Using geometric shapes, players create units and spells to defend a portal from attacks in ShapeHero Factory. This surprising and entertaining Japanese game is a mix of genres, especially appealing to fans of automation.
ShapeHero Factory is an unusual automation or factory simulation game that successfully combines roguelite, tower defense and autobattler elements. Rather than fighting enemy threats by swinging swords or casting spells, players build automated factories by combining geometric shapes (e.g. circles and triangles) to create heroes or spells. These heroes or spells are then delivered to a central portal via conveyor belts, where they fight waves of enemies on a different map. Here, the units fight increasingly powerful waves of enemies on their own.
How does unit construction, or rather fabrication, work? It's similar to shapez, but more concrete and less abstract. Using conveyor belts and the right combiners, players can make a soldier out of a circle and a triangle, for instance, or build a tank unit out of a circle and a square. The construction plans are becoming increasingly complex and require more components. With the Hero Tree, new unit types can be unlocked and upgraded, with progress shown transparently, while further upgrades can be unlocked in the Research Tree. During the construction phase, a timer puts pressure on players to set up efficient production lines for the next wave.
ShapeHero Factory © Asobism
Each run takes place on a procedurally generated map. During these runs, and between waves of battles, players can choose rewards such as new recipes, buildings or buffs, which only apply to the current run. Using the resources they have collected, players can unlock permanent improvements between runs that will affect future runs. If the defences fall, the run is over. The combination of automation and factory simulation with tower defense and autobattler mechanics works surprisingly well. However, even in the later levels, it doesn't come close to the complexity or multi-level dimensions of Factorio or shapez 2. Nevertheless, designing the factories can be quite challenging, and the roguelite elements also add variety to the game.
ShapeHero Factory is being developed by Asobism, which was founded in 2005 and is based in Tokyo. The company has produced mobile titles such as Castle & Dragon and Dragon Poker, and has since expanded into PC and console gaming with ShapeHero Factory and Vivid Knight.
ShapeHero Factory © Asobism
ShapeHero Factory was released on PC via Early Access in November 2024. The full version was launched on Steam, Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 5 in September 2025, priced at €23.99. Most recently, at the end of January 2026, the game's third major update was released. This update includes the Minions' Dan Dojo, which has no battles or time limits. Instead, players must optimise their factory using limited resources to earn in-game achievements. The Dojo is a notable addition that is sure to appeal to fans of traditional factory builders. The box-selecting feature was also added, enabling players to select, move, delete and copy facilities in a 12x12 area. However, Copy and Paste can only be used in Free Control mode to maintain game balance. There have been two previous upgrades with seasonal content (Halloween and Christmas).
ShapeHero Factory cleverly combines factory simulation, tower defense and auto-battler with roguelite elements, creating an engaging experience.
