Whenever you first begin Mob Manufacturing facility, it looks as if only a quite simple tower defence recreation. There is a gap within the floor. Worms come out of it. They observe a clearly marked path in direction of your fort. You arrange crossbow towers, which shoot arrows on the worms, in order that they die and do not attain your tower. Straightforward. What’s subsequent?
Oh, extra worms. It is simply the identical quantity of worms each time spawning on a daily timer. I suppose I need not construct any extra towers? However then what occurs subsequent? Er, are the useless worm our bodies purported to be… piling up like that?
It rapidly turns into clear that I am interested by this recreation all unsuitable. The worms aren’t a menace—certain, they’ll injury my fort, however they’re simply contained. What they’re is a useful resource.
Seems worm corpses can be utilized to make all types of issues. Decide up six by clicking on them, and you may make them into an assembler constructing. (Don’t ask me concerning the science of this.) I plop one down, after which use extra our bodies to make conveyor belts that shuffle stays from the place the enemies are inclined to die over to the assembler, the place it may possibly fuse them collectively into bronze cash. (I’m telling you, I don’t have any solutions concerning the science.)
Nice, now I’ve turned the little sq. island I began on into an automatic bronze coin machine. What are you able to do with bronze cash? Purchase one other island, after all!
As soon as I’ve arrange adequate defences towards them, the following island’s commonly spawning spiders present me with internet, the very important ingredient in lots of extra recipes—together with each silver cash that can be utilized to purchase much more islands, and, brilliantly, additional worm tunnels. The tower defence has flipped on its head, as I intentionally arrange additional spawn factors for my enemies to allow them to present me with much more uncooked materials.
The extra you make, the extra islands you are in a position to purchase, and the extra monsters—with their very own distinctive assets and behaviours—you encounter. Whereas a few crossbow towers is sufficient to filter worms, it quickly turns into extra of a problem to effectively deploy the restricted weapons at your disposal. Wood blocks (made out of worms, naturally) can be utilized to divert enemies’ paths, forcing them to circle area-of-effect towers or keep inside vary of shotgun-like cyclops towers. In the event you’ve ever loved ‘mazing’ in tower defence video games, you will be in heaven right here.
Later foes carry their very own challenges. Skeletons bearing shields can solely be harmed from behind, forcing you to arrange routes that expose their backs. Blobs, in the meantime, mix excessive well being swimming pools with actually consuming any dropped assets you encounter, which means it’s important to not solely create a gauntlet of dying to comprise them, however rapidly syphon the slime they drop out of the trail of their kin earlier than they a lot all of it. Good attempt, blobs, however there is no moral consumption below my capitalism.
Conveyor belts present transport hyperlinks between islands, ferrying substances to the place they’re wanted. Your complete archipelago rapidly turns into not a kingdom you are defending, however an enormous manufacturing unit to handle and tweak in direction of good effectivity.
It is brilliantly satisfying, and easy however charming pixel artwork and bouncy sprites assist distract you from the concept that you’ve got mainly constructed an unlimited monster abattoir. I am reminded of 2021’s shocking gem Loop Hero, a recreation that equally twisted a well-recognized style right into a type of engine-builder, however I believe Mob Manufacturing facility’s mixture of tower defence mechanics with Factorio-style automation could make it an much more engrossing puzzle.
If systematic worm slaughter seems like your thought of a great time—and why would not it?—Mob Manufacturing facility is obtainable on Steam for £12.80 / $13.50, and you may get 10% off that till November 16.