| Shapez 2 | |
| Developer: | tobspr Games |
| Modes: | Single-player |
| Engine: | Unity |
| Released: | 15 August 2024 |
Shapez 2 (stylized as shapez 2) is a factory simulation video game developed by tobspr Games.
Similar to its predecessor Shapez, players extract and process various resources in a procedurally generated world to supply a central hub called the "Vortex".[1] [2] Different types of buildings are available, such as balancers, cutters, and extractors. There are no victory conditions, and all buildings are free of cost, so factories can theoretically expand infinitely.[3]
As more shapes are supplied and the factory expands, players need to make more complex shapes composed of many layers of cut and dyed shapes. Each shape contains up to four layers of four quadrants. In later stages of the game, players will need to supply thousands of copies of such shapes to the Vortex.[4]
A major difference was the switch from 2D to 3D graphics, which allows the player to build on multiple layers.[5] Shapes remained 2D, and most buildings are still limited to one per layer.
Shapez 2 also adopted a new theme, switching from a plain white background to outer space. Modular islands and space trains were introduced along with the new theme, allowing the player to easily copy-and-paste sections of factories. Players are also given the ability to adjust the game's difficulty, which determines the size of resources and position of islands.[6]
The first trailer for Shapez 2 was released on August 16, 2023.[7] An open demo was made available on Steam on January 25, 2024, which received positive reviews from critics. Shapez 2 was released for early access on August 15, 2024.[8]
The game was developed by German indie developer tobspr Games[9] using the Unity engine. The studio received partial funding with a grant of €537,833 from the German government via the "Computerspielförderung des Bundes".[10]
Unlike its predecessor, which was free and open source,[11] Shapez 2 requires a purchase.[12]
Shapez 2 received positive reviews upon release. Ollie Toms from Rock, Paper, Shotgun described the game as "peerlessly satisfying", while Lawrence Scotti from PCGamesN said that the game "maintains a zen-like atmosphere."[13]