Nothing beats the sounds of virtual industry. Whether it's the clang of carts on redstone rail in Minecraft, the gentle hum of a Satisfactory conveyor belt, or the chaos of miles of facilities in Factorio, watching the fruits of your industrial labor bloom is a reward unlike any other. If, like me, you're always on the lookout for your next opportunity to engage in some video game manufacturing, then, you need to give Foundry a try. Currently in Steam Early Access, the game's second update just introduced myriad new ways to play, and it's even 50% off right now.
Set in a procedurally generated voxel world, your goal in Foundry after landing on an alien planet is to set up your own gigantic robotic production facility. You need to drill for resources, construct colossal machinery, research new technology, and endeavour to bring industrialization to every corner of the world. There's even galactic trade to contend with, which stands as the last roadblock to your ultimate goal: industrial dominion.
Published by Paradox, the building game is clearly the studio's answer to the incredibly popular Satisfactory. It's not exactly the same, though, with the blocky voxel charm evoking more of a Minecraft feel, which leans on giving you boundless creativity to construct your monolithic factories exactly how you please.
Originally launching Foundry in Steam Early Access, developer Channel 3 Entertainment has just released the game's second major update: Galactic Commerce. This upgrade combines robot production with interstellar trade, presenting you with a whole new challenge.
First up is the new galaxy map, which generates a system at the beginning of each fresh game. You'll need to unlock galactic sectors and get trade licences to sell your constructed robots to different planets, and manage the supply routes between all of those worlds. You can also buy and sell resources on the galactic market, and come up against other interstellar megacorps fighting for a spot at the top.
Space Stations have been massively overhauled. There are more upgrades, an entire management system, an R&D lab to earn XP and levels, and the opportunity to supply your own spaceship fuel. You have new robots to make and sell, the opportunity to choose a company name and logo, and plenty of new quests, features, and ways to engage with everything update 2 has to offer.
Pipe flow has been improved, with better flow simulation and some performance enhancements. You can also explore the new Tundra biome, lava caves and smelters, and find new critters and vegetation across other areas of the world, too.
It doesn't matter if you're a new or returning Foundry player, the game's latest update has something for everyone. Whether it's entirely new commercial features or a slew of major and minor improvements, you'll find even more to get busy with.
Channel 3 Entertainment has released the Foundry Galactic Commerce update on Steam. You can also get the game at 50% off until Thursday May 22, so expect to pay $14.99 / £13.49 until then. Just head here.
If you want more we've also got all the strategy games currently on PC.
You can follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides. We've also got a vibrant community Discord server, where you can chat about this story with of the team and fellow readers.