yet). I definitely think it's got a great foundation for a really cool addition to the factory game genre.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly engaging, often making time fly by unnoticed.”
- “It's a 3D crafter that's a little closer to Factorio than Satisfactory, and it has some cool unique crafting mechanics like modular building, assembly lines, and space trade that other games don't have.”
- “The core gameplay loop in this game is repetitive and not really a 'loop'.”
- “On top of that, core gameplay that is simply not fun enough, drilling trees and foliage resulted in the same old 'biomass' component as always, without adding anything different, better, or unexpected.”
- “The gameplay itself is tedious at points.”
graphics
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
48%
8%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the vibrant art style and solid performance, particularly in comparison to similar titles like Satisfactory and Factorio. While some find the voxel graphics charming and well-optimized, others criticize them as bland or lacking in detail. Overall, the visuals are generally considered decent to good, with a few players noting that they enhance the gameplay experience despite some limitations.
- “The look and feel of the game's graphics is really good, and the UI is very intuitive.”
- “Started up, saw a very well polished game, great graphics, nice tutorials, voxel endless terrain, dedicated server, deep underground mining and elevators, and a tech tree.”
- “The graphics are excellent, keeping in mind that this game is mainly taking inspiration from mostly Minecraft and Factorio.”
- “A downside: the graphics are not great (compared to Satisfactory), and the grid system is restrictive - so I am not motivated to make things pretty - similar to Factorio.”
- “The game begins like a typical 'Factorio' clone but with poorer visuals than 'Satisfactory'.”
- “Stupid voxel graphics are ugly.”
story
126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
73%
6%
The game's story is generally perceived as minimal and often overshadowed by gameplay mechanics, with many players noting a lack of engaging narrative and motivation beyond initial quests. While some appreciate the basic plot and tutorial guidance, others find the quests repetitive and disconnected from a larger objective, leading to a sandbox experience that lacks depth. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the building and research gameplay rather than a compelling narrative driving the experience.
- “It's very satisfying to design everything from the grounded first-person perspective and the overarching story going on is very interesting.”
- “The story seems interesting but it's done in a way that you don't really know the final goal for a long time.”
- “The quest system to help you advance forward is a very nice addition.”
- “The story was pretty much non-existent.”
- “There is no real story, there is a small robot and some more or less random tasks that you'll do anyway, and a space station you fix, but then what???”
- “The game has the same storyline as others with mostly the same game objective.”
grinding
120 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
97%
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is often perceived as tedious and overly time-consuming, particularly in late-game scenarios where players feel bogged down by repetitive tasks and inefficient mechanics. Many players express frustration with the lack of automation tools and the clunky nature of manual tasks, which detracts from the enjoyment of factory building and exploration. While some acknowledge that grinding is a staple of the genre, they desire more streamlined processes and engaging content to alleviate the monotony.
- “It wasn't a chore to expand; it wasn't tedious to build new factories.”
- “The late game is tedious though.”
- “In most cases it seems the game is overly grindy with finite resources for no good reason but to make it last longer.”
- “The game should start getting more fun when the complexity of the production chains ramp up, but instead you end up spending more and more time doing things that are tedious.”
optimization
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
35%
8%
Overall, the optimization of Foundry has received mixed reviews. While some players report solid performance and smooth gameplay, particularly in early stages, others experience significant performance issues in late-game scenarios with large factories. The game offers opportunities for optimization in base building, but many feel that the vast space available diminishes the need for intricate optimization strategies.
- “You can optionally buffer the output of one assembly line via decent storage options (which also accept loaders), which means some amazing optimization opportunities.”
- “Very well optimized and stable; I encountered zero crashes or bugs.”
- “Despite being early access and from a tiny dev team, this feels more polished, optimized, and bug-free than most AAA games.”
- “For now, terrible performance in late game with a large factory and lacks quite a few quality of life features and proper ways for long distance transport.”
- “- The performance is horrible. I don't have the best PC anymore, but Satisfactory can run a factory 5 times the size without issues, while Foundry stutters. If I move too fast through my factory, the buildings sometimes aren't loaded and I can move through where they are.”
- “Absolutely tired of 'chill' games with no reason for optimization and efficiency.”
stability
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
19%
44%
The stability of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players praising its solid performance and minimal bugs, especially for an early access title, while others report significant issues, including crashes and glitches. Overall, many users find it well-optimized and playable, but a notable portion highlights persistent bugs that detract from the experience.
