8 Video Games with Complex Crafting Systems
Whether you’re enjoying an adventurous RPG, an action-packed shooter, or a casual simulator, crafting systems are a large portion of the game. But some titles go too far, creating games with complex crafting systems that take hours to master.
While it can be intimidating for some gamers to jump into these complex systems, many enjoy this learning curve and even feel it creates more immersion. If you want to challenge yourself, check out these video games with complex crafting systems.
8. Skyrim
The Elder Scrolls franchise is a classic RPG series, and Skyrim is a fan-favorite. Skyrim’s crafting system is also pretty complex, especially if you want to maximize your equipment use. From Alchemy, Smithing, and Enchanting, these skills are divided into three skill trees that play into each other.
This means if you level up a specific skill to 100, you still need to level up your character and allocate points towards the skill that will maximize your gain. Along with that, if you want to enchant an item, you’ll need additional perks to upgrade it using Smithing or to add buffs using Alchemy, meaning you’ll need to plan out your build in advance.
Related: Best Rhythm Games To Groove To On Steam
7. Dyson Sphere Program
The 2021 game Dyson Sphere Program is high on the list of games with complex crafting systems. In this game, you’ll try to build the most efficient intergalactic factory in space, which sees you collecting resources, planning, designing layouts, and harnessing power.
With the number of layers of automation, it can get complicated and overwhelming quickly. Although players boast about how intuitive the game is, and that it’s a great entry to some of the more intense management games. While there’s definitely a learning curve when you first jump into the game, it’s a great option for those who want a challenge without being immediately intimidated.
6. Factorio
Next on the list of best games with complex crafting systems is Factorio, the 2020 construction and management simulator. The game is known for being extremely difficult to master, or even to grasp, with many players saying you need hundreds, if not thousands, of hours to be comfortable with it.
The crafting system is designed to be straightforward, yet challenging. However, the farther you go into the game, the more complex the crafting system is supposed to get, which requires players to focus on efficient automation and planning ahead. The learning process is supposed to be the thrilling part of the title, and it encourages players to scrap entire builds and start fresh in hopes of finding the best possible solution.
Check Out: Best Open-World Games for Endless Exploration
5. Minecraft
Another classic title that gamers are obsessed with is Minecraft, and it actually has a pretty complex crafting system. For die-hard fans who have been playing it since childhood, it might not seem that way. While it’s easy to grasp, the crafting system is massive, and it takes a lot of memory to understand it.
For many, we know to punch trees, use the wood to turn them into blocks, which turn into sticks, so we can make tools. For new players, who would have thought to break down materials in this specific order to make what they want? This is one of the games with complex crafting systems, not because of how difficult it is, but because of how many combinations there are and the process of making said items.
4. Call of Duty: Black Ops III (Zombies)
The “Zombies” mode in the beloved game Black Ops III from the Call of Duty franchise is one of the many games with complex crafting systems. And with the third installment, the fan-favorite mode was back: Zombies. But crafting became much more complex with this iteration. Instead of killing zombies and hitting the box from the get-go, you now needed to set up crafting tables to move up on rounds.
The system of crafting items changed frequently, meaning sometimes items needed to be placed on specific workbenches, while other times you could choose what to make and where to make them. Some items were even hidden on the map or required you to follow complex Easter Egg steps to upgrade. Instead of a simple crafting system, you usually had to jump through hoops just to get what you needed.
Also Read: Best Hybrid Games That Effortlessly Blend Genres
3. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Since the 1980s, The Legend of Zelda franchise has been one of the most popular Nintendo games around, and has since evolved into one of the most beautiful adventure games ever, especially with the two most recent releases, Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom. And the latter of the two is one of the many games with complex crafting systems. Introducing new enhancements and a way to build your own structures to manipulate and traverse the environment, it’s a difficult system to get used to.
There are plenty of items that can be put together to form elixirs and food. But there are also ways to combine items with weapons, build flying structures, drivable vehicles, and more. With players not used to having this much freedom in a Zelda game, it’s definitely a learning curve. Players are also pushed to figure the system out, as several puzzles throughout the game require sticking objects together.
2. Monster Hunter World
In Monster Hunter World, everything you make requires you to use a different gameplay element, which makes it one of the top video games with complex crafting systems. For instance, cooking requires you to get ingredients from the fields or purchase meals directly. Or if you want to craft potions or other supplements, you need to take care of your botanical research lab.
This system requires managing several aspects of gameplay, which means properly planning ahead and multitasking, which can be overwhelming for many gamers. This also means you have to hunt specific monsters in hopes of getting the appropriate and necessary parts to upgrade your weapons. It’s an easy-to-learn system; however, it requires a lot of time and promotes a gameplay loop.
Read More: Best Roguelike Games to Play on Steam
1. Ark Survival
The number one spot for games with complex crafting systems goes to Ark: Survival, the action-adventure survival game full of dinosaurs. The game itself is known to be challenging, and the crafting system matches. That’s because it’s just a random chance due to RNG.
Players often get frustrated with crafting because there’s a chance that, even when upgrading the crafting skill, you can end up with something at a very low level. Mastering how to craft comes from hours of gameplay and several pointers from long-time players, with some using methods like “mind wiping” to maximize their crafting skills. It’s a valuable and necessary part of the game, but it is time-consuming and complex.
