Infinifactory
- December 19, 2019
- Zachtronics
- 25h median play time
The pleasure of creative block-building meets the satisfaction of puzzle-solving. One of the year's best games.
"Infinifactory is a single-player simulation game with a sci-fi plot, set in a 3D environment where you build factories for alien overlords. Its gameplay involves designing and optimizing production lines, with a story-driven campaign and sandbox mode. With historical charts, Steam Workshop integration, and plenty of humor, Infinifactory provides a masterful atmosphere and high replayability."
Reviews
- Infinifactory offers a unique blend of creativity and logic, allowing players to solve puzzles in multiple ways, which enhances replayability.
- The game features a smooth difficulty curve, gradually introducing new mechanics and challenges that keep players engaged.
- The satisfaction of watching your factory run efficiently after solving a complex puzzle is immensely rewarding.
- Some players may find the later puzzles to be overly complex and tedious, leading to frustration.
- The story and voice acting can feel weak or unnecessary, detracting from the overall experience for some players.
- The controls can be cumbersome at times, making navigation and building more challenging than it needs to be.
- story228 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally described as quirky and humorous, providing a light backdrop to the puzzle-solving gameplay, though it is often considered secondary to the mechanics. While some players appreciate the dark comedic elements and the gradual unfolding of the narrative through audio logs and mission briefings, others find it lacking depth and coherence, with pacing issues and predictability in later stages. Overall, the story adds a layer of charm and motivation to the gameplay, but many agree that it is not essential for enjoyment.
“The story is fun and weird, and every level feels unique and puzzling; I cannot recommend it enough.”
“The game features a humorous, but very dark story of alien abduction and enslavement, most of it told through audio logs found on dead bodies, holding their last words before they died trying to solve the very puzzle you're trying to solve.”
“The backstory of the game is handled well, and the setup for the story as a whole (being abducted by aliens so that you can build factories for them) is used as the setup to explain the core mechanics of the game, which works very well.”
“It got to a point in the later missions where I just wouldn't even listen to the mission briefings because they added absolutely nothing of value.”
“The story went missing after a while; I think the devs should've continued with it; the messages left behind, etc., are a welcomed pause, just a brief moment to think about something else before you start thinking of the new puzzle.”
“The story is a bit weak; I thought the premise was excellent actually, especially considering that it is in no way a requirement for the core game experience.”
- gameplay157 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Infinifactory is characterized by its intuitive mechanics and engaging puzzle design, allowing players to experiment and create unique solutions to challenges. While the game features a steep learning curve and can be frustrating at times, it rewards creativity and problem-solving skills, making players feel like mechanical engineers as they build complex factories. The introduction of new mechanics at a steady pace keeps the gameplay fresh and encourages exploration, although some players may find the controls and certain mechanics less intuitive.
“Even though there's no explanation for the mechanics beyond a short tutorial for the basics, they are easy to learn by yourself, and experimenting with them is fun.”
“The gameplay loop of creating your own designs to solve problems rather than discovering the single developer-made solution, and then testing it and iterating upon it is very fun and makes you feel like an engineer of sorts.”
“The basic mechanics are extremely intuitive, with hidden depth in how you use them, creating an enjoyable and engaging learning curve, where the process of learning and experimentation is one of the major aspects of the enjoyment from this game.”
“While the game is visually stunning, its learning curve and unforgiving gameplay may frustrate players.”
“The puzzles are great if you can deal with the horrific control mechanics because wow they are terrible.”
“This game is good and well done, but holy hell, you need a degree in mechanics or Asperger's in order to get anywhere meaningful; the difficulty curve is extremely steep after the training campaign, and the game doesn't explain many of the needed mechanics to make semi-successful factories.”
- graphics59 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics in the game are generally described as clean, simple, and functional, effectively supporting gameplay without being overly flashy. While some players appreciate the aesthetic and immersive qualities, others note that the visuals lack polish and can feel dated. Overall, the graphics serve their purpose well, enhancing the factory-building experience while remaining accessible even on lower-end systems.
