This article contains information about the full game, which will be released on July 10, 2026.
Keep in mind that it contains major spoilers. If you want to enjoy exploring the game on your own, you may want to skip this article.
The scope of the game is vast, both in terms of map size and technological progression. A full campaign playthrough takes more than 10 hours. Your main objective is to defeat enemy strongholds and ultimately face a powerful boss at the end of the game.
The early stages give you some freedom to learn the ropes and familiarize yourself with the game mechanics. However, the farther you venture from your home base, the stronger the enemies become.
You do not need to conquer the entire map, only the enemy strongholds. The strategy you choose is entirely up to you. You can establish a chain of bases connected by supply routes or build a single mega city where all your resources and assets are concentrated.
You may prefer to send multiple small raiding parties to weaken the enemy or assemble a mighty army capable of crushing even the strongest opponents in a full-scale assault.
New soldiers and workers are recruited by liberating cities, so expanding your territory is essential. Sometimes this means crossing entire oceans.
As soldiers gain combat experience, they earn ranks. Higher ranked soldiers have more hit points, stronger attacks, and access to better equipment.
Each soldier can wield either a melee or a ranged weapon. Balancing the composition of your army is crucial to protecting vulnerable ranged units.
The best way to command units in battle is through formations. Simply draw a formation line on the ground to hold your position or flank the enemy. Use rivers, mountain ranges, and defensive walls to position your troops strategically.
The game features ground, naval, and air vehicles. They can fulfill a variety of roles, including combat, resource transportation, and troop transport. Sometimes all at once.
Vehicles can operate in buildings, fight alongside frontline units, or support armies from behind the lines. They are also essential for delivering ammunition and medical supplies.
Carts
Trucks
Tanks
Rafts
Barges
Hotair balloons
Zeppelins
To reduce excessive micromanagement, cities operate largely on their own. You simply place the buildings you need, and workers handle construction, resource processing, and production automatically.
You can even construct a City Hall, choose a city plan, and watch a new settlement grow on its own.
Transporting resources over long distances requires an efficient logistics network. You can set up routes connecting depots, ports, and airfields across land, sea, and air.
Protect your cities by constructing walls and towers. Soldiers can man these fortifications and operate mounted weapons such as ballistas, catapults, machine-gun emplacements, and cannon towers.
All defensive weapons require a steady supply of ammunition to remain effective.
Your enemies attack in swarms of insect-like mechanical bugs. Some attack with claws and bites, others spit acid, and some explode on impact.
A special breed of giant bug occasionally roams the world, wreaking havoc on your supply lines and armies.
Large numbers of bugs spawn in cities located within unexplored territories. Once defeated, their presence in that area becomes significantly weaker. They do not spawn at all in liberated cities.
The recommended game mode is Scenario Mode. It allows you to unlock new technologies and discover game mechanics at a comfortable pace without becoming overwhelmed from the start.
For battle hardened veterans, Free Game Mode provides access to all technologies from the beginning.
Be sure to try the demo during Steam Next Fest, and don't forget to wishlist Machinefall!