Satisfactory goes nuclear with its second update

Satisfactory's second Early Access update introduces the awesome power of nuclear energy to the factory builder. If you've been watching Chernobyl and are terrified of nuclear power, you're very sensible, because along with all that power comes the spectre of radiation.

Update 2's nuclear tier will let you make a huge leap in power capacity. 150MW are rookie numbers, according to the Coffee Stain Studios. Your factories will also produce waste, and apparently factory builders will have "complete" freedom to deal with that delicious green sludge however they like. But watch out, because all that waste, and any uranium-based products you create, will be radioactive. Hazmat suits will be available, but they're not a proper solution. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Less dangerous are the new electric locomotives that let you shoot around your massive factory complex at lightning-fast speeds. Building your rail network looks like it will take some doing, though, and it won't be cheap. You'll need to place tracks manually, using switches to create more complex transportation webs, and you'll need plenty of resources to get started. The tracks also transport electricity, however, so you can use them to power factories and outposts.

Along with trains and nuclear power, there's bauxite and aluminium, which let you build more advanced parts, and improved miners and conveyor belts that are faster and more efficient. You won't start out with them, though, but they're something to work towards.

Finally, there are new biomes, specifically for the end-game. There are swamp and bamboo fields that are good places to build outposts, and then there's a jungle that you'll probably get lost in. Expect them to be a pretty trickier to work in than the earlier areas.

I've found it all very hypnotic, the process of growing my all-consuming factory. It's a little less daunting than Factorio, though the scale is still massive, especially since it's in first-person. I've just got a pokey wee complex right now, but it still keeps me pretty busy, tweaking and upgrading. Like Chris mentioned when he wrote about Satisfactory's animations back in March, some of the best moments just come from watching your automated manufacturing network going about its business, following your orders. Those robotic arms are very diligent workers.

Update 2 is live now. Check out the full patch notes here.

Fraser is the UK online editor and has actually met The Internet in person. With over a decade of experience, he's been around the block a few times, serving as a freelancer, news editor and prolific reviewer. Strategy games have been a 30-year-long obsession, from tiny RTSs to sprawling political sims, and he never turns down the chance to rave about Total War or Crusader Kings. He's also been known to set up shop in the latest MMO and likes to wind down with an endlessly deep, systemic RPG. These days, when he's not editing, he can usually be found writing features that are 1,000 words too long or talking about his dog.