“Graphics are nice and clean, just right for this type of game.”
“The pleasant graphics and original story complement the puzzles very well and keep you interested beyond just solving logical challenges.”
“Infinifactory offers simple yet beautiful visuals and a great deal of immersion that may lack in the other Zachtronics games.”
“My one critique is it is not super polished: the graphics and limited interaction with other characters look and feel about 20 years old.”
“The graphics weren't that good either for a game released in 2015.”
“Only negative point is the graphics.”
- humor55 mentions
- 98 % positive mentions
- -4 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of dark and quirky elements, often contrasting with its playful themes. Players appreciate the well-integrated comedic moments within the storyline and puzzles, which range from absurd and bizarre to subtly tragic. Overall, the humor enhances the immersive experience, making the challenging gameplay more enjoyable and engaging.
“Awesome puzzles, and that awesome dark humor that Zachtronics does so well!”
“The humor is excellent and dark.”
“The game features a humorous, but very dark story of alien abduction and enslavement, most of it told through audio logs found on dead bodies, holding their last words before they died trying to solve the very puzzle you're trying to solve.”
“I remember SpaceChem being pretty wordy and not funny, but Infinifactory is the opposite!”
“The jokes fell flat and often felt forced, making the humor more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
“I expected clever humor, but instead, it was just a series of tired clichés that didn't land.”
- optimization54 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The game's optimization aspect is highly praised, offering players a satisfying blend of logical challenges and performance reviews that encourage replayability and competition through leaderboards and achievements. Players appreciate the freedom to explore various solutions in a sandbox environment, with many expressing enjoyment in refining their designs for efficiency. Overall, the game runs smoothly with no significant performance issues, making it an excellent choice for fans of optimization puzzles.
“Such a satisfying intersection of optimization, timing, and space use!”
“The difficulty scales up satisfyingly as the game progresses, and there's a near infinite range of bonus optimization challenges for those who want a bigger challenge.”
“Solving all the puzzles is only the beginning; optimization is where this game really shines.”
“The other major point in which people are falling down and having problems is their inability to rate their own performances.”
“I'm the player that is simply happy to find a working solution; optimization (largely) be damned.”
“Because it's still have to be optimized.”
- music41 mentions
- 46 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric and relaxing qualities that enhance the puzzle-solving experience. However, some players find the soundtrack repetitive and occasionally too loud, leading them to mute it after extended play. Overall, while the music is appreciated for its fit with the game's aesthetic, it may not hold up for everyone over long sessions.
“Good story, great music, and amazing gameplay!”
“Bonus points for the fantastic soundtrack that fits the game and playstyle perfectly.”
“The soundtrack is so nice and relaxing that it actually feels like it makes you solve the problem faster and more efficiently.”
“My only complaint is that so far there has only been one music track playing, and it has a weird loop point that sounds terrible.”
“The music is a bit boring and it defaults to way too loud.”
“The music in the game isn't really noteworthy (to me at least) since I prefer to concentrate on my own music, so I just muted it an hour or so into playing the game.”
- replayability28 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, primarily due to its focus on optimization and multiple solution paths for puzzles. Players are encouraged to refine their strategies to achieve better scores, compete with friends, and tackle increasingly challenging levels, resulting in virtually endless replay value. Additionally, user-generated content and sandbox modes further enhance the game's longevity and appeal.
“A fantastic puzzle/optimization game, very enjoyable, lots of replay value if you're one who likes to optimize!”
“There are multiple ways to solve these problems, so the replayability is super high.”
“The game also has tremendous replayability, challenging you to craft more efficient designs; a smaller overall system footprint and seamless manufacturing processes.”
“There are many ways to solve each puzzle, so you also have some replayability trying to optimize either for footprint (least pieces required) or speed (fastest factory output).”
“This gives the game a lot of replayability, because you can always optimize your solutions to be just a few cycles faster, or to be a little cheaper, or to use up less space.”
