Mindustry is rather reminiscent of indie game cult classic Factorio. By indie developer AnukenDev, it’s a tower-defense strategy game with lots of boom.

It launched in September 2019 and is available on Steam and Itch.io. If you like your resource management and defensive carnage… this is for you!

Mine and Defend in Mindustry

This is quite a complex (but relatively accessible) strategy sim. The idea of Mindustry is to:

• Create supply chains using conveyor belts
• Feed ammo and resources into turrets
• Generate materials to build defense structures
• Generate advanced materials
• Go defensive and ensure waves of crazy enemies don’t wipe you out

If you can think of the turret scene from sci-fi horror film Aliens. That bit where Hicks and Ripley are all, like, “Ermahgerd! Are the robot guns going to stop the xenomorphs, dagnammit!?” You do? Good! As it’s basically that in video game form.

Once your base gets really advanced, you can even have automated machines handling the defensive side for you.

The limit with your defences is really down to your imagination.

Whist not as overwhelming and meticulously detailed as Factorio is, Mindustry is nonetheless quite a tough one to get used to. You should commit some time to understand the basics and getting a beginner’s guide map into your head.

As one reviewer on Steam notes:

“This scratches that nice OCD accomplishment center of the brain just right.”

Indeed. Just look at this thing in action, it’s a maze of activity.

Basically, all we can say is don’t go into Mindustry without first watching a basic instruction video on YouTube. It’ll save you a lot of time.

As once you know the basics, this really can be a blast to play.

There’s no denying it’s not going to be for everyone. It’ll make some people’s brains hurt, especially if you’re not after a more brain intensive gaming experience.

Relaxing strategy games like Dorfromantik are much better suited to chillout gaming. Whereas Mindustry is more mind warping.

It is, we must admit, a scaled back version of Factorio. And that’s no bad thing. Both games have their merits, with Mindustry just being more accessible.

Although that’s no saying it’s for every gamer. Everything is more cut back. The graphics are more basic and your resource management not quite as intensive.

But we think it looks great!  Real retro vibe going on. Plus, as you get sucked into the gameplay, the rumbling techno soundtrack will start to merge with your very soul.

The verdict, then! GOOD! Bon. As with the best strategy games, it’s addictive and keeps you wanting to play it.

There’s a lot of variety and intensity going on and you need to work quickly and think methodically to get the job done. The reward is getting to see all your hard work pay off with an all-obliterating command centre type deal.

All to the tune of a slightly more casual experience than the proper full on recourse management type deals.

Mindusty is cheap, too! Along with Steam and Itch.io (the latter is where you can name your price for it), you can find it on Google Play and iPhone.