I disagree. I play other games like this, especially Satisfactory, and there really isn't any puzzle to it, nor any challenge in any game like it. The biggest challenge is keeping your eyes open and finding ways to pass the time while your factory stockpiles research materials and components, agonizingly slowly. If you have biters turned on, then that's one solution but it still doesn't change the fact that this game has no real puzzle or challenge to it.Svip wrote: βSat Sep 30, 2023 7:45 amCalling Factorio a puzzle game is a bit of a stretch, but calling it a tycoon game is more wrong. In Factorio there is no game over when you run out of money. Even if your base is completely starved of resources, you can always get it back on its feet (just a lot of manual labour). You need that end game scenario for a game to be a tycoon game.
The primary gameplay loop in Factorio is automation, but with automation comes an underlying puzzle challenge: how to automate the production chains; usually in as few steps, resources and little real estate as possible. That's the puzzle challenge in Factorio. And it's constant. As others point out, railway construction is far more limited than belt construction, so they come with their own set of puzzle challenges. More directions and elevated rails definitely makes the puzzle challenge of railway construction easier.
Once you get your initial setup of copper, iron and coal set up, you're all set. At that point, Factorio pretty much becomes an idle game.