A puzzle game by Star Garden Games, Word Factori challenges players to make words starting out with nothing but the letter i. Using machines that can bend, reflect, rotate and merge that singular letter to create all the others, the production chains created all link to the word you are tasking with making. As part of Tiny Teams, I have been given a code by Yogscast Games to offer my thoughts about Word Factori.

Word Factori’s main progression comes from the set levels it offers under Play. The first set of levels just feature letters, teaching players about the systems needed to create them. Placing buildings, linking buildings together, and what those buildings are. Bend an I to get a C. Merge two Is to get a V. Rotate an I and merge it with another to get an L. Once the production chains create ten of the word and output it as a block, the level is complete.

The complexity then comes in starting with the second set of levels. Only four of each set of levels needs to be complete to move onto the next, which gives a bit of breathing room for any that prove too challenging. But the real challenge isn’t progressing. It’s being among the very best. At the end of each level, the game will present three bar graphs. These graphs are how well you did at a level, along with the rest of the world.

Tracking how many buildings were placed, the overflow of letters before a level is complete, and the number of cycles used to create a word, these bar graphs make it easy to see how you compare to every other player. Feed into that desire to be among the best at that particular level. It’s easy to return to a particular level and get lost in the strategy required to be among the best.

The same is also true for the challenge levels. Shown in red on the level list, the challenge levels restrict what you can use. Certain buildings will be locked from use, while others will have a set amount you can use. In doing so, these levels require players to think of some creative ways to make certain letters to achieve victory. If you find yourself at a loss for how to make some of these letters, there is a way to experiment.

Another option on the main menu is type-a-word, where true to its name, you can type a word to test yourself. It’s easier to experiment here than in the proper levels. Even though the game will add the letter to the recipe book once successfully made, sometimes a eureka moment will come only when looking at certain letters together. Since any combination of letters will be accepted, you could be looking at PBNZ and discover a new recipe.

Speaking of recipes, there are three journals that the games features. The first is the recipe journal, which will feature every way to create a letter that the game has. There are 96 different ways in total, with certain letters featuring over five ways. The second is the sticker book. Certain words, especially those part of the levels under Play, will have a sticker representing that word. Complete the word, and that sticker will be added to your sticker book.

The third is the word journal. Here will be every word that you have ever completed. Whether from levels, the word of the day, or through type-a-word, they will all be found here. Each word will also feature the best stats for that word you have. Yes, it’s not just levels that are tracking the three stats that appear on the bar graphs. It’s any word. Clicking on any word in the journal will swap you to the game screen, showing how you had completed it. This easily allows you to reconfigure your solution to better the stats on that word rather than starting it from scratch.

I’ve had a lot of fun with this one. Though it has a simple presentation, there is nothing simple in the challenge of its puzzles. Especially considering there’s an unlimited number of puzzles to solve with the type-a-word feature. For those who enjoy solving logic puzzles, Word Factori is an easy one to recommend. Doubly so if you’re someone who can’t help but shrink the numbers down.

The Tiny Teams Festival is running until 10/August-2023. Thanks to Yogscast Games, I have been given codes for several games that are featured during the festival this year. Across this month, I will be either reviewing or sharing experiences of these games. Despite being given codes, the thoughts I offer are purely my own and not influenced by the generosity of Yogscast Games.

Images Taken From:
Word Factori | PC