Foundry

About

"Foundry is a science fiction strategy game with support for 2 players and both single-player and cooperative multiplayer modes. The game is set in a procedurally generated voxel world and challenges players to build and automate their bases using conveyor belts and logistics management. The main goal is to research and unlock advanced technology through the production of complex items. With a good plot, splendid graphics, and occasionally humorous elements, Foundry offers a unique and engaging gameplay experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,962 reviews

gameplay64 positive mentions

grinding106 negative mentions

Great blend of Factorio, Satisfactory, and Minecraft elements, providing a unique factory-building experience.
Smooth gameplay with minimal bugs, showcasing a solid foundation for future updates.
The destructible terrain adds an interesting layer to factory design and resource management.

The game lacks a clear overarching objective, making progression feel aimless and tedious.
UI and controls are clunky, with unintuitive keybindings and a lack of quality-of-life features.
Resource nodes deplete too quickly, leading to frustrating gameplay as players must constantly search for new resources.

gameplay
198 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
63%
5%
The gameplay of this factory automation game is generally well-received, with many players noting its solid mechanics and engaging core loop reminiscent of titles like Factorio and Satisfactory, albeit in a 3D voxel environment. While it offers a good foundation and unique features such as modular building and space trade, some players feel it lacks distinctiveness and depth compared to its predecessors, with a need for quality-of-life improvements and additional content. Overall, it shows promise for future development, but currently feels somewhat repetitive and derivative.
- “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 building is simple and intuitive, the menus are not over-cluttered, and mechanics allow for some large-scale operations.”
- “The gameplay is incredibly engaging, often making time fly by unnoticed.”
- “Nothing really new from other similar games; it's a Factorio clone in a 3D voxel world (with some slight differences, infinite ore resources in endgame, power grid system, modular building, space station), but the core gameplay stays the same: build higher and higher tiers of science packs.”
- “There isn't much to this game that can't be summed up with 'voxel-based Satisfactory.' There needs to be a bigger hook than just the procedural voxel terrain, because there are other completed or near feature-complete factory games that already have the exact same gameplay loop this game is implementing.”
- “The core gameplay loop in this game is repetitive and not really a 'loop.'”
graphics
142 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
45%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the voxel art style and solid performance, noting it as aesthetically pleasing and well-optimized. However, some criticize the visuals as being simplistic or lacking charm compared to similar titles like "Satisfactory" and "Factorio." Overall, while the graphics are generally considered decent and functional, opinions vary on their appeal and execution.
- “It's aesthetically pleasing, for sure.”
- “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'.”
- “So right now the visuals of the game are overly uniform and grey in a way that makes it hard to see what anything is.”
story
112 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
71%
7%
The game's story is generally considered weak and underdeveloped, with many players noting that it lacks engagement and depth. While there are some quests that provide basic guidance, they often feel disconnected from a larger narrative, leading to a sense of aimlessness after the initial tutorial phase. Overall, the story serves more as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling driving force, leaving players wanting more substantial content and motivation.
- “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 (I have ideas but am not certain what it may be at about 50 hours).”
- “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
110 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
2%
96%
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and unrefined, with many tasks feeling repetitive and lacking meaningful rewards. While some appreciate the potential for automation and complexity, the current gameplay loop often leads to frustration due to clunky mechanics and a lack of quality-of-life features. Many reviewers express hope for future updates to alleviate these issues, but as it stands, the grinding experience detracts significantly from the enjoyment of the game.
- “It wasn't a chore to expand; it wasn't tedious to build new factories.”
- “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.”
- “Manual mining is extremely clunky and tedious - the range on the mining drill is very short and as a consequence underground mining is claustrophobic, tedious, and it is very hard to see what you are doing.”
optimization
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
41%
9%
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its solid performance and smooth graphics, especially for an early access title. However, others have reported significant performance issues in late-game scenarios, particularly with large factories, and noted a lack of meaningful optimization mechanics. Overall, while many find it well-optimized and stable, concerns about performance degradation in more complex setups persist.
- “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.”
- “Coming from quite a few hours from when they had the demo up, the launch build is very optimized and feels great to play (which is always needed in a factory game).”
- “The performance is horrible; I don't have the best PC anymore, but Satisfactory can run a factory five 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.”
- “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.”
- “You don't need to really do any optimization at all, and you can get to the end game pretty easily, mostly due to the fact that you just have such insane amounts of space to work with and there really isn't any reason to not use it all.”
stability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
23%
46%
The stability of the game has received mixed feedback, with some players reporting a solid experience with minimal bugs and smooth performance, while others have encountered significant issues, including crashes and glitches. Despite being in early access, many users find it more polished and optimized than typical AAA titles, though concerns about its buggy nature persist. Overall, the game's stability appears to vary widely among players, with some enjoying a nearly glitch-free experience and others struggling with frequent disruptions.
- “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.”
- “Deliver's on the promise, good performance and bug-free.”
- “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
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
55%
18%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it relaxing and ambient, reminiscent of "Minecraft," while others describe it as bland, boring, or even depressing. Many feel that the soundtrack lacks variety and fails to enhance the overall experience, leading to frustration with its generic quality. Overall, the music seems to evoke a polarized response, with some appreciating its cozy vibe and others wishing for a more engaging composition.
- “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.”
- “The music is relaxing, inspired by 'Minecraft.' The machine sounds are not too bad, but some, like the assembly line, lack any sound.”
- “I found the music depressing, so I turned it off.”
humor
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its humor, particularly through the inclusion of a comically designed robot tutorial and a quirky research tree with amusing overlaps. Players find the blend of challenging factory-building mechanics and lighthearted elements, such as funny voice acting mishaps, to create an enjoyable experience. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm to the gameplay, making it both entertaining and engaging.
- “The research tree with hilariously overlapping research paths.”
- “Oh and one small thing I noticed: the voice actor says in one explanation 'bacon' instead of 'beacon'! Very funny little incident, but it does not reduce the game at all!”
- “Great factory builder with a funny Aussie robot.”
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 that enhance the first-person perspective. Overall, the atmosphere contributes significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “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%
The monetization strategy of the game has drawn criticism for appearing overly controlled by a larger company, with concerns about data farming and excessive advertisements impacting the player experience. Additionally, the installation of a game-specific launcher has sparked negative feedback, although it may serve future mod support purposes. Overall, players feel that the monetization approach detracts from the game's value and 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 a carefree experience without the stress of penalties. The whimsical mechanics contribute to a lighthearted atmosphere, enhancing the emotional connection to the gameplay.
- “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
50%
33%
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.
- “The fact that each new world is procedurally generated gives it loads of replayability after the initial playthrough.”
- “At €1 per game hour and potential replay value after release, it's worth it.”
- “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.”
- “The fact that each new world is procedurally generated gives loads of replayability after the initial playthrough.”