- “Despite being early access and from a tiny dev team, this feels more polished, optimized, and bug-free than most AAA games.”
- “That in 10 hours of gameplay, I have had no graphics lag or frame dropping, no glitches; this game is optimized to the max and is only in early access at the time of writing this review.”
- “It's very polished, not buggy like most games, even compared to released games.”
- “As of late May, it's still very buggy and crashes a lot.”
- “Sorry but if a game is so buggy that I need to physically unplug the internet connection to play it, that game should not be released, not even in early access.”
- “This game is pretty buggy, but the tutorial and the nice chill pace make it a great way to relax.”
music
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
67%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it relaxing and fitting the game's cozy atmosphere, while others describe it as bland, generic, and lacking variety. Many appreciate the ambient quality, reminiscent of "Minecraft," but some feel it can be depressing or boring, leading them to turn it off. Overall, while the music complements the gameplay for some, it leaves others wanting more diversity and engagement.
- “The music is relaxing, inspired by 'Minecraft.' The machine sounds are not too bad, but some, like the assembly line, lack any sound.”
- “This is really fun, music really relaxing and beautiful!”
- “The in-game music is good, it's relaxing.”
- “Also, I don't know why, but this game just makes me so angry with how aggressively bland everything about it is, the music, the characters, the overall feeling it gives.”
- “And the music is sooooooo damn boring.”
- “I found the music depressing, so I turned it off.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, featuring a deliberately funny robot tutorial and a research tree with amusingly overlapping paths. Players find the blend of challenging factory-building mechanics and whimsical elements, such as quirky graphics and humorous voice acting mishaps, to be entertaining. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay experience, making it enjoyable despite its complexity.
- “The research tree with hilariously overlapping research paths.”
- “Oh and one small thing I noticed yet: the voice actor says in one explanation 'bacon' (!) instead of 'beacon' :D :D very funny little incident, but does not reduce the game at all!”
- “It is still a great game, but thinking it was anything groundbreaking and revolutionary is hilariously dense.”
atmosphere
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is often praised for its peaceful and engaging qualities, featuring a unique art style and a focus on building rather than combat. Players appreciate the chill vibe and addictive nature of the experience, highlighting its underrated atmospheric elements. Overall, it offers a refreshing alternative to more combat-centric games.
- “Fun and addictive game, with a nice and chill atmosphere.”
- “Has its own quirkiness and design that give it an engaging atmosphere and great art style.”
- “I like the peaceful atmosphere and focus on building rather than killing/fighting like in other games.”
- “If you want the first-person perspective and atmosphere, go play Satisfactory.”
- “If you want the first-person perspective and atmosphere, go play Satisfactory.”
monetization
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Reviews indicate that the game's monetization strategy is perceived as overly aggressive, with concerns about data farming and excessive advertisements impacting the player experience. The installation of a game-specific launcher has drawn mixed reactions, with some players viewing it as a necessary feature for future mod support, while others see it as a sign of corporate overreach. Overall, there is a sentiment that the monetization approach may detract from the game's enjoyment.
- “This is a telltale sign of a bigger company trying to overcontrol a dev company and squeeze any small drop out of the revenue with data-farming, collecting, or, in the best case, the attempt to cram extra advertisement into the experience.”
- “They need an advertising budget!”
- “Glad I watched some of the advertisement videos or I would have refunded due to it appearing super simple from the start.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players express that the game evokes a sense of childlike joy and relaxation, allowing them to engage in carefree exploration without the stress of penalties. The whimsical mechanics contribute to a lighthearted experience that fosters emotional comfort and nostalgia.
- “Basically, this game made me feel like a gushing child again, and it's so easy to play that I'm just relaxed the entire time.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
The game offers significant replayability due to its procedurally generated worlds, which provide fresh experiences after the initial playthrough. While the first experience may be challenging due to limited mechanic documentation, players find that understanding the patterns enhances depth and encourages multiple runs, making it a worthwhile investment at its price point.
- “Mechanic discovery and documentation are a bit thin, so your first playthrough will be rough, but once the patterns become clear, it has good depth and replayability.”
- “At €1 per game hour and potential replay value after release, it's worth it.”
- “The fact that each new world is procedurally generated gives loads of replayability after the initial playthrough.”