“Some people like it, some people are annoyed by it”: Substructure may look like Factorio, but it changes the automation game in some fundamental ways
Substructure is an automation game that superficially resembles Factorio but implements fundamental design changes that have generated mixed player reactions. The game drops players on an alien world where they must build and manage factories to harvest resources and construct machinery using progressively unlocked technology.
Where Substructure diverges from traditional automation games is in its world structure. Rather than confining factories to a single surface level, the game incorporates vertical exploration and development. Players can construct drilling equipment and elevators to descend beneath the surface, accessing underground caverns and additional resource layers. This design choice fundamentally alters how players approach factory planning and resource management.
The changes have proven divisive among the gaming community. As the headline notes, “some people like it, some people are annoyed by it”—the departure from familiar automation game conventions attracts players seeking added complexity and exploration, while others find the changes disruptive to core automation mechanics. The game’s emphasis on environmental depth and layered world design represents a deliberate creative choice to blend traditional factory-building with exploratory elements.