Factory-building games seem to be coming out at a rate of a knots in recent years. Factorio, Satisfactory and Dyson Sphere Program are just three such games, albeit well-received ones. How exactly does shapez 2 fare when compared to these behemoths of the genre? It’s a little different in several ways, such as not being required to go and look for resources and the fact that your final products are…well, shapes. The question is, do those factors detract from the overall experience of playing such games or does it shape up (pun totally intended) rather well? Read on to find out more!
Forging Order from the Unknown
shapez 2‘s gameplay revolves around the manipulation and production of shapes and the ingenious ways in which they can be produced. There is also no story whatsoever – you just make shapes and that’s it! However, given the super-chilled gameplay style, which is immediately apparent, there really is no need for a story. All you are required to do is produce the required shapes and send them into a central vortex that merrily spirals them off to who-knows-where, never to be seen again, and that’s it.
All of the usual staples of factory builders are present, such as conveyor belts, splicing machines, stacking machines, manipulation machines, and the use of multiple levels/layers among many others. However, what isn’t present in shapez 2 is the urgency with which to get the job done. You see, shapez 2 wants you to focus on getting the correct shapes built and sent off without any need to worry about running out of resources. The only worry you will face is where on earth you are going to put the next ridiculously complex set of conveyor belts amongst the ones that you have already haphazardly thrown together.
The typical style of factory builders is that you are required to go and extract resources from the environment in order to produce whatever is required of you. shapez 2 has removed that aspect altogether, providing you with unlimited resources to get the job done. This may perhaps over-simplify things for more seasoned genre players, but it suits the style of the game very well indeed. If anything, the elimination of seeking resources allows you to focus solely on creating the required shapes without having to worry about running out of something along the way.
As such, this opens up a literal universe (seriously – more on that later) of possibilities. Not only that, but having total freedom in what you build and how you want to do it just feels…right.
You find yourself in a space-based factory where readily available shapes (such as circles and squares) are spawned in numerous sections of said factory. You are then tasked with getting those shapes to look like the ones in your brief, before sending them into the vortex. The majority of the tasks consist of laying out conveyor belts whilst making some adjustments along the way (typically cutting, stacking and/or rotating the shapes) before catapulting them into the vortex. It sounds pretty simple, but it really isn’t as there is so much more to it than what you see on the surface.
Shaping the Future
The mechanics are deceptively simple at first glance: you must use machines to create specific shapes by clicking and dragging things around. Simple, right? Wrong! The complexity is drip-fed to you, and this is a great way to get players accustomed to how things work.
The first “complex” task is where you are required to create stacked shapes, such as a circle on a circle. Easy – just create two levels of circles, use a stacker to stack them, and then send them off into the vortex. Done!
However, as the complexity of the shapes and production lines grows, shapez 2 reveals its true, almost staggering depth, and this is where the magic happens. How about a half-circle on a half-circle? Well, you take the first circle-on-a-circle and then use a cutter to split it in half before sending it into the vortex. Easy!
How about a quarter circle on a quarter circle? Well, surely you just halve it again…right?
How about a circle on a square? What about a half-circle on a half-square? What about a circle on a circle but with one half blue? What about a half-blue-half-green square on a half-red-half-yellow circle? What about a quarter-blue-quarter– you get the picture!
Before you know it, you will have what seasoned factory-builder players refer to as “spaghetti” all over your screen – miles upon miles of intertwining conveyor belts making an absolute mess of the environment. However, you probably won’t care one bit by that point and may even feel a sense of pride because that beautiful (hideous) mess that you have just created is getting the job done and that’s what matters!
I mentioned a “literal universe” earlier – I wasn’t lying. shapez 2 takes place in a seemingly endless universe. I’ll give you an example. If you zoom out from your factory and take a look at your surroundings, you will notice that your area (or island) is one of several other floating islands, each of which is home to a specific type of shape or shapes. If you zoom out further still, you will see dozens of said islands. Zoom out further still, and you begin to realise just how small and almost insignificant your particular piece of the universe is.
Zoom out further still, and you are in for a shock because you will see what I can only describe as a literal universe of shapes, broken into blocks, all of which are totally traversable, seemingly infinite, and which can all be inspected extremely closely. When you realise just how much there is to work with, you may feel overwhelmed, but that’s okay, because it just means that you have even more resources than you ever expected.
Later in the game, you will unlock several new modes of transport in order to retrieve the aforementioned shapes from across the universe, with trains and large, powerful conveyor belts playing a part in getting them where they need to be.
There is also a research system which allows you to unlock new buildings, mechanics, shape types and upgrades to existing elements.
A Symphony of Efficiency
To say that shapez 2 is easy on the eye is a massive understatement. shapez 2 is stunning in its simplicity. The default pastel colours and smooth, clean environments make you feel immediately comfortable. There is no large, imposing machinery to worry about, no difficult terrain to traverse – none of that. It’s just smooth, clean and beautiful.
The vortex at the centre of your area is almost what one might imagine if told to visualise what a dream might look like in the wild that hasn’t yet had to chance to be dreamed by somebody. It’s hypnotically beautiful and you could easily spend more time than you realise just gazing into it. The swirling, calming, cyclical mass of colours and lights all working their way down to a destination far beyond your ability to see is probably one of the most unique things you will ever see in any game.
The main game elements, such as conveyor belts and manipulators, all follow the same smooth, almost corporate colour scheme – lots of grey and orange. It looks great and adds to the overall calming visual feel of the game.
The soundtrack features a blend of ambient and upbeat electronic music that perfectly complements the calm, factory setting. In fact, the soundtrack alone is incredible and worthy of a listen to even when not playing the game. It makes for great background music when undertaking a task that requires concentration, for example. There are no sounds of machines whirring, clanging and welding pieces together – everything just continues to sound calm, relaxed and, somehow, clean.
A Never-ending Dance
shapez 2 has an incredibly high degree of replayability. Procedurally generated maps and increasing difficulty levels ensure that no two playthroughs are ever the same – it will always be a unique experience.
The Early Access nature of shapez 2 also adds a layer of excitement, as players can anticipate new content and features being added over time. However, it’s important to remember that the game is still under development, so bugs may indeed be possible until the full release is ready.
Conclusion
Not only is shapez 2 extremely impressive, but it is an all-round solid game that provides a fun and deeply engaging experience. It takes a deceptively simple concept and transforms it into a deeply engaging and rewarding experience, all the while keeping the main focus on a clean, calm and smooth experience. The core loop of automation and resource management is both satisfying and challenging, while the clean visuals and delightful soundtrack create a truly immersive atmosphere. While the restriction-free simplicity may not be for more seasoned factory-builder players, those willing to embrace the game for what it is – a no-nonsense, relaxed factory-builder – will find a game with immense potential.
Pros
- Looks and sounds utterly amazing.
- Highly immersive.
- Restriction-free environment encourages creativity.
- Loads to research and unlock.
- Deep and engaging gameplay mechanics.
- High degree of replayability.
Cons
- May be too simple for those seeking a more complex factory builder.