The anticipation surrounding the upcoming expansion of Factorio, titled Space Age, continues to build as Wube Software reveals a glimpse of its intriguing new enemies. Among these are the Pentapods, an alien species that showcases a remarkable blend of creativity and unsettling design, reminiscent of starfish with their five-legged, radially symmetrical forms.
Introducing the Pentapods
The Pentapods exhibit a unique and grotesque charm as they navigate their environment, reminiscent of the game’s existing Spidertrons. Their movement is both fascinating and disturbing, offering players a new layer of challenge. The Pentapod family consists of several distinct types:
- Wrigglers: These smaller, immature pentapods scuttle towards players, armed with teeth and claws, creating an unsettling yet captivating sight.
- Strafers: Mature Pentapods that prefer to maintain a distance, they launch smaller wrigglers at players, adding a tactical element to encounters.
- Stompers: The largest of the three, these armored giants pose a significant threat, intent on crushing anything in their path.
A recent video showcased a well-equipped engineer battling a swarm of these creatures, highlighting the intense gameplay that awaits players in this expansion.
Gleba, one of the five new planets introduced in Space Age, will not only expand the game’s universe but also enhance the factory-building experience. Unlike the Biters from the base game, the Pentapods are drawn to players not by pollution, but by the organic crops that players must cultivate. The very essence of the factory—its spores and aromas—will attract these formidable foes.
In addition to fending off the Pentapods, players will need to gather their eggs to create biochambers, essential bioreactors for producing Gleba’s industrial products. This new dynamic adds an intriguing layer of strategy to the gameplay.
Alongside the expansion, all players will receive a complimentary 2.0 update, which promises to enhance the Factorio experience with smarter worker robots, new rail systems, a remote viewing feature, an updated fluid system, and numerous other improvements. This update is set to elevate the already robust gameplay, ensuring that both new and returning players have plenty to explore.
For those eager to dive deeper into the world of Gleba and its Pentapods, the full blog post detailing these new features can be found on the official Factorio website, along with purchasing options for the game.