This base-building automation game looks like Factorio in space with bullet hell combat and Dyson spheres

Dyson sphere machinery surrounding a star
(Image credit: Never Games Limited)

Ever watch a game trailer and think "I don't know what the hell is going on here but I know I like it"? That's how I feel about Final Factory, which looks like a Factorio-style automation game, only set in outer space, and it also has bullet hell combat, plus a space station design system, and hey, why not power the whole thing with a Dyson sphere?

Here's the trailer so you can get an eyeful of all of that yourself:

The bases you build look pretty darn big, but you don't have to worry about running out of room. "Explore and expand across space on an infinitely generating map, filled with stars, planets, black holes, the ruins of an ancient civilization, and ancient artifacts that will help your factory," says the developer, Never Games Limited. 

What's the best way to power a massive space station? It's hard not to get excited by the idea of a Dyson sphere, a structure so vast it can completely encircle a star to capture nearly all of its energy output. You can see one being assembled in the trailer above and the gif below.

Final Factory: Dyson Sphere"

Your space stations don't just float there motionless, either. Everything you build can move through space if you "slap a rocket" on it. You're gonna need that maneuverability, and plenty of weapons and defenses, because you'll encounter life forms out there who won't be big fans of your hard work. 

"Design space stations and connect them through careful logistical planning," the developer says. "Use your infrastructure to advance through a sprawling tech tree. Automate the production of a massive fleet of ships that will grant you special abilities and help you defend your base against the local aliens." 

Those aliens might have a reason to attack—part of the game seems to be about constructing a dark matter machine which requires abduction aliens and sucking their minds out. Yikes.

(Image credit: Never Games Limited)

And if you're not interested in bullet hell space battles, no worries: Final Factory has a pacifist mode so you can make exploring and building a chill experience.

If all this looks as good to you as it does to me, you don't have long to wait: Final Factory launches on April 9 on Steam

Christopher Livingston
Senior Editor

Chris started playing PC games in the 1980s, started writing about them in the early 2000s, and (finally) started getting paid to write about them in the late 2000s. Following a few years as a regular freelancer, PC Gamer hired him in 2014, probably so he'd stop emailing them asking for more work. Chris has a love-hate relationship with survival games and an unhealthy fascination with the inner lives of NPCs. He's also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring storylines in RPGs so he can make up his own.

Read more
Microtopia
I didn't think Factorio needed swarms of robot ants, but the trailer for this upcoming factory sim has convinced me it missed a trick
An asteroid mining operation
Exploit asteroids for resources using automated mining equipment as they hurtle through your space-claim in Astronomics
Factorio base screenshot with photo of Oppenheimer actor Cillian Murphy in front
The Factorio 'God Factory' was one of this year's greatest gaming feats: 'Most players will never find themselves hitting the limits of the game. We are.'
Heart of the Machine
Heart of the Machine is Crusader Kings for speculative sci-fi nerds, flipping the script on the cult AI War series
Best space games on PC
The best space games on PC
A half-ruined giant robot rises from wreckage. An image from the cinematic trailer for mecha strategy RPG Mecharashi.
If you're a fan of giant robots I urge you to watch the Mecharashi cinematic trailer
Latest in Action
The First Berserker: Khazan review - Blade Phantom
How to claim The First Berserker: Khazan pre-order bonus and deluxe edition DLC
gta 6 trailer
Publishers 'don't want to be anywhere near' Grand Theft Auto 6 when it launches: 'It's proving to be very stressful'
An image of a Helldiver from Helldivers 2 shooting at a red dragon from Dungeons & Dragons.
'Ok, so dragon builds are a thing now': galaxy-brained Helldivers 2 player incinerates a bile titan with a hover pack and a flamethrower
Assassin's Creed Shadows promo image
Ubisoft scores a legendary ratio against Elon Musk on his own platform—which hopefully marks a final end to all the Assassin's Creed Shadows' culture war nonsense
Assassin's Creed Shadows immersive mode - Naoe holding a tanto in her hand as two guards fall to the ground behind her.
Assassin's Creed Shadows' first hotfix addresses stability issues and a photo mode crash
A plastic duck dressed like a circus weightlifter
The 5th highest-rated game on Steam in 2022 is back with a multiplayer sequel
Latest in News
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again
Image of Ronaldo from Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves trailer
It doesn't really make sense that soccer star Ronaldo is now a Fatal Fury character, but if you follow the money you can see how it happened
Junah beginning a battle in Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Today's RPG fans are 'very sensitive to feeling like they wasted time' when they die, says Metaphor: ReFantazio battle planner—but Atlus still made combat hard anyway
Image of Cersei Lanniser from Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Steam early access trailer
A new Game of Thrones RPG is coming to Steam today with a cast of 'familiar faces,' which is good because it's really the only way to tell it's a GoT game at all
The new Prime Asset featured in the upcoming update for the Outlast Trials.
The Outlast Trials puts its already paranoid players under surveillance for a time-limited story event
A Viera looking confused in Final Fantasy 14.
Old armor continues to fall victim to Final Fantasy 14's bizarre two-channel dye system, unless you're super into changing the colour of teeny-tiny eyelets: 'Why even bother at this point?'