- atmosphere15 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, featuring a blend of doom and gloom that enhances the puzzle-solving experience. Players appreciate the combination of atmospheric music, striking graphics, and a sense of loneliness and isolation that complements the gameplay. While some note a decline in humor and narrative depth, the overall ambiance remains a strong point, allowing for focused and engaging puzzle-solving without distraction.
“Probably the best Zachtronics game (or Zachlike, from Zachtronics or otherwise) - atmospheric, intuitive, and the 3D aspect allows for the most complex puzzles without overwhelmingly large constructs or finicky space or resource limitations.”
“The design of this game is fantastic and each setting for the puzzles manages to pull off a terrific atmosphere of loneliness and isolation.”
“Wonderful atmosphere, intriguing puzzles, and just the right difficulty gradient.”
“The puzzle quality doesn't drop, but the atmosphere and humor certainly does.”
“That atmosphere of complete loneliness, isolation, and oppression created by the overlords is totally destroyed.”
“Like SpaceChem, there is a zany storyline to add some atmosphere, but it's mostly about the gameplay.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of Infinifactory to be tedious, particularly in the later levels where complex structures and minor mistakes can lead to significant redesigns. While some enjoy the challenge and variety offered by different scenarios and player-submitted maps, many agree that the game can become frustratingly repetitive, especially with the added complexity of unwieldy objects and the need for meticulous adjustments. Overall, the grinding experience is a mixed bag, with moments of enjoyment overshadowed by periods of tedium.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Make no mistake: there are some incredibly hard (and sometimes tedious) levels, especially towards the end of the game.”
“If I have one criticism, it's that levels towards the end get more tedious, because objects become more unwieldy and you also have to make sure that your assembly line doesn't block the objects.”
“In the later levels you still learn some new blocks and strategies, but the later levels can be tedious at times because of the huge structures you need to craft or because you've made a minor mistake which forces you to redesign your whole structure.”
- emotional8 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional connection to the game, experiencing a mix of heartbreak and triumph as they navigate complex puzzles and narratives. The emotional weight of the story, particularly the poignant moments tied to the lore, enhances player investment, leading to feelings of frustration and elation throughout the gameplay. Overall, the game elicits a deep emotional response, making players feel both challenged and accomplished.
“By the end of the game, I was spending multiple hours on each factory and seeing the factory break on item 7 was heartbreaking.”
“I enjoyed SpaceChem in the sense that I experienced the emotional pain of creating an incredibly complex 'machine' only to discover that it reversed something somewhere along the path. It was easier to delete and start over with the lessons learned than to try and patch in a fix, which would inevitably work but break something else.”
“They range from funny to heart-wrenching, and I found myself getting far more invested in the lore than I expected to.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, including overheating and frequent freezes. Additionally, audio bugs have led to a mute requirement for some users, while minor glitches, such as falling through solid ground, are noted but generally considered non-disruptive due to the presence of a jetpack. Overall, while the game can be intensive on hardware, the core experience remains intact despite these stability concerns.
“It's too intensive for my PC; it heats up like crazy, and I've experienced several freezes.”
“The audio has been incredibly buggy throughout, so I have to play it on mute all the time.”
“There's a few glitches in the version I'm currently playing - occasionally you'll fall through what appears to be solid ground, for example - but fortunately your character is equipped with a jetpack, so this is merely an annoyance and not really game-affecting.”
Critic Reviews
Infinifactory review
The pleasure of creative block-building meets the satisfaction of puzzle-solving. One of the year's best games.
93%Infinifactory Review
Infinifactory certainly has the building blocks of something great, as it's uber-satisfying piecing together your own production line and watching it all work as intended. Sadly, while there's real satisfaction to be gleaned from craftily concocting your own creative solutions, the cumbersome controls and occasionally unintelligible explanations mean that this game has ultimately failed to pass our rigorous quality assurance test.
50%Infinifactory Review
83%