Back in the early heyday of Minecraft, what really kept me coming back were the mods that dramatically opened up the sandbox game's building potential. Tekkit, and later Feed the Beast, introduced me to a world of pipe networks and automation long before I ever got into the likes of Satisfactory and Factorio. Now, new indie game Icaria combines the iconic blocky look of Minecraft with the ability to lay out intricate factory networks and program helpers to handle all your tasks, and it's out now on Steam with a playable demo.
Much like Minecraft, starting a new game of Icaria drops you into a small section of a procedurally generated alien world, although developer Blindsight Games' creations are more alien in nature than those of Mojang. From your initial spawn, you'll gradually explore outwards, building out a radio network to give you a better perspective of the world around you.
Like all the best sandbox games, you must gather materials to start constructing, upgrading, and expanding your base, but your labor is just the beginning. Described by Blindsight as a "single-player colony builder," Icaria really comes into its own as you learn to automate your factories and program robotic helpers. Anything you can do yourself can also be accomplished by your workers, and the bigger your base grows, the more important that becomes.
Using a clean set of visual tools to make programming approachable to anyone, and ways to quickly share your scripts with other players, you'll be able to set up your workers and facilities to act exactly how you wish. Terraform the landscape, lay down power networks, assign trucks to transport materials across your ever-expanding colony, and unlock more ways to engage with the world.
Icaria is out now on Steam in early access, with a 15% launch discount meaning you'll pay $21.24 / £17.84 if you buy it by Monday May 12. There's also a free demo you can and try before you commit. Blindsight Games is aiming for the early access period to last for "around a year," but says it will extend that "if that seems like the best way to deliver a satisfying and complete game."
Can't get enough construction in your day? Here are the best management games to play in 2025 as well.
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