Satisfactory style builder Dawn Apart mixes destruction and colony sims, out now

You lay the blueprints. You pore over the details. You painstakingly reinforce every corner and buttress. And then you sit back and watch as the marauding alien hordes try to get into your base, and can't, thwarted by your visionary architecture. This is the satisfaction of building and factory games - the only thing better is making more conveyer belts. On that note, I present Dawn Apart. Part sandbox automation game, part colony survival sim, it's out now.

A could-be contender for our list of the best sandbox games, Dawn Apart tasks players to transform a remote planet into a thriving industrial colony. Dispatched by the galaxy-spanning Aurora Corporation to gather the lucrative mineral Lucrum, you'll need to harvest resources, build towering industrial complexes, and optimize production lines to survive this hostile voxel world.

But it's not just about building the best factories. The needs of your workers also need to be met, so supplies of food, shelter, and medicine have to be secured lest you anger your workforce. There are new settlers to attract as well, and you'll need to hire carefully, as every engineer, mercenary, and civilian has their part to play.

Every pipeline, every factory, every conveyor belt will adapt to your choices - and to the trials that await you. But of course, the aliens that inhabit this planet are none too happy about your settlement. Every night, It'ak raiders will attack, and a wrong step, misplaced resource, or weak build may fall to ruin.

But what makes Dawn Apart really stand out is the detail in its destruction system: every bit of this planet, from the terrain to factories to enemies, can be pulverized or terra-sculpted down to the last cube. Reid spoke previously about how the "chaos allowed by its setting" distinguishes Dawn Apart from other genre rivals, both in its destruction system and its compelling sci-fi narrative.

Dawn Apart is available in early access on Steam now at $19.99 / £15.07, with 10% off. Further updates, features, and new content are all on the way, and you can get the game yourself right here.

Planning on returning to Satisfactory in the meantime? We have a guide on the best Satisfactory mods for you to sink your teeth into. Or make sure you check out the best survival games on PC.

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