Factory building games are becoming more and more common on platforms like Steamwith plenty of independent studios hoping for more Satisfactory or Factorio. And while reaching the heights of these two titles is no easy feat, getting the basic factory and problem-solving loop right – while doing something original – could be enough to make a splash. For gamers looking to enter the trademark state of automation, but in a new sci-fi setting, Steam's Starminer will undoubtedly be worth watching. Plus, the wait won't be long for anyone interested as its Early Access debut is coming.
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Starminer features at a glance
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BUILD your ideal interstellar factory, whether it's a few massive structures or tons of small ships.
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HARVEST asteroids for materials to maintain and upgrade your automation system.
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TRAVEL through space sectors through link gates and discover new research pods.
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SURVIVE alien attacks by building defenses to protect your fleet in simulated battles.
Design and build a massive interstellar fleet in this quarantine simulation. Strip the space of its minerals for profit, but beware: your greed attracts the alien. Master deep base building and deploy warships to protect your empire in immersive real-time space.
Starminer takes full advantage of its space environment
Instead of providing a visually pleasing background with stars and planets, the developers of CoolAndGoodGames space environment Starminer is an integral part of the game loop of this factory builder. Sure, all the basics are present – players design their ideal automation setup, balancing requirements like power, tonnage and size to maximize efficiency – but there are also a few aspects of the game that are a bit more unique and exist purely for the sake of the setup. Specifically, how the materials are collected and the need to protect the floating factory was put together by the players.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.
Start
Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.
EasyMediumHardPermadeath
Starting with material gathering, players will collect necessary items from asteroids, similar to e.g No Man's Sky. Once the asteroids are mined for their valuables, players process that loot and choose to sell what they've acquired or use it to maintain their current build. Additionally, players can send a fleet of mercenaries on missions to get more materials, and when an entire sector of space feels like it's completely depleted of materials, players can set up some connecting gates. Through these gates, they can hop into and out of new areas, mining them for their wealth and expanding their array of high-tech structures.
Unlike the more relaxed factory builders on Steam, players are not safe from all threats when solving problems. In addition to the usual asset management and rework, players will need to monitor heat build-up. If their build gets too big and too fast, the heat signature will appear on the enemy aliens who will close in and try to take over whatever the player has built. For those who want to design some huge factories, they'll need to plan ahead and prepare enough defenses, with turrets firing back at any space invaders looking to wreak havoc.
Start Early Access Start Starminer is the first step on a longer journey
As is pretty much always the case with Steam Early Access games, Starminer will have more content on the way than now. Players can eventually expect more units, construction options, and improved mechanics shaped by player feedback (the price will also increase when the game fully launches to reflect these improvements). This means that even if all its contents are deepened, Starminer it still has a lot to offer in its early Early Access state. There is a tutorial, a campaign, a survival challenge mode and a sandbox mode, so automation game lovers have several ways to play. Whether players like to watch simulated battles between warships and alien fleets, or just enjoy the experience of assembling modules piece by piece, Starminer has them covered.
